GMA is reporting big mob bust in progress this morning in NYC

Bonanno Family but no real details yet

This what you're looking at?

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/345...zza-restaurants

It's vincent asaro and Thomas difiore of the bonnano family , they have been arrested to do with the Lufthansa heist years ago

No, this bust said to be tied to the Luftaunsa hiest and the body found in Jimmy Burke's back yard. Goodfellas relincarnated.

Yeah , asaro and difiore and 4 others have been arrested

Reputed Mobster to Face Charges Connected to 'Lufthansa Heist'
Jan. 23, 2014
By JOSH MARGOLIN and PIERRE THOMAS
PIERRE THOMAS More From Pierre »
Correspondent

JOSH MARGOLIN More From Josh »
Senior Investigative Reporter

via GOOD MORNING AMERICA
Federal agents today are doing something they couldn’t do for more than three decades: they’re charging a reputed mobster in connection with the infamous Lufthansa Heist at Kennedy International Airport in 1978, ABC News has learned.

As part of a series of predawn raids around the New York metro area, FBI agents are apprehending 78-year-old Vincent Asaro of Howard Beach, N.Y., according to sources. Said to be a ranking member of the Bonanno organized crime family, Asaro is to be arraigned in federal court later today on a series of racketeering charges to include the JFK robbery caper made famous in the Martin Scorsese film “Goodfellas.”

FBI spokeswoman Kelly Langmesser told ABC News: “An FBI operation is ongoing. We will release further details later this morning.”

With the unsealing of an indictment, Asaro is to become the first accused mobster to face charges in the caper. Before today, the only other person who ever had to answer for a role in the notorious robbery was Louis Werner, an airport worker who provided critical inside information to the robbers. The crime, perpetrated in the middle of the night on Dec. 11, 1978, netted more than $5 million in cash and $1 million in jewels – the equivalent of more than $20 million today. At the time, it was the single-biggest heist ever pulled off on US soil. And it led to a massive, years-long investigative effort that ultimately proved fruitless as wiseguys and their associates believed involved in the robbery disappeared or died at the hands of nervous crime bosses.

The feds plan to say precisely what they believe Asaro’s role was in the Lufthansa job. At the time, he was reputed to be a key Mafia overseer responsible for illicit activities at JFK – long a target favored by the New York crime families because of the huge amount of cargo that moves through New York’s biggest airport. Asaro is now said to be an “administrator” of the Bonanno clan.

Also being hauled in this morning are four other alleged mobsters, including underboss Thomas “Tommy D” DiFiore of Commack, N.Y., the highest-ranking Bonanno family member currently living outside of prison, officials said. DiFiore, facing conspiracy charges, was elevated to help rebuild a Bonanno family devastated by recent prosecutions and the stunning decision 10 years ago by family boss Joseph Massino to turn state’s evidence and testify against other wiseguys.

This morning’s roundup had been quietly in the works for months. It stems from the FBI’s surprise decision last June to search for evidence at the home of the late Mafia associate James “Jimmy the Gent” Burke in Queens, N.Y. Acting on new information from a source, agents found human remains after digging in and around the home still owned by Burke’s daughter, agents said.

DNA tests matched the remains to Paul Katz, who disappeared in 1969 after Burke and his henchmen found reason to believe Katz was working with law enforcement. Investigators believe that Katz was strangled with a chain and then buried at a vacant home elsewhere in Queens, sources told ABC News. Katz’s remains were allegedly moved to Burke’s basement after the mobsters got spooked by a separate probe.

Burke, the inspiration for Robert DeNiro’s “Jimmy Conway” character in “Goodfellas,” died in 1996 while serving time for a different killing. The feds believe that Burke was the mastermind of the Lufthansa Heist and was responsible for killing off almost anyone who could directly connect him to the notorious caper.

Thats crazy, should be very interesting!

how old would this make Asaro and DiFiore @ the time of the robbery? early to mid 30's I'd imagine

Difiore and Asaro are like the highest ranking guys that were on the street, big blow to the Bonanno's. Wonder who will step up as acting boss, Rabito?

I bet Henry Hill is kicking himself in the Ass because he's dead and not capitalizing on the publicity that this case is going to bring. Not to worry , his former girlfriend will probably take care of that.

Asaro early 40's and DiFiore about 35.

Asaro is 78

Does anyone know who the other guys r who have been arrested apart from difiore and asaro

Law enforcement sources say those arrested include Bonanno crime family members 78-year-old Vincent Asaro, 55-year-old Jerome Asaro, 70-year-old Thomas "Tommy D" DiFiore, 52-year-old John "Bazoo" Ragano and Jack Bonventre, whose age wasn't clear.
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Luf...-241633971.html

I think they r saying that Burke ordered the murder of a guy called Paul Katz in the late sixties and he asked the bonnanos to do the work as a favour

Giacamo 'Jack' Bonventre is 49 I believe, he's made.

Ragano made?

Tommy, I found this on another site on Giacomo
http://www.fivefamiliesnyc.com/2010/10/killing-for-mob-then-decimating-it-in.html

Also from the NY Post...

http://nypost.com/2014/01/23/mobster-to-be-charged-in-goodfellas-jfk-lufthansa-heist/

Haven't got a clue pal, never heard of him. I'm sure someone on here will have info on him.

I don't understand something critical here - I always was under the impression that the Lufthansa Heist was a Lucchese operation run by people connected to Paul Vario (both from the film and outside research).

Is the implication here that the Luccheses may have merely outsourced a hit to Asaro/Tommy D in connection to the heist? Or is the implication that the whole thing was a Bonanno Family operation?

Pretty sure Asaro ran the Bonanno interests at JFK airport and the Luccheses needed permission from them and the Gambinos before initiating the heist. The indictment indicates that they are co-conspirators in the heist as well as the murder of Katz.

Does anyone think the information leading to this could have come from Massino?

It's possible. Massino operated in that area at that time period but you would think they would have been charged several years ago with everyone else. Maybe they were waiting to tack the murder charge onto it until they found harder evidence - which they did once they dug up Burke's house.

Wow. Fed's don't make an arrest until it's a done deal. They're all goners.

Interestingly, Tommy D was merely charged with conspiracy to extort and extortion itself (neither seemingly racketeering predicates). Makes you think the feds were doing anything to get him off the street.

That has to be the case Ovation, unless Tommy D and Asaro have a Vario connection nobody knows about.

Massino was heavy into truck hijacking in the late 70's. He would know, perhaps he mentioned Tommy D and Asaro to the feds and another CW told the feds about the body behind Jimmy Burke's house which puts everything together.

I always thought Gotti and Massino had the most pull as far JFK heists, who knows. Pretty odd bust if you ask me.

Insane to think about how much truck hijacking was going on back then considering the security state we live in now. I guess Laguardia and Newark were not as good of a target as JFK was, probably easier get away routes.

Who will step up now

You mean to tell me that moron Henry Hill didn't know the whole story?? It figures.