Jon Gravelli

"Everyone wants to pay homage to a dying legend, everyone wants the glamour of a bygone age."

- Jon Gravelli

Jon Gravelli (1923 - 2008) was a character in Grand Theft Auto series that appears as a main character in Grand Theft Auto IV. He was the Don of the Gambetti crime family in Liberty City from 1978 until 2008. He was hospitalized for three years due to a serious illness.

Life up to 2008
Jon Gravelli was born in Meadow Hills, Dukes, Liberty City in 1923. His criminal record dates back to 1940, when he was first arrested for possession of gambling records at only 17 years old. Rigorous criminal activity continued through his twenties, including car theft, attempted murder and bribery, though his LCPD record states that he had never been in prison. In 1968, he had a son, Jon Gravelli, Jr., who eventually became an associate of the Gambetti's but was disowned after he developed a cocaine addiction.

Jon started a Mob-war against the Ancelotti crime family in 1972, after almost killing Giovanni Ancelotti's uncle. Gravelli took charge as the Don of the Gambetti Family in 1978 after the death of Sonny Cangelosi, when Jon was 55. The Gambetti Family became the most powerful of Liberty City's Mafia families under Jon's leadership.

During the early 1990s, when he was in his late sixties, Jon was arrested twice, for Racketeering and Murder and Obstruction of Justice, beating both cases. Since 2005, he was a patient in Schottler Medical Center. Sometime in the late 1990s to the early 2000s, Jon start to work with United Liberty Paper company, and became a good friend with one of the company's senior agents. In 2006, (while still hospitalized) he was charged with racketeering and was awaiting trial until his death. People believed Jon was faking his illnesses to avoid trial, but were proven wrong when he stayed hospitalized for his remaining years.

Events of GTA IV
In 2008, Jon was introduced to Niko Bellic via cellphone through his contact at United Liberty Paper who is referred to as a "mutual friend". Jon Gravelli first hired Niko to provide security for a politician from Russian gangsters who wanted to whack him. Niko and the convoy are ambushed on a back street they survive the ambush. Next, Jon ordered Niko to whack Korean Mob connected Kim Young-Guk for running a counterfeiting operation. In Liquidize the Assets, he hired Niko to destroy the Ancelottis' drug vans in a warehouse. It was through his and U.L Paper's assistance that Niko is able to have Darko Brevic delivered to him from Bucharest.

Death
A news report on the radio and internet (after the completion of GTA IV's storyline) states that Jon passed away peacefully in his sleep, prior to standing trial. It also appears after the completion of The Ballad of Gay Tony's storyline.

It's unknown who became the Don of Gambetti crime family after Jon's death, although it is likely that it would've been Roy Zito as he was the family's underboss at that time.

Mission Appearances

 * GTA IV
 * Entourage (Boss)
 * Dining Out (Boss)
 * Liquidize the Assets (Boss)

Trivia

 * He is most likely based on Carlo Gambino, former boss of the Gambino crime family, on which the Gambettis are based, although his name shares similarities with John Gotti. His last name is also similar to Gotti informant Sammy "The Bull" Gravano.
 * Upon completion of the main storyline in Grand Theft Auto IV or The Ballad of Gay Tony, the player can read about Gravelli's death on the Liberty Tree website, under the article "Mob Boss Dies Before Trial".
 * If you call Jon Gravelli, it will say that his number is not recognized. Despite this, he can be called after his missions.
 * Jon is one of the few characters in the GTA series to die of natural causes. Others include Johnny Sindacco. Also, both are the leaders of Italian-American Costa Nostra families (although Johnny Sindacco was the underboss of the Sindacco Family in 1992 and Paulie Sindacco was the leader in 1998). Plus, both names are alternative spellings of the name John.
 * It is implied several times that Jon brought his illness upon himself to prevent, or at least delay, prosecution.
 * Jon, Gerald McReary, Elizabeta Torres and the United Liberty Paper Contact are the only major characters in GTA IV who don't appear outside of cutscenes.
 * In his artwork, Jon wears a blue business suit, but he does not wear it in GTA IV. This is due to the fact that he is hospitalized and wears the hospital issued gowns.
 * At 85 years old, Jon is disputably the oldest character in the HD Universe to give the protagonist missions.
 * Uncle Fu from Grand Theft Auto 1 claims to be over 130 years old. Though it is only a claim, this would make him the oldest character in the entire GTA series.
 * Appearing in only three missions, Jon is the boss with the least appearances in the whole Grand Theft Auto IV trinity.
 * Jon states that he has known the Ancelottis for 73 years, suggesting that he could've been involved with the mafia since the age of 12.
 * Jon Gravelli is mentioned in a random encounter in GTA V. The daughter of Jon's former right hand man, Sammy Bottino, is being buried alive in Paleto Bay and the player can choose to help her. Whilst driving her to meet a friend (or to the Altruists), she mentions him.

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