Paul Castellano’s house at 177 Benedict Road on Staten Island is owned by Selim Rusi, a local real estate developer and plumbing business owner whose family bought the 33,000-square-foot Todt Hill estate from Castellano’s widow in 2000 for roughly $3.1 million.1The Real Deal. Mafia Boss Old Staten Island Mansion Asks $17M The Rusi family has held the property for more than two decades, longer than Castellano himself lived there. It was listed for sale at $18 million in late 2024 and has since been taken off the market.2Realtor.com. Gambino Crime Boss $18 Million New York Mansion Is Taken Off
Who Selim Rusi Is
Rusi’s family runs Salmar Properties, a Staten Island real estate development firm. Before buying the Benedict Road mansion, Rusi built his career in plumbing and construction. He is only the second private owner since Castellano, and the house has had just three owners in its history.3New York Post. Mansion Once Owned by Big Paul Castellano Lists for $18M
The Rusi name has turned up in New York political coverage. In 2015, Rusi’s father hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign at the mansion. The following year, Selim Rusi was caught making an illegal campaign donation to then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, funneling $55,000 through donors tied to Salmar Properties after the firm’s city contracts barred him from giving the maximum directly.1The Real Deal. Mafia Boss Old Staten Island Mansion Asks $17M
How the House Passed From Castellano to Rusi
Castellano commissioned the mansion in 1976, and construction took four years. By 1980 he had moved in. He was gunned down outside Sparks Steak House in Manhattan on December 16, 1985, in a hit orchestrated by John Gotti.3New York Post. Mansion Once Owned by Big Paul Castellano Lists for $18M
After his death, the house stayed with his family for fifteen years. His widow, Nina Castellano, held it through the late 1980s and 1990s before selling to Rusi in 2000 for about $3.1 million.1The Real Deal. Mafia Boss Old Staten Island Mansion Asks $17M Even accounting for the stigma attached to a mob boss’s former residence, the price looks remarkable in hindsight for a 33,000-square-foot house on 1.75 acres of Todt Hill.
What the Property Includes
The house has eight bedrooms and seventeen bathrooms across 33,000 square feet. The interior includes a home theater, a gym with a sauna, a beauty salon, a wine cellar, a solarium, a library, and a 13-car showroom, with an elevator connecting the floors.3New York Post. Mansion Once Owned by Big Paul Castellano Lists for $18M
The 1.75-acre grounds have both indoor and outdoor pools, a commercial-grade kitchen for entertaining, and a custom pergola with Italian fountains. The original circular driveway from Castellano’s era has been replaced with a paver courtyard, and the landscaping has been substantially reworked under Rusi ownership, though specific renovation dates are not publicly documented. The Neoclassical facade that earned the compound its “White House” nickname remains.
Recent Listing History
The Rusi family first listed the mansion in October 2023 at $16.8 million. When no buyer surfaced, they relisted in late 2024 through a different brokerage at $18 million.3New York Post. Mansion Once Owned by Big Paul Castellano Lists for $18M The property has since been pulled from the market again.2Realtor.com. Gambino Crime Boss $18 Million New York Mansion Is Taken Off
The $18 million ask sits far above Todt Hill’s usual luxury range, where top-tier mansions generally trade between $2.5 million and $5 million. Annual property taxes on the estate run roughly $36,000, with tax records showing $36,345 assessed in 2025. That figure reflects New York City’s assessed value, which falls well below the asking price under the city’s residential assessment formula. A sale near $18 million would push the tax bill upward over time.