Thomas Bilotti

Thomas Bilotti
Bilotti at Paul Castellano's condo in West Palm Beach, Florida 1984
Born	(1940-03-23)March 23, 1940 Staten Island, New York
Died	December 16, 1985(1985-12-16) (aged 45) Manhattan, New York
Cause of death	killed by gunshot

Thomas "Tommy" Bilotti (March 23, 1940 – December 16, 1985) was a New York mobster with the Gambino crime family who served as underboss for two weeks. It was this promotion that helped trigger the 1985 assassination of Gambino boss Paul Castellano.

As a young man, Bilotti joined the Staten Island crew of Gambino capo Michael D'Alessio. Bilotti also spent time as Alexander DeBrizzi's chauffeur and bodyguard. Bilotti later became a criminal associate of John D'Alessio, Michael's brother. Bilotti was involved in labor racketeering, extortion and loansharking.

Bilotti soon gained a reputation for violence. In one incident, Bilotti assaulted Colombo associate Robert Pate. In 1970, D'Alessio allegedly recruited Bilotti and his brother Joseph to murder Thomas Ernst, the boyfriend of D'Alessio's daughter. However, the murder attempt failed when D'Alessio's daughter shot at them.

Over the years, Bilotti became a close aide-de-camp, confidant and chauffeur for capo Paul Castellano. Bilotti was a regular visitor to Castellano's Todt Hill, Staten Island mansion and was considered a close family friend. However, when Castellano started an affair with his maid, Bilotti kept it secret from Castellano's wife. He would also act as his chauffeur. Bilotti and Castellano were said to make an odd pair. Castellano, a gangster who thought himself more as a businessman, and Bilotti, a brutish loan shark.

Bilotti had a no-show job at Scara-Mix, Castellano's cement company on Staten Island. He was also heavily involved in the Steam Fitters Local 638 of the Plumbers Union that was represented by George Daly, an associate who belonged to his crew. Daly served as Local 638's business agent until his 1987 conviction for soliciting bribes to ensure labor peace.

When Castellano became Gambino boss in 1976, he gave Bilotti a crew to manage. Many members of the Gambino family were contemptuous of Bilotti and considered him to be Castellano's stooge. This attitude was widespread in the traditional, "blue collar" wing of the family, led by underboss Aniello Dellacroce. This wing considered Castellano to be greedy and out of touch of with their concerns.