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Born in United States · Nationality American — Organised crime / Lucchese family / airport thefts / alleged murders / disappearance

Tommy DeSimone

Documented profile covering 7 controversies, including “1978: identified early as suspect or possible participant in Lufthansa heist” and “1979: disappearance and presumed death amid Mafia reprisals — perpetrator and circumstances unestablished”.

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Profile No. 2015 · Updated on 12 October 2026

7Documented controversies
5Sources
0Formal charge · all time
0Conviction

I. Documented controversies

01

December 1978–January 1981

1978: identified early as suspect or possible participant in Lufthansa heist

Allegations

Contemporary reporting on the Lufthansa investigation indicated that DeSimone was among the first names provided to investigators after the heist.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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02

January 1979

1979: disappearance and presumed death amid Mafia reprisals — perpetrator and circumstances unestablished

No legal proceedings

DeSimone disappeared in early 1979 and is widely considered to have been murdered. The most frequently cited theories link his death to the unauthorised killings of Bentvena and Jerothe or to efforts to eliminate risks following Lufthansa.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Protagonist is the victim

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Den of GeekThe Real Goodfellas: The Mysterious Fate of Tommy DeSimoneSecondary sourceMedium reliability
  2. [2]
    CrimeWikiThomas DeSimoneSecondary sourceMedium reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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03

December 1978

1978: murder of Parnell 'Stacks' Edwards attributed to DeSimone after Lufthansa heist

No legal proceedings

Historical accounts attribute the murder of Parnell Edwards, a participant in the heist, to DeSimone following the compromising abandonment of the vehicle used in the operation.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
  2. [2]
    CrimeWikiThomas DeSimoneSecondary sourceMedium reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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04

December 1974

1974: murder of Ronald 'Foxy' Jerothe attributed to DeSimone

No legal proceedings

Historical sources attribute Ronald Jerothe's murder to DeSimone after a personal conflict; Jerothe was close to the circle around the future John Gotti.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    CrimeWikiThomas DeSimoneSecondary sourceMedium reliability
  2. [2]

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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05

June 1970

1970: murder of William 'Billy Batts' Bentvena attributed to DeSimone and Burke

No legal proceedings

Henry Hill's accounts and numerous books attribute a central role to DeSimone in William Bentvena's murder after a dispute.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
  2. [2]
    CrimeWikiThomas DeSimoneSecondary sourceMedium reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

06

vers 1970

1970: killing of waiter Michael 'Spider' Gianco attributed to DeSimone

No legal proceedings

Accounts from Hill's circle attribute Michael Gianco's death to DeSimone during a violent episode in an establishment frequented by the group.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

07

April 1967

1967: attributed participation in JFK Air France theft

No legal proceedings

Historical accounts identify DeSimone as participating with Henry Hill in the theft of $420,000 from the Air France terminal at JFK.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    CrimeWikiThomas DeSimoneSecondary sourceMedium reliability
  2. [2]

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

  • Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
  • Line width: number of documented references
  • Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (3)
  1. Henry Hill2 documented references
  2. Jimmy Burke1 documented reference
  3. John Gotti1 documented reference

III. Has something changed?

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