1992 Testimony of Salvatore (Sammy The Bull) Gravano Part 4: Plotting To Kill A Boss
When asked why Gambino wiseguys were unhappy with Paul Castellano , Salvatore (Sammy the Bull) Gravano said, "There was a number of reasons that Paul was eventually having a lot of problems with a lot of different people." THE TARGETS: Tommy Bilotti, left, and Paul Castellano. One of the lesser-known reasons had to do with Castellano's decision to allow the Genovese family to murder Connecticut-based Gambino capo Frank (The Attorney) Piccolo (aka Frankie Lanza), who was once considered one of the top wiseguys in Connecticut. Specifically, in the 1950s, as per state and local law enforcement, Piccolo was one of the two reigning mob powers in the state. The other was Genovese wiseguy Ralph (Whitey) Tropiano. Then, in September 1981, when Piccolo was 58 and awaiting trial for plotting to extort high-profile Las Vegas entertainers Wayne Newton and Lola Falana, his reign reached an abrupt end after he was gunned down outside a Bridgeport telephone booth. Piccolo had...