Eugene Pontecorvo

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Robert Funaro as Gene Pontecorvo
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Robert Funaro as Gene Pontecorvo

Eugene Pontecorvo was a fictional character in the popular HBO television series The Sopranos. He is played by actor Robert Funaro.

Eugene Pontecorvo was a soldier in the Soprano crime family. Since becoming a made man in 2000 ― season 3 of The Sopranos ― at the same ceremony as Christopher Moltisanti, Eugene became an important member of the Aprile crew. He had a wife, Deanne, and two children, Robby and Ally. It is revealed in season 6 that Tony and Eugene went to high school together.

With the heavy losses that the Aprile crew has suffered, Eugene's star has risen considerably. After the deaths of two captains and the disappearance of Ralph Cifaretto, Vito Spatafore assumed control of the crew in season 4 and Eugene became his second-in-command.

In the first episode of season six, it is revealed that Eugene inherited a little over two million dollars from his aunt and wishes to retire and move his family to Florida. He tells Tony about his plans, but not without giving him and his family a gift. Tony says he will consider it. Eugene's home life is complicated by his son's drug addiction and aggressive behaviour and his wife's desires to leave New Jersey.

Eugene later receives orders from Christopher and completes a hit inside a fast food restaurant in Boston, Massachusetts, shooting Teddy Spirodakis. In return, Christopher agrees to put in a good word to Tony about his request. Upon his return, Silvio tells him his retirement has been refused. After fighting with his wife about Tony's decision, it is revealed that he has been cooperating with the FBI, which he had apparently been doing for quite some time. They advise him that his hopes of moving to Florida should be let go because the FBI needed him to stay in New Jersey to take the place of the recently deceased Raymond Curto, who was set to testify against Tony Soprano in court. After all hopes for a way out of mob life have been eliminated, Eugene commits suicide by hanging in his basement. Had he not killed himself, he presumably would have made capo after Vito was killed.

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