Road rage finally puts alleged 'Goodfellas' mobster, 82, behind bars

Edward Helmore in New York
Fri 29 Dec ‘17 21.18 GMT

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Prosecutors allege that Vincent Asaro, 82, was inducted into the Bonanno crime syndicate more than 40 years ago and has held the position of captain and been a member of the family’s ruling panel.

He was charged – and acquitted two years ago – over the infamous 1978 Lufthansa heist, which was immortalised in the Martin Scorsese gangster classic Goodfellas. He was also acquitted of the murder by strangulation of a suspected informant in 1969.

On Thursday, however, Asaro was sentenced to eight years in prison for his part in a road rage incident in the mob stronghold of Howard Beach, Queens.

Bridget Rohde, acting US attorney for the eastern district of New York, said the heavy sentence held Asaro “accountable not only for using his power as a member of organized crime to address a perceived slight by another motorist, but for a lifetime of violent criminal activity”.

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