John Gotti, the name synonymous with organized crime, the “Dapper Don” who captivated and terrified New York City in equal measure. While his life was deeply entrenched in the Gambino crime family, a lesser-known facet of his story is his role as a father. Beyond the headlines and the courtroom dramas, John Gotti had five children: Angela, Victoria, John Angelo, Frank, and Peter. This article delves into the lives of John Gotti’s kids, exploring their diverse paths and the enduring shadow cast by their infamous father.
Gotti Sr.’s ascent through the ranks of the mafia was swift and brutal. Orchestrating the assassination of then-boss Paul Castellano, he seized control of the Gambino family, becoming a media sensation with his flamboyant style and Teflon-like ability to evade conviction – until his eventual downfall. His dedication to “the streets,” as his son John Angelo Jr. described it, often overshadowed his family life in Howard Beach, Queens. As John Angelo Jr. chillingly recounted to CBS News, “In fact, his wife and kids were second to the streets.”
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Despite his death in prison in 2002, John Gotti’s legacy continues to resonate through his children and grandchildren. Let’s examine the individual stories of John Gotti’s kids, tracing their lives from growing up in the shadow of organized crime to forging their own identities.
Angela “Angel” Gotti
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Angela Gotti, daughter of infamous mob boss John Gotti, arriving at Manhattan Federal Court in 2006, showcasing her family’s public presence during legal proceedings.
Born in 1961, Angela “Angel” Gotti is the eldest of John Gotti’s kids. She has largely chosen to live a life away from the intense public scrutiny that often surrounds her family name. While maintaining a private Instagram presence, Angela is active on X (formerly Twitter), where she occasionally shares glimpses into her life and family, including her two children, son Frankie Gotti Albano and daughter Victoria Gotti Albano, from her past relationship with Louis Albano.
Angela has been a staunch defender of her family, particularly her father, often pushing back against media narratives she deemed unfair or inaccurate. In 2001, while John Gotti Sr. was incarcerated and battling cancer, Angela launched a website to counter what she perceived as biased reporting, as reported by The New York Post. Her unwavering loyalty was also evident in her frequent attendance at her brother John Angelo’s trials, where she was visibly emotional, as documented by The New York Post.
Venturing into entrepreneurship, Angela launched Angel Gotti Footwear in 2013. Her line featured handcrafted flip-flops and sandals adorned with intricate embellishments like beads, flowers, ribbons, and crystals. As she explained to Footwear News, each pair was a labor of love, requiring hours to create, with plans to expand into handbags.
In recent years, Angela has maintained a lower public profile, yet remains supportive of her family’s endeavors, including her nephew’s burgeoning boxing career, as seen in her social media activity.
Victoria Gotti
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Victoria Gotti, daughter of John Gotti, pictured at a public event, highlighting her career as an author and media personality.
Victoria Gotti, the second child and daughter of John Gotti’s kids, was born in 1962. Growing up in Howard Beach, Queens, alongside her siblings, Victoria’s upbringing was anything but ordinary. In a 2019 interview with PEOPLE, she shared a poignant anecdote illustrating her father’s unconventional approach to parenting. Recalling a childhood fall, she described how instead of comforting her in a conventional way, her father instilled resilience, saying, “Remember, Victoria: We don’t fall. We bounce, you hear me?'”
Victoria married Carmine Agnello, who was also associated with the Gambino crime family, in 1984. They have three sons: Carmine Gotti Agnello Jr., John Gotti Agnello, and Frank Gotti Agnello.
Victoria has carved out a notable career as an author and media personality. Her literary journey began with Women and Mitral Valve Prolapse: A Comprehensive Guide to Living With M.V.P. and Its Symptoms in 1995, drawing from her personal experience with the condition. She further explored her writing talents with novels such as The Senator’s Daughter, I’ll Be Watching You, and Superstar, followed by the cookbook Hot Italian Dish and the memoir This Family of Mine: What It Was Like Growing Up Gotti, offering an intimate glimpse into her unique family life.
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John Gotti pictured with his daughter Victoria Gotti, showcasing their close relationship despite the controversies surrounding the family.
Beyond writing, Victoria has also worked as a reporter for WNYW, a Fox affiliate in New York City, and as a columnist for the New York Post, demonstrating her versatility in media.
In 2000, her then-husband Carmine Agnello faced federal racketeering and tax evasion charges, as reported by The New York Times. He eventually pleaded guilty, receiving a nine-year prison sentence and a substantial financial forfeiture. Victoria and Carmine divorced in 2003.
Following her divorce, Victoria and her sons starred in the reality TV show Growing Up Gotti on A&E in 2004, offering a glimpse into their lives after the family’s tumultuous period. She later appeared on Celebrity Apprentice in 2012.
More recently, Victoria collaborated with Lifetime to co-write and produce a TV biopic, Victoria Gotti: My Father’s Daughter, reflecting on her relationship with her father. Speaking to PEOPLE, she reminisced about her father’s appreciation for freedom, a lesson she carries with her.
Today, Victoria maintains an active presence on social media, celebrating her children and expanding family, showcasing a more personal and familial side to her public image.
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John Angelo Gotti Jr.
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John Gotti Jr., son of John Gotti, pictured at a public event in New York City, representing his family’s continued presence in the public eye.
Born in 1964, John Angelo Gotti Jr. is the eldest son among John Gotti’s kids. His life trajectory was heavily influenced by his father’s path. In 1988, he was inducted into the Gambino crime family, a moment he described to 60 Minutes as “the proudest moment of [his] life,” signifying his desire to follow in his father’s footsteps. He stated, “If my father wasn’t in that life, I probably wouldn’t have been in the street life either. Whatever he was is what I wanted to be.”
When John Gotti Sr. was imprisoned in 1992, John Angelo Jr., along with his uncle Peter, stepped into leadership roles within the family, though The New York Times reported they remained under the direction of Gotti Sr.
John Angelo Jr.’s involvement in organized crime led to numerous legal challenges. In 1998, he faced charges including extortion and fraud, as reported by The New York Times. He eventually reached a plea agreement, serving over six years in prison and paying a substantial fine. However, legal troubles continued to plague him in subsequent years.
In a move to redefine his narrative, John Angelo Jr. authored his memoir, Shadow of My Father, in 2015, detailing his experiences growing up as John Gotti’s kid and his complex relationship with his father’s legacy. His book served as the basis for the 2018 film Gotti, starring John Travolta as John Gotti Sr., bringing his family’s story to a wider audience, though the film received critical backlash.
On the personal front, John Angelo Jr. married Kimberly Gotti in 1990, and they have six children, including John Gotti III, who has pursued a career in mixed martial arts, demonstrating the family’s continued presence in the public sphere through different avenues.
Frank Gotti
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A family photograph featuring Victoria Gotti, John Gotti, and Frank Gotti, capturing a rare intimate moment of the Gotti family before tragedy struck.
Frank Gotti, born in 1967, was one of John Gotti’s kids whose life was tragically cut short. Little public information is available about Frank, as his life was marked by a devastating accident at a young age.
At just 12 years old, Frank died on March 18, 1980, after being struck by a car while riding a minibike near a construction site. In Victoria Gotti’s memoir, This Family of Mine, she recounts the heart-wrenching incident, identifying the driver as John Favara, a neighbor. While police ruled the incident an accident and filed no charges, the aftermath took a dark turn, as reported by The Seattle Times.
Four months after Frank’s death, John Favara disappeared and was reportedly murdered, with rumors swirling about the Gotti family’s involvement in retaliation for Frank’s death. This tragic event remains a somber chapter in the Gotti family history, highlighting the harsh realities and consequences associated with their lifestyle.
Peter Gotti
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Peter Gotti, son of John Gotti, photographed at an event in New York City, representing his family’s ongoing presence in their hometown.
Peter Gotti, the youngest of John Gotti’s kids, has generally maintained a more private life compared to his siblings.
Peter and his wife, Tricia Gotti, are entrepreneurs in the tattoo and piercing industry, owning Rebel Ink Tattoo & Piercing parlors in various locations in New York, including Queens and Long Island. They have five children: four sons and one daughter.
Despite his efforts to stay out of the limelight, Peter faced public attention when his son John was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2017 for narcotics possession and intent to sell. Peter expressed his heartbreak and paternal love in statements to reporters, as reported by The New York Post, saying, “My heart is wherever he winds up… I love my son with all my heart.”
Further legal troubles arose when Peter’s son John was sentenced to an additional five years in prison in 2018 for arson, as reported by The New York Times, adding to the family’s continued struggles with the legal system.
Peter Gotti’s son sentenced to 5 years in prison for arson
Conclusion
The children of John Gotti, John Gotti’s kids, have navigated vastly different paths in life, each grappling with the weight of their father’s infamous legacy in their own way. From Angela’s quiet defense of her family and entrepreneurial pursuits to Victoria’s media career and reflections on her upbringing, from John Angelo Jr.’s entanglement with his father’s world and subsequent memoir to the tragic story of Frank and Peter’s more private life punctuated by family legal issues, their stories offer a multifaceted perspective on the complexities of family, legacy, and identity in the shadow of organized crime. While their father’s name will forever be associated with the mob, John Gotti’s kids have each carved out their own narratives, demonstrating resilience and individuality in the face of extraordinary circumstances.
