Surviving the Mob - Dennis Griffin [1]
Over the next several days, I communicated with Andrew by phone and email. I learned that his last name was DiDonato. He was born in New York City in 1965 into a Mob-connected family. He had been involved in organized crime since he was a teen. His extensive criminal history included everything from illegal gambling to burglary, armed robbery, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder. He had served several years in state and federal prisons.
Andrew explained that he had reached out to me because of my previous Mob biography, Cullotta. Trust was a major issue with him, and he felt I had proved myself—made my bones, if you will—by co-authoring that book with the onetime Chicago Outfit-connected Frank Cullotta.
Andrew said his goal was to tell the story of life as an associate of an organized-crime family from a street soldier’s perspective. He wanted to show it isn’t the glamorous lifestyle many people think it is, and that when you’re a criminal your actions hurt a lot of people, physically, emotionally, and financially.
I was intrigued by the project, but there was one very important issue that needed to be put to rest before I committed to helping Andrew with his book. I told him that I wouldn’t get involved unless I was sure he would be totally candid and that the book would be factually accurate.
He said we both desired the same things: candor and accuracy. Much of the information he planned to disclose had been verified by law enforcement as part of his deal with the government. Events were also documented in newspaper articles and public records. He would only hold back any information that could impact future legal action against former colleagues in which he may have to testify. Andrew’s answer satisfied me that we were on the same page and he began providing me with documents, articles, photos, and sites where I could find information.
Andrew and I finally met in person in December 2009. In January 2010 we began writing Surviving the Mob.
In these pages you’ll read extensively about the Gambino crime family. The organization has had many notable bosses over the years, including Carlo Gambino, Paul Castellano, and John Gotti. However, here, the primary focus is on the capo of Andrew’s crew, Nicholas “Nicky” Corozzo.
Nicky Corozzo was born in Brooklyn, New York, on March 17, 1940. He was one of John Gotti’s chief rivals within the family in the 1980s and rose in power after Gotti’s incarceration in 1992. In 2005, Nicky was recognized by law enforcement as the boss of the Gambinos. So although he may lack the name recognition of some of his predecessors, Nicky Corozzo was a force to be reckoned with in New York organized crime.
After you’ve read this book, you’ll have a much better understanding of how an organized-crime crew functions. You’ll know what types of crimes they commit to make their money and how the proceeds are distributed. You’ll learn about Mob politics and myths, that loyalty goes from the bottom up, but not necessarily from the top down. You’ll experience Andrew’s life on the run from the law, while also being under a death sentence from his former colleagues. And you’ll get a taste of what it’s like to do prison time and to be a government witness.
Denny Griffin
Las Vegas, January 2010
Introduction
My name is Andrew DiDonato. I was born on November 21, 1965, in Queens, New York. I was raised in Brooklyn in a house between two Mafia social clubs. I grew up under the watchful eyes of the neighborhood wiseguys.
My great-uncle Pasquale “Paddy Mac” Macchiarole was a capo in the Genovese family. When I was 12, Paddy was murdered in a Mob hit. Two months later, his son John was also killed gangland-style. I suppose that being exposed to that kind of violence at such a young age could or should have discouraged me from wanting to live the Mafia life. But it didn’t. Maybe it was my destiny