One-time crime boss Peter Gotti died in a federal prison in North Carolina after 17 years behind bars.

Peter, the older brother of legendary mobster John Gotti, had taken over as the leader of the Gambino crime family in 1999 after John went to prison for murder. But as the New York Post and the Associated Press report, Peter’s softer disposition did not suit him to lead the organized crime ring.

“A lot of the captains were very upset with him because he wasn’t a strong boss,” said Lewis Kasman, a former mobster. “The Lucchese family [a rival crime family]  walked all over him.”

Peter Gotti was convicted of racketeering in 2003 and sentenced to 25 years in prison. In recent year, his lawyers had unsuccessfully bid for compassionate release, citing health problems and arguing that Gotti was not a danger to the public.

“We are truly afraid he is dying now, he feels he is,” his lawyer James Craven wrote in December 2019, according to the New York Post. “As his lawyer, I am afraid this will all become moot soon if nothing is done.”

Petter Gotti reportedly suffered from thyroid problems, but his cause of death is not yet known.

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[Feature image: Ichigo121212 from Pixabay]