[34] The New York Times organized-crime reporter and mob historian Selwyn Raab described Gigante's plea deal as an "unprecedented capitulation" for a Mafia boss; it was almost unheard of for a boss to even consider pleading guilty. [35], United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Vincent Gigante, Mob Boss Who Feigned Incompetence to Avoid Jail, Dies at 77, "Why Vincent Gigante Is Known as the Chin", "Costello is Shot Entering Home; Gunman Escapes Wound", "Family Asks Judge to Find Mafia Boss Mentally Ill NYTimes.com", "Judge Sentences 8 Mafia Leaders to Prison Terms", "MAJOR MAFIA LEADER TURNS INFORMER, SECRETLY RECORDING MEETINGS OF MOB", "Gigante, Mafia Boss, Is Mourned and Buried With Little Fanfare", "With Gotti Away, the Genoveses Succeed the Leaderless Gambinos", "Windows Jury Finds 3 Guilty And Acquits 5", Suspected New York Mob Leaders Are Indicted in Contract Rigging, "Mob Inquiry Focuses on Reputed Boss Who Eludes Trial NYTimes.com", "U.S. Says Top Gotti Aide Will Testify Against Boss", "Jurors Find Gigante Guilty Of Racketeering, Not Murder", "Jurors Find Gigante Guilty Of Racketeering, Not Murder NYTimes.com", "Gigante Sentenced to 12 Years And Is Fined $1.25 Million NYTimes.com", "GENOVESE FAMILY KEEPS ITS CHIN UP Gigante becomes top don as Gotti fades", "Gigante Is Sane And Runs Mob, U.S. Charges NYTimes.com", "Gigante Pleads Guilty to Obstructing Justice", Mob boss admits insanity an act, pleads guilty, "Jerry Capeci: Gigante Family Earns Nearly $2 Million a Year on the Waterfront", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vincent_Gigante&oldid=1142599464, "The Chin", "The Oddfather", "The Enigma in the Bathrobe", "The Robe", "The Real Boss of New York" and Vinny Gigante, 12 years' imprisonment and fined $1.25 million, He is portrayed by Nicholas Kepros in the 1998 TV film, The story of the FBI investigation into Gigante was depicted in season 1, episode 7 of. In 1959, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for drug trafficking, and after sharing a prison cell with Costello's rival, Vito Genovese, Gigante became a caporegime overseeing his own crew of Genovese soldiers and associates who operated out of Greenwich Village. He also ended up in the news last year when he was slapped with lawsuits accusing him of sexually assaulting a 9-year-old boy in the 1970s and a 10-year-old girl in the 1960s. In the midst of all this, Gigante also had a wife, a mistress and eight children between them. Both men were arraigned on counts of heroin peddling and sentenced to serve seven and fourteen years in prison. Fyfes mother is Rita Gigantes sister, Yolanda, and Rita offered fond recollections of her nephew. Vincent Esposito Natan Dvir Vinny "The Chin" Gigante's love child, who is a reputed high-level wiseguy in the Genovese crime family, was handed a two-year prison sentence on Friday for what. They are looking for mental competency, or lack thereof. The Chin's turncoat grandson, Vincent Fyfe, will return to Manhattan Federal Court for a Tuesday sentencing after cooperating with federal prosecutors against his half-uncle Vincent Esposito, who pleaded guilty to . So, as John (Junior) Gotti tries to sell his life story in an effort to maintain his lifestyle, Gigante's relatives are earning about $2 million a year as gainful employees of companies on the New Jersey waterfront, Gang Land discloses in this special report. Allegedly, the dude plotted crimes and carried them out or rather, had others carry them out. He also ordered the failed murder attempt of Gambino crime family boss John Gotti in 1986. He was never seen in public again and died of natural causes in 1973. Louis made headlines in the 1980s as well when he used $25,000 of his own money to bail out one of the so-called Central Park Five, a group of teenagers arrested, falsely convicted and ultimately exonerated for the brutal rape of a Manhattan jogger. He had four brothers, Mario, Pasquale, and Ralph, who followed him into a life of organized crime, and Louis, who became a Catholic priest at St. Athanasius Church in the South Bronx and city councilman. [21][1] At sanity hearings in March 1996, Sammy "The Bull" Gravano, former underboss of the Gambino crime family, who became a cooperating witness in 1991,[22] and Alphonse "Little Al" D'Arco, former acting boss of the Lucchese family, testified that Gigante was lucid at top-level Mafia meetings and that he had told other gangsters that his eccentric behavior was a pretense. Also Knows As: Chin, The Oddfather Born: Thursday March 29, 1928 Died: Monday December 19, 2005 Age: 77 Cause of Death: Heart Disease Crime Family Association: Genovese Crime Family About Vincent Gigante. Gigante quickly rose to power during the 1960s and 1970s. She is one of the major characters in the Godfather of Harlem. Whether he's on the pier, or watching a ballgame on TV, or taking in a movie, or asleep in his bed, he's on the clock. Charles Lucky Luciano founded the family in the 1930s, with Genovese as one of his most trusted allies. Apic/Getty ImagesVincent Chin Gigante in custody after his failed assassination attempt on Genovese crime family leader, Frank Costello. In the meantime, Gigante was busy expanding the Genovese crime family behind the scenes while he played dumb with law enforcement. She was quick to immerse herself in the history that inspired her greatly. ", Gigante's lawyers and relatives said that Gigante had been mentally disabled since the late 1960s, with a below-normal IQ of 69 to 72. Vincent Gigante was paroled after five years, and Genovese died a few years later, in 1969, the same year Gigante began his notorious, decades-long ruse. Last updated on January 27th, 2023 at 08:00 pm. [1], Gigante was a professional light heavyweight boxer between 1944 and 1947, who was known as "The Chin" Gigante. Vincent Gigantes influence on pop culture is undeniable. [1][5] He maintained his second family at a townhouse in the Upper East Side, Manhattan with his longtime mistress and common-law wife, Olympia Esposito and their three children, Vincent, Lucia and Carmella. All of his children, including two daughters. Unfortunately for the fans who dug for them to end up together, Stella Gigante and Teddy Greene could not get married. It's also the construction union. Gigante was said to continue to run the Genovese family from prison until 2003. In her childhood, a doctor erred and put a dangerous chemical instead of . Despite carrying the surname of Vito Genovese, the Genovese crime family wasnt founded by him. Teddy is detested and hated due to his skin color and is targeted by Chin throughout the entire series. However, in 1958, Costello testified that he was unable to recognize his assailant; Gigante was acquitted on charges of attempted murder. He passed away at the age of 77, leaving a powerful legacy that will forever be remembered in the history of organized crime. "[14], Gigante was reclusive, and almost impossible to capture on wiretaps, speaking softly, eschewing the phone and even at times whistling into the receiver. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 09:12. "We do have our battles, but we get them settled. According to a 2011 report by Jerry Capeci, Gigante's relatives earn nearly $2 million a year as employees of companies on the New Jersey waterfront. Everyone whos so filled with anger about these suspects should ask themselves, what if this were my son, wouldnt I want him helped? the priest said at the time. In the end, It didnt matter. Former Michigan priest pleads guilty to sexually assaulting 5-year-old Born in New York City in 1928, Vincent Gigante was one of five sons of Salvatore and Yolanda Gigante, both first-generation immigrants from the Italian city of Naples. The fruit of late Genovese crime family boss Vincent (Chin) Gigantes twisted family tree is back for one last court date. In an exciting turn of events, Gigante eventually, after more than four decades of pretense, admitted to fabricating his mental illness. The elaborate pretense of insanity that Vincent Gigante put on for decades was put to its ultimate test in 1990 when he was indicted on federal charges in Brooklyn along with 14 other defendants for a bid-rigging scheme for multi-million dollar contracts with the New York City Housing Authority to install new windows in public housing units. In the 1980s Gigante was named head of the Genovese family when then-boss Philip Lombardo retired while serving a prison sentence. As soon as he took the reins of power, Gigante beefed up internal security procedures. At the same time, she shared in an interview with Entertainment that it was fascinating to learn new perspectives about the civil rights movement. Gigante was genuinely committed to his act. The Esposito sisters and brother Vincent were the children of Gigante's long-running relationship with his Upper East Side mistress Olympia Esposito. A few days later, the doorman picked out Gigante in a line-up, confirming the detectives initial suspicion. Eventually, Gigante quit high school when he turned 16 to start a career as a boxer. Gigante didnt stop at that. This is based on an hourly rate of $33, using of course, the aforementioned overtime rates that PNMR has been paying him since he was elected by acclamation for the shop steward's position back in 1995. Then, discover the story of feared crime boss Anthony Casso. According to National Crime Syndicate, in 1957 he made his big move when he tried to shoot and kill mob boss Frank Costello, but only grazed Costello's head. Grandson of gang boss Vincent Gigante becomes mayor of New York town There is an incident in the series when Stella visits Teddy's family for the first time. He died while incarcerated at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners on December 19, 2005. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Reputed Mafia kingpin Vincent "Chin" Gigante, left, leaves his apartment in New York, Tuesday, July 1, 1997, en route to his trial in federal court. No charges were ever filed against Louis Gigante or his organization. However, she is forced to keep their relationship a secret from her family and neighborhood. In real life, Vincent only has six daughters and none of them are named Stella. While some stories say that Gigante got his nickname, "Chin," during his early years when he was a boxer because he had a "glass jaw" meaning, a vulnerable place for his opponent to strike National Crime Syndicate and What New York report that the name was a derivative of his given name, which would be spelled in Italian asVincenzo, pronounced with a "ch" sound where the letter C is, and his mom shortened it, as moms do, toCinzino which would sound like "Ch-inzino" or even shorter, "Chin.". Stella is portrayed by Lucy Fry in Godfather of Harlem. He fought 25 matches and lost four, boxing 117 rounds. By 2003, however, while serving a 12-year racketeering sentence, Gigante told a judge during a plea bargain to avoid a long trial for more racketeering charges that he faked mental illness while being examined by doctors throughout the 1990s to avoid prosecution, according to the Baltimore Sun. [4] His first professional boxing match was against Vic Chambers on July 18, 1944, in Union City, New Jersey, which he lost; he then fought Chambers a second time at the St. Nicholas Arena on October 6, 1944, and defeated him. When a Mafia turncoat told the feds that Louis Gigante himself was a made man testimony the informant later denied at trial the priest was dismissive. Presiding over his brothers funeral Mass, Louis Gigante said Vinnie lived a Christian life and was a good man.. By 25, Gigante had already stacked up no less than seven arrests. He then started working as a Mafia enforcer for what was then the Luciano crime family, forerunner of the Genovese family. Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. The series Godfather of Harlem portrays the true story of notorious crime lord Bumpy Johnson. However, he is a total fictionary character created by the directors for an upscale drama. Vincent Gigante daughter Stella Gigante is played by actress Lucy Fry in Godfather of Harlem. [1] Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno was made front boss of the Genovese family in order to fool law enforcement. His older brothers went on to become mobsters, with Vinnie rising through the ranks of the Genovese crime family to lead the organization for decades. But Vincent Gigante, one of the leading crime figures of the last century, was buried yesterday largely with the anonymity he sought, unsuccessfully, in life. The only time that Vincent (Chin) Gigante and John Gotti ever talked business as rival Mafia bosses, Chin made sure to tell Gotti how surprised and saddened he was to learn that the Dapper Don was going to induct his son into the Gambino crime family. Shortly thereafter, he appointed Frank Costello to head up the Genovese family to the chagrin of Genovese, who had hoped to lead the family himself. His lawyers presented reports from psychiatrists at his trial that he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, and he was declared unfit to stand trial and the charges against him were dropped. During his 15 years as a shop steward, he has filed one grievance against the company. In July 1997, the court served Vincent Gigante with a 12-year prison term after the jury found him guilty of racketeering and conspiracy to murder. Chin's star kept rising throughout the 1970s as he became deeply involved in "labor racketeering, loansharking, extortion and bookmaking," perNational Crime Syndicate. Overnight, Gigante became a person with a mental health condition suffering from paranoid schizophrenia. Vincent Gigante, The 'Insane' Mafia Boss Who Outfoxed The Feds Costello, being a principled gangster, refused to squeal, and Gigante got more street cred. She also warns them that if they stay a couple, it would be hard for not only them but their kids in future. Costello was leaving the lobby of the apartment building when two men emerged from a nearby staircase and opened fire. [1][6] He often stayed at his mother's apartment in Greenwich Village. Gigante, who has never been arrested, didn't run away from his wiseguy relations under questioning by Waterfront Commission Executive Director Walter Arsenault. Only one brother, Louis, stayed out of the crime family, instead becoming a Catholic priest. He was able to provide a detailed description of one of the assailants. Lucy stated that it was hard for her to shoot the scenes because it made her realize how hard were in the past. He later became a mafia enforcer and was hired by the Luciano family and the ancestor of the Genovese family. 29 March 1928 in New York City; d. 19 December 2005 in Springfield, Missouri), alleged organized crime boss who long avoided prosecution by virtue of his demonstrable mental instability.As the third of five sons born to Salvatore and Yolanda Gigante, who were immigrants from Naples, Italy, Gigante grew up in Little Italy, a neighborhood near Greenwich Village. However, Gigante agreed to the deal to ease the burden on his relatives. In 1990 when he and 14 other defendants were indicted on federal charges in Brooklyn for a bid-rigging scheme, Vincent Gigantes elaborate act of insanity was put to the ultimate test. His modus operandi was to feign mental illness publicly by doing things like walking around the Greenwich Village streets he called home in pajamas and a bathrobe, muttering to himself in what some believed was a grand scheme, while those on team Gigante/Genovese insisted his behavior was proof there was no way "Chin" could be running a multi-million dollar crime organization. Gigante started out as a professional boxer who fought in 25 matches between 1944 and 1947. Vice reported he would talk to parking meters or openly urinate in the street very un-mob-boss-like behavior. During that time, she realizes her true privilege asthings are easier for her because she has white skin. The mobster's brother Louis claims that his nickname, "The Chin," came from their mother lovingly referring to him as Chinzeeno. [31][32] Judge I. Leo Glasser sentenced him to an additional three years in prison. 12 Fascinating Facts About Franklin Delano Rooseve, 9 Japanese Gods and Goddesses Everyone Should Lear, The History of La Catedral, Pablo Escobars , The Strange and Misunderstood History of Chastity , The strange legacy of the Bigfoot Hunter, Grover K, 5 Common Medieval Crimes and Their Punishments, The Lovers of Valdaro A Double Burial From Neolithic Italy. Powerful Mafia boss Vito Genovese soon took a liking to the young Gigante and became his mentor. Actress Lucy Fry plays Stella Gigante in Godfather of Harlem. "So the port has been pretty good to the extended Gigante family, hasn't it," asked Waterfront Commission counsel Eric Fields. Before Luciano could fully reap the fruits of his labor, he ran out of luck and was charged with 62 charges of compulsory prostitution. Soon after, Vincent Gigante died in prison at the age of 77, following a more than 50-year run as one of Americas most powerful mobsters. That 2003 plea bargain got Gigante another three years added to the 12 year sentence he incurred in 1997, making him eligible for parole around 2012, but the crafty crime boss would never be free again. In the popular HBO series The Sopranos, Gigante is referenced several times and is seen as a powerful and feared mob boss. The 77-year-old boss of the Genovese . Unnati Bhattarai The act ran for decades, but today it's over. By 1981 he became the family's boss, while Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno served as front boss during the first half of the 1980s. An old man wandering around in his pajamas, a bathrobe, and a ratty pair of house slippers muttering nonsense to nobody in particular is a fairly typical sight in New York City, but Vincent Gigante was anything but typical. This realization has changed the course of his life forever and for the better as well as helped change the family lineage of the Gigantes.. However, shortly after the trial, Salerno's longtime right-hand man, Vincent "The Fish" Cafaro, turned informant and told the FBI that Salerno had been a front for the real boss, Gigante. Vincenzo is the Italian version of Vincent. As head of SEBCO, Louis Gigante was instrumental in the revitalization of one of the most impoverished sections of The Bronx, bringing relative safety and stability to a neighborhood that had literally been in ruins. Vincent Gigante Obituary (2005) - Atlanta, GA - Atlanta Journal Vincent Gigante, The Oddfather Mob Boss Who Pretended To Be Crazy. Sixty-six investigators from the NYPD were assigned to the investigation. His reign was highlighted by guile and ruthlessness. The New York Police Department put 66 detectives on the case, and soon the doorman identified Vincent Gigante as the shooter. Vincent Gigante with his parents Yolanda Gigante and Salvatore Gigante in court. Mugshot of Vincent Gigante taken in 1960. [24] Prosecutors stated that the verdict finally established that Gigante was not mentally ill as his lawyers and relatives had long maintained. This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Al Aumuller/Library of CongressIn 1951, Frank Costello testified before the Kefauver Committee during its investigation of organized crime. But Gigante described his role as a "liaison" between the workers and their bosses. [1] On May 30, 1990, Gigante was indicted along with other members of four of the New York crime families for conspiring to rig bids and extort payoffs from contractors on multimillion-dollar contracts with the New York City Housing Authority to install windows. Upon his early 1960s release from a ten-year jail sentence, Bumpy discovered his neighborhood in ruins and must take on the Genovese crime family to regain control. He decided to eliminate Costello. This included ordering a hit against John Gotti, who became the boss of the Gambino crime family after he had the previous family boss, Paul Castellano, killed in 1985. MOB SON CUT OFF FROM 'CHIN' - New York Post In fact, his life reads like a mob movie, complete with loansharking, extortion, drug trafficking, and accusations of murder. Though the intent was obviously to murder Costello, the bullet only grazed his skull and he survived the assassination attempt. [25] While in prison, he maintained his role as boss of the Genovese family, while other mobsters were entrusted to run the day-to-day activities of the family; Gigante relayed orders to the crime family through his son, Andrew, who visited him in prison. Dominick " Quiet Dom " Cirillo (born July 4, 1929 in East Harlem) is a high-ranking member of the Genovese crime family, who briefly served as acting boss for the imprisoned Boss Vincent "Chin" Gigante . It breaks down this way: Eight hours is figured at "straight time," 13 hours is paid at the usual time-and-a-half overtime rate, and three hours a day is computed at "double time.". Gigante ended up serving five years in prison after a 1960 narcotics conspiracy charge stuck, the New York Times reported. Thomas Blood: The Dashing Thief Who Stole the Crown Jewels, Surviving the Gulag: Life and Death in Stalins Forced Labor Camps, Memnon: The Greatest African Warrior of Greek Mythology, The life of Ragnar Lodbrok, the legendary Viking leader, 5 Countries That Defeated the Mongol Horde. In 1951, Frank Costello testified before the Kefauver Committee during its investigation of organized crime. According to a 1987 article by the Village Voice, Gigante's youngest brother, a prominent Bronx priest named Louis Gigante, was hailed for spearheading a housing project which built or renovated thousands of low-income homes.