In 1979, Anthony was murdered by another mobster, Thomas Agro. Together, Burke, Hill, and DeSimone carried out the infamous Lufthansa Heist, stealing almost $6,000,000 from JFK International Airport in New York. Michael "Spider" Gianco was born in 1954. Michael "Spider" Gianfranco-Gianco ((1954 - 1970), Brownsville, Brooklyn – South Ozone Park, Queens), was a Lucchese crime family and Bonanno crime family associate who was a protegee of Jimmy Burke.Michael was a bartender who was employed at Jimmy Burke's Robert's Lounge.He is portrayed in "Goodfellas" by Michael Imperioli. DeSimone was popular with the other and had several nick names like Tommy D and Two Gun Tommy as he always carried with him two guns. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. DeSimone killed bartender Michael "Spider" Gianco for asking why he didn't go fuck himself. Once again wanting to prove himself, DeSimone shot Gianco three times in the chest. They took $420,000 without raising any alarm. His family eventually settled in Queens. According to Ianuzzi, Agro would often laughingly refer to killing the third DeSimone brother, stating: "Maybe it's time to go for the DeSimone trifecta!" According to Henry Hill, Burke buried over a dozen bodies at the bar, and in 1980, a human leg bone and part of a human shoulder bone were excavated from the basement, and they were thought to be those of Martin Krugman and the one and only Tommy DeSimone, though that remains unclear. Age at Time of Disappearance: 29 years old Because of his mob connections, he was not made to pay his union dues, and received the position even though he was not old enough to drink. He later went on to kill William "Billy Batts" Devino a self-made man who was part of the Gambino family, then Michael "Spider" Gianco was next, Gianco was shot dead from across the room after Burke teased DeSimone about Gianco sticking up for himself against DeSimone, Burke and Hill were furious, and made him bury Gianco's body in the cellar by He was introduced into the Vario Crew by Jimmy Burke sometime in the 1960s and later became associated with the Bonanno crime family, performing jobs for the powerful Bonanno capo Vincent Asaro. Hill stated after he witnessed this incident that he was truly convinced that DeSimone was a total psychopath. DeSimone had dated Jerothe's sister and had beaten her up, prompting Jerothe to threaten to kill him. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. He was said to have committed his first murder at the age of 17 when he pulled out his gun and killed a total stranger on the street. He began to follow the examples of his family members after he joined the mobster crew. If these accounts are true, then the body of Tommy DeSimone is probably buried in one of the mafia graveyards on the outskirts of New York. [citation needed], On December 18, 1974, DeSimone killed Ronald Jerothe, a protg of then-Gambino associate John Gotti. Edward did not do as he was asked and DeSimone shot him five times in the head. Your email address will not be published. He was also involved in grand theft auto with Hill, Clyde Brooks and Edguardo Rigaud. Michael "Spider" Gianco (1954-1970) was a Lucchese crime family associate who worked as a bartender at Robert's Lounge in New York City. It was the reason behind Devinos murder. "[5] Two weeks later, on June 11, 1970, Bentvena was at The Suite, Hill's nightclub in Queens. Michael 'Spider' Gianco was serving as a bartender at a card game. The mobster was born on 24 may, 1950 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. Get started 1900 United States Federal Census. Gianco dropped out of school at an early age to pursue a life of crime. But what DeSimone didnt know was that his own murderous past was about to catch up with him. Unless a body is found, that death will remain unsolved as Hill, who died on June 12, 2012, was the last person alive who could prove a murder took place. After the heist, DeSimone murdered Parnell Edward, the person who was supposed to dispose of the getaway van after the heist. She said she had last seen DeSimone a few weeks earlier when he borrowed $60 from her. In 1970, while serving drinks to some mobsters at Robert's Lounge, Gianco forgot to give Tommy DeVito his Crown Royal, angering him. Michael passed away in 1970, at age 16. According to another mobster who claimed he was at the scene, his death was slow and painful. He was murdered by the mobsterTommy DeVito in 1970. This gave their relative Michael much hardship when growing up. As portrayed in the movie Goodfellas Devino made fun of DeSimone for once being a shoe shine boy. However, DeSimone wasnt shy about using his gun. Most sources cite Hill but I'm not even sure if Spider was even real. In Goodfellas, Imperioli plays Michael "Spider" Gianco, whom Joe Pesci's character, Tommy DeVito, shoots in the foot for not getting him a drink. [3] In 1967, Robert McMahon, an Air France employee, tipped off Burke, Hill, and DeSimone to an incoming delivery of between $400,000 and $700,000 in cash on Friday, April 7. By the age of 16, he was an alcoholic who drank Sambuca in the morning while working. DeSimone got so angry that he shot Gianco three times on the chest. Jimmy praised Spider, which angered Tommy, who shotSpider multiple times, killing him. Was this just a story that Hill made up? DeSimone lost his temper and fatally shot Gianco three times in the chest, angrily demanding of Burke if that was "good enough for [him]". According to mob informant Joseph "Joe Dogs" Iannuzzi, Thomas Agro claimed in 1985 that he had murdered DeSimone, as well as his brother Anthony after he turned informant. Tommy DeSimones unfortunate disappearance came when he was about to be made, which was what he had waited for all his life. His paternal grandfather, Rosario DeSimone was a boss of the Los Angeles crime family together with his uncle, Frank DeSimone. [14], Two theories about DeSimone's alleged murder and murderer(s) exist from mob "insiders." DeSimone and Gianco had an argument which led to DeSimone shooting Gianco on his thigh. His sister Phyllis became the mistress of James Burke from the time she turned 16. Both of his brothers were associates of the Gambino crime family; Anthony was murdered by mobster Thomas Agro in 1979. Then learn about the executions, informants, and flamboyance of the American Mafia in the 1980s. He was never convicted of his part in Hill's chop shops and smuggling ring. When she's not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs! Next, read more about Henry Hill and the Goodfellas crew. DeVito can be charming and often gets a laugh, but hes also alwaysready tosnap intoa murderousrage at a moments notice. Burke nicknamed him "Spider" for his long, gangly arms and legs, as well as his skill as a burglar. So what do we know about this guy other than this? having known real mafia made men I am here to tell you it is nothing. DeSimones extended family was also involved in the mafia. When Imperioli auditioned for the groundbreaking series, he was best known for playing Michael "Spider" Gianco, a minor role in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas. DeSimone's third murder, described by Hill, was of a young man named Michael "Spider" Gianco, who was serving as a bartender at a card game. The death of Joe Pescis Tommy DeVito (Tommy DeSimone) in. Bodies including Dominick "Remo" Cersani and Michael "Spider" Gianco, found under the bocce courts. Not a Howard Stern fan, but it would be interesting to see. According to Sal Polisi, DeSimone was killed by Agro in the presence of Gotti. DeSimone is thought to have been killed on January 6, 1979, when Martin Krugman, the person responsible for telling Henry Hill about the Lufthansa money went missing. The Real Story Of Tommy DeSimone The Psycho Gangster Behind Joe Pescis Goodfellas Character. Who knows the truth as to what really happened to the actual participants in the Lufthansia Caper,those people who read the papers knew that murders had occurred but why? His grandfather became the boss of the crime family while his uncle replaced a deceased member which made him the second family member to assume control of the Los Angeles family. An offended DeVito shot Gianco several times in the chest, killing him, and he buried him in the unfinished section of the basement. DeSimones fifth murder occurred when Burke ordered the killing of his best friend, Dominick Remo Cersani. Related: Goodfellas: The Mafia's Rules & Code of Honor Explained. His father owned a printing shop but later lost it because of hiscompulsive gambling addiction. With the club nearly empty, DeSimone pistol-whipped Bentvena, yelling "Shine these fucking shoes!" They found seven bags and loaded the money into the suitcase they brought. He has never been seen since and was declared legally dead in 1990. DeSimone was involved in truck hijackings, dealing and fencing stolen property, extortion, fraud, and murder. On January 14, 1979, DeSimones wife, Angela reported him missing. According to the code of the mafia, murdering a made man without permission meant death. Spider's real name was Michael Gianco, and he became associated with the Lucchese family sometime in the 1960s. Another account told by Hill stated that Gotti killed Desimone himself in the presence of Agro. According to Hill, He looked like he was bringing you a sandwich instead of a .38.. DeSimone followed their example and began a life of crime early on, joining the crew of Lucchese family mobster, Paul Vario. On the other hand, Hill became an FBI informant and told them the Gambino family murdered DeSimone. DeSimone was alleged to have taken part in the December 1978 Lufthansa heist from JFK International Airport where $6,000,000 was stolen from a warehouse. Jemeker Thompson Is She The Most Dreaded Female Drug Lord? That was the largest cash robbery ever committed on U.S soil at that time. 1957 to January Wikipedia, Thomas DeSimone Infobox Person name=Tommy DeSimone right|Tommy DeSimone|frame caption= birth date= birth date|1950|5|24|mf=y birth place=Brooklyn, New York, U.S. death date=death date and age|1979|1|14|1950|5|24|mf=y Wikipedia, Les Affranchis (film) Pour les articles homonymes, voir Les Affranchis. Vario made him an official member of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union and was hired on as a bartender by Casey Rosado at Robert's Lounge and Bruno Facciolo's restaurant 'Bruno's'. His other significant criminal activities. In the end, he was a victim of the lifestyle he had always wanted to live and his own murderous temper. Tommy then shot Gianco in the chest, killing him, and Henry described that moment as the one when he realized DeSimone was a total psychopath. However, on the commentary for the film Goodfellas, he states that Bentvena's body was buried in the basement of Robert's Lounge, and that it was only later put in the compactor. [5] After Bentvena was severely beaten and presumed dead, DeSimone, Burke, and Hill placed his body in the trunk of Hill's car, stopping at DeSimone's mother's house for a knife, lime, and a shovel. Also, another person had been murdered and buried within the saloon, who was Michael Gianco, popularly called the 'Spider'. A final scenario is given by Henry Hill when he said Tommy was murdered by the Gambino family for the two killings. I know this because I was friends with the associates brother and the brother showed me the burial area in his basement. When fellow gangster Jimmy Burke needed someone to help him carry out the biggest heist in U.S. history, he included DeSimone in his plan. The Gambinos claim they only found out about the murders after DeSimone had tried to. The money was usually carried in linen bags, each containing US$60,000, and the airline shipped up to $1 million a week in this manner. He had four siblings: Dolores, Phyllis, Robert, and Anthony. Not illustrated. Furthermore, there are no records or birth certificate related to Michael Gianco, and in the neighborhood where he purportedly lived and worked, no one had ever heard of him. No alarm was raised, no shots fired, and no one was injured. Either way, it marked the end of the real-life goodfellas for Tommy DeSimone as Hill went on to explain the scenario. 1937 - January 17, 1979) was a New . It's also maybe he just got the kid's name wrong? Burke, enraged, made DeSimone bury Gianco in the unfinished section of the basement in Robert's Lounge. When Burke found out about the set-up, he and DeSimone traveled to Remos place, asked him to go for a ride, and was subsequently killed by DeSimone by choking him with a piano wire. He was killed over an ordinary issue by Thomas DeSimone. A young man named Michael "Spider" Gianco was serving as a bartender at a card game, where he and DeSimone had an argument (after Gianco forgot about DeSimone's drink) that resulted in DeSimone pulling out a . 2004-2022 American Mafia is a Registered Trademark in the United States, The Beginning Of A New Age/Era & The Legacy Of Lucky Luciano, The Day It Came Together Vitos Last Stand, Tommy DeSimone Who depicted killings from the movie The Goodfella. Breakfast food is life and coffee is what makes the world go round. Officially, no one knows what happened to him. Free updates online. Find family history information in a whole new way. Goodfellas is based on a true story, and as such, it features many characters based on real-life gangsters, while others were a combination of them so, was Michael Imperiolis character, Spider, also a real person? Every time she manages to commit to a TV show without getting bored, an angel gets its wings. And part of what makes it great is Joe Pescis scene-stealing character, Tommy DeVito. He was an Italian- American mobster that worked as an associate of the Lucchese crime family of New York and was one of the real-life goodfellas. A few weeks after the heist, DeSimone got the news he had been waiting almost his entire life for. After the heist, DeSimone was ordered to kill Parnell Stacks Edwards for failing to hide the delivery truck. Source: Wikipedia. Paperback. The persons basement where the body is was an associate of the Gambino family. Tommy was among the three siblings to his parents, with two brothers Anthony and Robert (got life imprisonment) and a sister called Dolares. Yesterday an arrest was finally made in her case. . DeSimone quickly pulled out a gun and shot Gianco in the foot after demanding that he dance for him. A friend and fellow Lucchese associate Henry Hill described Tommy as a pure psychopath. He committed his first murder at the age of 18 when he shot Howard Goldstein in cold blood as he walked down the street. After some weeks, DeSimone joked to Gianco about his wounded leg and Gianco didnt take so well so he told DeSimone to go fuck himself. Hijacking trucks and fencing the goods was a favorite, and DeSimone had an unusualhabit of carrying his gun for these hijackings in a paper bag. [15], It has been theorized DeSimone is buried in The Hole, a suspected "Mafia graveyard" on the Brooklyn-Queens border near Kennedy airport, where the body of Al Indelicato was found in 1981 and where the bodies of Philip Giaccone and Dominick Trinchera were recovered by police in 2004.[16][17]. Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate who wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). According to Hill, the crew was holding a party for William Billy Bats Bentvena, a made man in the Gambino family who had just been released from prison. DeSimone strangled Cersani with a piano wire. Thomas DeSimone (May 24, 1950 disappeared January 14, 1979) was an American criminal associated with New York City's Lucchese crime family who is alleged to have participated in both the Air France robbery and the Lufthansa heist. McMahon told them it would be a perfect time for the robbery by midnight when the security guard would be on his meal break. Henry Hill, a Vario associate who was in his early 20s at the time, later recounted his first meeting with DeSimone, describing him as "a skinny kid who was wearing a wiseguy suit and a pencil mustache. rape Hills wife, who was having an affair with Paul Vario during Hills prison term. DeSimone and Hill went to Kennedy Airport with an empty suitcase. Thomas DeSimone was born on May 24, 1950. During the 1960s, Air France was the carrier of American currency that had been exchanged in Southeast Asia. He would drink almost an entire gallon of whole milk each day. He was abandoned by his parents and slept in the basement on days he had nowhere to go. While hijacking, DeSimone would always carry his gun in a brown paper bag. DeSimone was a man who did not like to be insulted. In 1965, Tommy a skinny and naive fifteen-year-old became involved with a Lucchese crime family crew headed by capo Paul Vairo. He was portrayed by Joe Pesci in the movie Goodfellas where he played Tommy Devito in 1990. After a truck heist, a foreman had refused to allow Burke to unload the stolen cargo in his warehouse and vehemently protested because they had no union cards. Tommy was known for having a really bad temper and for being extremely impulsive, which was what ultimately led to his death. About three months after Bentvena's murder, Burke's friend sold the dog kennel to housing developers, and Burke ordered Hill and DeSimone to exhume Bentvena's corpse and dispose of it elsewhere. He wanted respect more than anything, especially from other gangsters. DeSimone went missing in 1979 and is believed to have been murdered. Of course, the truth was that DeSimone was walking into a trap. Gotti's role as the assassin was repeated in the 2015 book The Lufthansa Heist, co-written by Hill and journalist Daniel Simone,[9] although this account claims that DeSimone's death was instantaneous from three gunshots to the head. DeSimone began working for Paul Vario around the age of 15, becoming involved in truck hijackings, dealing and fencing stolen property, extortion, fraud, and (of course) murder. The theft was done unnoticed until the following Monday when a Wells Fargo truck went to pick up the cash which was to be delivered to the French American banking corporation. 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