JakeTheSnake630 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 18, 2025 10:08 am
I didn't see it but apologies if this has been asked in this thread. What was wrong with the Decav inductions? Why did Riggi allow himself and the family to be controlled by Gotti?
Somebody told the Gambinos that the DeCavalcantes weren't pricking guys' fingers or burning the saint cards. Some suspected it was John D'Amato who told Gotti given their close relationship while Vinny Palermo suspected it was Danny Annunziata, who was already falling into disfavor with the Family. The members made in the 1970s and 80s all had to be re-inducted. I'm not sure if the members made in the 1950s and earlier had actually gone through the full traditional ceremony either but it may have been long enough in the past that they were able to get around the issue since nobody could claim otherwise.
This was around the time Gotti was making power moves all around NYC-NJ.
- He spread word that Carmine Persico was essentially a rat for his conduct during the Commission trial and backed Vic Orena to officially take over.
- He was allegedly backing Allie Malangone to kill Gigante and take over according to the Campi book.
- He allegedly plotted with Sal Vitale to overthrow and kill Massino according to info Massino got from George Sciascia and Barney Bellomo.
- I'm not aware of any plots to overthrow Amuso but Ruggiero tried to have Casso killed although he supposedly did this on his own.
Then the move against the DeCavalcantes started with the Jimmy Rotondo murder (apparently not ordered by Gotti) where the Gambinos sent a huge number of members and associates to the funeral and Gotti told Riggi he would be taking direction from him. Gotti was cultivating a close relationship with NYC DeCavalcante captain John D'Amato and when Jimmy Palermo was taken down as underboss, Gotti supposedly pushed for D'Amato as the new underboss. Then when Riggi went to prison D'Amato became acting boss and according to Anthony Rotondo, D'Amato was attempting to usurp control of the Family from Riggi and become official boss with Gotti's backing which was one reason for D'Amato's murder in addition to him borrowing large amounts of money from the NYC Families for his own purposes and the alleged homosexual conduct.