The Bergin Hunt and Fish Club

This is the former Bergin Hunt and Fish Club.

It is located at 98-04 101st Avenue in Queens, New York.

The Gambino crime family used this nondescript building as a headquarters until early 2005.

This was the original base of The Teflon Don, John Gotti. He began running it in 1977, after he was inducted into the family and promoted to capo.

A senior Gambino figure named Carmine "Charley Wagons" Fatico had previously run the Bergin crew. However, he had to be replaced after he was sent to prison for stealing fur coats.

Although Gotti also ran the Ravenite Social Club in Little Italy, that didn't fall under his control until 1985, when he orchestrated the murder of Paul Castellano and became the new boss of the family.

The Bergin Hunt and Fish Club was founded during the 1960s, after Fatico moved his base from East New York in Brooklyn to the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens. His decision to move away from Brooklyn was reportedly motivated by the neighborhood's growing population of African Americans and Puerto Ricans.

In 1972, Fatico was convicted of loan sharking and ordered to stay away from his crew. Consequently, he decided to appoint Gotti as his acting capo.

From that point on, Gotti acted as his eyes and ears on the ground.

Fatico's reign came to an end in 1977 after he pleaded guilty to stealing fur coats and was sentenced to five years in prison. With Fatico gone, Gotti was seen as his natural successor. As a result, the Gambino family inducted him as a "made man" and immediately promoted him to capo of the Bergin crew.

During the 1980s, Gotti and his crew organized a BBQ and fireworks display outside the club every Fourth of July. Each year, people from the neighborhood would flock to the corner of 101st Avenue and 98th Street to watch the show.

This was the crew's way of appeasing local residents and building "loyalty" within the community. The strategy worked, as the locals would often alert members of the club whenever they spotted undercover detectives.

The Gambinos used the property until 2005, when they seemingly abandoned it. By that stage, Gotti had died of throat cancer in prison, and the crew's power had dwindled.

Following its closure, it was converted into two shopfronts and listed for rent.

Photos

Photos of the club and other related images.

98-04 101st Avenue

This Google Street View image of 98-04 101st Avenue was taken in June 2022.

The property was converted into two retail units after the Bergin Hunt and Fish Club closed its doors in 2005.

At the time of writing, it was home to a Christian church and a bubble tea store.

Carmine Fatico

These are surveillance photographs of John Gotti and Carmine Fatico.

Fatico was the "caporegime" of the Bergin crew.

Originally, the gang's base was situated in the East New York borough of Brooklyn. However, Fatico was so dismayed by the changing racial demographics of the neighborhood that he decided to relocate to Ozone Park in Queens.

Gotti quickly became a leading figure in the crew, as he was young, smart, and tough.

In 1972, Fatico was arrested on loan-sharking charges. As part of his bail conditions, he was ordered to stay away from his crew. During his absence, he chose Gotti to become his acting capo.

Five years later, Fatico was sent to prison for stealing fur coats, and Gotti was promoted to capo of the Bergin crew. From that point on, he reported to Gambino underboss Aniello Dellacroce, whose HQ was at the Ravenite Social Club in Little Italy.

Fireworks

Image source: Indiana Gazette - July 5th 1989

The crew held a fireworks display outside the club every 4th of July.

In 1988, the authorities warned the gang not to set off fireworks without a permit. However, Gotti ignored this warning, much to the embarrassment of Police Commissioner Benjamin Ward.

The following year, dozens of officers were sent to 101st Avenue to make sure that the show didn't go ahead.

To prevent people who didn't live in the area from attending the event, they put up barricades and closed every street within a four-block radius.

This led to an angry backlash, as crowds of people shouted insults at the police and chanted Gotti's name. Men on nearby roofs also set off rockets.

Although the fireworks display didn't go ahead, the crew still held their annual barbecue.

During an interview with a news reporter, one attendee stated that "Gotti had a good heart." Another person added that he "took care of people in the community."