Thomas DeSimone

Thomas James DeSimone (June 6, 1946 – disappeared January 14, 1979) was an American criminal associated with New York City's Lucchese crime family who is alleged to have participated in both the Air France robbery and the Lufthansa heist. It is believed DeSimone was responsible for participating in at least 5 murders, from William "Billy Batts" Bentvena in 1970, Michael "Spider" Gianco in 1970, William Reckhow in 1970, Ronald "Foxy" Jerothe in 1974, and Parnell "Stacks" Edwards in 1978. DeSimone went missing in 1979 and is believed to have been murdered, as a result of the murder of Bentvena in June 1970. DeSimone had not been given permission from the Lucchese family or the American Mafia Commission to murder Bentvena as he was a formally inducted member of the Gambino family, and was subsequently murdered as the disposition of this sequence. DeSimone's career in the Lucchese family is explored in the book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, and inspired the character of Tommy DeVito, portrayed by Joe Pesci, one of the main characters of the 1990 film Goodfellas.