Two mobsters found guilty of murder after testimony from Hector Pagan Jr of Mob Wives fame
The daughter (right) of James Donovan and an unidentified male companion leave Brooklyn Federal Court on Thursday after the conviction of Richard Riccardi and Luigi Grasso in Donovan's 2010 murder.
A pair of fatso Mafia wannabes were convicted Thursday of murder largely on the turncoat testimony of “Mob Wives” star Renee Graziano’s ex-husband.
Richard Riccardi and Luigi Grasso were fingered in the fatal robbery of a Brooklyn check casher by mob rat Hector Pagan, who shot and killed the victim in Gravesend on July 2, 2010.
“Hector Pagan was not lying to make these defendants look more guilty,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Argentieri told the jury in her closing statement. “He told you he was the shooter and there is absolutely no other evidence in this case that Hector Pagan was the shooter, none.”
There was no mention of the reality TV show in which Pagan actually appeared around the same time he was wearing a hidden wire for the feds to nail top Bonanno gangsters, including his father-in-law Anthony "TG" Graziano.
The trio had targeted victim James Donovan, a reputed Luchese associate himself, for a stick-up because Riccardi knew he carried a large amount of cash.
The ex-husband of 'Mob Wives' TV personality Renee Graziano ratted out the pair of gangsters.
Donovan was ambushed outside an automotive repair show and tried to flee after Grasso grabbed him by the hand.
“Who the f--- are you?” were Donovan's last words, according to a witness, before Pagan shot him in the leg. Donovan’s femoral artery was shredded and he bled to death.
“The jury saw through their attempts to shift responsibility for their actions and held them accountable for Mr. Donovan's senseless death,” said Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch.
In addition to Pagan’s cooperation, NYPD Det. Peter McMahon broke the case by recovering cigarette butts from a parking lot where Riccardi was surveilling the victim. Riccardi’s DNA was found on the butts.
Richard Riccardi is one of the Mafia wannabes convicted on Thursday in the murder of James Donovan.
Earlier this week, Grasso did some squealing of his own — to the judge — complaining that the feds weren't feeding him enough lunchtime grub.
Grasso was furious that Federal Judge John Gleeson had cut off his catered lunches from a downtown Brooklyn delicatessen and that he was back on bologna sandwich rations.
“We're starving!” Grasso wailed, although co-defendant Richard Riccardi wisely kept his mouth shut.
Tough luck, Gleeson shot back, reminding Grasso that he had abused the privilege when family members sneaked extra bottles of iced tea in with the order.
The government provides each defendant a sandwich, an apple and a container of milk for lunch while they are in court, but Grasso and Riccardi appear to tip the scales at 300 pounds apiece and complained they were famished before the end of the trial day.
The defendants face life in prison. Pagan testified that he recently told family members that he'll be home soon.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/testimony-mob-wives-star-leads-convictions-article-1.1728796#ixzz2wbUmrJmW
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