'Mafia cops' face life for string of murders
Edward Helmore
The Guardian, UK
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New York (US):
In one of the most remarkable cases of mafia corruption, two highly decorated New York policemen have been convicted for their roles in eight murders and other crimes while on the payroll of the Luchese crime family underboss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso.
Louis Eppolito, 57, and Steven Caracappa, 64, who served in the NYPD for a combined 44 years, face life imprisonment for crimes which prosecutors said yesterday were "the bloodiest, most violent betrayal of the badge this city has ever seen".
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See Also
NY police guilty of mafia murders
Ex-New York Police Detectives Found Guilty of Killing for Mafia
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When they were arrested a year ago and brought to New York from their retirement homes in Las Vegas, the story of the "mafia cops" seemed to come from another era. But after weeks of testimony about gunshot wounds and buried bodies, errand boys and stool pigeons, the underworld has appeared very much alive.
Caracappa, who retired in 1992, helped establish the city police department's unit for mafia murder investigations. Eppolito, the son of a Gambino crime family member, was a decorated street cop who played a bit part in the mob movie GoodFellas and tried his hand at Hollywood scriptwriting.
Between 1986 and 1990 they were on the payroll of Casso, who called them his "crystal ball" and paid them a retainer for tipping him off about investigations and a bonus for any mob executions they carried out or for helping to deliver his enemies to him.
Apr 07, 2006
Edward Helmore
The Guardian, UK
_____________
New York (US):
In one of the most remarkable cases of mafia corruption, two highly decorated New York policemen have been convicted for their roles in eight murders and other crimes while on the payroll of the Luchese crime family underboss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso.
Louis Eppolito, 57, and Steven Caracappa, 64, who served in the NYPD for a combined 44 years, face life imprisonment for crimes which prosecutors said yesterday were "the bloodiest, most violent betrayal of the badge this city has ever seen".
__________________
See Also
NY police guilty of mafia murders
Ex-New York Police Detectives Found Guilty of Killing for Mafia
__________________
When they were arrested a year ago and brought to New York from their retirement homes in Las Vegas, the story of the "mafia cops" seemed to come from another era. But after weeks of testimony about gunshot wounds and buried bodies, errand boys and stool pigeons, the underworld has appeared very much alive.
Caracappa, who retired in 1992, helped establish the city police department's unit for mafia murder investigations. Eppolito, the son of a Gambino crime family member, was a decorated street cop who played a bit part in the mob movie GoodFellas and tried his hand at Hollywood scriptwriting.
Between 1986 and 1990 they were on the payroll of Casso, who called them his "crystal ball" and paid them a retainer for tipping him off about investigations and a bonus for any mob executions they carried out or for helping to deliver his enemies to him.
Apr 07, 2006
