New York mafia boss John Gotti was responsible for the death of mobster Tommy DeSimone and had a hand in the infamous Lufthansa heist according to a new mafia book. The new book The Lufthansa Heist: Behind the Six-Million-Dollar Cash Haul That Shook the World
Hill claims to have gotten information about the murder from Gotti confidant Sal Polisi which he met while inside the witness protection program. Hill also goes into detail about Gotti’s role in the 1978 robbery of the Lufthansa terminal at JFK airport orchestrated by mobster Jimmy “The Gent” Burke which netted the mobsters over $5 million dollars. It was all set up by the Lucchese crime family underlings of then Lucchese underboss Paul “Paulie” Vario although the airport was shared territory among the New York mafia families.
The Lufthansa Heist claims Gotti met with both Burke and Hill at a restaurant in Queens and discussed the robbery beforehand which Gotti agreeing to provide assistance. According to Hill it was agreed that Gotti would supply a warehouse where the crew could transfer the loot from the getaway van to a switch car to help evade cops. Gotti would then handle the destruction of the getaway van at a mob controlled salvage yard after the heist was completed. For his cooperation and help in the scheme Gotti is supposed to have received a $200,000 cut of the loot.
The associating with the Gotti and the Gambino crime family would eventually lead to the death of DeSimone according to Hill. Tommy has carried out the unsanctioned murders of Gambino mobsters William “Billy Batts” Devino and Ronald “Foxy” Jerothe which for years infuriated the Gambino’s. In the movie Goodfellas Billy Batts is showed getting killed by Burke and DeSimone over an insult which wasn’t how it really happened. He was killed according to the book because Burke and DeSimoe has taken over his loansharking business while he was in prison and wanted to keep it.
“Tommy DeSimone“
When Gotti heard that DeSimone was about to become a made man in the Lucchese family he demanded a sit down with Vario. The report in the book claims Gotti meet with Vario in which the following conversation took place:
“This f- -kin’ DeSimone whacked two of my top earners, and I let it go for a long time,” Gotti told his fellow capo. “Now he wants to be made, and I’m not gonna sit quietly. I mean, that’s as bad as putting a cactus up my a–. Understan’ what I’m sayin’, Paulie?”
“John, what do you suppose I should do?” Vario asked.
“Paulie, all I want is what’s fair,” Gotti said. “I wanna whack the bastard, and I want you to give me the green light.”
Vario figured it would have been only a matter of time before the wild card DeSimone would get pinched for the robbery didn’t fight the Gotti request to have Tommy killed. But the book also reveals another reason why Paulie went along with the request. While Hill was in prison years before DeSimone had supposedly tried to assault Henry’s wife which at the time infuriated Paulie because he was at the time having an affair with Hill’s wife Karen. Burke who Gotti knew also had a part in the unauthorized hit on his fellow mobster was also targeted by Gotti but because he was such a big earner for Vario’s crew he remained protected and Gotti was not allowed to kill him. Tommy would be killed on the night he was expecting to become a made man in the New York mob. Vario’s son drove him from Queens to the basement of Don Vito’s restaurant in the Bronx where several men awaited on being Gotti.
“Welcome, Tommy. Congratulations!” Gotti said. “Pull a chair up to the table and sit comfortably. This is not an ordinary day in your life, I want you to know.”
Tommy sat down and with in second was shot by Gotti with a silencer equipped .38 special according to the report. The remains of DeSimone were never found. The book claims to be filled with much more information which tells a different story then has been considered the course of these events to date. A copy of the new book which is set to be released on Aug 1st can be purchased for a great price on Here.
Hmm i kind of wonder why Hill has never previously mentioned this information in his other books. It seems like these events could of been how things actually went down although information from Hill well has to kind of be taken with some skepticism at times. I actually look forward to reading this one and seeing how much it differs from what we previously thought was how things went down.
This is the biggest laid of rubbish if this was true he would of mentioned it before its funny how henry in his first book before castanlano was whacked did not mention John gotti but after paul got whacked the more and more he mentions John gotti he talks so much bullshit henry hill was a nobody as was most of the guys around him including desimone only reason anyone cares is because of the goodfellas
Please this is hogwash. Henry was a drunk and pathological liar. Gotti had just been released from prison and was a captain. No way he would meet with junkie like hill. Plus he had a crew, he would not commit murder, most likely it would have been passed to ruggerio or gene. This a bad attempt to sell a book. Henry has changed his story hundreds of times to get attention and money for booze. Burke killed Desimone because he was a loose cannon
I really lean to this as well and its i guess not out of the realm of possibility that Gotti would of whacked the guy himself as he was quite the hot head as well although it does seem a bit unlikely. As i mentioned i am also a little weary and skeptical of some of the things Hill has said in the past. I am a tad interested as to how far some of this “info” is stretched and added and if anyone comes along to somehow corroborate any of it.
I don’t believe anything hill says he never mentioned this before and he never used to talk about John gotti in his first book he does not even mentions John gotti this was before paul got whacked after paul goes he talks more and more about John henry prob never even met the guy if this was true John would of been indicted the feds had a major hardon for John in the late 80s early 90s they would have indicted him with anything if this was true we would of heard about it then not 35 years later its rubbish henry was always lowlife thug a junkie no one cared about
what was john gotti doing at a lucchese button ceremony???
He wasn’t, it’s nonsense. Henry hill never met Gotti. And sal polosi? Please, he’s a rat nobody
Seems according to Hill he was there to carry out the hit at what DeSimone only thought was an actual ceremony. But it sure does seem like quite a stretch all things considered.
According to FBI informant Joseph “Joe Dogs” Iannuzzi he claimed that Gambino crime family soldier Thomas “Tommy A” Agro confessed to him that he killed Thomas DeSimone and his brother Anthony DeSimone. Joe Dogs was part of Agro’s crew even though Agro was just a soldier at the time.
This would seem like a more likely scenario then Gotti doing the hit himself at the supposed Lucchese ceremony.
Lots of people wanted tommy dead, but it was not Gotti. People use his name because he was so well known, it helps sell books. I bet it was Burke and vario who set it up. They knew he was a loose cannon and he knew too much about the heist and subsequent murders. Plus heat from gambinos for unsanctued hits. Actual shooter? Who knows. My money is on Burke, Anthony center or someone from demeo crew.
The heat from the Gambino’s and perhaps some from Gotti def seems to have influenced the decision to have him clipped but to believe that Gotti himself showed up to pull the trigger , welllll that just seems like a very very big stretch.
This is the biggest load of shite ever , if this was remotely true do u not think Nick pileggi would have stated this years and years ago ?? Gotti as far as I know was inly involved personally in 3 killings , the mcbratney murder were he never pulled the trigger , Ralph galione did and the murders of vito borelli and Anthony plate as a favour to Neil dellacroce who was on trial with plate in Florida , it’s doubtful he pulled the trigger in the latter two aswel , those were prob willy boy Johnson and ange ruggiero
Right Dom it seems if Gotti was the trigger man here esp in a room with other mobsters we would of heard this somewhere down the line by now. With all rats that have come forward since and the way many mob guys these days like to shoot the bull with these kinds of stories would think it surfaces somewhere else along the way. I guess in the end we will never know for sure but just seems like a long shot.
Don’t know what to believe about Tommys death,but since Hill knew he was dying this might be the truth. Ppl always try to clear their conciences before they die,especially if they haven’t led good lives.
John was not the trigger man that killed desimone it was a guy named mickey debatt who was the trigger man who was later killed himself by another associate of the Gambino family. Back in those days being a kid knowing these guys and watching them do their thing was fascinating but as an adult looking back they were all.a bunch of shitheads that were all in it for themselfs. One good.guy i remember althought he was crazy he was a.good hearted neighborhood guy was sammy i know he was a rat and a killer as well but as a kid growing up with him around he was the.most generous as long as I remember
I know where Tommy DeSimone is buried. The persons basement where the body is was an associate of the Gambino family. This associate is now dead from natural causes. He sold the property 2 years before his death but the body is still in the basement. I know this because I was friends with the associates brother and the brother showed me the burial area in his basement.