The Gotti Crew also known as the Bergin Crew was a crew within the Gambino Crime Family, led by John Gotti in the late 1970's-1980's. The crew mainly operated in Queens, New York. Not much is known about the current status of the crew.
History[]
Before Gotti, the crew was lead by long-time member of the gambinos, Carmine Fatico, who was one of the most powerful captains at that time and John Gotti's mentor. Fatico became a made man in the 1930's, and by the 1950s he was a capo pesumably under family boss Albert Anastasia. Though, other sources also indicates that Fatico first was promoted in the mid 1960s. Fatico and his brother Daniel Fatico who he promoted to acting capo, ran the crew together and had multiple rackets together. By 1966 Fatico and his brother commanded a crew of approx. 120 men. In 1972 Carmine moved his crew from east new york to Ozone Park, Queens. In 1973 Fatico was indicted on loansharking charges, and as one of the conditions for having bail, he had to stay away from his crew and other known associates, therefore naming Gotti acting captain. Fatico was the captain up until 1977 where he named Gotti the official capo of the crew.
Gotti's reign[]
From here on out Gotti officially ran the crew from 1977 to 1985. In December 1978, Gotti and his crew helped with the massive Lufthansa Heist at Kennedy Airport, arranging to crush the getaway van at a Brooklyn scrapyard. The crew quickly became underboss Neil Delacroce's biggest earners. Gotti ran his own loansharking operation and had a no-show job as a plumbing supply salesman. Angelo Ruggiero, Gene Gotti and John Carneglia also dealt with narcotics trafficking from the 70's to the 80's, allegedly without John Gotti knowing. When Castellano found out he wanted to whack the entire crew but didn't succeed. In 1985 John Gotti became the boss of the Gambino Crime Family after ordering the hit on his boss Paul Castellano.
Ruggiero's reign[]
Gotti's long-time friend and partner in crime Angelo "Quack quack" Ruggiero succeeded Gotti and became the new capo of the crew. In 1986 Ruggiero successfully arranged the murder of Gambino captain, Robert DiBernardo. Besides setting up the hit on "DiB" Ruggiero did not contribute with that much during his time as a capo. For this reason Gotti realised that Ruggiero had no business skills or intelligence and decided to demote him and put his brother Gene Gotti as the new capo of the crew.
Gene Gotti's reign[]
Through Gene's reign as capo he had multiple trials, the first one taking place in 1987 along with soldier John Carneglia. The judge declared it a mistrial in 1988 and the same year again a retrial was set and was again declared a mistrial. But in 1989 Gene Gotti and John Carneglia had their third trial and where convicted of running a heroin distribution ring. On July 7, 1989 Gotti was sentenced to 50 years in prison and as a result of this Gotti was demoted.
After Gene's imprisonment in 1989, Michael "Mike Lee" Guerrieri - a loyal soldier to John Gotti, was proposed to take over the crew but he turned it down, Mike Lee therefore suggested John's brother Pete and then he got promoted.
Peter Gotti's reign[]
Pete was promoted to official capo of the crew in 1989 after the imprisonment of his younger brother Gene Gotti. Pete was often seen as one of the dumber brothers compared to John and Gene and was not always given the same respect as them. But in 1999 he got promoted to acting boss after John's son John jr. went to prison.
After Peter Gotti's promotion to acting boss in 1999, it is said that the Gotti Crew was split into two crews between members Dominick "Skinny Dom" Pizzonia and Salvatore "Uncle Sal" Scala, with most of the made men in the crew being transfered to Pizzonia's crew.
Known Leaders and Members[]
Bergin Crew Capos[]
- c. 1957-1977 - Carmine Fatico - imprisoned and presumably retired afterwards.
- Acting 1970s-1977 - Daniel Fatico - imprisoned and retired afterwards.
- 1977-1985 - John Gotti - became boss.
- 1985-1986 - Angelo Ruggiero - demoted.
- 1986-1989 - Gene Gotti - imprisoned in 1989 on drug trafficking charges.
- 1989-1999 - Peter Gotti - promoted to acting boss in 1999.
Pizzonia Crew Capos[]
- 1999-2006/7 - Dominick "Skinny Dom" Pizzonia - sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2007.
- c. 2006-2007- Ronnie "Ronnie One Arm" Trucchio - sentenced to life in prison in 2007.
- 2007-2014/15 - Alphonse Trucchio - son of Ronnie Trucchio. He succeeded his father after his imprisonment. Sentenced to 121 months in prison in 2012. Later demoted.
- 2014/15-present - Thomas "Monk" Sassano - former right-hand man of Salvatore "Uncle Sal" Scala. Current capo.
Scala Crew Capos[]
- 1999-2007/8 - Salvatore "Uncle Sal" Scala - sentenced to 72 months in prison in 2007. This lead to the Scala Crew being defunct and absorbed by the Pizzonia Crew around 2007-2008.
Soldiers[]
- 1977-1985 - Angelo Ruggiero - promoted to capo.
- 1950's-1970's - Daniel Fatico - was also acting captain for his brother Carmine Fatico.
- 1976-1986 - Gene Gotti - promoted to capo.
- 1988-1989 - Peter Gotti - promoted to capo.
- 1950's-1960's - Anthony Ruggiano - promoted to capo in the 60's or 70's presumably under Castellano.
- 1960's-1970 - William "Billy Batts" Bentvena - Murdered in 1970 by Thomas DeSimone and Jimmy Burke
- 1977- early 1980's - Nicholas Corozzo - transfered to another crew.
- 1970's-1989 - John "Johnny Carnegs" Carneglia - sentenced to 50 years in 1989.
- 1970's-2009 - Charles Carneglia - sentenced to life imprisonment in 2009
- 1977- early 1980's - Leonard "Lenny" DiMaria - transfered to another crew.
- 1956-1990 - Anthony "Tony Lee" Guerrieri
- 19?-19? - Michael "Mike Lee" Guerrieri
- 1970's-1980's - Tony Rep Trentacosta - promoted to captain.
- 1988-1999 - Richard V. Gotti - presumably member of the Gotti Crew.
- 1988-1990 - John A. Gotti - presumably member of the Gotti Crew. Promoted to capo.
- 1986-2000 - Thomas Cacciopoli - promoted to capo.
- 1988-1999 - Dominick "Skinny Dom" Pizzonia - promoted to capo of the Gotti Crew.
- 1992-mid 1990s - Ronnie "Ronnie One Arm" Trucchio - promoted to capo of the Ozone Park Boys crew.
- 1980s-1999 - Salvatore "Uncle Sal" Scala - promoted to capo in 1999.
- 1950s-1980s - Peter "Little Pete" Tambone - bigtime drug dealer from the 1950s.
Associates[]
- 1970's-? - Joe Watts - long-time associate of John Gotti.
- 1960's-1985 - Wilfred "Willy Boy" Johnson - FBI informant from 1966-1985, shot in 1988.
- 1970's-1987 - Anthony Rampino - sentenced to 25 years in 1987.
- 1971-mid 1970's - Salvatore Montello - Associate who helped the crew with stealing truckloads of goods and later on became a cooperating witness.
- 1970's-1982 - Salvatore Ruggiero - died in 1982.
- 1960's-1974 - Ronald jerothe - killed by Thomas DeSimone.
- 1960's-19?? - Joey Scopo - switched to the Colomobo Family at some point. Killed in 1993 during the colombo war.
- 19??-19?? - Willy Chisel Chin - possibly made a made man at some point.
Gallery[]
