Peter Gotti convicted

in Mob trial

Peter Gotti is convicted of racketeering and other charges in case that prosecutors describe as blow to Mafia and its control of New York waterfront; also convicted on various charges are Richard V Gotti, Richard G Gotti and Anthony Ciccone; defense lawyers assert there are problems with conviction and hope for reversal either by Judge Frederick Block or appeals court; charges reviewed; photos (M) Peter Gotti, a brother of the deceased mob leader John J. Gotti, was convicted yesterday of racketeering, conspiracy and money laundering in a case that prosecutors described as a historic blow to the Mafia and its control of the New York waterfront.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn have said that Mr. Gotti, 63, was the acting boss of the Gambino crime family once headed by his brother. The money laundering charges asserted that he regularly received tribute payments due a mob boss, so the prosecutors said it was clear that the jury had accepted their assertions that he controlled the crime family's far-flung interests, including its corrupt control of the main longshoremen's union in New York.

March 18, 2003