Sammy Gravano Biography

Sammy Gravano, a New York mafia underboss, broke the Omerta, or gangster code of silence, in 1991, and testified in court against his former boss and long time friend, John Gotti. Gravano betrayed age-old Mafia secrets, divulging all the secret codes of the Cosa Nostra, in exchange for a reduced sentence and a place on the witness protection scheme.

The police had been trying to prosecute Gotti, the best-known mobster since Al Capone, for years, and the smooth mafia boss had evaded them every time. In 1991, the prosecutors had 100’s of taped conversations between Gotti and his minions, discussing hits and illegal dealings. What they needed, to ensure a conviction, was a witness to testify the events discussed had actually happened.

Gravano The Bull, so named for his stocky torso and thick neck, was that man. He admitted to taking part in 19 gangland killings, including the murder of his brother-in-law, on the orders of Gotti.

Gotti was sentenced to life in prison and scores of other mafia affiliates went down with him. Gravano served less than five years for racketeering, on his release he disappeared into the Witness Protection Program.

In 1997 Gravano reappeared in Arizona, appearing on ABC TV with Diana Sawyer on two consecutive nights, to promote a book being written about his life.

Miraculously the mafia did not assassinate him.

Within a few years, Gravano was back in trouble with the Law again. In 2000, he was charged with his son, Baby Bull, of masterminding an Ecstasy trafficking organization between Brooklyn and Arizona.

Gravano was sentenced to 20 years in prison . In addition, New Jersey state prosecutors announced their intention to charge Gravano with a murder he was allegedly party to in 1980, should he ever be released.