Carmine Fatico
Encyclopedia
Carmine "Charley Wagons" Fatico (January 19, 1910 East New York, Brooklyn
-August 1, 1991) was a Caporegime
in the New York Gambino crime family
. Fatico is best known as an early mentor to Gambino boss John Gotti
.
, bookmaking and felonious assault.
In 1951, mobster Albert Anastasia
took control of the Mangano crime family and placed Fatico in charge of all family operations in East New York. Around 1952, a 12 year-old Gotti started working for the mobsters at Fatico's East New York club house. After Anastasia's murder in 1957, Carlo Gambino
took over what was now the Gambino crime family and kept Fatico as the East New York capo. By 1966, Fatico commanded a crew of approximately 120 men, including made and not yet made captains, sidewalk soldiers and mob associates.
Fatico's nickname "Charley Wagons" alluded to his penchant for hijacking transport trucks. Fatico conducted the hijacking of cargoes at John F. Kennedy Airport and on the Brooklyn waterfront, dealing in stolen merchandise, loansharking, bookmaking, number-running, floating dice
games, illegal casinos, illegal, sports book betting and the operation of a fleet of push-button poker
machines. It had been estimated that Fatico's crew grossed approximately $30 million a year.
In 1972, Fatico moved his crew from East New York to a new base of operations in Ozone Park, Queens
. Fatico was allegedly unhappy about the changing ethnic composition of East New York, plus he wanted to be closer to Kennedy Airport. In Ozone Park, Fatico bought a social club and named it the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club. That same year, Fatico placed Gotti in charge of all illegal gambling operations in East New York. Later in 1972, Fatico was indicted in Suffolk County, New York
for loansharking. While on trial, Fatico designated Gotti as the acting capo for his crew, reporting directly to Gambino and his underboss, Aniello Dellacroce
.
In the early 1980s, Fatico semi retired and turned over the day to day running of the crew and the Bergin Hunt Club to John Gotti. However, Gotti would continue to lead the crew only as acting captain due to the reluctance of Castellano to promote a possible enemy.
On August 1, 1991, Fatico died of natural causes at age 81. He is buried in Saint John Cemetery
in Queens.*
East New York, Brooklyn
East New York is a residential neighborhood located in the Eastern section of the borough of Brooklyn in New York City, United States. The neighborhood is part of Brooklyn Community Board 5...
-August 1, 1991) was a Caporegime
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
in the New York Gambino crime family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
. Fatico is best known as an early mentor to Gambino boss John Gotti
John Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
.
Biography
Fatico was a short, slim man who was known more for his intelligence than his physical power. However, Fatico did not shrink from brutal violence when he deemed it necessary. Fatico quickly became a leading capo in the Gambino family due to his unfailing loyalty and obedience, and his tireless and innovative ability to earn money. Starting in the 1930s, Fatico's arrest record would eventually include grand larcenyGrand Larceny
Grand Larceny is a 1987 thriller film directed by Jeannot Szwarc and starring Marilu Henner, Ian McShane, Omar Sharif and Louis Jourdan.-Plot summary:...
, bookmaking and felonious assault.
In 1951, mobster Albert Anastasia
Albert Anastasia
Albert Anastasia was boss of what is now called the Gambino crime family, one of New York City's Five Families, from 1951-1957. He also ran a gang of contract killers called Murder Inc. which enforced the decisions of the Commission, the ruling council of the American Mafia...
took control of the Mangano crime family and placed Fatico in charge of all family operations in East New York. Around 1952, a 12 year-old Gotti started working for the mobsters at Fatico's East New York club house. After Anastasia's murder in 1957, Carlo Gambino
Carlo Gambino
"Don" Carlo Gambino, was a Sicilian mafioso who became Boss of the Gambino crime family, that still bears his name today. After the 1957 Apalachin Convention he unexpectedly seized control of the Commission of the American Mafia. Gambino was known for being low-key and secretive...
took over what was now the Gambino crime family and kept Fatico as the East New York capo. By 1966, Fatico commanded a crew of approximately 120 men, including made and not yet made captains, sidewalk soldiers and mob associates.
Fatico's nickname "Charley Wagons" alluded to his penchant for hijacking transport trucks. Fatico conducted the hijacking of cargoes at John F. Kennedy Airport and on the Brooklyn waterfront, dealing in stolen merchandise, loansharking, bookmaking, number-running, floating dice
Dice
A die is a small throwable object with multiple resting positions, used for generating random numbers...
games, illegal casinos, illegal, sports book betting and the operation of a fleet of push-button poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
machines. It had been estimated that Fatico's crew grossed approximately $30 million a year.
In 1972, Fatico moved his crew from East New York to a new base of operations in Ozone Park, Queens
Ozone Park, Queens
Ozone Park is a working class neighborhood located in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Queens bordering Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Howard Beach, and City Line, Brooklyn....
. Fatico was allegedly unhappy about the changing ethnic composition of East New York, plus he wanted to be closer to Kennedy Airport. In Ozone Park, Fatico bought a social club and named it the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club. That same year, Fatico placed Gotti in charge of all illegal gambling operations in East New York. Later in 1972, Fatico was indicted in Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
for loansharking. While on trial, Fatico designated Gotti as the acting capo for his crew, reporting directly to Gambino and his underboss, Aniello Dellacroce
Aniello Dellacroce
Aniello John "Mr. Neil" Dellacroce , also known as "Father O'Neil" and "The Tall Guy", was an Italian-American gangster and underboss of the Gambino crime family. A capo of his own crew for many years he rose to the position of underboss when Carlo Gambino moved Joseph Biondo aside.-Early...
.
In the early 1980s, Fatico semi retired and turned over the day to day running of the crew and the Bergin Hunt Club to John Gotti. However, Gotti would continue to lead the crew only as acting captain due to the reluctance of Castellano to promote a possible enemy.
On August 1, 1991, Fatico died of natural causes at age 81. He is buried in Saint John Cemetery
Saint John Cemetery
St. John Cemetery or St. John's Cemetery may refer to:* Sait Johns Cemetery * St. John's Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia* St. John's Cemetery, Queens, New York* St. John Cemetery, New Haven, Connecticut...
in Queens.*
Further reading
- Davis, John H. Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family. New York: HarperCollins, 1994. ISBN 0061091847
- DeStefano, Anthony M. Mob Killer. New York: Pinnacle Books, 2011. ISBN 0786028580
- Mustain, Gene and Jerry CapeciJerry CapeciGerald "Jerry" Capeci is an American journalist and author who specializes in coverage of the Five Mafia crime families of New York City. Capeci has been described by news organizations, such as CNN and BBC, as an expert on the American Mafia.-Gang Land:Capeci writes a column called Gang Land...
. Mob Star: The Story of John Gotti. Indianapolis: Penguin, 2002. ISBN 0028644166 - Raab, Selwyn. Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. New York: Macmillan, 2006. ISBN 0312361815
- Gotti, VictoriaVictoria GottiVictoria Gotti is a writer, reality television participant and daughter of the Gambino crime family Mafia boss, John Gotti.-Early life:...
. This Family of Mine: What It Was Like Growing Up Gotti. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2009. ISBN 1439154503 - Wilson, Colin. The World's Greatest True Crime. New York: Barnes & Noble Publishing, 2004. ISBN 0760754675