Carmine Fatico

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Carmine "Charley Wagons" Fatico (January 19, 1910-August 1, 1991) was a Caporegime in the Gambino crime family.

Carmine was a short, slim man known to possess more intelligence than brawn, whose nickname "Charley Wagons" alluded to his penchant for hijacking transport trucks. He had been put in charge of all criminal operations for the Gambino crime family in East New York by Albert Anastasia and held the position after Carlo Gambino took over the family. As the boss of the East New York crew, Fatico commanded a force of made and not yet made captains, sidewalk soldiers and associates which numbered around 120 men in 1966. Carmine had been a leading captain in the Gambino crime family because of his unfailing loyalty and obedience to his boss. He also was a tireless and innovative earner for the family. It had been estimated that his crew grossed around $30 million a year. He was a violent and sadistic men who acquired a reputation as a brutal killer when the occasion demanded brutal violence to be carried out. In 1972, Fatico moved his crew out of East New York, because African-Americans had taken over the area, and reestablished his base of operations in Ozone Park, Queens. Out of the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club, Carmine conducted hijacking cargoes at John F. Kennedy Airport and on the waterfront, dealing stolen merchandise, loansharking, bookmaking, numberrunning, floating dice games, illegal casinos, illegal sportsbook betting and a fleet of push-button poker machines. After John Gotti was released from Lewisburg, Carmine put him in charge of all gambling operations in East New York. Later that year, Carmine was indicted in Suffolk County, New York for loansharking. He was occupied with his trial and did not want to draw the attention of the law to his activities, Carmine made John Gotti acting capo of the Bergin Crew, which meant that Gotti had to report now directly to Carlo Gambino and Aniello Dellacroce at his headquarters in Little Italy, Manhattan, The Ravenite Social Club located at 239 Mulberry Street. Fatico was a mentor to a young John Gotti. His crew's headquarters were at the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. After Fatico retired in the mid-1970s, Gotti succeeded him as Capo and he began to control the Bergin Club. Fatico died of natural causes in 1991. He was 81 years-old.