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Crime Boss Says Gigante Knew Of Gotti Plot

By Patricia Hurtado | Staff Writer

July 16, 1997

Former Luchese crime family boss Alfonse D'Arco described two instances in 1990 and 1991 where he said reputed Genovese crime boss Vincent Gigante was involved in plots to kill other mobsters - including one to bomb John Gotti with a remote-controlled bomb.

The testimony came during D'Arco's second day at the murder and racketeering trial of Gigante. Defense lawyers charge Gigante, who is known by the nickname Chin and for strolling around his Greenwich Village neighborhood in his bathrobe, is insane. But prosecutors charge it was part of an act he concocted to avoid being brought to trial.

Gigante is charged with ordering seven murders and conspiring in three others killings - including an attempt to murder Gambino crime boss John Gotti. D'Arco, a slight man who sounded like he was right out of central casting as an old-time mobster, showed his steely side yesterday. He described mobsters' reactions after after a whole host of mafiosos - including Gigante - were indicted in the 1990 Windows case, which involved their domination of the window-replacement business in city public housing.

D'Arco testified that many wanted to kill Peter Savino, a Genovese associate who was part of the scheme and suspected of being a government informant.

He testified that he was running the Luchese crime family after his boss, Vittorio (Vic) Amuso, and underboss Anthony (Gaspipe) Casso, were indicted and went into hiding. D'Arco said he was contacted by Jimmy Ida, a member of the Genovese family, in 1991. D'Arco testified Ida told him, "Vince wants to ask you a favor," and went on to tell him that they believed that Savino was hiding in Hawaii.

"He said Vince wants to see if you can locate these guys and kill them," D'Arco said. He said he told Ida he needed to obtain permission from his superiors who eventually vetoed the idea.

On another occasion in 1990, D'Arco said Amuso asked him to kill Gotti with a remote-controlled bomb because the flashy gambino mobster had violated mafia rules by killing Gambino boss Paul Castellano without permission of the mob's ruling leadership. When D'Arco voiced his concerns that Gigante might learn of the plot, he testified Amuso told him, "Don't worry about it, `the Robe' [Gigante] knows about it."

D'Arco told the jury he had decided to cooperate after his superiors tried to kill him and his family and had labeled him a "rat." Defense lawyer Michael Marinaccio tried to suggest that D'Arco was testifying against Gigante because he wanted to even the score.

However D'Arco held tough under Marinaccio's questioning and accused Marinaccio of putting a "spin" on his answers.