Michael DiLeonardo

Michael "Mikey Scars" DiLeonardo (born June 18, 1955) is an American former mobster who rose to the position of caporegime in the Gambino crime family. DiLeonardo turned government witness in 2002 and decided to cooperate with the FBI, who managed to convict over 80 mobsters using his testimony. DiLeonardo testified a record 15 times, more than any other made Mafia member to date.

Background Born in New York City, DiLeonardo grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. He lived there until 1998, when he moved to Eltingville, Staten Island. At age 10, DiLeonardo was scarred on the face by a dog attack, resulting in him being nicknamed "Mikey Scars". His parents were second-generation immigrants; his father's parents were immigrants from Bisacquino, Sicily. His mother was a seamstress and his father was a professional bowler. DiLeonardo had two brothers; Colombo crime family mobster Robert DiLeonardo (who was murdered on July 16, 1981 ) and James “Giovanni” DiLeonardo. DiLeonardo's grandfather, Vincenzo DiLeonardo, was a captain in the Brooklyn faction run by Salvatore D'Aquila, who was the boss of bosses at that time. As a young boy, DiLeonardo met Gambino boss Carlo Gambino several times at his grandfather's house. DiLeonardo started running with violent street gangs as a teenager.

In 1973, DiLeonardo graduated from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn. He attended college for eighteen months, but did not graduate. In 1985, at age 29, DiLeonardo married Antoinette "Toni" Marie Fappiano, a cousin of Gambino underboss Frank DeCicco. DiLeonardo had one son with Fappiano, Michael DiLeonardo Jr. After twelve years of marriage, DiLeonardo started an affair with Madeline Fischetti. He kept Madeline in a rented apartment in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn while maintaining a home with his wife and son on Staten Island. DiLeonardo eventually divorced Antoinette and married Madelaine; they have a son, Anthony.

Mob life By age 21, DiLeonardo had started working for the Gambino family. Since the 1960s, he had been running errands for tips from several Gambino associates. They would give him money for his pocket, he would do things like vandalize and assaults for them. DiLeonardo frequently visited the Veterans and Friends social club in Brooklyn run by boss Paul Castellano. However, DiLeonardo considered soldiers Paul Zaccaria and Jerry D'Aquila to be his mentors in the family.

In late 2001, Peter Gotti was made boss of the Gambinos. In June 2002, DiLeonardo was indicted for labor racketeering, extortion, loan sharking, witness tampering, and the murder of Fred Weiss. While awaiting trial, the Gambino family administration stopped all money going to him. When DiLeonardo asked why this was happening, they said he was robbing the family. DiLeonardo claimed that he was not robbing anyone in the family, and that the accusation was untrue. DiLeonardo sent a message back saying "I don't remember dying or getting life in prison. I may come home one day." The Gambino family then shelved him. That was the turning point for DiLeonardo, and he testified how it was a betrayal on their part and how it crushed him. Finally, DiLeonardo decided to cooperate with the federal government. DiLeonardo later said that in 2002, the thought of having to testify against his friend Junior Gotti and others that were close to him led him to a suicide attempt. Finally, in October 2006, DiLeonardo testified against former Colombo crime family acting boss Alphonse Persico, and underboss John "Jackie" DeRoss in their trial for the 1999 murder of former underboss William Cutolo. That case ended in a mistrial. In their second trial, they both would be convicted. DiLeonardo testified a record 15 times, more than any other "made" Mafia member to date.

On September 9, 2011, a judge sentenced DiLeonardo to time already served in prison – 36 months, and released him from confinement. He and his second family are now in the federal Witness Protection Program.