The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (or RICO, as it’s commonly referred to) was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on October 15, 1970. It was intended to combat organized crime's infiltration of legitimate businesses, but no one had successfully put it to use until the great Mafia Commission Trial of 1985.
You might know him as the hair dye-dripping gremlin that he is today, but back then, it was Rudy Giuliani who convicted the mob’s top brass and finally released organized crime’s stranglehold over the United States.
Once the heads of the five families were behind bars, their underlings either fled, flipped on friends for more lenient sentences, or kept it business as usual before they got busted. Here are 15 photos of those high-profile mafia arrests in the 1980s and 90s.
1
Thomas Gambino
The son of Carlo Gambino was convicted of racketeering, and supervising illegal gambling and loan-sharking in 1993.
2
Carmine "The Snake" Persico
Longtime boss of the infamous Colombo crime family, Persico was convicted of conspiracy and racketeering in the Mafia Commission Trial in 1986.
3
Dominic Taddeo
Mob hitman Dominic Taddeo was arrested in 1992.
4
Michael Franzese
This Colombo Capo (and one of the highest earners in mob history) was charged with racketeering in April 1985.
5
Tommy Buscetta
The Italian mafia member was arrested in Brazil in 1983.
6
Vincent "The Chin" Gigante
The boss of the Genovese crime family was indicted on racketeering charges in 1990.
7
Tony "Ducks" Corallo
The boss of the Lucchese family was arrested as part of the Mafia Commission Trial on February 25, 1985.
8
Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno
The consigliere and acting boss of the Genovese family was arrested as part of the Mafia Commission Trial on February 25, 1985.
9
Paul Castellano
The boss of the Gambino crime family was arrested in 1985 but was gunned down before a conviction.
10
Salvatore Santoro
This underboss of the Lucchese crime family was convicted in 1986, and told the judge during sentencing, “Give me my 100 years and we’ll get it over with.”
11
Roy DeMeo
The Gambino soldier and "Butcher of Brooklyn" was arrested in 1981. He is said to have been behind as many as 200 murders.
12
Richard "The Iceman" Kuklinski
Not Italian, but Kuklinski was hired as a hitman by several crime families, including the Genovese, Gambino, and DeCavalcante organizations. He was arrested in 1986 and convicted of 5 murders.
13
Sammy "The Bull" Gravano"
In 1990, Gravano agreed to cooperate with authorities and testify against the Gambino crime family, including his former boss, John Gotti.
14
Vittorio "Little Vic" Amuso
Former boss of the Lucchese crime family, he was described as "The Deadly Don" and sentenced to life in prison in 1992.
15
John Gotti
"The Teflon Don" was arrested many times, but as the nickname suggests, the charges never stuck. Finally, his 1992 conviction put him away for good.
