Ex-Bonanno mob boss Joseph Massino — the first N.Y. family boss to ever take the witness stand for the government — testified Thursday that a crooked FBI agent tipped off the Mafia back in the 80s that he and others were about to get arrested, the Associated Press reported.
As a result, he said, he went on the lam for two years, AP reported.
“The FBI agent never gave a bad tip,” Massino testified, according to AP. “Anytime he told us something, we could take it to the bank.”
Massino is currently serving a life sentence for multiple murders. He was testifying against his successor in the mob, Vincent “Vinny Gorgeous” Basciano, who is accused of putting a hit out on a mob associate. Basciano is already serving a life sentence in another case.
AP reported that it was unclear whether authorities ever confirmed Massino’s story about the crooked FBI agent. AP reported that the FBI on Thursday declined comment.
