Vinny Gorgeous issued no kissing edict
He gave mob smooches the kiss of death.
After Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano took control of the Bonanno crime family, he became so paranoid about the government that he ordered his underlings to stop kissing each other on the cheek, a mob associate-turned-rat testified yesterday.
Giuseppe "Joey" Gambina, testifying at Basciano's capital murder and racketeering trial, said he met the new boss for the first time on a Bronx street in early 2004 and promptly planted kisses on both of his cheeks, a traditional mob greeting repeated countless times in movies like "The Godfather."
But he was quickly rebuffed by Basciano.
"We don't kiss in public no more," Gambina, 42, said a suddenly bashful Basciano told him.
"The government's taking pictures," Gambina quoted Basciano as saying during his testimony in Brooklyn federal court yesterday.
Basciano currently has a new concern -- better lunches.
His lawyer, George Goltzer, yesterday pleaded with Judge Nicholas Garaufis, to allow his client more for lunch than the "one slice of bologna" he ate yesterday.
Goltzer -- who promised he'd pick up the tab -- asked for permission to get food from the court's cafeteria, rather than have the US marshals provide it. Garaufis said, "I don't think that's unreasonable."
Earlier, an FBI agent testified how the vain boss said he was glad they'd given him extra time to "get dolled up" for his mug shot when he was arrested in 2004.
"From what I read in the newspapers, you guys usually do this at 6 a.m.," FBI Special Agent Michael Breslin testified Basciano told authorities as they arrived at his home shortly after 9 a.m.
Basciano is on trial for ordering a hit on Bonanno associate Randy Pizzolo.
Gambina also revealed yesterday that a key Basciano lieutenant, Dominick Cicale, approached him around Thanksgiving 2004 to participate in the Pizzolo murder.
As Gambina recalled how Cicale told him that he'd get "membership" in the Bonanno family, Basciano could be seen with a look of disgust on his face.
But Gambina said he declined the offer because he feared Cicale had turned informant and was trying to get him arrested.
Cicale's plan had Gambina driving Pizzolo to murder an unidentified person. Then Anthony "Ace" Aiello would rub-out Pizzolo. Gambina declined.
After Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano took control of the Bonanno crime family, he became so paranoid about the government that he ordered his underlings to stop kissing each other on the cheek, a mob associate-turned-rat testified yesterday.
Giuseppe "Joey" Gambina, testifying at Basciano's capital murder and racketeering trial, said he met the new boss for the first time on a Bronx street in early 2004 and promptly planted kisses on both of his cheeks, a traditional mob greeting repeated countless times in movies like "The Godfather."
BUSS STOP: Late mob boss John Gotti gives a Mafia peck to John D'Amato in a surveillance video. Vincent Basciano later banned such kisses.
"We don't kiss in public no more," Gambina, 42, said a suddenly bashful Basciano told him.
"The government's taking pictures," Gambina quoted Basciano as saying during his testimony in Brooklyn federal court yesterday.
Basciano currently has a new concern -- better lunches.
His lawyer, George Goltzer, yesterday pleaded with Judge Nicholas Garaufis, to allow his client more for lunch than the "one slice of bologna" he ate yesterday.
Goltzer -- who promised he'd pick up the tab -- asked for permission to get food from the court's cafeteria, rather than have the US marshals provide it. Garaufis said, "I don't think that's unreasonable."
Earlier, an FBI agent testified how the vain boss said he was glad they'd given him extra time to "get dolled up" for his mug shot when he was arrested in 2004.
"From what I read in the newspapers, you guys usually do this at 6 a.m.," FBI Special Agent Michael Breslin testified Basciano told authorities as they arrived at his home shortly after 9 a.m.
Basciano is on trial for ordering a hit on Bonanno associate Randy Pizzolo.
Gambina also revealed yesterday that a key Basciano lieutenant, Dominick Cicale, approached him around Thanksgiving 2004 to participate in the Pizzolo murder.
As Gambina recalled how Cicale told him that he'd get "membership" in the Bonanno family, Basciano could be seen with a look of disgust on his face.
But Gambina said he declined the offer because he feared Cicale had turned informant and was trying to get him arrested.
Cicale's plan had Gambina driving Pizzolo to murder an unidentified person. Then Anthony "Ace" Aiello would rub-out Pizzolo. Gambina declined.
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