Thomas Cacciopoli
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Thomas Cacciopoli (b. September 5, 1949) aka. "Tommy Sneakers" and "Cacci" is a high-ranking member of the Gambino crime family, holding the rank of Caporegime in the New Jersey faction of the family.
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[edit] Days of John Gotti
During the days of John Gotti as the new Boss of the Gambino crime family in late 1986, Thomas Cacciopoli became a made member under the crew led by Gotti's son, John "Junior" Gotti and brother Peter "One Eyed Pete" Gotti. Cacciopoli became the top protegee and bodyguard for Junior Gotti, as he rose to become acting boss in the early 1990s, after Gotti, Sr. received a life sentence in prison.
[edit] Days of Junior Gotti
During the late 1990s, Cacciopoli was indicted along with dozens of other members of the Gambino crime family, as the US government charged Junior Gotti with conspiracy and association with known organized crime members, in 1998. Following Gotti, Jr. stepping down of becoming Boss in 1999, and the elevation of Peter "One Eyed Pete" Gotti as acting boss in 2000, Cacciopoli was listed as a Caporegime of the Gambino family, with a crew and illegal activities originally based in the New Jersey faction, with possible operations in Manhattan.
[edit] Capo and indictments
Following the indictment of Gambino Underboss, Arnold "Zeke" Squitieri in 2001, Cacciopoli and two dozen of his associates were put on trial, following the RICO predicates as extortion, conspiracy and labor racketeering, as well as loansharking and murder being the charges against them. From 2005 to 2006, the US government charged over 40 members of the Gambino crime family, again mostly Arnold "Zeke" Squitieri and the top acting heads of the family, including Cacciopoli, on labor racketeering, loansharking, illegal gambling, fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and extortion, as well as murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Cacciopoli was indicted on four counts of breaking the Hobbs Act Extortion (HAE), which shows that Cacciopoli was possibly involved in extortion operations in New Jersey.
As of December, 2007, Thomas Cacciopoli was still on trial for extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion. In February 2008 Cacciopoli was named as a defendant in the Operation Old Bridge indictments.
He is being held at the Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution in New Jersey. If convicted, Cacciopoli may receive 20 years to life as his sentence. [1]
[edit] Further reading
- Capeci, Jerry. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002. ISBN 0-02-864225-2
- Davis, John H. Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. ISBN 0-06-016357-7
