NEW YORK, NY – Anthony Pandrella, a member of the Gambino family’s organized crime operation, is heading to prison for 40 years. Pandrella was convicted of murder in federal court for the killing of 77-year-old Vincent Zito in 2018.
According to the Department of Justice, Zito, who was friends with Pandrella for over 30 years, ran an illegal loansharking business and was told by Pandrella that he was hot. That meant Pandrella was under investigation by law enforcement.
Prior, Zito gave Pandrella $750,000 to hold, but when he asked for his money back and when he came to Pandrella’s Sheepshead Bay home to collect the money on Octo
“On the morning of October 26, 2018, Pandrella went to the Sheepshead Bay home of Zito and while there, shot his friend in the back of the head at close range. Pandrella also stole expensive foreign-made wristwatches that the victim was holding as collateral for a customer’s loan,” the Department of Justice said during the trial. ” Pandrella was captured on security camera footage entering and leaving Zito’s residence at the time of the murder and robbery. After leaving the victim’s residence, Pandrella went home and additional security video from his neighborhood showed that the defendant changed his shoes and clothing, and removed the driver’s side floor mat of his vehicle so it could be cleaned.”
Zito’s body was discovered by his 11-year-old grandson when the boy returned home from school.
“All for greed, the defendant ruthlessly executed his longtime friend after being welcomed into his home,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “Pandrella’s cold-blooded crime has cost him dearly with the loss of his freedom for decades.”
“With today’s sentence, the NYPD and our law enforcement partners reaffirm our commitment to hold every violent criminal in our community accountable,” stated NYPD Commissioner Sewell. “This defendant showed a callous disregard for human life, and his association with organized crime will not shield him from justice. I thank and commend the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, the New York Field Office of the FBI, and everyone who worked on this important case.”