The Truth About Crime Boss Paul Castellano

In 1975, Castellano faced another possible prison sentence after being indicted on loan sharking and tax evasion-related charges. But the case against him crumbled after the prosecution's key witness declined to testify (via Britannica). Castellano's rise through the Gambino crime family may have been helped by some personal connections. He was the brother-in-law of Carlo Gambino, who was the top boss from 1957 until his death in 1976 (via the Mob Museum). Gambino picked Castellano to be his successor, skipping over his underboss Neil Dellacroce and stirring resentment in the likes of rising mobster John Gotti.

Known as the boss of bosses, Castellano was criminally conservative, opposing drug dealing by crime family members and violence against women (via The New York Times). He liked to invest some of the proceeds from gambling, loan sharking, and other illegal efforts into legitimate businesses. Projecting the image of a successful CEO, he lived with his family in a grand mansion on New York's Staten Island. Castellano became more reclusive, choosing to reign over his criminal enterprises from his home, and it proved to be his downfall. The FBI was able to get a listening device into his home, and the information gathered there was used to indict him, along with several other crime figures, on racketeering charges

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