Carlo Gambino's house

This is the former house of mob boss Carlo Gambino.

It is situated at 2230 Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, New York.

Gambino was a quiet, understated man, and his modest choice of residence reflected this.

Unlike some of the other bosses, he didn't live in a large, gated mansion. Instead, he actively avoided showing any great signs of wealth.

Originally, he was a capo in the Anastasia crime family. However, in 1957, a mobster named Vito Genovese convinced him to help orchestrate the murder of his boss, Albert Anastasia.

In exchange for his cooperation, Carlo was allowed to take over Anastasia's organization. Consequently, it became known as the Gambino family—a name that it still uses today.

Meanwhile, Genovese seized control of both the Luciano family and "the Commission," which is the governing body of the Italian-American mafia.

In 1959, Genovese received a 15-year prison sentence after he was convicted of conspiring to import and sell narcotics. His imprisonment left an open seat on the Commission, which Gambino quickly filled.

From that point on, his influence grew, and he eventually became known as the "boss of bosses." During the 1960s and 1970s, he held a great deal of power over the five families of New York, as well as other mafia organizations across the country.

"Don Carlo" was strictly anti-drugs. However, his stance wasn't based on moral reasons. Instead, he feared that the lengthy prison sentences associated with drug dealing might persuade his men to cooperate with the authorities.

Throughout his reign, Gambino managed to evade law enforcement. He also avoided being toppled, assassinated, or forced into exile.

The soft-spoken mob boss remained in power until he died of heart disease on October 15th, 1976.

Shortly before his death, he appointed his brother-in-law, Paul Castellano, as his successor. This came as a shock to members of the Gambino family, as most people expected the current underboss, Aniello Dellacroce, to take over.

In their eyes, Castellano was only chosen because of family favoritism.

Dellacroce begrudgingly accepted Gambino's wishes because he was an old-school mafioso who respected the rules. However, the decision effectively split the family into two factions.

This rift eventually culminated in Castellano being gunned down outside Sparks Steak House in 1985.

Photos

Photos of the house and other related images.

2230 Ocean Parkway

This Google Street View image of 2230 Ocean Parkway was taken in June 2022.

The house was built in 1935. It is roughly 2,724 square feet in size, and it has five bedrooms.

Although Carlo Gambino owned a beachfront house on Long Island, he spent most of his time here. This is because his wife, Caterina, preferred Brooklyn to Massapequa.

During our research, we noticed that a number of websites were mistakenly displaying images of the neighboring property on the left.

This is most likely because the Google Street View for the address seems to focus on it. However, if you zoom in on the house numbers, you'll see that the property on the left is actually 2234 Ocean Parkway, not 2230.

His address was listed in a congressional report

Image source: Organized Crime and Illicit Traffic in Narcotics - US Congress

This 1964 congressional report listed Gambino's Brooklyn address. It also pointed out that he was one of the most powerful mafia figures in the United States.

Notably, he was an illegal alien who had arrived from Palermo, Sicily, in 1921.

Gambino reportedly entered the country as a stowaway on the SS Vincenzo Florio. At the time, he was just 19 years old.

During the 1950s and 1960s, there was a lengthy legal battle to deport him. In 1970, the Supreme Court upheld a previous deportation order against him, and it seemed as though he was finally going to be sent back to Italy.

However, he suffered a massive heart attack when the US government attempted to enforce the order.