Vito Guzzo Jr. , a former Colombo crime family mobster who served nearly three decades behind bars after pleading guilty to five murders, is now a free man—and those who know him are split on what happens next. Guzzo Jr. was released from prison earlier this year after being sentenced to nearly 40 years in the late 1990s.
His early release has sparked renewed debate among former associates and true-crime observers about whether a man with his violent pedigree can truly leave that world behind. Frank Fodelino, a former Bonanno crime family associate who grew up with Guzzo Jr. and knew him intimately in the 1990s, recently discussed what the future might hold for his old friend. Fodelino, who became a government witness in the early 2000s, spoke candidly about Guzzo Jr.
‘s chances of staying out of the life that defined him. “If you’re a betting man, you’re probably going to bet that he gets back into that life,” Fodelino said. “That’s all he’s ever known. ”
Guzzo Jr.
‘s criminal pedigree runs deep. He was part of the infamous Giamatti crew, a faction of the Colombo family that operated in Queens and Brooklyn. Over the years, speculation has swirled around the circumstances of his induction into the mob—including persistent stories that he was made while in prison, with some accounts claiming the ceremony took place in a prison bathroom. Fodelino addressed these stories directly, acknowledging the unusual nature of Guzzo Jr.
‘s status within the organization. “There’s kind of speculation that he was actually inducted while he was in prison, you know, in a ceremony in a bathroom toilet,” he said. “He’s not the only one. ”
The question of whether Guzzo Jr.
‘s so-called “made man” status would be recognized if he returned to the life is a matter of debate among the remaining old-timers. Fodelino noted that there has been tension between different factions of the family, with the Bronx and Queens crews historically at odds over territory and influence. “Why would you, if you’re a Bronx faction of the Bananas and you’re basically running the group, why would you want a Queens guy put in charge? ” Fodelino asked.
He pointed out that while associates do sometimes move between crews, it would be unusual for a man with Guzzo Jr. ‘s history to slot neatly back into a leadership role. Fodelino also reflected on Guzzo Jr. ‘s personal evolution over three decades in prison.
“I think it’s fair to say all of us, as we get older, we get a little bit more mature,” he said. He noted that Guzzo Jr. , now around 60 years old, is a different man than the feared figure who was sent away in the 1990s. “60 these days isn’t what 60 was 50 years ago,” Fodelino remarked.
Still, Fodelino was careful not to rule out a return to crime. When asked whether Guzzo Jr. might have left that life behind for good, he expressed uncertainty. “I don’t see him going anywhere else,” he said, while also acknowledging the strong pull of the only world Guzzo Jr.
has ever really known. The former mob associate also touched on the relationships that Guzzo Jr. maintained while incarcerated. He recalled that Guzzo Jr.
was always there for him during his own troubles, a loyalty that suggests deep ties to his old associates that could complicate any attempt to stay clean. Fodelino acknowledged that Guzzo Jr. has family connections that could either protect him or drag him back in. His brother, who is also involved in the life, was reportedly made in a ceremony upstate before being transferred back into the New York City area—a sign that the family’s criminal network remains active.
“He accomplished, I guess, what he wanted in life at the end of the day,” Fodelino said, offering a mixed assessment of his old friend’s trajectory. While he hoped Guzzo Jr. would avoid the life, he recognized that the pull of that world is hard to resist. “Obviously, I hope he doesn’t go that route,” Fodelino said.
“But I find it hard to see, you know, like I said, if you’re a betting man, you’re probably going to bet that he’s in that life. ”
Guzzo Jr. ‘s release marks the end of a long chapter in Colombo crime family history, but the question of what he does now remains wide open.