I could be wrong but I believe El Italiano is the name the locals nickname Nicola Pignatelli who was arrested half a decade ago. The Gambino crime family did set up shop in DR, through the Inzerillo family and the Gambinos followed suit, making a joint food import/export business with other sicilian clans and the Ndrangheta. There is no link that Vito Rizzuto was involved, and is alleged to have had a meeting with Frank Cali and a member of the Inzerillo clan, asking them to keep their business away from one of his. I theorize that he did not want them moving their products in or around near one of his gambling establishments, but that is just a theory, as well as telling then that he was back in charge in Montreal.