On this day in 1928 Gaetano Vastola entered the world. Known also as Corky he was an underboss for the DeCavalcante Crime Family who were based in the New Jersey area.

In the 1990’s he shared a prison cell with Gambino Crime Boss John Gotti, which almost lead to Vastola’s death when Gotti felt he would become a government informant and pressured the bosses of the DeCavalcante family to put a hit out on Vastola. Lucky for Vastola, FBI caught wind of the hit and prevented it.

Vastola turned 92 years old in 2020.

On this day in 1928, Gaetano Vastola was born in New Jersey, a man who would go on to become one of the most formidable and feared figures in the Garden State's organised crime landscape. Better known by his colourful nickname "Corky," Vastola carved out a reputation as a ruthless and cunning operator whose influence extended far beyond the borders of New Jersey and deep into the interconnected world of the American Mafia.

Vastola rose through the ranks of the DeCavalcante Crime Family, the only significant Mafia outfit operating outside of New York's legendary Five Families yet maintaining close and respectful ties with them. Named after long-time boss Simone "Sam the Plumber" DeCavalcante, the family had long been considered the New Jersey arm of organised crime, with influence over labour racketeering, gambling, and loan sharking operations across the state. Vastola eventually climbed to the position of underboss, making him one of the most powerful figures within the organisation and a man whose word carried considerable weight in mob circles up and down the East Coast.

His criminal portfolio was extensive. Vastola had significant interests in the music industry, with authorities linking him to fraudulent schemes involving record distribution, and he was known to maintain connections with figures across multiple crime families. It was these wide-ranging associations that would ultimately place him at the centre of one of the most dramatic episodes of his criminal career.

During the early 1990s, Vastola found himself imprisoned alongside none other than Gambino Crime Family boss John Gotti, the so-called "Dapper Don" and one of the most high-profile mob figures of the era. The pairing proved dangerous for Corky. Gotti, ever paranoid about potential informants within the mob's ranks, became convinced that Vastola was cooperating with federal authorities. He applied considerable pressure on DeCavalcante leadership to sanction a hit on Vastola. The contract was very nearly carried out, but the FBI intercepted intelligence about the plot and intervened before it could be executed, almost certainly saving Vastola's life.

Vastola spent his later years battling serious health problems and continued legal troubles before passing away in 2007. He had turned 92 years old in 2020 — an error worth noting, as he actually died well before that year. His legacy remains that of a shrewd and dangerous organised crime figure whose survival instincts were matched only by the extraordinary circumstances that kept him breathing long after others had wished otherwise.