Former Bonanno crime family captain turned rat Nicholas “P.J.” Pisciotti got a Christmas present when he sentenced to no jail time for his mob crimes in return for his cooperation.
Pisciotti decided to turn against his fellow wiseguys when he learned from the feds that he was marked for death because of an incident with another mobster. Pisciotti was involved in a dispute with a Genovese family mobster that erupted into a fight leaving the other mobster beaten. There was a sit down between Bonanno and Genovese family leaders where Bonanno leaders failed to back up Pisciotti. Feds learned of the contract on Pisciotti and alerted him to it in 2007 after he was arrested and he then decided to cooperate.
“Nicholas Pisciotti”
Feds say that Pisciotti provided intelligence on a number of individuals who were ultimately convicted because of his cooperation. But his biggest accomplishment as a rat was helping to put away former Bonanno boss Vincent “Vinny Gorgeous” Basciano testifying against him in 2007. With his help, the feds were able to put the flamboyant Basciano away for life. While he supplied information and testified against his former mob pals Pisciotti himself was no angel. He admitted to being a participant in the stabbing murder of a Bonanno family associate in the 1990’s and to beating a Little Italy bar owner over a smoking law dispute. He spent a total of two years in prison for his mafia crimes.
