Who is Sam Gravano and what did he do? Details about Sons of Ecstacy subject explored 

Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano from Sons of Ecstacy is well-known in every corner of the underworld when it comes to organized crime. This former underboss of the notorious Gambino crime family, among the most publicized Mafia organizations in New York City, became famous for his involvement in 19 murders.

Afterward, he stunned the world as a government informant who worked towards the dismantling of the Gambino family and the incarceration of its chief, John Gotti. But it didn't take long before things started getting messy for Gravano, entering, instead, the circulation of the Arizona ecstasy trade. His tale echoes betrayal, ambition, and the inability to break the magnetism of crime.

Sons of Ecstasy, a Max Original documentary, revisits his exploits, taking a closer look at Gravano's post-Mafioso life, especially with dynamic details about his performance in the ecstasy business during the 1990s.

---

Gravano’s Rise in the Mafia and shocking betrayal

Gravano was born in Brooklyn on March 12, 1945, and quickly made his way up through the ranks of organized crime. Known for his strategic mind and ruthlessness, he became the under-boss of the Gambino family under John Gotti in the 1980s. Gravano was tied to many murders, the most infamous of the cases being the 1985 assassination of the family's previous boss, Paul Castellano.

In 1990, Gravano was arrested with Gotti, with whom he shared a bond of loyalty to the Mafia. Instead of holding on to it, he turned informant and became one of the most significant Mafia informants in U.S. history.

The plea bargain that he made with federal prosecutors resulted in him avoiding a life sentence. It was through his testimony that Gotti and many other mob members, who ranked high in the hierarchy, were convicted, making the Gambinos almost powerless as a family.

Gravano eventually finished his curtailed sentence and entered the Witness Protection Program. However, it was definitely a short time as a reformed citizen.

---

The Ecstasy trade and the Sons of Ecstasy documentary

Gravano-New identity with a crime again as head of the large ecstasy trafficking into Arizona in the late 1990s. His syndicate sold up to tens of thousands of ecstasy pills, accumulating over half a million dollars every month in profit. His children Gerard and Karen Gravano were deeply involved in the operation part of making this venture more shocking.

Ecstasy Empire created noise not only by its size but also by the number of fatalities attached to it. Gravano's illegal operations were not just confined to selling drugs but also fortified its business through terror and guns.

It eventually did get the notice of law enforcement, and in 2000, Gravano and about 40 associates were caught and taken into custody. He then pleaded guilty to federal and state drug charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Sons of Ecstasy sheds light on the same period of Gravano's life, which talks about his role in the ecstasy trade in Arizona while focusing on the conflict between Gravano's syndicate and the rival dealers, including Shaun Attwood-an English stockbroker turned drug kingpin.

The film allows a really close view of how Gravano's family, particularly his son Gerard, also got caught up in this dangerous lifestyle. The documentary outlines the havoc wrought by Gravano's decisions through interviews with past colleagues, law enforcement, and family.

It vividly describes the desert rave culture of the late 1990s, where the substance ecstasy was poured freely and rivalries were resolved with violence.

---

The story of Sammy Gravano is a striking tale of ambition and betrayal, of how an individual eventually becomes a non-escapee of a lifestyle built on crime. From being a feared Mafia underboss to active participation in Arizona's ecstasy trade, Gravano was always a polarizing figure.

All his choices not only led to the dissolution of the Gambino crime family but also created irreplaceable damage to his very own family.

Sons of Ecstasy traces the probably most flattering contours of Gavano's later years throwing light on the most intense devastating impact of his choices and the most peculiar aspects of modern organized crime. It also serves as a timely reminder: of how people forget their past and turn their backs to realize that life has brought them back into the shadows of that past.