83-Year Old Ex-Hitman Testifies at Philadelphia Mob Boss Trial

PHILADELPHIA (Associated Press) — An aging mob hit man told jurors Monday that he once plotted to kill a Philadelphia mob boss now on trial and two underlings — even though he liked them.

Pete "the Crumb" Caprio said he was acting on behalf of rival New York mob leaders when he targeted accused Philadelphia boss Joseph Ligambi, Ligambi nephew George Borgesi and a purported underboss in 2000.

But the 83-year-old Caprio was instead arrested that year and agreed to cooperate with the FBI. He's in the witness protection program after serving six years for a racketeering charge that included at least two slayings.

Caprio's colorful testimony Monday was designed to let jurors glimpse the culture of what one defense lawyer called "Mafialand." Caprio described the initiation, or "making," ceremonies, the code of silence, the loansharking system and other mob protocol and acknowledged that he had taken part in various shootings and stabbings. Asked about other aging associates, he named two who had "retired."

Nonetheless, he said, "You're a made member till you die."

In one bizarre anecdote, Caprio described how he and an associate tried in vain to dig up the body of a mob victim named Butchie who was buried in cement beneath a Newark, N.J., social club. They could only remove half his body, so they left some remains there and moved the rest to a new site in Hackettstown, N.J.

Butchie disappeared the same day as former Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa, Caprio said. But when asked if he had anything to do with the latter case, he chuckled and said no.

Federal prosecutors accuse Ligambi of taking over La Cosa Nostra in Philadelphia after Joey Merlino went to prison in 1999. The indictment focuses on loansharking and sports betting activities, along with threats of violence, but there's little actual violence alleged.

Ligambi, Borgesi and five others are on trial, while several other defendants pleaded guilty before the trial started last month. The case could wrap up in December.

On cross-examination, Caprio acknowledged that he didn't know much about the defendants' activities after he was arrested and went to prison in 2000.