Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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Forty years ago today, December 16th, 1985, Paul “Big Paul” Castellano was shot and killed in front of Sparks Steak House in Manhattan. It sent shockwaves through New York and through every crime family, and I remember it like it was yesterday because I was deeply entrenched in that life – and three days later I was indicted on a major racketeering case myself.
In this sit down, I walk you through what that hit meant to us on the street, what we really thought about Castellano as a boss, how John Gotti ended up taking over the Gambino family, and why the FBI pressure exploded after that night. I explain why I don’t buy the line that “Gotti alone caused the downfall of the mob,” and why I believe it was the RICO statute – pushed hard by Giuliani and the feds – that did the real damage.
I also share my personal history with Castellano from my early days as a recruit driving top Colombo guys to meet him, how he was viewed as a businessman more than a street guy, the resentment over his money policies, and why a lot of men quietly weren’t sad to see him go. And I’ll show you how the Castellano hit fit into a much bigger story: the government’s war on the mob, corrupt prosecutions, and why even now I’m getting ready to expose cases where good men got railroaded.
I Was There When the Castellano Hit Shook the Mafia – 40 Years Later
🤝 Book 1 on 1 Call With Me: michaelfranzese.com/book-1-on-1-call
🔥 Check out my store: store.michaelfranzese.com
🎙️ Michael Franzese Podcast on Spotify: spoti.fi/3Eo39qb
📧 Interested in partnerships? partnerships@michaelfranzese.com
0:00 Chickens, Castellano, “I’ll prove it”
1:07 Intro, Christmas and today’s anniversary
1:47 December 16, 1985 – Castellano hit
2:29 Indicted three days after hit
3:49 1996 HBO “Gotti” recommendation
4:27 RICO starts destroying the mob
5:25 Sonny’s Market on Long Island
6:11 Bad chicken order, refund dispute
7:00 Summoned to Brooklyn sit down
7:52 Sit down with Castellano over disrespect
9:24 Gotti’s crew and drug rule
10:11 Wiretaps, damaging tapes, Paul pressing
11:15 Gotti decides to strike first
12:19 Setting up Sparks Steak House hit
13:19 Hit goes down, media explodes
14:32 Shockwaves, FBI intensity skyrockets
15:11 RICO, not Gotti, ruined mafia
16:33 Castellano seen as business guy
17:22 Heavy taxes, “White House” resentment
17:52 Support inside Gambinos for k*lling
19:09 Neil passed over for Castellano
19:51 Gotti “Teflon Don” vs Michael
20:16 Tease: upcoming corruption revelations
23:55 DOJ corruption worse than mafia
24:44 Reflecting on Castellano anniversary today
Backbone Media Group
🍷 Have you tried my wine yet?: yt.franzesewine.com
💪🏼 Join Franzese Family: michaelfranzese.com/family
Forty years ago today, December 16th, 1985, Paul “Big Paul” Castellano was shot and killed in front of Sparks Steak House in Manhattan. It sent shockwaves through New York and through every crime family, and I remember it like it was yesterday because I was deeply entrenched in that life – and three days later I was indicted on a major racketeering case myself.
In this sit down, I walk you through what that hit meant to us on the street, what we really thought about Castellano as a boss, how John Gotti ended up taking over the Gambino family, and why the FBI pressure exploded after that night. I explain why I don’t buy the line that “Gotti alone caused the downfall of the mob,” and why I believe it was the RICO statute – pushed hard by Giuliani and the feds – that did the real damage.
I also share my personal history with Castellano from my early days as a recruit driving top Colombo guys to meet him, how he was viewed as a businessman more than a street guy, the resentment over his money policies, and why a lot of men quietly weren’t sad to see him go. And I’ll show you how the Castellano hit fit into a much bigger story: the government’s war on the mob, corrupt prosecutions, and why even now I’m getting ready to expose cases where good men got railroaded.
I Was There When the Castellano Hit Shook the Mafia – 40 Years Later
🤝 Book 1 on 1 Call With Me: michaelfranzese.com/book-1-on-1-call
🔥 Check out my store: store.michaelfranzese.com
🎙️ Michael Franzese Podcast on Spotify: spoti.fi/3Eo39qb
📧 Interested in partnerships? partnerships@michaelfranzese.com
0:00 Chickens, Castellano, “I’ll prove it”
1:07 Intro, Christmas and today’s anniversary
1:47 December 16, 1985 – Castellano hit
2:29 Indicted three days after hit
3:49 1996 HBO “Gotti” recommendation
4:27 RICO starts destroying the mob
5:25 Sonny’s Market on Long Island
6:11 Bad chicken order, refund dispute
7:00 Summoned to Brooklyn sit down
7:52 Sit down with Castellano over disrespect
9:24 Gotti’s crew and drug rule
10:11 Wiretaps, damaging tapes, Paul pressing
11:15 Gotti decides to strike first
12:19 Setting up Sparks Steak House hit
13:19 Hit goes down, media explodes
14:32 Shockwaves, FBI intensity skyrockets
15:11 RICO, not Gotti, ruined mafia
16:33 Castellano seen as business guy
17:22 Heavy taxes, “White House” resentment
17:52 Support inside Gambinos for k*lling
19:09 Neil passed over for Castellano
19:51 Gotti “Teflon Don” vs Michael
20:16 Tease: upcoming corruption revelations
23:55 DOJ corruption worse than mafia
24:44 Reflecting on Castellano anniversary today
Backbone Media Group
