Former Wife of a Mafia Boss Reveals Life in a Criminal Syndicate: The Whole Truth.
According to The Sun: At first glance, Andrea Giovino looked like an ordinary housewife from Staten Island as she tended to her beloved roses outside her home in New York City.
However, her wealthy neighbors had no idea that Andrea held many explosive secrets of the Gambino family. This charming mother of four smiled as she walked past them, while at home, she told her husband to wipe the blood off his shoes. Here, she shares memories of her life as a mafia wife.
Andrea Giovino Giovino in a photo with one of her partners, mafia boss Frank Lino
Andrea Giovino
The Beginning of a Criminal Life
Andrea Giovino, originally from Brooklyn, now 68 years old, first encountered life on the streets when her mother organized gambling in their basement.
The main client of her mother was Crazy Joe Gallo — a gangster and caporegime from the notorious Colombo family of New York.
Surrounded by criminals, Giovino grew up realizing who not to deal with and when it’s best to keep her mouth shut.
In her life story, she met three famous mobsters. She married caporegime Frank Lino, who was 24 years older than her, when she was only 21 years old.
Later, she had an affair with Mark Ritter, who took notice of her while she was sitting next to Gambino crime family leader John Gotti at the “A” club in Manhattan.
Andrea was a friend of Gotti, who once said of her that she had "more guts" than his captains. Eventually, she married “Big John” Fogarty, and together they rose from a one-bedroom apartment to a luxurious home on Staten Island.
Glamour and Reality
Andrea lived in a glamorous style: her home was furnished with Italian furniture, she spent $6,000 on roses, and drove a Mercedes 250 Cabriolet.
“Everything was very glamorous,” she recalled.
However, after an unexpected turn of events, police knocked on her door, and Andrea decided to change her life, becoming an ordinary mother of four and a grandmother living in Pennsylvania.
In September 1992, she was arrested on charges related to RICO laws aimed at combating organized crime. Giovino recounted how life associated with the mafia was not always glamorous.
Arrest and Renewal
The arrest put pressure on her husband Fogarty and her brother, who were suspected of murder and extortion.
“I knew a lot of people because we all came from the same neighborhood in Brooklyn, where many criminals came from,” she noted.
“I hated men and their attitudes,” Andrea stated.
Andrea Giovino
Andrea overcame all the difficulties, wrote the bestseller 'Divorced from the Mafia' in 2004, and now has her own podcast and YouTube channel.
However, she noted that she receives a lot of criticism from men and former mobsters who accuse her of lying.
Andrea Giovino
Andrea and her daughter Brittany Fogarty
Thus, the life of Andrea Giovino is a vivid example of how glamour and reality can coexist in the world of crime, as well as the difficulties faced by those trying to leave their past behind. Her story demonstrates that even in the dark world of the mafia, it is possible to find a path to renewal and a new life.
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