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'{{Short description|American mobster}} {{Infobox criminal | name = Aniello Dellacroce | image_name = Aniellodellacroce.jpg | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | birth_name = Aniello John Dellacroce | birth_date = {{birth date|1914|3|15|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[New York City]], U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1985|12|2|1914|3|15|mf=y}} | death_place = New York City, U.S. | alias = Mr. Neil, Father O'Neil, The Tall Guy, The Polack | conviction = [[Contempt of court]] (1971)<br>[[Tax evasion]] (1973) | conviction_penalty = One year imprisonment<br>Five years' imprisonment and $15,000 fine | occupation = [[Mobster]] | spouse = Lucille Riccardi | children = 4 | resting_place = [[St. John Cemetery (Queens)|St. John Cemetery]], Queens }} '''Aniello John''' "'''Neil'''" '''Dellacroce''' (March 15, 1914 – December 2, 1985), was an American [[mobster]] and [[underboss]] of the [[Gambino crime family]]. He rose to the position of underboss when [[Carlo Gambino]] moved [[Joseph Biondo]] aside. Dellacroce was a mentor to future Gambino boss [[John Gotti]].<ref name=raab>Raab, p. 354.</ref> ==Early life== Dellacroce was born on March 15, 1914, in New York City to Francesco and Antoinette Dellacroce, first generation immigrants from Italy.<ref name="dies age 71" /> He grew up in the [[Little Italy]] section of [[Manhattan]]. His nickname was "Neil", an [[Americanization]] of "Aniello". Dellacroce had one brother, Carmine, and was married to Lucille Riccardi.<ref name="dies age 71" /> As a teenager, Dellacroce became a butcher's assistant, but work was scarce and he took to crime. He was jailed once for [[petty theft]]. Dellacroce sometimes walked around [[Manhattan]] dressed as a priest and called himself "Father O'Neil" to confuse both the police and rival mobsters. Dellacroce allegedly committed a murder dressed as a priest. He also allegedly used a body double for some public events.<ref name="seize">[http://www.carpenoctem.tv/mafia/dellacroce.html "Aniello 'Mr. Neil' Dellacroce"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070503031153/http://www.carpenoctem.tv/mafia/dellacroce.html |date=May 3, 2007 }} Seize the Night</ref> ==Career== In the late 1930s, Dellacroce joined the Mangano crime family, forerunner of the Gambino family, and soon became involved with [[underboss]] [[Albert Anastasia]].<ref name=fivefamilies>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5nAt6N8iQnYC&q=maranzano|title=Five Families|year=2005|author=Selwyn Raab|publisher=Thomas Dunne Books|isbn=9781429907989|access-date=2020-09-19|archive-date=2021-03-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210311225613/https://books.google.com/books?id=5nAt6N8iQnYC&q=maranzano|url-status=live}}</ref> After the disappearance of longtime boss [[Vincent Mangano]], Anastasia became family boss and promoted Dellacroce to capo. Due to his square-shaped face, some Gambino members nicknamed him "[[Polack|the Polack]]";a nickname never used within his earshot.<ref name=fivefamilies/> Dellacroce later became mentor to [[John Gotti]].<ref name=raab/> Dellacroce bought the [[Ravenite Social Club]] in [[Little Italy]], which soon became a popular Gambino social club and Dellacroce's headquarters.<ref>{{cite news |title=Anastasia Slain in a Hotel Here; Led Murder, Inc. |work=The New York Times |first=Meyer |last=Berger |date=October 26, 1957}}</ref> On October 25, 1957, gunmen murdered Anastasia in a Manhattan hotel barbershop. [[Carlo Gambino]] took over the family.<ref name=fivefamilies/> In 1965, Gambino removed the aging [[Joseph Biondo]] from his underboss position and appointed Dellacroce to replace him.<ref name="lacndb">[http://www.lacndb.com/php/Info.php?name=Aniello%20Dellacroce "Aniello Dellacroce"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006223159/http://www.lacndb.com/php/Info.php?name=Aniello%20Dellacroce |date=2011-10-06 }} La Cosa Nostra Database</ref>{{Better source|reason=Per discussion at WP:RSN, www.lacndb.com is an anonymous, self-published website that is considered not to be a reliable source.|date=April 2013}} According to records from the [[Knapp Commission]], which investigated police corruption in a number of industries beginning in 1970, Dellacroce and other mobsters were involved in after-hours bars that catered to homosexuals in the [[West Village]], Manhattan.<ref>[https://www.gaycitynews.com/feds-tracked-mob-control-of-gay-bars-into-the-1980s/ Feds Tracked Mob Control of Gay Bars into the 1980s] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201008012910/https://www.gaycitynews.com/feds-tracked-mob-control-of-gay-bars-into-the-1980s/ |date=2020-10-08 }} Duncan Osborne, ''[[Gay City News]]'' (August 30, 2018)</ref> In 1971, Dellacroce was sentenced to one year in state prison on [[contempt of court|contempt]] charges for refusing to answer [[grand jury]] questions about organized crime.<ref name="dies age 71" /> On May 2, 1972, Dellacroce was indicted on federal [[tax evasion]] charges. In return for labor peace, the Yankee Plastics Company of New York gave Dellacroce 22,500 stock shares worth $112,500. He was indicted on a failure to pay federal [[income tax]] on these stocks.<ref name="tax evasion">{{cite news|last=Lubasch|first=Arnold H.|title=Reputed Crime Leader Indicted for Tax Evasion|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1972/05/03/82222791.pdf|access-date=19 December 2011|newspaper=New York Times|date=May 3, 1972}}</ref> In March 1973, Dellacroce was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to five years in prison and fined $15,000.<ref>[https://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0A11F63F54137A93C1A81788D85F478785F9&scp=15&sq=%22Aniello%20Dellacroce%22&st=cse "MAFIA FIGURE GETS 5-YEAR SENTENCE"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140315072929/http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB0A11F63F54137A93C1A81788D85F478785F9&scp=15&sq=%22Aniello%20Dellacroce%22&st=cse |date=2014-03-15 }} New York Times March 13, 1973</ref> On October 15, 1976, Carlo Gambino died at home of natural causes.<ref name="gambino dies">{{cite news|last=Gage|first=Nicholas|title=Carlo Gambino, a Mafia Leader, Dies in His Long Island Home at 74|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/10/16/archives/carlo-gambino-a-mafia-leader-dies-in-his-long-island-home-at-74.html?sq=%2522Paul%2520Castellano%2522&scp=9&st=cse|access-date=January 7, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 16, 1976|archive-date=July 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180722213722/https://www.nytimes.com/1976/10/16/archives/carlo-gambino-a-mafia-leader-dies-in-his-long-island-home-at-74.html?sq=%2522Paul%2520Castellano%2522&scp=9&st=cse|url-status=live}}</ref> Against expectations, he had appointed [[Paul Castellano]] to succeed him over his underboss Dellacroce. Gambino appeared to believe that his crime family would benefit from Castellano's focus on white collar businesses.<ref>O'Brien, Kurins, pp. 104–105</ref> Dellacroce, at the time, was imprisoned for tax evasion and was unable to contest Castellano's succession.<ref>Davis, p. 176</ref> Castellano's succession was confirmed at a meeting on November 24, with Dellacroce present. Castellano arranged for Dellacroce to remain as underboss while directly running traditional [[Cosa Nostra]] activities such as extortion, robbery, and loansharking.<ref name="bob 106">O'Brien, Kurins, pp. 106–108</ref> While Dellacroce accepted Castellano's succession, the deal effectively split the Gambino family into two rival factions.<ref name="bob 106"/> In 1979, he along with Anthony Plate, were arrested for the 1974 murder of a New York City bookmaker named Charles Calise. The [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] believed Dellacroce had ordered Plate to murder Calise because he was an informant.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hudson|first=Edward|date=May 16, 1979|title=Reputed Leader in Crime Family Seized in 1974 Slaying of Bookie|work=New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/16/archives/reputed-leader-in-crime-family-seized-in-1974-slaying-of-bookie.html|url-status=live|access-date=March 11, 2021|archive-date=February 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213093418/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/05/16/archives/reputed-leader-in-crime-family-seized-in-1974-slaying-of-bookie.html}}</ref> While on trial, Plate disappeared.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hays|first=Daniel|date=April 6, 1986|title=The Informant prosecutors|page=17|work=[[New York Daily News]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73245057/gotti-1986-trial-leonard-dimaria/|url-status=live|access-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626094533/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/73245057/gotti-1986-trial-leonard-dimaria/|archive-date=June 26, 2021}}</ref> The case ended in a [[mistrial]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|date=June 12, 1985|title=SOME PAPERS YANK `DOONESBURY`|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|agency=[[United Press International]]|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-06-12-8502070156-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 25, 1985, Dellacroce was indicted along with the leaders of the other New York [[Five Families]] as part of the [[Mafia Commission Trial]].<ref name="initial">{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/02/27/nyregion/us-indictment-says-9-governed-new-york-mafia.html|title=U.s. Indictment Says 9 Governed New York Mafia|first=Arnold H.|last=Lubasch|date=February 27, 1985|via=NYTimes.com|access-date=December 20, 2019|archive-date=December 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219212505/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/02/27/nyregion/us-indictment-says-9-governed-new-york-mafia.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On March 28, 1985, Dellacroce, along with his son Armand and eight others, was indicted on federal racketeering charges regarding the activities of two crews in New York and Long Island.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/29/nyregion/the-city-reputed-deputy-in-mob-is-indicted.html?scp=4&sq=%22Aniello%20Dellacroce%22&st=cse "THE CITY; Reputed Deputy In Mob Is Indicted"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171214124733/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/29/nyregion/the-city-reputed-deputy-in-mob-is-indicted.html?scp=4&sq=%22Aniello%20Dellacroce%22&st=cse |date=2017-12-14 }} New York Times March 29, 1985</ref> In June, 1985, a [[Doonesbury]] comic featuring [[Frank Sinatra]] and Dellacroce together, and saying that Dellacroce was charged with the murder of Calise resulted in many papers not running the comic strip.<ref name=":0" /> On July 1, 1985, Dellacroce and the other New York Mafia leaders, pleaded not guilty to a second set of racketeering charges as part of the trial.<ref name="11 plead">{{cite news|title=11 Plead Not Guilty to Ruling Organized Crime in New York|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/02/nyregion/11-plead-not-guilty-to-ruling-organized-crime-in-new-york.html?scp=18&sq=%22carmine%20Persico%22%20commission&st=cse|access-date=October 19, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 2, 1985|archive-date=March 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330205808/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/07/02/nyregion/11-plead-not-guilty-to-ruling-organized-crime-in-new-york.html?scp=18&sq=%22carmine%20Persico%22%20commission&st=cse|url-status=live}}</ref> == Death == On December 2, 1985, Dellacroce died of [[cancer]], aged 71, at [[Mary Immaculate]] Hospital in [[Queens, New York|Queens]].<ref name="dies age 71">{{cite news|last=Blumenthal|first=Ralph|title=ANIELLO DELLACROCE DIES AGE 71; REPUTED CRIME-GROUP FIGURE|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/04/nyregion/aniello-dellacroce-dies-ag-71-reputed-crime-group-figure.html?scp=4&sq=%22Aniello%20Dellacroce%22&st=cse|access-date=19 December 2011|newspaper=New York Times|date=December 4, 1985|archive-date=22 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522153954/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/12/04/nyregion/aniello-dellacroce-dies-ag-71-reputed-crime-group-figure.html?scp=4&sq=%22Aniello%20Dellacroce%22&st=cse|url-status=live}}</ref> He was buried in [[Saint John's Cemetery, Queens]]. ===Aftermath=== After Dellacroce died of cancer on December 2, 1985, Castellano revised his succession plan: appointing [[Thomas Bilotti]] as underboss, while making plans to break up Gotti's crew.<ref name="Davis 263">Davis, pp. 263–266</ref><ref name="RnF 97">Capeci, Mustain (1996), p. 97</ref> Infuriated by this, and Castellano's failure to attend Dellacroce's [[wake (ceremony)|wake]],<ref name="Davis 263"/><ref name="RnF 97"/> Gotti resolved to kill his boss. When [[Frank DeCicco]] tipped Gotti off that he would be having a meeting with Castellano and several other Gambino mobsters at [[Sparks Steak House]] on December 16, 1985, Gotti chose to take the opportunity.<ref>Maas, pp. 321–322</ref> The evening of the meeting, when the boss and underboss arrived, they were ambushed and shot dead by assassins under Gotti's command.<ref>Davis, pp. 272–273</ref> Gotti watched the hit from his car with [[Sammy Gravano]].<ref>Capeci, Mustain (1996), pp. 102–104</ref> After Dellacroce’s death the newly crowned parkerino boss Jordano parkerino aligned his captains and soilders with the Manhattan faction of the gambino family due to his close ties with family consigliere and long time Delacroce associate Aidano “the bull” Flintino” the move angered gambino boss castellano and brought parkerino closer to Gotti. In April 1988, Dellacroce's son, Armond, died while hiding in the [[Pocono Mountains]] of [[Pennsylvania]]. He had been convicted of racketeering and had failed to appear for sentencing in March. The cause of death was listed as [[cirrhosis]] and a [[cocaine]] overdose.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/07/nyregion/fugitive-in-a-mafia-case-turns-up-dead.html?scp=14&sq=%22Aniello%20Dellacroce%22&st=cse "Fugitive in a Mafia Case Turns Up Dead"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305025622/http://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/07/nyregion/fugitive-in-a-mafia-case-turns-up-dead.html?scp=14&sq=%22Aniello%20Dellacroce%22&st=cse |date=2016-03-05 }} New York Times April 7, 1988</ref> In the TV movie ''[[Getting Gotti]]'' (1994), Dellacroce is portrayed by [[Peter Boretski]]. In the TV movie ''[[Gotti (1996 film)|Gotti]]'' (1996), Dellacroce is portrayed by [[Anthony Quinn]]. In the TV movie ''[[Boss of Bosses]]'' (2001), he is portrayed by [[Dayton Callie]]. [[Stacy Keach]] portrays Dellacroce in the [[John Gotti]] biopic ''[[Gotti (2017 film)|Gotti]]'' (2018), directed by [[Kevin Connolly (actor)|Kevin Connolly]] and starring [[John Travolta]] as Gotti. In the 2018 television series ''[[Kingpin (2018 TV series)|Kingpin]]'' (2018), he is portrayed by [[Ralph Bracco]]. ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} ==Further reading== *[[Capeci, Jerry]]. ''The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia''. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002. {{ISBN|0-02-864225-2}} *[[Jacobs, James B.]], Christopher Panarella and Jay Worthington. ''Busting the Mob: The United States Vs. Cosa Nostra''. New York: NYU Press, 1994. {{ISBN|0-8147-4230-0}} *[[Maas, Peter]]. ''Underboss: Sammy the Bull Gravano's Story of Life in the Mafia''. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1997. {{ISBN|0-06-093096-9}} *[[Raab, Selwyn]]. ''Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires''. New York: St. Martin Press, 2005. {{ISBN|0-312-30094-8}} *{{cite book |last=Rosen |first=Charley |title=The Wizard of Odds: How Jack Molinas Almost Destroyed the Game of Basketball |year=2003 |publisher=Seven Stories Press |location=New York |isbn=1-58322-562-5 }} *United States. Congress. Senate. [[Committee on Governmental Affairs]]. [[Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations]]. ''Organized Crime: 25 Years After Valachi: Hearings Before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs''. 1988. [https://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC19099088&id=DQeMhDjHx58C&q=Aniello+Dellacroce&dq=Aniello+Dellacroce&pgis=1] ==External links== *https://web.archive.org/web/20110609225841/http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irishinamerica/news/FamilyDeniesGottiLink.asp *http://www.thechicagosyndicate.com/2006/03/real-dons-steal-sopranos-limelight.html *http://www.thechicagosyndicate.com/2006/02/gottis-girl.html {{s-start}} {{s-other|[[American Mafia]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Joseph Biondo|Joe Biondo]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Gambino crime family]]<br />Underboss|years=1965–1985 (shared with [[Paul Castellano]] 1974–1976)}} {{s-aft|after=[[Thomas Bilotti]]}} {{end}} {{Gambino crime family}}{{American Mafia}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Dellacroce, Aniello}} [[Category:1914 births]] [[Category:1985 deaths]] [[Category:American gangsters of Italian descent]] [[Category:Burials at St. John's Cemetery (Queens)]] [[Category:Gambino crime family]] [[Category:Deaths from lung cancer]] [[Category:American crime bosses]] [[Category:Deaths from cancer in New York (state)]] [[Category:American people convicted of tax crimes]] [[Category:American businesspeople convicted of crimes]] [[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]'