Victoria Gotti’s son Carmine Agnello asked the court to delay his upcoming prison sentence so he can donate a kidney to his mother.
Newsday reported on Thursday, July 16, that Agnello filed a request to a federal judge to push back his 15-month prison sentence to September 18. He is currently scheduled to surrender himself on Monday, July 20.
Victoria — who is the the daughter of Gambino family crime boss John Gotti — submitted paperwork from two doctors that stated a “nephrectomy is scheduled for August 3, wherein Mrs. Victoria Gotti will be the recipient of a kidney being donated by her son, Carmine Agnello,” per the outlet. (Agnello is the eldest son of Victoria and Carmine Agnello Sr. Victoria also shares sons John, 39, and Frank, 36, with Carmine Sr.)
Federal prosecutors have reportedly objected to Agnello’s request, arguing that his previous request for a delay in the case to donate a kidney to his mother was a surgery that didn’t take place. However, prosecutors stated they would agree to a “brief deferment” up to August 10, per Newsday.
Agnello pleaded guilty in 2024 to fraud charges after he fraudulently obtained COVID-19 relief loans. The estimated amount of the Small Business Administration loans were around $1.1 million.
“The defendant shamefully used the public health and economic crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to line his pockets with stolen funds,” the United States Attorney Peace shared in a statement at the time.
Earlier this year, Victoria advocated for leniency for her son because he planned on donating one of his kidneys to her amid her battle with chronic kidney disease. In a letter to the judge submitted in March, Victoria explained that Agnello’s health could be compromised if the procedure was done while he is behind bars. She added that her son is the only known compatible donor.
“He is there to help anyone,” she wrote while asking for her son to receive probation rather than prison time. “He is kind and generous to a fault. He is giving me the GIFT OF LIFE.”
Victoria added that Agnello was her “miracle son” and that he would “never do anything he KNEW was wrong.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Kelly argued that the Bureau of Prisons is equipped to handle any medical needs — including kidney removal.
“Being a kidney donor does not… constitute extraordinary family circumstances,” Kelly wrote, per docs obtained by the New York Post at the time.
