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Carlo Gambino. Born in Sicily, Italy o n August 24, 1902 He was born into a prosperous and well connected family Grew up sheltered by the mafia in a neighborhood so dominated by the honored society * it was off limits to the police and the military.
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Carlo Gambino • Born in Sicily, Italy on August 24, 1902 • He was born into a prosperous and well connected family • Grew up sheltered by the mafia in a neighborhood so dominated • by the honored society* it was off limits to the police and the military. • At the time Don Vito was the most powerful man in Sicily *Honored society: the wealthy mafia society
Growing Up • Gambino looked up and respected the upper level mafia • men but Carlo really admired Don Vito • Don Vito was charismatic and fearless but what made an • impact on Gambino was his criminal intuition • As a teenager Gambino dropped out of school • He got a job as an enforcer for Don Vito • His cunning and ruthless personality made him successful • and envied by many • At age 19 he joined the honored society, a big step towards • his future • Gambino was known for being as smart as a fox and as • strong as a lion
Conflicts in Sicily • In the early 1900’s Mussolini, Italian governor, began to • spread fascism and planned to destroy the mafia • This was the reason Gambino was then sent to America • Since his mother had relatives in New York, they found a • cargo ship to smuggle him on • As years went by Gambino began rising to power in the mafia • He got his own crew at age 29 and only trusted his blood relatives • His wife, Catherine Castellano, was his first cousin but he only • married her because her family had a lot of power so he got • some of that power passed on to him
Power • Gambino was the toughest and most intelligent mafia man • His old man appearance made him look incapable of hurting • anyone, and was a benefit to fool the feds • He was a leader in a way that he was the boss of a mafia crime • family and the members would follow him and look up to him • Gambino would always find ways to make a profit off of an event • For example, during World War II they would issue ration stamps • so he developed an elaborate scheme to steal the stamps • The banks hid the stamps but he paid corrupt officials to • steal them for him
Gambino’s end • Gambino led for 20 years with not even a day in prison • He had heart complications in his old age and his health • started to deteriorate after his wife passed away in 1971 • On October 15, 1976 Gambino passed away in his summer • house in Long Island watching a Yankees game • His cause of death: a heart attack • He was one of the mafias wealthiest bosses in New York • and impacted many other lives in different ways