After his release, Gotti became a full member of the Mafia. He didn't waste time rising in the ranks.

The FBI said Gotti was involved in the murder of Paul Castellano, the successor to Carlo Gambino. With Castellano gone, Gotti took over. He cultivated a tabloid celebrity persona, explained History. He wore expensive suits and threw lavish parties. He also hired really good lawyers. Gotti went to trial several times for different crimes, and his lawyer got him acquitted three times, which is how he became "Teflon Don." Well, that, and witness intimidation, and jury tampering. The authorities scratched their heads. How were they going to get this guy in jail?

So the FBI looked at other ways they could prosecute Gotti. First, the Bureau worked with the New York Police Department to bug Gotti and record his conversations. They got a court order allowing them to install electronic eavesdropping devices in places he frequented, including the Ravenite Social Club, his headquarters in Manhattan. Second, the FBI tried to convince many of Gotti's associates that they had arrested to turn on him. Sure, Gotti kept getting acquitted, but the people who worked for him were not as lucky.

One such associate was Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano. Gravano had been one of Gotti's top henchmen. The FBI had recorded Gotti talking about Gravano, said The Mob Museum. Gotti called his underboss greedy and criticized him. The FBI played the tapes for Gravano. He became disillusioned with Gotti and agreed to a deal; he would testify against his boss.

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