In the shadowy realm of organized crime, one name echoes through the annals of history – Sammy “The Bull” Gravano.
His life was a twisted tapestry of secrets, betrayal, and violence, a journey that would ultimately reshape the underworld itself. Yet, beyond the notorious headlines and whispered tales, a hidden chapter in Sammy’s story reveals the enigmatic figure known as Debra Scibetta.
Join us as we unravel the secrets of Sammy the Bull, and look into the life of the woman who shared his tumultuous journey.
Who is Sammy the Bull?
Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano, The former American mobster rose to the position of underboss in the Gambino crime family. His birthday is March 12, 1945.
As the underboss, Gravano was instrumental in the prosecution of the crime family’s leader, John Gotti, after he consented to testify as a government witness against him and other mobsters in exchange for a confession that included 19 murders.
Originally an associate of the Colombo crime family and later of the Brooklyn faction of the Gambino family, Gravano was part of the group that conspired to murder Gambino boss Paul Castellano in 1985.
Along with Joseph Armone, Frank DeCicco, Angelo Ruggiero, John Gotti, and others, Gravano was instrumental in the planning and execution of Castellano’s murder.
What happened to Sammy the Bull?
Sammy the Bull has spent a lot of time in and out of jail. Because of his lengthy history of violence, Gravano had begged to be released from prison early in 2015, but that arrangement had been rejected.
Gravano was listed as being in the CO Special Services unit of the Arizona State Prison at the time. He was originally scheduled for release in 2019, but he was made available two years ahead of schedule in September 2017.
Sammy “Iron Man” According to Gravano, he orchestrated the 1985 incident that killed Paul Castellano and made John Gotti the new head of the Gambino family crime syndicate.
Even after more than 20 years as an informant, Sammy Gravano admitted that he still felt regret for the decisions he made. “Is there anything that I feel I regret and that I would do differently?” he asked in an interview with ABC News. Of course.”
He is releasing a news special titled “Truth and Lies: The Last Gangster.” He claimed that his life as a gangster had changed him. “In my life, being a gangster was a curse,” Gravano admitted, adding that it had an impact on his family.
Despite his best efforts to keep them out of his life, he has thought back on how they most hurt his children. Sammy Gravano was diagnosed with Graves disease in 2002.
This disease is where the body’s immune system attacks the thyroid gland and leaves the victim hairless and with weight loss. The victim also has increased hunger.
Gravano still experiences the symptoms of this illness, which he has had since he was 56 years old. The disease’s effects were already evident on his face when he appeared in court in 2002.
Who is Sammy the Bull’s wife?
Sammy Gravano’s ex-wife is Debra Scibetta, better known as Debra Gravano. Twenty-five years after their 1971 wedding, they went through a divorce. Debra is a restaurateur from Italy.
Being the ex-wife of a former mobster almost automatically guarantees you a top spot in one of the biggest mafias in Brooklyn’s history, but life didn’t go smoothly for her.
That is what happened to her—from a homemaker to a drug dealer to a grandmother. Her nationality is Italian. Her parents were part of a small family of five that lived in and around Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, where she was raised.
It is thought that her family was among the first immigrants. In the late 1960s, she began dating Sammy the Bull. Karen and Gerard, their two children, were born between then and the divorce.
About seven years into their marriage, Debra got to know that her only brother had died. Little did she know that her husband was involved in the murder. But she ignored it and kept her relationship.