167-177 Benedict Road
1980

Constantino Paul Castellano was born to an Italian immigrant family in Brooklyn in 1915. He had a poultry distribution business, and would later venture into construction concrete. The success of these businesses was attributed to his ties to the mob, as he had become a member of the Mangano family in the 1940s, quickly rising through the ranks. In 1957, the organization came under the leadership of his brother-in- law, Carlo Gambino.

At the height of his power and wealth, Castellano built this lavish 17-room mansion. It was designed to resemble the White House and featured an Olympic-size swimming pool and an English garden. The mansion became his operations center, with high-ranking members of the Mangano family often visiting for business and social events. This prompted the FBI to put the property under surveillance, installing secret listening devices. Castellano was ultimately indicted for federal racketeering in 1984, among other charges. He was killed in an unsanctioned hit in 1985, and buried in the Moravian Cemetery. His death is believed to be the last time the head of a crime family was killed in New York City.