Former Gambino crime family underboss Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano has recounted a tense confrontation with fellow mobster Louis DiBono that nearly cost him his life, describing how a dispute over money escalated into a formal mob trial where his honesty—and DiBono’s reputation—were put on the table. According to Gravano, the conflict began after he partnered with DiBono on a business deal. Gravano claimed DiBono owed him $250,000 but offered to pay only a fraction of that amount, bringing lawyers and accountants to a meeting to argue for reduced payment. Gravano said he threw the professionals out and physically roughed up DiBono before the situation escalated further.
The problem was serious within Mafia rules: DiBono was a made member of the Gambino family, and raising hands against a made man carried the death penalty. Gravano said DiBono requested his life, prompting a meeting of top family leadership that included then-boss Paul Castellano, underboss Neil Dellacroce, and others. Gravano described being told before the meeting to lie and deny the assault, especially because the lawyers and his non-made brother-in-law would not be present to contradict him. But when asked directly by Castellano, Gravano said he admitted exactly what he had done—a decision that stunned the room and nearly sealed his fate.
Dellacroce allegedly defended Gravano passionately, arguing that DiBono had bought his way into the family and had cheated other mobsters for years. Dellacroce insisted that Gravano should not be killed for telling the truth while DiBono had repeatedly lied and stolen. Castellano ultimately gave Gravano a pass but ordered him to shake DiBono’s hand and promised to kill him if he ever repeated the offense. Gravano, however, refused to let the matter rest quietly, reportedly taunting DiBono in front of the assembled leaders and suggesting that Castellano hand DiBono a gun and give him an order to kill—challenging DiBono’s nerve.
Castellano ended the meeting by telling DiBono he should kiss Gravano’s hand and pay the full $250,000. In a separate account, former Bonanno crime family captain Dominick Cicale defended Michael “Mikey Nose” Mancuso, who has been publicly identified as the alleged boss of the Bonanno family, against claims that Mancuso had crossed a line by becoming involved with a former girlfriend of another mobster. Cicale said rumors circulating in the press and on the street accusing Mancuso of dating Joey LeBron’s former wife were false. He explained that the woman in question had been separated from LeBron for years—long before Mancuso’s involvement—and dismissed the idea that anyone should be barred from dating someone simply because another mobster had once been with them.
Cicale noted that Mancuso cannot defend himself publicly because he remains loyal to the Mafia code of silence, so he chose to speak on his behalf. He called the accusations unfair and said Mancuso had done nothing wrong. Boston gangster John Shea offered a harsher assessment of Kevin Weeks, the longtime associate of fugitive crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger. Shea described Weeks as Whitey’s right-hand man, always at his side, and capable of handling himself—but also a man who endured Whitey’s frequent mood swings.
Shea took issue with the popular notion that Weeks became a cooperating witness within two weeks of his arrest. Shea insisted Weeks had been planning to cooperate long before his indictment, and noted that Weeks had been regularly meeting with a Boston police officer prior to turning himself in. Shea also recounted a prison phone call in which he confronted Weeks after learning that Bulger and his partner Stevie Flemmi had been FBI informants for decades. Shea said Weeks confirmed it was true and told him, “I can live with that, Red.
” Shea said he could not accept that, slammed down the phone, and has never spoken to Weeks again. Gravano also shared harsh opinions about longtime Gambino captain James “Jimmy Brown” Failla, whom he accused of being a weak figure propped up by his position as head of the garbage association. Gravano described an incident in which Failla allegedly tried to pressure a woman whose relative had been killed, and when she rejected him, Failla accused her of being an informant. Gravano said he went to Castellano to defend the woman and then confronted Failla directly, who reportedly avoided her afterward.
Gravano also described a meeting about the killing of a proposed mobster known as Stymie, where Castellano asked each leader whether he was willing to go to war over the killing. Failla allegedly avoided giving a clear answer, repeatedly deferring to whatever Castellano wanted, until Frankie DeCicco exploded at him and Castellano himself demanded a simple yes or no.
