Victoria Gotti is asking a federal judge to show compassion toward her son, arguing that his role in an upcoming kidney transplant should factor into his sentencing.
In a letter submitted to U.S. District Court Judge Nusrat Choudhury, and obtained by the New York Daily News, Gotti urged the court to consider sparing her son, Carmine Agnello, from prison time as he prepares to donate a kidney to her.
The request arrives just days before Agnello is scheduled to be sentenced in Long Island federal court. The 39-year-old pleaded guilty in 2024 to fraud charges tied to COVID-19 relief loans totaling about $1.1 million.
Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of 33 to 41 months in prison, along with roughly $1.25 million in restitution. Agnello is currently free on bond while awaiting the court’s decision.
In her letter, Gotti described her son as central to her survival following a recent diagnosis of chronic kidney disease. “Your Honor, you want to know what kind of a young man Carmine is?” she wrote. “On my life, my upcoming transplant, THAT is the kind of young man my son is… He is giving me the GIFT OF LIFE.”
She also referred to him as her “Miracle Child” and suggested the fraud case did not reflect his character.
Defense attorney Steven Metcalf echoed that argument in court filings, emphasizing Agnello’s medical role in the transplant. Metcalf wrote that Agnello “immediately stepped up” when his mother learned about her illness and warned that prison custody after surgery could present medical risks.
“Undergoing this transplant means that custody in the [Bureau of Prisons] is a huge risk,” Metcalf argued, urging the court to consider probation instead of incarceration.
Federal prosecutors disagree. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Kelly stated in court documents that Agnello’s decision to donate an organ should not influence sentencing guidelines.
“Being a kidney donor does not… constitute extraordinary family circumstances,” Kelly wrote, maintaining that the Bureau of Prisons is capable of handling any medical needs.
The legal battle unfolds against the backdrop of a family long in the public eye. Gotti, the daughter of Gambino crime boss John Gotti, became widely known through the A&E reality series Growing Up Gotti, which followed her life as she raised three sons, including Carmine.
In recent years, she has maintained a quieter public presence while continuing her work as a novelist and media personality.
Agnello’s guilty plea stems from his role in applying for pandemic relief loans for Crown Auto Parts, a business he co-owned with his brothers. Prosecutors say the applications misrepresented payroll numbers and omitted prior criminal history, and that part of the funds—about $420,000—was later invested in cryptocurrency.