John Gotti: The Perfect Murder That Doomed the Teflon Don

He beat the United States government three times in open court, and the crowds cheered him like a movie star. Then the one man he trusted most sat down in a witness chair — and burned his entire world to the ground. This is the full story of John Gotti, the poor kid from East New York who ordered the most brazen mob hit in American history — the murder of Gambino boss Paul Castellano outside Sparks Steak House — and seized the most powerful crime family in America. The press called him the Dapper Don, then the Teflon Don: trial after trial, nothing would stick. But behind the $2,000 suits and the cheering crowds, the FBI was listening through a microphone hidden above the Ravenite club. And Sammy "the Bull" Gravano — the man who had watched Castellano die at Gotti's side — was about to break a code of silence a century old. ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 The Hit That Changed the Mafia Forever 01:19 A Poor Kid Who Swore He'd Never Be Poor 03:03 The Murder That Opened the Door 05:31 The Tragedy That Revealed the Real Gotti 06:49 War With Big Paul Castellano 08:48 The Decision to Kill the Boss 09:42 Sparks Steak House: December 16, 1985 10:44 The Dapper Don: Dangerous Fame 12:40 The Teflon Don Beats the Government 14:01 The Bug Above the Ravenite Club 14:54 Sammy the Bull Turns 16:21 The Trial That Ended It All 18:20 A Quiet, Lonely End 18:48 The Real Lesson of John Gotti Subscribe for a new deep-dive into the real history of organized crime every week.