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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 "Neil" was an [[Americanization]] of "Aniello". Dellacroce had one brother, Carmine. Aniello was married to Lucille Riccardi. They had four children.<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 }}</ref> Aniello Dellacroce, which in Italian means "little lamb of the cross", took pleasure in killing people. "He likes to peer into a victim's face, like some kind of dark angel, at the moment of death", according to a federal agent. ==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]]. ==Posthumous== After Dellacroce's death in 1985, Castellano revised his succession plan, appointing [[Thomas Bilotti]] as underboss and 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 both 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, DeCicco, 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> 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]]'