Salvatore "Sammy" Gravano was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, on March 12, 1945, to Italian immigrant parents. The youngest of five children, he grew up in a working-class household. His father was a house painter and his mother, a skilled seamstress, helped run a small dressmaking business. Despite their efforts to steer him away from crime, Sammy’s childhood was riddled with issues. He was diagnosed with dyslexia, bullied at school, and frequently got into fights. By the age of 13, he had joined a local street gang, the Rampers.

A defining moment came when older boys stole his bike and Sammy fought them off, impressing nearby mobsters who nicknamed him “The Bull” for his ferocity. He later dropped out of school and struggled with authority. In 1964, Gravano was drafted into the U.S. Army and honorably discharged two years later. In 1971, he married Debra Scibetta, and they had two children, including Karen Gravano, who would later star in Mob Wives.

Gravano's early criminal career began with petty theft and escalated to armed robbery and hijacking. He was initially affiliated with the Colombo family but was transferred to the Gambino crime family after internal disputes. Under capo Salvatore "Toddo" Aurello’s mentorship, he became a made man in 1976 and quickly climbed the ranks. By the mid-1980s, Gravano had diversified into construction, nightclubs, and loansharking, becoming a major earner and property owner.

Gravano's first confirmed murder was in 1970, when he killed Joseph Colucci, a fellow mob associate. From there, he became involved in numerous sanctioned hits, often playing a hands-on role. One of the most personal and disturbing was the murder of his own brother-in-law, Nicholas Scibetta, in 1978. Scibetta’s drug use and erratic behavior led Gambino boss Paul Castellano to order his execution. Gravano initially resisted but ultimately approved the hit, rationalizing it as part of his loyalty to Cosa Nostra. Scibetta was dismembered, and only his hand was recovered.

Gravano participated in major hits, including the high-profile assassination of Gambino boss Paul Castellano in 1985 outside Sparks Steak House in Manhattan. This event marked John Gotti’s rise to power and Gravano’s promotion to captain and later underboss. In 1980, he was contracted to kill John Simone, a Philadelphia mob figure. Gravano abducted him, honored his request to die barefoot, and had him executed in a secluded Staten Island area.

In 1982, Gravano orchestrated the murder of Frank Fiala, a drug trafficker who tried to seize control of Gravano’s club. The execution occurred publicly outside the Plaza Suite. Though not charged, Gravano reportedly paid off corrupt NYPD detective Louis Eppolito to bury the investigation.

By the late 1980s, Gravano was deeply entrenched in the Gambino hierarchy as underboss. However, his loyalty began to waver after he heard Gotti disparage him on FBI wiretaps. In 1991, Gravano made a historic decision: he flipped. He became the highest-ranking member of the Five Families to turn government witness.

Gravano’s testimony led to 37 convictions, including Gotti and consigliere Frank LoCascio, both sentenced to life in 1992. Gravano received a five-year sentence but was released early and entered Witness Protection. He left the program in 1995, relocating to Arizona.

Despite claiming to retire from crime, Gravano was arrested again in 2000, alongside his wife and children, for operating a massive ecstasy drug ring. In 2002, he was sentenced to 20 years in New York and 19 years in Arizona, served concurrently. He was released in September 2017.