He Killed Castellano… Then Got Blasted to Pieces

Frank DeCicco helped John Gotti take control of the Gambino crime family by playing a key role in one of the most infamous assassinations in mafia history—the killing of Paul Castellano. For a brief moment, it worked. Gotti became boss. DeCicco became underboss. But in the world of organized crime, power doesn’t come without consequences. Just weeks later, in April 1986, a car bomb exploded in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn—killing DeCicco in broad daylight. Some believed the real target was Gotti. Others saw it as retaliation for breaking one of the mafia’s most important rules: never kill a boss without approval. Either way, the message was clear. This video breaks down: The internal war inside the Gambino family How John Gotti rose to power Frank DeCicco’s role in the Castellano hit And why he became a target almost immediately In the mafia, loyalty only lasts as long as it’s useful.