Topic: Paul Castellano

Constantino "Paul" Castellano (June 26, 1915 – December 16, 1985), also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Pauly" (or "PC" to his family), was a Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, then one of New York's largest Mafia families. In early 1985, he was one of many Mafia bosses arrested on charges of racketeering, which was to result in the Mafia Commission Trial; in December of that year, while out on bail, Castellano and his bodyguard were shot to death outside Sparks Steak House in Manhattan on the orders of John Gotti.

He was born in Brooklyn in 1915, to Giuseppe Castellano and Concetta (née Casatu). Paul's father was a butcher by trade, and was also an early member of the Mangano crime family, forerunner of the Gambino family. Paul Castellano was the first cousin to Maj. General Vito Castellano who occupied key capitol positions in Albany, such as, the former commander of the New York National Guard and Governor Mario Cuomo's former chief of staff.

He logged his first arrest in 1934. The 19-year-old Castellano refused to identify his two accomplices to the police and served a three-month prison sentence. By refusing to cooperate with authorities, Castellano enhanced his reputation for mob loyalty. Castellano often signed his name as "C. Paul Castellano" because he hated his first name, Constantino. Eventually he became known as Paul.