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> Ow . ene NY 92-657 "Gambino, 67, maintains an elaborate $100,000 brick ranch house with a water view at 34 Club Dr., Massapequa, that he bought from his trusted crime captain and next-door neighbor, Ettore Zappi of 30 Club Dr. He also maintains a small, less elaborate home at 2230 Ocean Pkwy., Brooklyn. "Gambino began his “play for power while he was an underboss to aime leader Albert (The Executioner) Anastasia He plotted with Vito Genovese to murder Anastasia in October, 1957, and it was that murder which gave him leader ship of a crime family and Genovese the power to become boss of all bosses. His close alliance with Genovese enabled him to push through candidates for new crime leaders and influence others, Even before Genovese died in February,1969, Gambino was the unoffidal elder statesman and chairman of the- board. "To gain his majority control, Gambino pushed : ! ~ through the appointments of Joseph Colombo (replacing the late Joseph protact}, Paul Sciacca (replacing deposed crime boss Se Joseph Bonanno Ali three men sit on the commission. In addition, Gambino struck an alliance with Phildelphia crime leader Angelo Bruno and Raymond Patriarca of Rhode Island. He also took over the direction of the activities of the Thomas Luchese _erime family Luchese died in 1967: and Gerardo Catena as Genovese's successor. ; . "Intelligence sources said that evidence “or Gambino! * power on the ecmmission has come through the activities of his ] 4 underboss Aniello- (o'netta) Dellacroce who has become the mediator of territorial and enforcement disputes over crime families on the eastern seaboard, 'Dellacroce couldn't act in this fashion,' the source said, ‘unless Gambino held the reins of power on the commission. He's Gambino's mediator and other mob guys come to him with their problems before it gets to Gambino,'"