George Conte

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Gregory "Georgie Goggles" Conte (b. 1961) is a New York mobster and reputed captain in the Lucchese crime family.

After joining the New York based Lucchese crime family during the late 1980s, Conte became heavily associated with Brooklyn faction leaders, Frank "Big Frank" Lastorino, the reputed Consigliere, and even the fierce Underboss, Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso. According to US law enforcement, Conte was involved in labor racketeering, loansharking, illegal gambling, extortion and narcotics activities in Brooklyn, Manhattan and the Bronx. As well as being involved in various criminal activities, Conte was reportedly involved in a cocaine operation that earned more than $100,000 a week. [1]

When reputed Boss Vittorio "Vic" Amuso and Underboss Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso went into hiding and controlled the family from afar due to pressure from US law enforcement in the early 1990s, most of Conte's operations were based in the Bronx, however, he was heavily associated with Brooklyn faction leaders George Zappola, Frank Papagni and Frank Lastorino, who began plotting to take over the family on the orders of the exiled Casso. After several high-ranking members began turning state's evidence, Conte was promoted to captain in The Bronx faction of the family, a large rival to the Brooklyn wing, however, according to US law enforcement, Conte was involved in the plot of taking over the Lucchese crime family in the early 1990s. [2] [3]

Together, they reportedly plotted to murder Acting boss Joseph "Little Joe" DeFede, Underboss Steven "Wonderboy" Crea and Aniello "Neil" Migliore, all powerful members of the Bronx wing. However, due to massive indictments at the time, even the capturing of Amuso in 1992 and Casso in 1994, the plots never succeeded, and Conte, as well as Zappola, Papagni and Lastorino were sent to prison on various criminal charges that included labor racketeering, extortion, drug trafficking, murder and conspiracy. Conte pled guilty and was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison. [4] [5]

As of March, 2008, Conte is imprisoned at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI II Medium) - Victorville in Adelanto, California. His projected release-date is March 3, 2014. [6] According to US law enforcement, he is still a reputed captain in the Lucchese crime family.

[edit] Further reading

• Kelly, Robert J. The Upperworld and the Underworld: Case Studies of Racketeering and Business Infiltrations in the United States. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, 1999. ISBN 0-306-45969-8
• Goldstock, Ronald, Martin Marcus and II Thacher. Corruption and Racketeering in the New York City Construction Industry: Final Report of the New York State Organized Crime Task Force. New York: NYU Press, 1990. ISBN 0-8147-3034-5
• Milhorn, H. Thomas. Crime: Computer Viruses to Twin Towers. Boca Raton, Florida: Universal Publishers, 2005. ISBN 1-58112-489-9
• Raab, Selwyn. Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. New York: St. Martin Press, 2005. ISBN 0-312-30094-8

[edit] External links

• http://www.ganglandnews.com/column93.htm
• http://www.ganglandnews.com/column74.htm
• http://www.ipsn.org/characters/patriarca/Lucchese%20Class%20of%20'91.htm
• http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9802E1D71F3CF931A35753C1A960958260
• http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E01EFD71639F936A15752C0A960958260
• http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&LastName=Conte&Middle=&FirstName=George&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=0&y=0