Gregory J. Scarpa Jr. (born April 8, 1951) is an American mobster and former caporegime in the Colombo crime family and government informant. He is the son of notorious hitman and fellow caporegime in the family Gregory Scarpa. During the 1990s, Scarpa was sentenced to 40 years in prison for racketeering, but provided the government with false information about terrorist tactics and possible attacks orchestrated by Ramzi Yousef. Scarpa Jr. has since won compassionate release from prison as a result of his failing health and terminal illness.
Gregory J. Scarpa Jr. was born on April 8, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York, to Connie Forrest and Gregory Scarpa, a notorious caporegime and hitman for the Colombo crime family. He followed in his father's footsteps and pursued a criminal career in the Colombo organization.
Federal authorities believed Scarpa murdered his associates Robert DiLeonardi in 1981, Anthony Frezza in 1985 and Joseph DeDomenico in 1987, ordered the murder of limousine driver Alfred Longobardi in 1981 and plotted the murder and burial of suspected informant Sal Cardaci beneath a Bensonhurst store.[1]
Scarpa succeeded his father as a capo in the Colombo family after his father contracted HIV/AIDS following a contaminated blood transfusion in 1986.[2]
Prison and informant
Scarpa was initially arrested in 1988, charged with racketeering and narcotics offences and sentenced to 20 years in prison.[3]
Scarpa claimed Yousef had spoken to him about plans to bomb an airplane or kidnap an American attorney to declare Yousef's 1996 trial a mistrial. He also stated Yousef had implied assistance from a foreign government, presumably Qatar, since Yousef's maternal uncle Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was living there as the guest of a cabinet official at the time.[4] On March 31, 1996, Scarpa claimed Yousef had sent a bomb through the DHL postal service and also named Abdul Hakim Murad as a co-conspirator in a plan to bomb an airplane several months later. Scarpa also stated Yousef had people from England scouting the Atlanta Olympic Games.[4][5]
In 1999, prosecutors said that Scarpa's tips about Yousef were "a scam" which led nowhere.[6] Judge Reena Raggi agreed, ruling that Scarpa had not provided substantial assistance but had actually colluded with Yousef to mislead the government and chose to amend his initial sentence by doubling the length of his imprisonment.[3][7]
Terry Nichols
In 2005, Scarpa tipped off authorities about previously undiscovered explosives and ammunition buried in the crawl space of the home of Terry Nichols, a fellow prisoner at ADX Florence who had previously been convicted for his role in the Oklahoma City bombing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had previously searched the home multiple times and the new discovery "embarrassed the F.B.I." according to Judge Edward Korman of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. In December 2015, Judge Korman issued an order reducing Scarpa's sentence to 30 years in prison due to his tip in the Oklahoma City bombing case.[6] The reduction was reversed upon appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit which reasoned that, although he had provided substantial assistance to the government, the government had the right not to reduce his sentence based on legitimate concerns related to his false statements in the Yousef case.[4]
Release
In November 2020, Judge Korman granted Scarpa a compassionate release from prison. Scarpa had been suffering from cancer and treatment had left him with no salivary glands and a hole in his throat. He planned to live with a sister in Florida.[1]
References
^ abGoldberg, Noah (November 11, 2020). "Ailing Brooklyn mobster blamed in 1980s killings wins compassionate release from prison". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
^"Reputed mob boss with AIDS sues over blood transfusion". New York Daily News. Baltimore Sun. August 17, 1992. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
^ abKlasfeld, Adam (June 22, 2017). "Mafia Capo Won't Catch Sentencing Break for Terror Intel". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
^ abcdFeuer, Alan (June 22, 2017). "Appeals Court Reinstates 40-Year Sentence for Brooklyn Mobster". New York Times. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
^"FBI interview record of Gregory Scarpa, 265A-NY-258172". March 5, 1996. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
^ abClifford, Stephanie (January 6, 2016). "A Mafia Captain Turned Informer Gets a Reduced Prison Term". The New York Times. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
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Gregory J Scarpa Jr born April 8 1951 is an American mobster and former caporegime in the Colombo crime family and government informant He is the son of notorious hitman and fellow caporegime in the family Gregory Scarpa During the 1990s Scarpa was sentenced to 40 years in prison for racketeering but provided the government with false information about terrorist tactics and possible attacks orchestrated by Ramzi Yousef Scarpa Jr has since won compassionate release from prison as a result of his failing health and terminal illness Gregory Scarpa Jr Born 1951 04 08 April 8 1951 age 71 Brooklyn New York U S OccupationMobsterCriminal statusReleased 2020 ParentGregory Scarpa father AllegianceColombo crime familyConviction s Racketeering 1988 Criminal penalty20 years imprisonment 1988 later amended to 40 years imprisonment 1999 Contents 1 Early life 2 Prison and informant 2 1 Ramzi Yousef 2 2 Terry Nichols 3 Release 4 ReferencesEarly life EditGregory J Scarpa Jr was born on April 8 1951 in Brooklyn New York to Connie Forrest and Gregory Scarpa a notorious caporegime and hitman for the Colombo crime family He followed in his father s footsteps and pursued a criminal career in the Colombo organization Federal authorities believed Scarpa murdered his associates Robert DiLeonardi in 1981 Anthony Frezza in 1985 and Joseph DeDomenico in 1987 ordered the murder of limousine driver Alfred Longobardi in 1981 and plotted the murder and burial of suspected informant Sal Cardaci beneath a Bensonhurst store 1 Scarpa succeeded his father as a capo in the Colombo family after his father contracted HIV AIDS following a contaminated blood transfusion in 1986 2 Prison and informant EditScarpa was initially arrested in 1988 charged with racketeering and narcotics offences and sentenced to 20 years in prison 3 Ramzi Yousef Edit Scarpa was jailed in Metropolitan Correctional Center New York with terrorist Ramzi Yousef while the latter was being tried for masterminding the 1993 World Trade Center bombing Scarpa provided the government with information against Yousef 4 Scarpa claimed Yousef had spoken to him about plans to bomb an airplane or kidnap an American attorney to declare Yousef s 1996 trial a mistrial He also stated Yousef had implied assistance from a foreign government presumably Qatar since Yousef s maternal uncle Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was living there as the guest of a cabinet official at the time 4 On March 31 1996 Scarpa claimed Yousef had sent a bomb through the DHL postal service and also named Abdul Hakim Murad as a co conspirator in a plan to bomb an airplane several months later Scarpa also stated Yousef had people from England scouting the Atlanta Olympic Games 4 5 In 1999 prosecutors said that Scarpa s tips about Yousef were a scam which led nowhere 6 Judge Reena Raggi agreed ruling that Scarpa had not provided substantial assistance but had actually colluded with Yousef to mislead the government and chose to amend his initial sentence by doubling the length of his imprisonment 3 7 Terry Nichols Edit In 2005 Scarpa tipped off authorities about previously undiscovered explosives and ammunition buried in the crawl space of the home of Terry Nichols a fellow prisoner at ADX Florence who had previously been convicted for his role in the Oklahoma City bombing The Federal Bureau of Investigation had previously searched the home multiple times and the new discovery embarrassed the F B I according to Judge Edward Korman of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York In December 2015 Judge Korman issued an order reducing Scarpa s sentence to 30 years in prison due to his tip in the Oklahoma City bombing case 6 The reduction was reversed upon appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit which reasoned that although he had provided substantial assistance to the government the government had the right not to reduce his sentence based on legitimate concerns related to his false statements in the Yousef case 4 Release EditIn November 2020 Judge Korman granted Scarpa a compassionate release from prison Scarpa had been suffering from cancer and treatment had left him with no salivary glands and a hole in his throat He planned to live with a sister in Florida 1 References Edit a b Goldberg Noah November 11 2020 Ailing Brooklyn mobster blamed in 1980s killings wins compassionate release from prison New York Daily News Retrieved July 7 2021 Reputed mob boss with AIDS sues over blood transfusion New York Daily News Baltimore Sun August 17 1992 Retrieved July 7 2021 a b Klasfeld Adam June 22 2017 Mafia Capo Won t Catch Sentencing Break for Terror Intel Courthouse News Service Retrieved July 7 2021 a b c d Feuer Alan June 22 2017 Appeals Court Reinstates 40 Year Sentence for Brooklyn Mobster New York Times Retrieved July 8 2021 FBI interview record of Gregory Scarpa 265A NY 258172 March 5 1996 Retrieved July 30 2017 a b Clifford Stephanie January 6 2016 A Mafia Captain Turned Informer Gets a Reduced Prison Term The New York Times Retrieved July 7 2021 USA v Scarpa PDF United States Government Publishing Office Retrieved July 7 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gregory Scarpa Jr amp oldid 1129603424, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
