Eddie Garafola

Edward "Cousin Eddie" Garafola (born 1939) of New York, is a Gambino crime family captain who controlled the construction industry until the early 2000s. Garafola is believed to have been a made member of La Cosa Nostra since the mid 1970s. He is the brother-in-law of former underboss Sammy "The Bull" Gravano. He is married to Fran, Salvatore Gravano's sister (see Gravano).

In May 1985, Garafola was charged with tax evasion for failing to report income from a New York discotheque that he owned with Gravano. Garafola and Gravano were also suspects to the murder of Frank Fiala outside of the same discotheque, although they were not convicted.[1] On March 2, 2000, Garafola was charged with racketeering in a classic "Pump and dump" stock fraud and money laundering scheme that made him $41 million over a three-year period. Slapped with a 43 count indictment and several RICO's Garafola was prepared to do life in prison. Garafola's son Mario, a reputed Gambino soldier and key player, was also charged and convicted in the plot. Edward copped a plea agreement to do life in prison in order reduce his sons sentence. As of April 2012, Mario Garafola has been released from FCC Allenwood.[2]

"It's my brother-in-law Eddie. He's caused me nothing but trouble with his devious ways, always looking for the angle. He was a schemer, he always knew how to make money. But he's got a big edge with me. His wife is my sister and I ain't ever going to hurt her."[3]

In September 1996, Peter Gotti visited his brother, Gambino boss John Gotti, in prison. Gotti reportedly told Peter, then acting boss, to have Thomas "Huck" Carbonara and Garafola kill Gravano. Carbonara and Garafola reportedly made several trips to Arizona, where the media had revealed Gravano was hiding, to set up a hit. Gravano's arrest on drug charges in 2000 ended this venture. On May 22, 2003, Garafola was indicted in New York for plotting to murder Gravano.[4]

Suspected of being involved in nearly two dozen murders dating back to the 1970s, Garafola pleaded guilty to the murder of his cousin in 2004, Edward "The Chink" Garofalo (Garofalo, not Garafola) although he claims in court documents that he was not present the night of the shooting. On September 6, 2007, Garafola was sentenced to life in prison.[5]

In 2015, Garafola was denied compassionate release. A law enforcement source said Edward Garafola has not been “put on the shelf,” or retired by the Gambinos, and he could theoretically give orders to mob associates if he came home.

As of June 2015, Garafola is imprisoned at the Rochester Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Minnesota .[6]

References

  1. ↑ "THE CITY; 3S.I. Men Charged With Tax Evasion By The Associated Press" New York Times May 4, 1985
  2. ↑ "19 Charged in Stock Scheme Tied to Mob" By ALAN FEUER New York Times March 3, 2000
  3. ↑ "Bull's Brother-In-Law In the Drink" by Jerry Capeci This Week in Gangland March 9, 2000
  4. ↑ "New York: Manhattan: Mobster's In-Law Charged In Plot" By Benjamin Weiser (NYT) New York Times May 22, 2003
  5. ↑ "Manhattan: Mob Soldier Sentenced" New York Times September 7, 2007
  6. ↑ Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator

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