In a sentencing that has once again put the Gotti family name in the legal spotlight, Carmine Agnello, the 40-year-old grandson of notorious Gambino crime boss John Gotti, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison on Monday, April 20, 2026. The John Gotti grandson Carmine Agnello COVID fraud sentencing follows his 2024 guilty plea for wire fraud, concluding a case where federal prosecutors accused him of “shamefully lining his own pockets” with taxpayer dollars intended for struggling small businesses.
Agnello, who gained fame as a teenager on the reality TV series Growing Up Gotti, admitted to defrauding the Small Business Administration (SBA). Between 2020 and 2021, he fraudulently obtained three loans totaling approximately $1.1 million through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program.
• The Lies: Prosecutors stated that Agnello lied on his applications about having a clean criminal record and falsified the number of employees at his Smithtown business, Crown Auto Parts & Recycling.
• The Spending: Instead of supporting his business, authorities discovered that nearly $500,000 of the relief funds were funneled into cryptocurrency investments. His defense team later characterized this as a “gambling addiction to cryptocurrency trading” for which he has since sought treatment.
In a unique attempt to avoid prison time, Agnello’s defense attorney asked for home confinement, arguing that Agnello planned to donate a kidney to his mother, Victoria Gotti, who is reportedly in kidney failure. However, U.S. District Judge Nusrat Choudhury rejected the request, noting that while the circumstances were difficult, the “wrong, selfish, and criminal” nature of the fraud required a prison term. Agnello himself addressed the court, stating he was “ashamed” and carries a “great deal of guilt” for his actions.
Outside the Central Islip courthouse, Agnello’s uncle, John “Junior” Gotti, expressed heartbreak over the 15-month sentence. “You’ve got to watch a kid that you basically changed his diaper go to prison,” he told reporters, adding that having 15 family members spend time in prison was “enough.”
• Pay $1.268 million in restitution to the SBA.
• Serve two years of supervised release.
• Complete 100 hours of community service.
• Undergo mental health counseling for gambling addiction.
Agnello is scheduled to surrender and begin his sentence on July 20, 2026.
