Salvatore "Sammy G" Gingello (1939 - April 23, 1978) was an American organized crime figure and made member of the Rochester Crime Family who ruled as underboss to Samuel Russotti. Active in the mafia throughout most of his life, Gingello was arguably the most colorful of Rochester's mobsters and held the unique position as the most recognizable man on the streets at a time when most of his counterparts were quiet and discreet. Despite never officially becoming boss, Gingello was seen by many as the face of the mafia in Rochester and would frequent various restaurants throughout the city such as Eddie's Chop House, Ben's Cafe Society and the Blue Gardenia. Stories of Sammy G entering an establishment and buying rounds of drinks for strangers, giving money to young women and gifting expensive luxuries to friends for no apparent reason were common examples of his generosity, but contrasting stories of his foul temper and violence provided a glimpse into his ruthlessness. Nonetheless, Gingello was considered by many the glue that held Rochester's family together during a time of great strife.
Gingello was born in 1939 to an Italian-American family in Rochester and grew up in the neighborhood surrounding Bay Street on the city's east side and rose through the ranks of organized crime under Frank Valenti, becoming a capo in the 1960s. He was promoted to underboss in the 1970s and ultimately met his demise at the hands of a car bomb in 1978 during the Alphabet Wars, the first victim of the B-Team.
