Angelo Ruggiero

Angelo Salvatore Ruggiero, Sr. was a member of the Gambino crime family and a friend of John Gotti's. Once Gotti became leader of the family he made Ruggiero a caporegime. Although he showed little organizing or money making ability, anyone questioning Ruggiero's suitability for a top position in the hierarchy did so at their peril; the FBI regarded Ruggierro as an unpredictable psychopath not amenable to confrontational tactics. While held in pretrial detention for a state case that he eventually beat, Gotti was infuriated when his contact with the crime family through visits by Ruggiero ended when the impulsive capo got himself thrown in jail beside Gotti by cursing and arguing with the judge during a hearing. This blunder lost Ruggierro any chance he had of becoming Gotti's underboss. Disgusted with the carelessness of Ruggierro in allowing himself to be caught by an FBI wiretap, Gotti completely cut contact with Ruggiero by the time he was released on bail with terminal cancer.