Gaetano Badalamenti

Gaetano Badalamenti (Don Tanino), a Sicilian mafia boss, was the ringleader of a drug smuggling operation that became known as The Pizza Connection.

Born - April 6, 1905

Birthplace - Cinisi, Italy

Died - April 29, 2004

Location of Death - Devens Federal Medical Center, Ayer, MA

Cause of Death - Heart Failure

Gender - Male

Religion - Roman Catholic

Ethnicity - White

Military - Italian Army

Drug Smuggling - Convicted 1987 and sentenced to 47 years.

Murder - Convicted in 2002 for a 1978 murder in Italy.

Money Laundering - Convicted June 22, 1987 and sentenced to 45 years.

From 1975 to 1984, Gaetano Badalamenti (Don Tanino), a Sicilian mafia boss, was the ringleader of a $1.65 billion dollar drug smuggling operation that imported heroin from the Middle East and cocaine from South America and distributed the drugs through U.S. mid-western pizzeria store fronts.

The F.B.I. sought to arrest Badalamenti, who was in hiding, as a narcotics kingpin. Through wiretaps, it was learned that Badalamenti planned a meeting in Madrid Spain. It was there that he was taken into custody, without incident. At the same time, U.S. raids were being conducted, rounding up an additional 32 alleged criminals involved in what became known by the press as The Pizza Connection.

Badalamenti was convicted and sentenced to serve 45 years in a U.S. federal prison after a long chaotic trial in New York that included two defendants being killed and one shot.

In 2002 he was also found guilty of murder for the 1978 murder of a radio disc jockey who spoke disapprovingly of Gaetano.

At the age of 80, Gaetano Badalamenti died at the Devens Federal Medical Center, Ayer, MA on April 29, 2004.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]