How did gotti hold on to power after incarceration

After he was convicted and sentenced to prison forever how did he hold onto power in the family? Where did his muscle come from? His brother was in prison, Sammy had flipped! Frank deccico was long dead, his consig was in jail with him, son and older brother were both considered unworthy of such high positions. Who did he have to enforce his will? Or was it also a situation where that family had been so weakened by that point that no one in his family was strong enough or wanted to step up n take the thrown

He controlled it by using his son and his brother Peter. As weak as they may have appeared to some, they were still the bosses son and brother. And when Gotti made Jr. boss, guys pretty much had no choice because Gotti still had the respect on the street from a lot of guys, and they just followed his word. I don't know too much about the Corrozzo situation, but maybe PB could speak more on that.

Don't forget about Jackie D'amico, he was a very loyal henchman of Gotti sr and I think he was also someone who was respected on the street, from what I've read..

Despite what many say, john gotti was not stupid. We keep hearing stories about guys wanting him dead but truth be told, he was feared and had a lot of loyal guys around him. Even when he went away, he was still feared and respected.
Gotti was dumb for talking in an apartment, Tony ducks was dumb for talking in a car. Chin gigante was dumb for walking the streets in a bath robe. Vinny B was dumb for talking to Joe Massino. The list goes on and on.
Bottom line, all mobsters go down. Bosses just go down the hardest.
You cant beat the G with their cia technology and endless supply of funds. Add in the fact that there are no more pay phones and camera's on every fuckin corner and the odds just arent good.
One more thing but off subject. All those prison pics of mobsters smiling with their arms around each other: trust me, they aint happy and each and every one of those guys would give his right arem, left arm, and a leg to be home with his wife and kids.

henchman is a big no for jack

Not sure you can add Chin to that mix. His crazy act, which included walking the street in his bathrobe, was a huge part of what kept him on the street and out of prison until 1997. An active NY boss on the street for 16 years (1981-1997) in the 1980s and 1990s, when the feds were going hard against the Mafia, is extraordinary.

Chin was dumb for talking to Peter Savino after Casso told him he's a rat.

Yes. On the other hand Casso said lots of people were rats.

But how long did Gotti last on the street? 5 years. Gigante was free for 15 years and almost died a free man. Gigante fell like every other boss, but none of his guys ratted on him. It was rats from other families that brought him down: Gravano, Leotteti and Casso. Even Massino was on the street for over 9 years. Even Merlino has 9 none consecutive years as a free man.

Agreed, but Peter Savino did rat on Chin.

Chin may have been on the street longer but what kind of existance is that, walking around in a bath robe and acting like he is insane for 20 years. He didnt enjoy life, he was basicallly a prisone while on the streets. Thats what i dont understand, this guy lived a shitty fuckin life. Guys live better in jail.

That's gotta be a brutal feeling just knowing that at some point you're gonna get arrested and most likely spend the rest of your life is prison.

I'm Guessing Gotti was still respected for being stand up. Also, one of the "rules" is that you're still boss after you're incarcerated.

He was stupid. I mean I can name a million dumb things he did in his career that prove he was. Lets be honest NOBODY wanted the job after Gotti got arrested. The amount of heat he brought on the Gambinos and other families was enormous.

It kept him on the street. It wasn't a prison at all he was able to go out on the streets and live how he'd wanted to at nights. He was able to meet with his guys in his own social club pretty much whenever he found suitable. He lived a normal family life at nights. How the hell do guys live better than that in prison? How do you know he didn't enjoy life as it was for him? He knew who he was, he knew the risks of his occupation. He lasted longer than most bosses and got the most out of his life as he lived. And he still would've been able to go home and live out his final years had he not ultimately died in basically the last few years of his sentence.

Exactly. The Genovese family and Chin were crafty. For years they didnt even know who the real boss actually was. Guys like Salerno were front bosses who took the "hits" from the government while Gigante was the real boss all along. If Gotti had any brains he would have been more secretive but that wasn't his style

You bring up a good point mentioning how nobody wanted the job after Gotti was sent to prison. I'm sure that contributed to him still maintaining some control over the family.

+1 Sinatra

He lived in a luxury townhouse on the upper east side - one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the country. Guarantee that house is worth between $10 & $20 million today. During the day he either played cards with his friends in a clubhouse or gave orders over the most succesful mafia family in the country. I don't think his life was that bad. I do see your point though and Raab said the same thing in 5 Families.

And he basically set up his entire family for life. The Gigantes haven't been crying poverty since his arrest or death.

As for the quality of Chin's life as a mob boss, he seemed satisfied with it. One prosecutor said it seemed Chin got the most satisfaction out of the "pure power" he exercised. He would go back and forth between family in Manhattan and New Jersey. He would hang out with his guys at the Triangle Social Club. I mean, where's it written a mob boss has to go club hopping with a big entourage almost every night or blow lots of money on boats, trips, etc.

Chin was smart enough to recognize the time he was living in and acted accordingly. Even with his mistake trusting Savino, his run on the street was extraordinary. And he set up both his blood family and his crime family.