What is paul castellano?

Paul Castellano

Paul Castellano (June 26, 1915 – December 16, 1985), also known as "Big Paul" and "PC", was an American gangster who served as the boss of the Gambino crime family from 1976 until his death in 1985.

Castellano was raised in Brooklyn and became involved in organized crime at a young age. He rose through the ranks of the Gambino family under the leadership of Carlo Gambino, eventually becoming underboss.

Following Gambino's death in 1976, Castellano succeeded him as boss. His leadership style was considered more business-oriented, focusing on white-collar crimes such as construction and food industry rackets, rather than the more traditional street-level activities. This led to tension within the family.

Castellano’s focus on white-collar crime caused friction with some of the family's more traditional members, particularly a faction led by John%20Gotti. Gotti and his crew felt that Castellano was out of touch and too insulated from the street.

Castellano was assassinated on December 16, 1985, outside Sparks Steak House in Manhattan. The hit was orchestrated by John Gotti, who then took over as boss of the Gambino family. This unsanctioned assassination further strained relationships with the other Mafia families.