N.Y. Mafia boss turns informant

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N.Y. Mafia boss turns informant, sources say, in surprise turnaround

NEW YORK - In a remarkable turn in the long, sometimes colorful history of law enforcement's fight against organized crime, the boss of the Bonanno crime family has begun cooperating with federal authorities and has told them about another top Mafia member's proposal to kill a prosecutor, law enforcement officials said Thursday.

The cooperation of one of the official bosses of New York's five Mafia clans is all the more extraordinary because it involves Joseph Massino, 62, the man who was known as the last don, an Old World stalwart who clung to what some organized-crime associates regard as the fading values of honor and the Mafia's code of silence.

Massino, who was convicted in July on federal murder and racketeering charges and could face the death penalty if he is convicted in a pending murder case, secretly recorded prison conversations with another mob figure about the idea of killing the prosecutor, said the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of Massino's cooperation.

The discussions between Massino and the other mob figure, the Bonanno family's acting boss, Vincent Basciano, were recorded at a detention center, according to the officials and court papers.

Their conversations are briefly outlined in a murder and racketeering indictment unsealed Thursday against Basciano in an unrelated killing. It does not cite Massino by name but refers to two meetings between Basciano and ``a high-ranking member of the Bonanno family'' at which the proposal to kill the prosecutor was discussed.

The law enforcement officials said that high-ranking member was Massino.

Damn, that's heartbreaking. How the fuck does a boss turn snitch? :chicken: :chicken: :five-o:

rat....