Pasquale Conte
Encyclopedia
Pasquale Conte also known as "Patsy", is a New York mobster who became a caporegime
with the Gambino crime family
.
, Conte is a resident of Roslyn, New York
. He was at one time a board member of Key Food
Cooperative Supermarket Chain, an association of small supermarkets in New York City. Conte's relatives continue to run supermarkets in New York City as part of the Key Food Cooperative Supermarket Chain.
On February 18, 1987, Conte was indicted on charges of ordering the shooting of Sicilian mobster Pietro Alfano in the Greenwich Village
section of Manhattan. Authorities arrested Conte at Kennedy International Airport as he was preparing to fly to Puerto Rico
. Alfano was a defendant in the ongoing Pizza Connection
trial, a massive investigation of heroin trafficking through pizza restaurants. The government eventually dropped charges against Conte when a key witness refused to testify. Alfano survived the assassination attempt, but was left a paraplegic.
ordered Conte to murder mobster Louis DiBono, a member of Conte's crew. DiBono had allegedly been disrespectful to Gotti, who decided to eliminate him. In October 1990, DiBono's bullet-ridden body was discovered in the front seat of a Cadillac
sedan in the underground garage at the New York World Trade Center
.
In February 1993, Conte was charge with the DiBono murder. However, in January 1994 a mistrial was declared due to a hung jury
. In June 1994, Conte was reindicted on the DiBono murder. In lieu of a retrial, Conte decided to accept a plea bargain
deal from the government. On June 21, 1994, Conte and two others pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder in the DiBono case. Conte was sentenced in September 1994 to seven and a half years in prison.
authorities uncovered $1.9 million buried on a farm just north of Lake Como
in Switzerland
. The money was resting in a steel tank, wrapped in tin foil and plastic trash bags. An informant said that the money belonged to Conte and Gambino mobster Francesco Versaglia. Before going to prison, Gotti expressed suspicions that Conte and Versaglia had been withholding money from the family, but Gotti never moved against them. In May 1998, Italian authorities requested Conte's extradition
to Italy after his release from prison to face new charges.
On September 26, 2003, Conte was released from federal prison. The Italian government never charged Conte with a crime or requested his extradition, accusation against him by an informant were never substantiated.
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
with the Gambino crime family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
.
Background
Born in SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, Conte is a resident of Roslyn, New York
Roslyn, New York
Roslyn is a village in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the village population was 2,770...
. He was at one time a board member of Key Food
Key Food
Key Food Stores Co-Op Inc. is a cooperative of independently owned supermarkets in southern New York, plus one store in Stamford, Connecticut. Key Food was founded in 1937 by Sam Mandel; it is headquartered on Staten Island...
Cooperative Supermarket Chain, an association of small supermarkets in New York City. Conte's relatives continue to run supermarkets in New York City as part of the Key Food Cooperative Supermarket Chain.
On February 18, 1987, Conte was indicted on charges of ordering the shooting of Sicilian mobster Pietro Alfano in the Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
section of Manhattan. Authorities arrested Conte at Kennedy International Airport as he was preparing to fly to Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. Alfano was a defendant in the ongoing Pizza Connection
Pizza Connection Trial
The Pizza Connection Trial was one of the longest criminal jury trials on record in the district of Manhattan. It took place between October 24, 1985 and March 2, 1987-Scope of the trial:...
trial, a massive investigation of heroin trafficking through pizza restaurants. The government eventually dropped charges against Conte when a key witness refused to testify. Alfano survived the assassination attempt, but was left a paraplegic.
DiBono murder
In 1990, Gambino boss John GottiJohn Gotti
John Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
ordered Conte to murder mobster Louis DiBono, a member of Conte's crew. DiBono had allegedly been disrespectful to Gotti, who decided to eliminate him. In October 1990, DiBono's bullet-ridden body was discovered in the front seat of a Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
sedan in the underground garage at the New York World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
.
In February 1993, Conte was charge with the DiBono murder. However, in January 1994 a mistrial was declared due to a hung jury
Hung jury
A hung jury or deadlocked jury is a jury that cannot, by the required voting threshold, agree upon a verdict after an extended period of deliberation and is unable to change its votes due to severe differences of opinion.- England and Wales :...
. In June 1994, Conte was reindicted on the DiBono murder. In lieu of a retrial, Conte decided to accept a plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
deal from the government. On June 21, 1994, Conte and two others pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder in the DiBono case. Conte was sentenced in September 1994 to seven and a half years in prison.
Italian charges
In April 1998, ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
authorities uncovered $1.9 million buried on a farm just north of Lake Como
Lake Como
Lake Como is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 km², making it the third largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore...
in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The money was resting in a steel tank, wrapped in tin foil and plastic trash bags. An informant said that the money belonged to Conte and Gambino mobster Francesco Versaglia. Before going to prison, Gotti expressed suspicions that Conte and Versaglia had been withholding money from the family, but Gotti never moved against them. In May 1998, Italian authorities requested Conte's extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
to Italy after his release from prison to face new charges.
On September 26, 2003, Conte was released from federal prison. The Italian government never charged Conte with a crime or requested his extradition, accusation against him by an informant were never substantiated.