Editing John Gotti (section)

== Early life ==
John Gotti was born in [[the Bronx]] borough of [[New York City]] on October 27, 1940. He was the fifth of the thirteen children (two had died at birth) of John Joseph Gotti Sr. and Philomena "Fannie" DeCarlo.<ref name="NYTobit"/><ref name="RnF 25-26"/><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dcosYby8Ln0C&q=philomena+de+carlo+gotti&pg=PA2|title=This Family of Mine: What It Was Like Growing Up Gotti|author=Victoria Gotti|year=2009|publisher=Gallery Books|isbn=9781439163221|access-date=November 14, 2020|archive-date=January 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104162325/https://books.google.com/books?id=dcosYby8Ln0C&q=philomena+de+carlo+gotti&pg=PA2|url-status=live}}</ref> Both of Gotti's parents were born in New York, but it is presumed that his grandparents were from [[San Giuseppe Vesuviano]], in the [[Province of Naples|Naples]] province of [[Southern Italy]], because his parents were married and lived there for some time.<ref name="NYTobit">{{cite news|title= John Gotti, Head of the Gambino Crime Family, Dies at 61|author= Selwyn Raab|url= https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/2002/06/11/obituaries/11GOTT.html|newspaper= The New York Times|date= June 11, 2002|access-date= May 1, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170406062600/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/11/nyregion/john-gotti-dies-in-prison-at-61-mafia-boss-relished-the-spotlight.html|archive-date= April 6, 2017|url-status= live}} Published in print as " John Gotti Dies in Prison at 61; Mafia Boss Relished the Spotlight".</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/matriarch-of-notorious-crime-family-philomena-gotti-dies/|title=Matriarch of notorious crime family Philomena Gotti dies|date=August 31, 2008|access-date=December 30, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230233200/https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/matriarch-of-notorious-crime-family-philomena-gotti-dies/|archive-date=December 30, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Gotti was one of five brothers who became [[made men]] in the [[Gambino crime family]]:<ref name=five>{{cite news|last=Rashbaum|first=William|title=U.S. Indicts Gotti Brothers, Saying They Operated Dock Rackets|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/2002/06/05/nyregion/05MOB.html|access-date=May 1, 2021|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 5, 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100809102241/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/05/nyregion/05MOB.html?pagewanted=all|archive-date=August 9, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Gene Gotti|Eugene "Gene" Gotti]] was [[initiation ritual (mafia)|initiated]] before John due to the latter's incarceration,<ref name="Davis185">Davis, p. 185</ref> [[Peter Gotti]] was initiated under John's leadership in 1988,<ref>{{cite web|title=Gotti's Family|url=http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/gotti-s-family-1.203105|work=Newsday|access-date=January 13, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219232220/http://www.newsday.com/news/new-york/gotti-s-family-1.203105|archive-date=February 19, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Richard V. Gotti]] was identified as a ''[[caporegime]]'' (captain, or head of a "crew") by 2002.<ref name=five/> The fifth, Vincent, was initiated in 2002.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hinckley|first=David|title=Banned thug Vincent Gotti finally made it to crime time, then federal agents arrested him|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2008-03-23/news/17892973_1_john-gotti-gene-gotti-gotti-family|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707034559/http://articles.nydailynews.com/2008-03-23/news/17892973_1_john-gotti-gene-gotti-gotti-family|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 7, 2012|access-date=October 4, 2011|newspaper=New York Daily News|date=March 23, 2008}}</ref>

By the time he reached the age of 12, Gotti's family settled in [[East New York, Brooklyn|East New York]], [[Brooklyn]], where he grew up in poverty alongside his brothers.<ref name="star">{{cite news|last1=Raab|first1=Selwyn|title=Gotti's Brother Called Rising Star in Gambino Mob|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/16/nyregion/gotti-s-brother-called-rising-star-in-gambino-mob.html?scp=7&sq=&pagewanted=2|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 16, 1988|access-date=February 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224231645/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/02/16/nyregion/gotti-s-brother-called-rising-star-in-gambino-mob.html?scp=7&sq=&pagewanted=2|archive-date=February 24, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> His father worked irregularly as a day laborer.<ref name="NYTobit"/> As an adult, Gotti came to resent his father for being unable to provide for his family.<ref name="RnF 25-26"/> In school, he had a history of [[truancy]] and bullying other students, and ultimately dropped out of [[Franklin K. Lane High School]] at the age of 16.<ref name="RnF 27-29">Capeci, Mustain (1996), pp. 27–29</ref><ref name="Gotti running">{{cite news|title=John Gotti Running The Mob|author= Selwyn Raab|url= https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE2D8153DF931A35757C0A96F948260|newspaper= The New York Times|date= April 2, 1989|access-date= February 19, 2011|archive-date= January 4, 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210104162444/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/02/magazine/john-gotti-running-the-mob.html|url-status= live}}</ref>

Gotti was involved in [[street gang]]s associated with New York ''[[American Mafia|mafiosi]]'' from the age of 12.<ref name="RnF 27-29"/> When he was aged 14, he was attempting to steal a [[cement mixer]] from a construction site when it fell, crushing his toes; this injury left him with a permanent limp.<ref name="RnF 27-29"/> After leaving school, Gotti devoted himself to working with the Mafia-associated Fulton-Rockaway Boys gang, where he met and befriended fellow future Gambino mobsters [[Angelo Ruggiero]] and [[Wilfred Johnson|Wilfred "Willie Boy" Johnson]].<ref name="RnF 27-29"/><ref>Davis, p. 69</ref>

Gotti met his future wife, Victoria DiGiorgio, who was of half-Italian and half-Russian descent, at a bar in 1958.<ref name="Vic48">{{cite news|title=Gotti: Our Father, the Godfather|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gotti-our-father-the-godfather/|department=[[48 Hours (TV series)|48 Hours]]|work=CBS News|access-date=October 31, 2011|date=September 26, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424070426/http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-18559_162-5343517.html|archive-date=April 24, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> The couple were married on March 6, 1962.<ref name="USATODAY timeline">{{cite news|last=Hampson|first=Rick|title=John Gotti dies with his legacy in ruins|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/06/10/gotti.htm|access-date=February 10, 2012|newspaper=USA Today|date=June 11, 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530075232/http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/06/10/gotti.htm|archive-date=May 30, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> According to [[FBI]] documents, DiGiorgio was married previously and had one child by that marriage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vault.fbi.gov/john-joseph-gotti-jr/john-joseph-gotti-jr-part-01-of-10/view|title=John Joseph Gotti, Jr Part 01 of 10|publisher=vault.fbi.gov|date=October 5, 1964|access-date=February 22, 2021|archive-date=October 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018012852/https://vault.fbi.gov/john-joseph-gotti-jr/john-joseph-gotti-jr-part-01-of-10/view|url-status=live}}</ref> Gotti and his wife had five children: Angela, [[Victoria Gotti|Victoria]], [[John A. Gotti|John Jr.]], Frank (d. 1980) and Peter. Gotti attempted to work legitimately in 1962 as a presser in a coat factory and as an assistant truck driver. However, he could not stay crime-free and, by 1966, had been jailed twice.<ref>Capeci, Mustain (1988), pp. 67</ref>