Early Life and Rise
Born in the Ozone Park section of Queens, Pizzonia began working for the Gambino family as a crew member for then caporegime John Gotti. He was called "Skinny Dom" to distinguish himself from Gambino mobster Dominick "Fat Dom" Borghese.
On December 16, 1985, Pizzonia allegedly participated in the assassinations of Gambino boss Paul Castellano and underboss Thomas Bilotti outside a Manhattan steakhouse. After Castellano's murder, Gotti took over as family boss.
In June 1988, Pizzonia allegedly murdered mobster Frank Boccia at the family's request. The Gambinos ordered Boccia's murder because he had punched his mother-in-law, the wife of imprisoned mobster Anthony Ruggiano. Pizzonia and Gambino associate Alfred Congiglio lured Boccia to a social club, killed him, took his body on a boat, and dumped the body into the ocean off New York City. Boccia's body was never recovered.
On December 24, 1988, as a reward for the Castellano and Boccia murders, the Gambinos allowed Pizzonia to become a made man, or full member, in the family.
In 1992, Pizzonia participated in the murder of Thomas Uva and his wife Rosemary. Previously that year, the Uvas had robbed several social clubs belonging to the Gambino, Bonanno, and Colombo crime families. Pizzonia was especially enraged by the Uvas because they twice robbed Gotti's Bergin Hunt and Fish Club in Ozone Park, which Pizzonia managed. On December 24, 1992, Pizzonia and mobster Ronnie Trucchio located the Uvas. The couple was sitting in their car at a traffic light in Ozone Park when Pizzonia and Trucchio shot and killed both of them.
In 1995, Pizzonia became the head of a Gambino bookmaking operation and later replaced Peter Gotti as capo.
Read more about this topic: Dominick Pizzonia
Famous quotes containing the words early life, early, life and/or rise:
“... business training in early life should not be regarded solely as insurance against destitution in the case of an emergency. For from business experience women can gain, too, knowledge of the world and of human beings, which should be of immeasurable value to their marriage careers. Self-discipline, co-operation, adaptability, efficiency, economic management,—if she learns these in her business life she is liable for many less heartbreaks and disappointments in her married life.”
—Hortense Odlum (1892–?)
“Well, it’s early yet!”
—Robert Pirosh, U.S. screenwriter, George Seaton, George Oppenheimer, and Sam Wood. Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush (Groucho Marx)
“They say the seeds of what we will do are in all of us, but it always seemed to me that in those who make jokes in life the seeds are covered with better soil and with a higher grade of manure.”
—Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961)
“The best way to rise in society is to use all possible means of persuading people that one has already risen in society.”
—François, Duc De La Rochefoucauld (1613–1680)