The Gotti Wars, John Gleeson
The Gotti Wars, John Gleeson
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The Gotti Wars
Taking Down America's Most Notorious Mobster

Author: John Gleeson

Narrator: Adam Grupper

Unabridged: 13 hr 38 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/03/2022


Synopsis

“Riveting…an electrifying true crime story of the Mafia-smitten eighties and nineties. Suspenseful and multifaceted, The Gotti Wars can’t be missed.” —Esquire, “The Best Nonfiction Books of the Year”

A “meticulous chronicle of good triumphing over evil” (The Washington Post) from the determined young prosecutor who, in two of America’s most celebrated racketeering trials, managed to convict famed mob boss John Gotti, leader of the Gambino crime family, and ultimately helped dismantle La Cosa Nostra.

John Gotti was without a doubt the flashiest and most feared mafioso in American history. He seized control of the Gambino family with the brazen, very public murder of Paul Castellano outside Sparks Steakhouse in midtown Manhattan in 1985. Not one to stay under law enforcement’s radar, Gotti instead became the first celebrity crime boss—earning the nicknames “The Dapper Don” and “The Teflon Don.”

This is the captivating story of Gotti’s meteoric rise and equally dramatic downfall. Watching every move was his legal adversary—Assistant US Attorney John Gleeson in Brooklyn—who prosecuted both of the high-profile trials. The first case, a seven-month battle ending in acquittal, saw Gleeson falsely accused under Gotti’s intimidation tactics and perjury by a manipulated witness.

Five years later, he led the second racketeering prosecution, using FBI wiretap evidence and turning Gotti’s underboss, Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, into a federal witness. Gravano’s flip—making him the highest-ranking mafia turncoat ever—helped secure Gotti’s conviction and dealt a blow to the entire Italian mob structure.

A spellbinding, page-turning courtroom drama, The Gotti Wars “tells us in electrifying detail how the good guys finally won, how justice triumphed over evil, and how Gleeson himself was transformed by his long war” (Nelson DeMille).

About John Gleeson

John Gleeson, currently a partner at Debevoise & Plimpton, has had distinguished careers as a federal prosecutor, federal judge, and practicing defense attorney. He was lead counsel in the successful racketeering-murder trials of John Gotti and Vic Orena, respectively the bosses of the Gambino and Colombo crime families, for which he received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award. As a United States District Judge in Brooklyn, he presided over more than 200 civil and criminal jury trials. Gleeson currently teaches at New York University School of Law, Harvard Law School, and Yale Law School. He lives in New York City with his family.


Reviews

An excellent look behind the scenes by the prosecutor of John Gotti, the Teflon Don from the late 1980s and 1990s. One of Gleeson’s early trials as an Assistant US attorney was as second chair in the trial of John Gotti. When Gotti was acquitted, it left a mark, but Gleeson went on to prove himself......more

Goodreads review by Randal

An excellent book. I have read many books about Gotti and the Gambino Family before, some good, some excellent, some not so good. This one ranks up towards the top. The book is written by the prosecuting attorney. Told through his eyes, the book offers a look into areas not revealed before. From the......more

Goodreads review by Jake

There’s an overabundance of text written about John Gotti, which is kind of wild when one considers he reigned as the head of the Gambino Crime Family for barely five years. Hell, the man was even one of the last subjects of Andy Warhol’s legendary career. His bombastic, publicity-hunting personalit......more