John Gotti Jr.’s wife is Kimberly Gotti, born Kimberly Albanese, a Queens native who married the former acting boss of the Gambino crime family in 1990 and has six children with him. She spent most of her adult life out of the public eye while her husband cycled through federal racketeering trials, then drew national attention in February 2024 when she and her daughter Gianna were arrested after a brawl at a Long Island high school basketball game.
Howard Beach Roots and Early Mob Ties
Kimberly Albanese grew up in Howard Beach, Queens, a longtime Gambino stronghold. Her father, Phillip Albanese, was a member of the Gambino organization.1Biography. Junior Gotti
Her connection to Mafia violence predates her marriage. In July 1983, her then-boyfriend, eighteen-year-old Salvatore “Worm” Puma, was fatally stabbed in Howard Beach by Charles Carneglia, a Gambino enforcer loyal to John Gotti Sr. Puma, a car thief and low-level drug dealer, was suspected of stealing money the crime family had set aside for jailed associates’ commissary accounts. Kimberly was not present at the killing but was described as “extremely upset” at Puma’s wake.2NY Daily News. Gotti Enforcer Charles Carneglia IDd as Queens Teens Killer
The 1990 Wedding
Kimberly Albanese married John “Junior” Gotti in 1990. The reception was held at the New York Helmsley Hotel, with 173 guests and a tab of $348,700. The guest list later surfaced as a prosecution exhibit in a 1998 proceeding against her husband.3NY Daily News. Junior Gottis Wife Kim Makes Rare Appearance in Court to Support Husband
The couple settled on Long Island, eventually in Oyster Bay, where Gotti Jr. has described their home as modest.4Cigar Aficionado. Getting Gotti They have six children. Their son John Gotti III is a professional mixed martial artist.5UFC. John Gotti III Fighting Legacy Their son Joe plays basketball at Oyster Bay High School, and their daughter Gianna played basketball at Brooklyn College and later signed with a professional team in Portugal.6New York Post. Kimberly Gianna Gotti Shoot Down Plea Deals
Years in the Background During Her Husband’s Trials
For more than a decade, Kimberly Gotti’s life was shaped by her husband’s criminal cases. In 1999, John Gotti Jr. pleaded guilty to federal racketeering charges that included bribery, extortion, and fraud, serving roughly six and a half years in prison. Between 2005 and 2009, federal prosecutors tried four more times to convict him on additional racketeering and murder conspiracy charges, including an alleged plot against radio host Curtis Sliwa. All four trials ended in hung juries or mistrials, and in January 2010 U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara announced the government would not pursue a fifth trial.7The Guardian. John Gotti Junior Case Dropped
Kimberly was rarely seen in public during those years. She made a notable appearance in October 2009, attending her husband’s fourth trial in what the press described as a rare show of courtroom support.3NY Daily News. Junior Gottis Wife Kim Makes Rare Appearance in Court to Support Husband
The 2024 Basketball Game Brawl
On the evening of February 8, 2024, a boys’ basketball game between Oyster Bay and Locust Valley high schools at Locust Valley High School in Lattingtown, New York, turned violent. Prosecutors alleged that Kimberly Gotti and her 23-year-old daughter Gianna attacked a woman in the stands, lunging at her, punching her, pulling her hair, and ripping off her wig. They also alleged the Gottis called opposing players homophobic and vulgar names. The victim reported “substantial pain to her scalp and bruises to both sides of her face.”8New York Post. Kimberly and Gianna Gotti Charged With Assault in Wild HS Basketball Game Brawl
Defense attorney Gerard Marrone said spectators had been “badgering” and verbally abusing Kimberly’s son Joe during the game, that the alleged victim threw the first punch, and that Gianna stepped in only to help her mother and break up the fight. The family denied using any slurs.8New York Post. Kimberly and Gianna Gotti Charged With Assault in Wild HS Basketball Game Brawl
Both women were charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor. They spent the night in jail and were arraigned on February 9, 2024, at Nassau County District Court, where they were released on their own recognizance. A judge issued an order of protection on behalf of the victim.8New York Post. Kimberly and Gianna Gotti Charged With Assault in Wild HS Basketball Game Brawl
Rejected Plea Deals and Dismissed Charges
In March 2024, Kimberly and Gianna rejected a plea deal that would have required a guilty plea to assault charges, twelve weeks of anger management, and a continued order of protection for the victim.6New York Post. Kimberly Gianna Gotti Shoot Down Plea Deals John Gotti Jr. publicly declared the family would go to trial, saying video evidence showed the other woman as the aggressor.9NBC New York. John Gotti Daughter Rejects Plea Deal Fight Long Island Basketball Game
In May 2024, Judge David Goodsell questioned whether the charging documents adequately identified the defendants and ordered prosecutors to clarify how the victim identified Kimberly and Gianna. The Nassau County District Attorney’s office filed updated charging documents, and both women were arraigned a second time on July 30, 2024, again pleading not guilty.10New York Post. John Junior Gottis Wife Daughter Plead Not Guilty Again
On October 1, 2024, the court granted a defense motion to dismiss the case on procedural grounds, finding “discovery violations” by the Nassau County DA’s office. “It’s our constitutional right to get it in a timely manner and it wasn’t given to us,” Marrone said after the ruling.11NBC New York. Gotti Charges Dropped Long Island Fight The DA’s office said it was awaiting the judge’s written decision and reviewing its options.12CBS News New York. John Junior Gottis Wife and Daughter Assault Case Dismissed
The $50 Million Federal Lawsuit
The criminal case ended, but a civil case followed. On February 7, 2025, Jean and Crystal Etienne filed a federal lawsuit in Brooklyn against Kimberly Gotti, Gianna Gotti, the Locust Valley Central School District, Superintendent Kristen Turnow, and athletics director Danielle Turner, seeking $50 million in compensatory and punitive damages.13LI Herald. Locust Valley Central School District Sued for 50 Million
The Etiennes, whose son played in the game, alleged that the Gottis engaged in a “race-fueled rage,” directing racial and homophobic slurs at their son and then physically assaulting them. The complaint accused the Gottis of calling the boy a “f—ing monkey” and other epithets.14New York Post. Long Island Family Wants 50 Million From Gottis for HS Brawl The suit also targeted the school district, alleging that administrators witnessed the behavior but failed to intervene and that the district had a broader pattern of tolerating racist incidents.13LI Herald. Locust Valley Central School District Sued for 50 Million
Marrone called the lawsuit “absolute hog wash, totally frivolous and a waste of time,” repeating that Crystal Etienne was the aggressor.14New York Post. Long Island Family Wants 50 Million From Gottis for HS Brawl The defense pointed to Etienne’s past criminal record: she had been charged with grand larceny in 2015 for allegedly embezzling $50,000 from a car dealership, pleaded guilty to petty larceny in 2016, and was sentenced to probation and restitution. Marrone suggested the suit was motivated by a need to pay remaining restitution from that case.15Yahoo News. Black Long Island Family Sues The Gottis have vowed to countersue. A Locust Valley School District spokeswoman declined to comment on the litigation.13LI Herald. Locust Valley Central School District Sued for 50 Million The federal case remains active.