Neil Dellacroce Plotted to Overthrow Carlo Gambino?

You sometimes come across a scrap of information in a decades-old news story that seemingly upends much of what you thought you knew about the Mafia.

Aniello Dellacroce, who rose in the Gambino crime family to become Carlo Gambino's underboss, is considered historically to have been an old-school gangster,  one whose mantra seemingly was: "The boss is the boss is the boss."

Aniello Dellacroce

However, Dellacroce was accused of plotting to murder Carlo Gambino.




Dellacroce appears to have been caught redhanded by law enforcement, who held a public session at which "the plotting" was unveiled.




Whether Dellacroce plotted to kill Gambino or not, Gambino had to have read the news reports (though I am sure he had his own sources of information). If true the fact that Dellacroce survived these explosive allegations is confounding.

Dellacroce apparently was not seeking the boss role for himself, rather he was seeking it for Joseph Gallo.

One murder was spotlighted: "Did Mike Marino stand in the way of your pushing Joseph N. Gallo?" McLaughlin asked Dellacroce during the session.

Also interesting: In 1961, Larry Carna administered a severe beating to Dellacroce -- and was later shot but not killed.

I am posting here the original article as it appeared in the story:


Plot to Grab Mafia Reins Is Charged.
An alleged plot to grab control of the powerful Carlo Gambino Mafia "family" by deposing 67-year-old Gambino has been recounted by the Joint Legislative Committee on Crime. 
Edward J. McLaughlin, the committee's general counsel said the plot was led by Gambino's top assistant, Aniello Dellacroce, a reputed Mafia gangster said to have influence in rackets along the East Coast.

The story was unraveled during a public hearing as McLaughlin asked Dellacroce and several other reputed Mafia members highly informative questions about the Gambino "family," which is said to control rackets in much of the New York Metropolitan area.

Display Anger
Although they showed occasional anger, six witnesses invoked their constitutional privileges after each question in order to remain silent. One witness, described as a former small-time bookmaker, testified. He said he had never been connected with the Mafia.
Dellacroce, 55, of Manhattan, was described as seeking underworld, support for his scheme to dethrone Gambino. McLaughlin said

Dellacroce asked underworld leaders to back Joseph N. Gallo to take Gambino's place. The FBI lists Gallo as a Gambino "family" captain.

McLaughlin said the apartment of Dellacroce at 232 Mulberry St. "is very closely guarded" because of dangerous tensions generated by his attempted power grab. Dellacroce, who owns businesses here and in the South, sat mutely in a well-tailored suit as McLaughlin recounted, underworld politics with questions that frequently began, "Don't you know that. .."

McLaughlin said Dellacroce made an appearance before the Mafia's national commission to seek approval for his efforts to replace Gambino, who has a chronic cardiac condition and is under a deportation order.

Dellacroce acts as a "judge" and sometimes a "counselor" in an underworld kangaroo-court held in the Ravenite Social Club, McLaughlin said.

The club, at 247 Mulberry St., Is across the street from Dellacroce's apartment.

McLaughlin asked about the murder of Michael Marino, a reputed Mafia member whose body was found in Brooklyn in 1968.

"Did Mike Marino stand in the way of your pushing Joseph N. Gallo?" he asked Dellacroce.

He then asked Dellacroce about a severe beating he allegedly received from Larry Carna in 1961.

"Larry Carna was later shot and wounded—wasn't that a result of the beating you received?" he asked.

Peter "Phil Acquilina" DeFeo, a reputed captain in the Gerardo Catena "family," also refused to answer questions.




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