The Gotti Wars: Taking Down America's Most Notorious Mobster

by John Gleeson

“Riveting…an electrifying true crime story of the Mafia-smitten eighties and nineties. Suspenseful and multifaceted, The Gotti Wars can’t be missed.” — Esquire , The Best Nonfiction Books of the Year

A “meticulous chronicle of good triumphing over evil” ( The Washington Post ) from the determined young prosecutor who, in two of America’s most celebrated trials, managed to convict famed mob boss John Gotti—and ultimately took down the Mafia altogether.

John Gotti was without a doubt the flashiest and most feared Mafioso in American history. He became the boss of the Gambino Crime Family in spectacular fashion—with the brazen and very public murder of Paul Castellano in front of Sparks Steakhouse in midtown Manhattan in 1985. Not one to stay below law enforcement’s radar, Gotti instead became the first celebrity crime boss. His penchant for eye-catching apparel earned him the nickname “The Dapper Don;” his ability to beat criminal charges led to “The Teflon Don.”

This is the captivating story of Gotti’s meteoric rise to power and his equally dramatic downfall. Every step of the way, Gotti’s legal adversary—John Gleeson, an Assistant US Attorney in Brooklyn—was watching. When Gotti finally faced two federal racketeering prosecutions, Gleeson prosecuted both. As the junior lawyer in the first case—a bitter seven-month battle that ended in Gotti’s acquittal—Gleeson found himself in Gotti’s crosshairs, falsely accused of serious crimes by a defense witness Gotti intimidated into committing perjury.

Five years later, Gleeson was in charge of the second racketeering investigation and trial. Armed with the FBI’s secret recordings of Gotti’s conversations with his underboss and consigliere in the apartment above Gotti’s Little Italy hangout, Gleeson indicted all three. He “flipped” underboss Sammy the Bull Gravano, killer of nineteen men, who became history’s highest-ranking mob turncoat—resulting in Gotti’s murder conviction. Gleeson ended not just Gotti’s reign, but eventually that of the entire mob.

A spellbinding, page-turning courtroom drama, The Gotti Wars “tells us in electrifying detail how the good guys finally won, how justice triumphed over evil, and how Gleeson himself was transformed by his long war” (Nelson DeMille).

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Crime, History, Audiobook, Memoir, Biography

348 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2022

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gotti Wars sets out a bird’s eye view of Gleeson’s two prosecutions of the notorious mobster John Gotti, one unsuccessful and one successful. Not only is the subject matter fascinating, but the book is well-written and captivating. Gleeson’s story here parallels his legal career from that of a newbie second chair at a circus of a trial to his crowning achievement, the RICO prosecution and the flipping of Sammy the Bull Gravano, who admitted to involvement in eighteen killings, but turned on the Gambino Family in one of the most amazing stories. While the Gotti Wars takes place in sterile courtrooms and government offices, it has the feel of an action novel. The focus is on the big picture for the most part and the narrative does not get swallowed up in the nuts and bolts of legal minutiae.

In some respects, this true crime/ legal story is almost too amazing to be true. You might think you are watching the actors in Goodfellas. It’s Aldo the story of an end of an era as the FBI and the Assistant US Attorneys broke the back of the Mafia, which until then was firmly entrenched in all manner of corruption

[Mary: Me, My Shelf & I · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read any mafia (mob) type books, yes I’ve seen movies but this was different. This was an interesting piece of history.
A courtroom drama that, without much drama, offers a realistic portrait of how big cases are pieced together.
This is a memoir from the determined young prosecutor (John Gleeson)who, in two of America's most celebrated trials, managed to convict famed mob boss John Gotti

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent look behind the scenes by the prosecutor of John Gotti, the Teflon Don from the late 1980s and 1990s. One of Gleeson’s early trials as an Assistant US attorney was as second chair in the trial of John Gotti. When Gotti was acquitted, it left a mark, but Gleeson went on to prove himself in other trails as he gained experience. Then the chance to go after Gotti again presented itself, and the prosecutor set out to make things right this time, and get a conviction. Lots of La Cosa Notra lore, and trial details from the man who was there battling the mob families. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Randal White · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book. I have read many books about Gotti and the Gambino Family before, some good, some excellent, some not so good. This one ranks up towards the top.
The book is written by the prosecuting attorney. Told through his eyes, the book offers a look into areas not revealed before. From the highs to the lows, he pulls no punches. The machinations behind the scenes are insightful. The courtroom drama is fascinating. The interactions with Gotti during breaks in the trial are great. And the story of the "flipping" of Sammy Gravano is amazing.
I read this book in just two days, as I just could not put it down.
If you're a fan of Mafia stories, courtroom drama, or fascinating personalities, you can't go wrong with this book!

[Rachel Gow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting look at how they prosecuted John Gotti and the Gambino family. Made me want to read more about the Mafia and how the five families were structured and functioned.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s an overabundance of text written about John Gotti, which is kind of wild when one considers he reigned as the head of the Gambino Crime Family for barely five years. Hell, the man was even one of the last subjects of Andy Warhol’s legendary career. His bombastic, publicity-hunting personality made him the most compelling mobster in the public eye since Al Capone but if you subtract that context, he was an uninspiring thug in a bureaucrat’s job (albeit the bureaucracy of a criminal syndicate) who was basically begging to get caught.

One angle that hadn’t yet been captured in books is the legal quest to put Gotti behind bars. John Gleeson prosecuted Gotti at the beginning of his reign and led the final prosecution that brought him down. Gleeson takes the reader through the nuances of building each case, the challenges that came with prosecuting Gotti, and the mob by extension. Parts of it read like a compelling legal thriller; even when I knew what was going to happen, I was still gripping the page. Parts of it read like a law professor who’s not quite equipped to disseminate complex legal terms to layfolk such as I.

About 10-15% of it is griping either about the tactics of the defense teams or the constraints of the justice system. And it’s here, as in Boss of Bosses, that I have to call bullshirt. When the federal government decides they want to “fight crime,” they look at the biggest targets available, be they drug lords or mafia chiefs or torrent kings. It’s questionable whether or not this strategy works to actually mitigate crime. Certainly, the mafia is less profitable in the States than it used to be but it ain’t as if the same crimes they were doing haven’t been gobbled up by other gangsters, save maybe gambling.

And that leads to a bigger problem, kind of with this book but really with the System in general: I’ve downed a lot of mafia stuff lately. That’s on top of the stuff I’ve already read. And it’s really tough not to discern a WASP-driven bias against a group of people that are first/second/third generation immigrants. Of course, Italian-Americans, Greek-Americans and Jews were part of the Gotti prosecution and yeah, Gotti and his mob cohorts did a lot of objectively evil stuff. But the tenor with which they need to “get these guys”…I dunno. It just feels like a lot of public villainization as if this group of Italian-Americans are the source of most or all crime in America. And this book, while enlightening, still carries a whiff of that.

At any rate, it’s an interesting read and folks curious about the mob and/or criminal justice should check it out.

[Reyna Gentin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating account of the prosecutions of Gotti and his associates and the dismantling of the gambino crime family.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so torn on how to rate this one. The writing is fine and the content is fine, but the admiration for Diane Giacalone doesn’t sit right with me. She knew Willie Boy would be killed and didn’t care. It wasn’t necessary but she outed him anyway. I’m not defending mafia guys but her callousness was gross, so the author’s statements about her are not cool.

I also have a hard time with books where an author recounts entire conversations word for word and we are just supposed to accept that they happened. Obviously with the recordings, we can accept those. But I’m talking about all the conversations between all of the attorneys working on the case.

[Lauren Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a true crime junkie but this is the first book I’ve read about the Gotti and the Gambino family and John Gleeson had me absolutely captivated. I’ve always been oddly fascinated with the mob—much in the same way I am with royalty. It’s an intriguing and typically glorified world that I’ve always observed from whatever documentary I caught on tv. The Gotti Wars is a riveting courtroom drama that reads a lot like the set up of Helter Skelter in that we get deep insights into not only the criminals and crimes but also into the prosecutor’s life and execution of the trials. The content is equally intriguing and troubling and the intimate look we get at all parties that made up these trials gives it some heart.

The book takes place over the span of Gleeson’s career but focuses heavily on his two cases with Gotti. You’ll root for Gleeson as he shares his life’s ambitions and trajectory of his career. He’s humble and honest and his wins will be your wins (much like his loses will hurt for you, too). He also shares an honest lens into the men he was prosecuting. I was surprised at how human some of these mobsters were and I was especially rooting for flipped underboss Sammy “the Bull” Gravano. I shouldn’t have been considering he murdered nineteen people but nevertheless, his story was moving. You also can’t help but be star-struck by Gotti himself. He was bigger than life with an equally big personality. Clearly charismatic and crafty, he’s an unforgettable criminal that demanded Gleeson at his absolute best in order to have any chance at conviction.

I split this book between audio and hard copy and the audio was well done. Sometimes these types of books can falter if the narrator is too monotone (it’s hard to narrate true crime because with so many facts there’s little room for anything but monotone) but Adam Grupper did a fantastic job.

All in all, this is an epic, addicting read that’s a great option for anyone with interest in the mob, true crime fans of any type and especially for those who enjoy courtroom drama books or shows.

Thank you to Scribner for the copy of this book

[Angelina | Bookstagramwithange · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨✨True Crime Review ✨✨
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📖 The Gotti Wars: Taking Down America’s Most Notorious Mobster
🖊 John Gleeson
📄#️⃣ 368 pages
Genres: Memoir, True Crime, History, Non-Fiction.
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💭 I’d like to say thank you very much to @scribnerbooks for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This is a true crime packed story, filled with courtroom cases and John Gotti’s history of becoming a rising mob boss to his American downfall. While a U.S. Attorney makes leads, an up and coming lawyer, Gleeson prosecutes the biggest mob boss in the nation. John Gleeson shares a riveting history of mafia illegalities, courtroom drama and how he was able to prosecute the Don for his crimes.
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This was well-written. For something that is packed with information and enriching details, Gleeson does an amazing job writing it in Memoir narrative, making the true facts read more like a story. Such a great read if you’re interested in American mafia history and hearing the perspective from an attorney who brings justice.

[Carolyn Kosuch · Rating 5 out of 5]

So. Good. I loved every second of this book, the writing was great and the storytelling put me right in the courtroom. Everything is just so unbelievable that I found myself being surprised all over again when I remembered this is all 100% true. I listened to this as audiobook and I loved the narrator! 10/10 recommend!

[Michaela Kollin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting look into how the federal criminal justice system works, especially the process of building and trying a strong case. I also liked that the long amount of time that’d passed between the Gotti trials and the publication of The Gotti Wars to give the reader a more honest portrayal of what’d happened, even if the portrayal was somewhat unflattering to the federal government, for example, by exposing the turfs wars between EDNY, SDNY and the Manhattan DA’s Office over these mafia prosecutions.

I also liked that Gleeson injected some humor into his writing. Some legal memoirs can be a bit dry, so I appreciated that The Gotti Wars wasn’t.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are interested in knowing what it took to bring down the New York mafia kingpin, John Gotti, this is your book. Told by the lead prosecutor, John Gleeson, The Gotti Wars gives you a behind the scenes look into the nefarious 1980s East Coast mob. From early failure to finally bringing The Teflon Don to justice by turning underboss, Sammy “the bull” Gravano all the details are here.

A bit detailed for the non-lawyer. Was looking for more of a “30,000” foot view, but not bad.

[peach · Rating 3 out of 5]

first half of the book was mind numbingly slow, but i enjoyed reading about the second trial 👍🏼

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE GOTTI WARS
BY: JOHN GLEESON

John Gleeson, who is the author of this outstanding account in his own words tells all about the two cases he worked on in sending John Gotti, then known as "the Teflon Don," to serving life in prison. John Gleeson tells it all and doesn't leave out any detail starting with his education at the University of Virginia to then clerking for a judge, next getting hired in a prestigious law firm to leave that promising lucrative career to go to work for the other side--a big step down in pay to become an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York in that he became a prosecutor. Who in his second bite at the apple, this time as lead prosecutor won the conviction of getting a guilty conviction of famous and ruthless crime boss of the Gambino Family, John Gotti. This was the fifth attempt by prosecuting attorneys to bring John Gotti, who managed to evade law enforcement for the first time to be convicted by a jury and sent to prison for a life sentence for RICO charges and participating and ordering a vast multitude of murders and racketeering.

Most big cases in New York were prosecuted by the United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York. The Southern District was known as the Flagship which meant its existence was supreme. John Gleeson went to work for the Eastern District as an Assistant United States Attorney and with him in second chair with Diane Giacalone being lead prosecutor on their first attempt to prosecute John Gotti and several other criminals led to an embarrassing acquittal. John Gleeson learned from their mistakes but it was later brought to light that there was jury tampering with one alcoholic jury member who was later brought to justice for it after John Gleeson's win in his second trial prosecuting John Gotti. This time the jury returned with a guilty verdict. Sammy "the Bull" Gravano whose testimony helped towards this author and his team get a guilty verdict that would send John Gotti away for life without parole wasn't essential. There were audibly clear admissions from the wiretap placed in the small apartment of the old lady who lived there that were incriminating enough for a conviction. Salvatore Gravano's cooperation enhanced and clarified the charges. He also admitted his role in the bribe of a juror in this author's first case with Diane Giacalone that resulted in the not guilty verdict in this author's disastrous first trial against John Gotti.

He wrote a very detailed account of the Five Organized Crime Families and the one in New Jersey. This is by far the most illuminating book about La Cosa Nostra and its structure and in John Gleeson's account of how step by step he managed to not only to be able to dismantle the Gambino organized crime family but he also dismantled the other four La Cosa Nostra organized crime families who had ruled New York for most of the Twentieth Century. John Gotti was known nationwide for wearing thousand dollar suits and having his hair coiffed every day professionally who brought unwanted attention by flaunting over confidence and believing that he would never be brought to justice.

I remember where I was and what I was doing when I read in Newsweek Magazine that Paul Castellano and Thomas Bilotti were brazenly gunned down in Midtown Manhattan at a red light in front of Spark's Steakhouse on December 16, 1985. John Gotti and Sammy Gravano were sitting in a nearby car watching it unfold. John Gotti planned Castellano's death and took his place as the leader of the Gambino family. This was not included in the first trial that John Gleeson and Diane Giacalone's first attempt of trying to convict John Gotti and several other's that they lost. Carlo Gambino was head of one of the five New York Organized Crime families in New York and through nepotism made Paul Castellano the new head of the Gambino family instead of underboss Aniello Dellacroce who while he was alive kept John Gotti in line. John Gotti hated Paul Castellano who was more businessman than tough guy and one reason, among many others, was because Castellano didn't attend Aniello Dellacroce's funeral which infuriated Gotti. Also Castellano had forbid drug dealing and drug traficking and Gotti was dealing heroin. In March 1984 wiretaps heard loudmouthed Angelo Ruggerio and John Gotti complaining about how much they hated Paul Castellano. This could be very dangerous for Gotti as it could likely become a death sentence for the "Dapper Don" John Gotti. Paul Castellano wanted the transcripts from the wiretaps by this time having been released to defense attorney's but Dellacroce stalled giving them to Castellano until his death from natural causes in December, 1985.

This author had help in also having a wiretap placed inside an old ladies apartment where John Gotti met the men that reported to him which was a goldmine for his case against John Gotti which clearly outlined how a soldier became a made man. What happened at the ceremonies that took place for a soldier to become a made man, and how made men put the crime family before their own families of origin, among many other incriminating evidence that Gotti was running a criminal enterprise. He also tells the story how Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano reached out through his wife Deborah that Sammy wanted to cooperate with John Gleeson in helping to convict John Gotti. I had already read Peter Maas's book during the 1990's when all of this was going on called Underboss about Sammy the Bull's involvement by which he acted as a turncoat against John Gotti. That book is not mentioned in this book. What is disclosed by this AUSA, John Gleeson is that Salvatore Gravano had 19 murders he admitted to and he made a very credible witness who turned out to be much more intelligent than was previously assumed by law enforcement. His deal for testifying at John Gotti's trial was that his sentence have a twenty year cap and for him to disclose all of the crimes he committed so there would be no surprises when Gravano was cross examined during the trial. If it came out that Gravano held back on his agreement to disclose every crime he committed then the deal was off the table.

This was extremely informative and I already knew some of what was in this book, but what I thought I knew only scratched the surface. John Gleeson lays out every detail from explaining his experience with graduating from Law School to the dynamics of what the legal jargon that makes up RICO statute in such an accessible way that kept my attention. He writes a blow by blow account of both what led up to John Gotti's arrest and the evidence for both trials of John Gotti that he took part in. I think that anybody who is remotely interested in how the five New York Organized Crime families that dominated and terrorized New York and how they were disbanded should read this book. I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day and a half. Anyone who is interested in true crime would be very interested in reading how this ethical and humble Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York with his trusted few associates that assisted him that helped him accomplish what the FBI and nobody else was able to do before for decades will find this truly mesmerizing. This author leaves nothing out while educating the reader to understand the legal jargon involved. I was so grateful to read an early copy of this and I learned so much. It was not at all dry and I found it to be a page turner.

Just a final word on how long it took for this book to finally be written: since John Gotti's conviction in 1992 until recently. I have so much respect for this author's determination to rid La Cosa Nostra's stranglehold over New York and other parts of the United States. After winning this case and assisting wherever he could in countless others he became a Federal judge where he served until 2016. By reading this book you are in for an insightful and even handed glimpse into a first hand account of an all encompassing guileless behind the scenes look into how John Gotti and many others in Organized Crime historically met its demise.

Publication Date: May 3, 2022

A Huge debt of gratitude and Thank you to Net Galley, John Gleeson and Scribner for providing me with my Arc in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheGottiWars #JohnGleeson #ScribnerPublishing #NetGalley

[Shoshana · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was a time when John Gotti seemed to be on top of the world. Known as the "Dapper Don," he was the head of the Gambino crime family, and it seemed as if the law couldn't touch him. This book tells about the end of Gotti's reign, told by the prosecutor who finally brought him down.

The government tried a number of times to convict Gotti, but in Gleeson's first try Gotti escaped with the help of a bribed juror. It was not until Gleeson was the lead prosecutor that he was able finally convict the so-called Dapper Don. The history of the Gotti prosecutions is very detailed, and even more interesting.

Sometimes it seems as if evil always wins, and virtue tumbles. These men involved in organized crime are not lovable anti-heroes, they are brutal psychopaths who poison everything they touch. It was nice to read a book where the good guys win in such a convincing fashion.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

[RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN · Rating 3 out of 5]

RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: THE GUY WHO NAILED GOTTI… AND FLIPPED SAMMY “THE-BOVINE”!
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The author… John Gleeson… was the lead federal prosecutor on multiple John Gotti … boss of the Gambino Mafia family (a loss and a win) trials… along with Vic Orena boss of the Colombo Mafia family. Obviously there were other lower ranked “soldiers” involved in his legal career. Additionally his tenacity and dedication enabled Gleeson to be in the right place at the right time… to be able to accept and fine tune the BIGGEST… AND HIGHEST RANKING… RAT… IN MOB HISTORY… WHEN SAMMY “THE BOVINE” GRAVANO… CONTACTED HIM AND OFFERED TO “FLIP”… NOT ONLY AGAINST GOTTI… BUT THE ENTIRE MAFIA!

To assist potential readers in whether this book is for them… I’d like to first offer the fact that one of the largest sub-genres in my extensive personal library is… organized crime... Mafia… MS-13… etc. … FBI… CIA… DEA… ATF… MOSSAD… criminal psychology… serial killers… legal defense… and more. So with this preponderance of literary education… I must give a strong and well-meant warning to literary crime fans… whose main enjoyment is reading about the behind the scenes crimes AND… AND… REPEAT… THE LIFESTYLE… AND CAMARADERIE… OF THE MAFIA. This is not one of those enjoyable… FUUUGETTTTT ABOUT IT BOOKS… YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HEAR FROM GUYS LIKE MY “OLD-BUDDY”… PAULIE WALNUTS SHOUTING… “HEY TONE… SHE’S A FREAKIN WACKA DOOO!”

This is a detailed educational book written strictly from the lawyer’s perspective. Not that anything’s wrong with that… but the subject matter shared in extreme detail is more like a legal “primer” for law students… law clerks… lawyers… or individuals who are wondering if the arena of law is really the future they want to pursue… instead of just deciding by watching weekly one hour legal TV shows. The reader will learn how hard and demanding the job is to fight injustice through a courtroom. The hours upon hours… upon literally weeks… months… and years… that must be invested… and not just based on a time clock… but by investing more heart and soul than you may be capable of… when not only… a decision by a judge wipes it all out in a blink of an eye… but a technicality.. can destroy years of gut wrenching and at times mundane… as well as exciting work.

Then there are the almost childish conflicts… worthy of little kids saying… that’s my toy… you can’t play with it… is seemingly a daily issue between East District Government attorneys… South District Government Attorneys… Federal and State… and then you have major case shifts when hard working FBI agents have long working relationships with C.I.’s (confidential informants)… such as Mafioso Willie Boy Johnson… whom they have not only promised immunity to… but swore with almost a Government “Blood Oath”… to never reveal their name and involvement… because if done… it is a guaranteed death sentence by Mafia for the former longtime confidant. Then the Attorney General’s staff does just that in open court. Then the FBI refuses to fully assist the AG’s office on the case.

Once again… far away from the real flamboyant despicable but highly entertaining Mafia life... is the author and other lawyers and judges constant mini biographical history and education… the very path they decided to take to get to their government or big dollar… big name… high prestige law firm jobs. Ad Nauseam…some lawyers go the low prestige government job… until they get the proper line items on their resume’…then they switch to the big name private firm… meanwhile you’ll read about just as many legal beagles… who go the opposite route… start with the big private firm… build their resume’… and then switch to the government arena. Meanwhile the old Mafia-blood-and-guts action you’re looking for is almost nowhere to be seen.

In summary the author John Gleeson does a fine job in his writing… and is deservedly proud of his life’s work… but if you and your parents aren’t trying to decide if being a lawyer is truly the path you want to pursue… and what kind of dedicated work will be demanded of you… then this is not the book for you���

But if what you’re really looking for is what’s going down tonite at the “Bada-Bing”… and if Christopher is snorting coke… before hijacking a truck full of microwaves… and if Tony is getting it on… on the Stugots… or how many ketchup packs were eaten in PINE BARRENS… or anything about Al Capone or Lucky Luciano… this is not for you… and let someone else go back to seeing how much a semester of law school is.

[A Cesspool · Rating 3 out of 5]

Best thing about Gotti prosecutor, John Gleason’s memoir, is it totally obliterates any need to read Sammy “the bull” Gravano’s fantastically fabled [liberally fictitious] 1997 autobiography: Underboss. Nevertheless, The Gotti Wars is far from the definitively impartial, unvarnished-absolute text [regarding Gotti’s criminal prosecution(s), failed or otherwise; Much less, Sammy “The Bull”’s cooperation].

Gotti Wars biggest revelations, imo:

Fcked up...

Narcissistic and deadly-incompetent U.S. Assistant District Atty Diane Giacalone (overseeing Gotti’s failed 1986 prosecution) torpedoed her own case when she selfishly regarded the FBI as little more than indentured servitude (whose only obligation ought to be her office’s subpoenas relay & witness-transports). Likewise Giacalone disregarded agents’ please not to burn their long term confidential informant [of 20-continuing-years], telling her supervisors the FBI were out of line and had obviously “personally bonded too closely with the very cooperating criminals” they’re suppose to be harvesting for government prosecutors). Resulting in Giacalone promptly obliterating their C.I.’s usefulness, and, eventually, life expectancy …Anyway, most remarkable, another informant tipped the FBI of on-going jury-tampering in Giacalone’s case… The FBI knew, mid-trial, with plenty of time to do something about it (i.e. mistrial), but instead decided Giacalone would receive no further assistance; hence, Gotti’s acquittal (and news-media gifting him w “The Teflon Don”-avatar) and the end of Giacalone’s career (she not only left Justice, she vacated the US entirely, moving to the Netherlands).

Recusal much??...

Prosecutor of both 1986 [failed] trial, and later, 1992 conviction, John Gleason, is related to Gotti!
Never revealed publicly, i.e. to Team Gotti, Gleeson’s brother-in-law was 1st cousins with John Gotti (specifically, the brother-in-law’s mother was the sister of John Gotti Sr.)

Sammy lied, Part I...

To this day, Sammy Gravano insists romanticizes he only decided to cooperate with the government after hearing Gotti’s [secretly recorded] tapes, determining

1) Gotti was planning on blaming everything on Gravano (allowing Gotti to escape conviction, while Sammy took on the weight of minimum 25-yr sentence),

or

2) Even if they all got off, Not Guilty, Gotti was still planning on killing Gravano …eventually

Regardless, Gravano has always maintained Gotti forced him to turn State’s evidence. Nope.
The author reveals, once the government successfully disqualified Gravano’s longtime atty Gerald Shargel, Sammy felt he had no where else to turn, deducing his only options were agreeing to another Gotti-picked/retained atty to defend him (like Shargel), or switch teams. Moreover, Gravano was so helpless when it came to hiring another lawyer [he used the one week the judge afforded them to -- interview/retain new counsel -- coordinate first contact with FBI/Dist. Atty instead], he never even, ever, sought out new legal representation (after that) – ultimately lobbying the judge to pick an atty for him (after initially asking prosecutor Gleason to do it)!! (…according to Gotti Wars. Totally Fcking Helpless; He’s like the non-fictitious Fredo Corleone — only shorter, and a total fcking juicehead)
But all that Gravano-BS:
’…my life was in danger…’
Or
‘…even the prosecutor figured Gotti’s only defense [to the indictment]: Blame it all on Sammy…’
But now we know, TOTAL horse shit! The timeline verifies, Gravano only flipped after their atty was disqualified.

BONUS (also totally redacted from Gravano’s Underboss):

Sammy recruited his wife, Debra, to coordinate & correspond with the FBI (regarding his initial willingness to cooperate) .

AND…

Sam’s teenage daughter, Karen, was absolutely against her dad testifying against Gotti/Gambino Crime Fam; When Sammy couldn’t convince her otherwise, he demanded the FBI “fix it” or their deal was off.

AND…

On the eve of signing his Proffer Letter with the government, Sammy, not once, but twice, demanded deal-breaking revisions, or he’d walk away [even after Team Gotti had been made aware of his cooperation] …essentially believing the government now had a legal responsibility not to return him to Gotti’s jailhouse, so he could now ask for anything – they called his bluff and Sammy had to eat (both barrels of) shit.

Sammy lied, Part ∞ ...

Previously: Sammy's lifelong buddy, Louie Milito's premeditated slaying was outlined in Gravano's ’92 indictment...
Specifically, Gotti is heard griping about Gravano (on fed's hidden recordings) .. believing Gotti had been bamboozled into blessing Milito’s assassination, after Sammy convinced the boss, “…Louis was speaking subversive [about you]…” [FYI: Gravano’s go-to whenever he wanted another members’ loot/property/enterprise, etc. was always: "...they’re talking subversive, Boss!" Apparently Gotti's trigger.]
At their introductory meet & greet (between Gravano and District Atty, Gleason), right-outta-the-gate, Gravano’s instinctive reaction when asked why he killed Louie Milito...

"…he fucked with me; I had to get Gotti’s permission and I got it.

Only later (and earlier, in Gleason’s memoir), the author casually mentions…

1) Lou Milito was part owner of Gem Steel,

and

2) Gravano felt slighted after Milito asked Sammy to be let out of their mutual loan-sharking venture, but went TNT-butthurt when he later learned Milito immediately segued upgraded his shylocking interest over to Tommy Bilotti.

Under cross-examination, Gravano testified, ’…Milito didn’t believe he was really safe and started asking others around what [Gravano] was thinking.’ Sam said he felt “rattled” by Milito’s checking up on him. “Louie was relatively dangerous. He would be somebody I’d pay attention to.” So
Gravano wanted Louie’s interest in Gem Steel [another construction-op Sammy would absorb after assassinating the Gambino-proprietor/principal shareholder], and revenge for fading Sammy, so he boost his business interest elsewhere in the Family.
So, Gravano lied when he convinced Gotti: He — talkin’ subversive— Got to Go!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well written and very informative book.

My extent of knowing anything about organized crime comes from watching The Sopranos, so I learned so much. I was shocked at just how much work went into bringing down the mob.

It took years to get a conviction against Gotti because he was so feared, but everyone in every task force and the FBI who finally agreed to work together did an outstanding job.

It left my mind boggled as to just how many crimes and murders were committed, known about, but never charged. Trying to find witnesses to testify and a jury to serve was a task on its own. I know I would not have wanted to be anywhere near a court room with any of those defendants and Gotti was the worst.

It was actually Gotti’s own big mouth who got himself convicted. The wire taps in his home did him in. I was also shocked at how quickly Sammy the Bull Gravano turned into a rat. It was a kill or be killed mentality.

Gotti ordered the hit on Castellano because Castellano ordered the hit on Gotti. Sammy Gravano knew he was going down, too so he made a deal to turn on Gotti and went into Witness Protection…which was a joke.

But John Gleason, the author and one of the prosecutors had the patience and he and his team waited it out and along with RICO and wire taps and tons of recordings to listen to wove a perfect case and the 5 families started falling like dominos. Organized crime still exists to this day, but it is basically just thugs with guns and not organized.

You can actually watch the documentary Get Gotti and it basically tells you the exact same thing but the actual people involved are in it and they tell the story.

This is basically La Cosa Nostra for Dummies.

But it was a good read if you are interested in learning about the inner workings of Organized Crime.

[Andy Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author, John Gleeson, forsake a lucrative career with a top notch law firm to become an Assistant US Attorney. He soon was assigned to help with an early prosecution of the mob boss John Gotti which ended in Not Guilty verdicts. While he later learned that those verdicts were the result of jury tampering he and his fellow prosecutors had to endure the publicity celebrating "Teflon John," the inevitable second guessing that comes whenever prosecutors lose a case, and the gloating of the mobsters who lived in his neighborhood which was made worse by the personal and unethical attacks made on him and the other prosecutors on the case.
Gleeson was then assigned to the subsequent investigation and resulting successful prosecution of Gotti, with a sentence that meant Gotti would never leave prison. Gleeson's book details both trials and the investigations giving an accurate depiction of the work of federal prosecutors. Since so much of a prosecutor's work is detailed preparation and legal briefing this could have been a dry book, but Gleeson intersperses it with bits of humor, insights into Mafia life and the murders they commit, and descriptions of courtroom scenes. It also includes compelling narratives of "flipping" defendants to become witnesses, especially getting Gotti's enforcer , Sammy "The Bull" Gravano, to testify against Gotti.
So this has the best of both worlds, a detailed and accurate narrative of a prosecutor's work about a fascinating case that often reads like a suspense novel

[Jenna Kass · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fairly snappy book about a fascinating subject, but it's a 3.5 but I'm erring to the side of 3 on. It got bogged down by the struggle to balance the sheer volume of names, dates, events, and explanations that are necessary for the narrative against the flow of the narrative itself. There were whole sections that felt like interesting stories but which otherwise didn't do anything but add yet more minor mobsters to the list I had to keep straight in my head. In other places, the explanations of the mob or the law were repetitive and overly involved. And the space between the two Gotti trials feels both extremely drawn out and at the same time very lightly touched on — at some point I realized Gleeson had gone from being a freshman AUSA to a section cheif with a team of his own extremely quickly without almost any note. When things get to the second Gotti trial the whole book picks up and gets a ton of charisma and momentum, but it also puts the middle third into stark contrast.

Finally, there's a sourness for me that has nothing to do with Gleeson or his writing, but which still made it hard to fully enjoy the ride. Five years following the end of the first trial, Gleeson is a judge and Diane Giacalone is a housewife in Amsterdam. She was treated unspeakably by the defense, but it seems she was also treated horribly by what should have been her support. It's not Gleeson's fault and he acknowledges directly it was awful misogyny, but it's still rough.

[donna_ehm · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

An incredibly interesting account of the prosecution of John Gotti. Gleeson's writing is clear and precise (no surprise there) but never dry or dull (I salute Gleeson's use of "it was a whack or be whacked situation" when discussing a crime early on in the book).

Just reading Gleeson's years-long pursuit of Gotti is riveting but narrator Adan Grupper adds a whole other level of enjoyment. His performance is stellar as he brings to life the world of organized crime. Grupper's voice has a hint of gravel in it, and his tone is brisk and straightforward (reflecting, I thought, the determination and clear-thinking of Gleeson himself as he carefully led his team through the labyrinth of mob family connections and laundry lists of crimes to bring it all together in a coherent legal case).

When it comes to individual mobsters, particularly Gotti, Grupper easily slips into a rough, harsher tone that really captures the brutal directness of people who could kill another person without so much as batting an eye, even when it was someone with whom they'd worked with for years and who may even have been part of their crew or overall 'family'.

Treat yourself to the audiobook if you can. You won't be disappointed!

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a huge fan of The Sopranos back in the day and the show piqued my interest into how a mob really runs and specifically into the great mob bosses. So I was thrilled when I was gifted this book by @scribnerbooks . I’m a huge true crime fan so it kind of surprised me when I realized I had never read a book about the mafia before. Why not ?

John Gotti ruled the Gambino Crime family for less than five years, but his flamboyant and larger than life character resulted in the nickname Dapper Don and his recognition around the world. But this is’t just the story of John Gotti, it is also the story of the author John Gleeson, the author of the book and the prosecutor that put Gotti behind bars.

This book was so interesting, I loved getting the inside view into our judicial system. The machinations behind the scenes of the courtroom were fascinating as we see the highs and lows of what goes into a successful prosecution. The courtroom drama was riveting to read about as the prosecutor’s strategy is put to the test. This book was great and compelling and now I want to read more.

If you enjoy true crime, the mafia or just a really good courtroom drama I highly recommend you pick this one up.

[John Helmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite the cast of characters. I lived in NYC during the second big Gotti RICO trial. It was front page news every day with Gotti dealt a killer blow when his right-hand man, Sammie Gravano, flipped and testified for the government. High drama, all the way. After a multi-month trial, recorded conversations, Gravno and the government prevailed. The jury deliberated for less than a day, declaring the Teflon Don guilty along with his co-defendant.

This book gives an overview of NYC's 5 Mob families and several others up and down the east coast. Mostly, though, it's about the prosecutors and FBI agents who go about making cases again the Mob in the 90's. In addition to then, the other stars are Sammie 'The Bull'' and the RICO statue, which not only broke the Gambino family, but took down the other families as well. 5/5

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and well written book by the prosecutor who finally put John Gotti in the slammer. You get an insider look into how a case is built and the subsequent trial process. Quite a large portion of the book is devoted to the mafia dropout Sammy "The Rat" Gravano who would become a key witness.

If you enjoyed this book I would really recommend Gangland: How the FBI Broke the Mob by Howard Blum which covers the same process but from a different angle. Blum's book focuses on the small team of FBI agents took down John Gotti. It manages to balance big picture with minutiae, like how the mob is run on a daily basis or how agents infiltrated various places to plant bugging devices, not only in The Ravenite and its adjoining apartment.

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this crime thrilling story. This is a new author for me which I can't wait to see what more this author has for us. This is a well written story about a time in history with the mob and gangsters. It is a nonfiction story that brings this time period to life on each page. Gotti was one of the most feared and the boss of a big crime family. I enjoyed the author's attention to details that made the story fun and entertaining to read. This is a story that was hard to put down and engaging. This is a story that will show you a time in history where mobsters dominated and a man who becomes a great attorney. I really enjoyed this mobster story and I highy recommend it. A great story that depics a great time in history.

[Asuka · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Gotti Wars: Taking Down America's Most Notorious Mobster" by John Gleeson is an exhilarating dive into the high-stakes world of organized crime, offering readers a front-row seat to the relentless pursuit of justice. Gleeson masterfully weaves together a gripping narrative that chronicles the complexities and challenges faced by law enforcement in their quest to dismantle the Gotti empire. The book is a thrilling blend of meticulous research and compelling storytelling, providing insight into the minds of both the criminals and the dedicated individuals working tirelessly to bring them to justice. Gleeson's writing captures the tension and drama of each moment, making it an unputdownable read for anyone fascinated by true crime and the pursuit of the truth."

[Tabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was extremely interesting. I had no idea about the events and issues that arose to prosecute Gotti or how challenging it was. I’ve heard of some the famous names mentioned in this book but never knew who they really were or how they all were intertwined. I greatly enjoyed this book and how we were walked through from the beginning before Gotti became a boss, through all his court trails and eventual imprisonment. It was very well written and had such detail, I’m surprised Gleeson remembered it all so perfectly so many years later. A really intriguing read all based on Gotti and his dealings, and of course a few mentions of Sammy the Bull. Overall a really interesting read that allows you to learn more about each person involved.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gotti Wars is a fascinating (and chilling) inside look at one of organized crime’s most powerful members, John Gotti. Written by federal prosecutor John Gleeson, who was the lead prosecutor in several of Gotti’s trials, this is a rare first-hand account of the inner-workings of the mob, culled from trial transcripts, personal interviews by Gleeson, and the title character’s own words caught on wiretaps. The chapters that detail the interviews with mob underboss and turncoat Sammy Gravano are absolutely spellbinding, and catapult this to a five star read! Fantastic book. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Shelley L · Rating 4 out of 5]

The part of the book dealing with John Gotti's trial in which Sammy "The Bull" Gravano testified against Gotti captured my interest.
Based on the "bug" placed above the Ravenite Social Club there was enough evidence to convict John Gotti without the assistance of Sammy Gravano. However, the testimony of Gravano did lead to the convictions of other New York mobsters.
I was also pleased to read that juror George Pape who accepted a bribe to vote to acquit John Gotti in a previous trial received three years in prison.
However, be prepared for much of the book to be courtroom information and not all of it will be drama. The book contains eight pages of photographs.