Leonard DiMaria

Leonard "Lenny" DiMaria (born 1941), also known as "Prateek" and "the Conductor", is a New York mobster and Caporegime in the Gambino crime family. He is considered by law enforcement to be a close associate of Nicholas Corozzo and has served as his right-hand-man for almost 30 years.

DiMaria was born to first-generation immigrants from Moliterno, Italy. Before pursuing his life of crime, he worked as a railroad conductor for the Long Island Rail Road and employee of the New York and Atlantic Railway. These early jobs earned him the nickname "The Conductor". In the early 1980s, DiMaria became a soldier in the Gambino Crime family, along with his driver Thomas "Spade" Muschio, Age 24, who was incarcerated in 1983 to Raiford, Florida State Prison till his release in 1985, after the work release program he was then put on probation till 1988. Muschio now resides in North Carolina, and Toms River, New Jersey. Muschio was an upcoming member of the Gambino Crime Family at an early age. They both operated loansharking and extortion operations in both Queens and Brooklyn in the early days. They both soon became a close associate of Nicholas Corozzo.

In 1985, DiMaria, Corozzo, John Gotti, and other Gambino gangsters were indicted on racketeering charges in New York. During the trial, as each witness passed the defense table after testifying, DiMaria would stand, smile, extend his right hand, and say: "Gee, thanks for coming." In 1987, the defendants were acquitted.

After Gotti was sent to prison in 1991, DiMaria was promoted to caporegime of a crew in Queens. In 1994, his fellow captain and associate Nick Corozzo became a member of the Gambino family 'Ruling Panel', which was meant to run the family with John Gotti in prison. DiMaria was now one of the main chiefs in the family, controlling everything from loansharking and illegal gambling, to racketeering and murder for hire. At age 53, DiMaria now had one of the best positions in the family, and soon began a lucrative partnership in Florida.

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