John Joseph Gotti Jr. (October 27, 1940 — June 10, 2002), also known as "The Dapper Don" and "The Teflon Don", was an American mobster and the boss of the Gambino Crime Family from 1985 to 2002, succeeding previous leader Paul Castellano after having orchestrated his murder. Gotti, a flamboyant and media-savvy Mafia boss, was recognized as one of the most notorious organized crime figures in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s, and his multiple court appearances and trials only further incremented his reputation and popularity. After multiple charges against him failed to deliver a conviction, Gotti was sentenced to life in prison in 1992 thanks to the testimony of his former second-in-command Sammy Gravano, who incriminated Gotti and convinced a federal jury to convict him for racketeering, murder, conspiracy to commit murder, obstruction of justice, tax evasion, illegal gambling, extortion and loansharking. He died from throat cancer in a Missouri federal prison in 2002.