https://www.yahoo.com/movies/s/liotta-recalls-scorsese-discussion-goodfellas-shoot-044217652.htmlIn the comments section..
"Failure to lay low and not spend any of the big score as portrayed in "Good Fellas" isn't the first time this happened in a NY crime family. A former employer, "John" was an associate of the Gambino Family in the 30's & 40's. Not eligible for "membership" ; because he was half Polish/half Italian, he none the less was an earner for the mob - in it up to his eyeballs. In 1949 he and a few of his closest buddies hatched a scheme to knock off a BIG, floating crap game for gangsters which was held monthly at various remote spots in the NJ countryside. My friend & his crew masked up, got the drop on the "festivities" and took the money (upwards of $150K) their pants, guns and car keys, leaving some pissed off gangsters standing around in their skivies. Who were they going to call? The police? HAHAHA!
Their agreement was the same as Henry's crew - keep mouths shut/don't flash any cash for at least a year, except one idiot did exactly the same as the dummy in the movie - bought his wife a fur coat and & new Cadillac. That guy got whacked and even though my friend was strongly suspected of having a hand in this robbery, they had no proof and he wouldn't cop to it. Because his uncle was a respected/feared capo, it was decided to throw John "out of the club." It was "recommended" he move his family out of NYC to CA, and "Don't call us - we'll call you...."
After that he went straight, for the most part, except for a few "slips." Since I earned good money for John (by legal means) he liked me a lot, treated me like a son and always made a supreme effort to keep me clear of any shady stuff, telling me, "Don't chose to go down the same road I did because you can never get out." It was good advice for a 20 something at the crossroads between living a life of crime or remaining an honorable, upright citizen. RIP, John. Loved ya, man"!
