Gotti Grandson Jailed for COVID Fund Scam

Carmine Agnello, grandson of infamous mob boss John Gotti, received a 15-month prison sentence on Monday for his role in a $1.1 million COVID relief fund scam. The sentencing was handed down by Judge Nusrat Choudhury in New York.

Agnello had pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in 2024. He had applied for at least three federal loans for his auto parts business in 2020 and illicitly used over $400,000 of the funds for cryptocurrency investments.

Prosecutors had requested a sentence of approximately three years. However, Judge Choudhury imposed a sentence significantly shorter, along with ordering Agnello to pay $1.2 million in restitution.

Family members, including Agnello's uncle John Gotti Jr., submitted letters to the court. Gotti Jr. suggested that Agnello's experience on the reality show "Growing Up Gotti" contributed to a distorted perception of reality due to excessive attention and societal judgment.

Carmine's mother, Victoria Gotti, had previously appealed to the judge, mentioning Carmine's plan to donate a kidney to her. She later stated she would refuse the transplant if her son were incarcerated, citing her father's death in jail from cancer as a reason to avoid Carmine recovering from surgery behind bars.