Historica Wiki
Advertisement


Henry Tomasino (17 July 1911 – 24 September 1951) was an Italian-American soldato in the Clemente and Moretti crime families in New York City and a federal informant. He was murdered by Triads in 1951 after his cooperation with the Government was discovered.

Biography[]

Henry Tomasino was born on July 17th 1911 to an Italian family in Palermo, Sicily. One of seven brothers, Tomasino's father Silvio was a powerful mafioso, and during Italian dictator Benito Mussolini's war against the Sicilian Mafia in 1931, Tomasino's father sent him to the United States out of fear that he would be either drafted into the Italian Army or imprisoned for his illicit activities. Upon arriving in New York City, Tomasino was aided by family friend and Mafia boss Alberto Clemente, who offered him employment in his family, and he was eventually made, becoming a lethal and effective soldato with 12 hits to his name. At one point during his criminal career, Tomasino was approached by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and given the chance to become an informant, which he took up. In February 1945, gangster Joe Barbaro introduced Tomasino to his friend and war veteran Vito Scaletta, who was looking for a job after his millitary service. Tomasino then started assigning the pair on heists and robbery jobs at the behest of Clemente, forming a friendship with them and even going along with them on the hit on former Clemente associate Sidney Pen, who shot Tomasino in the leg before being killed, requiring the assistance of mob doctor Andreas Karafantis. Tomasino also alerted Barbaro that there was a contract on him from Clemente's capo Luca Gurino, convincing him to go on the run to the South for five years. After Scaletta and Barbaro were made into the Moretti crime family led by Carlo Falcone and murdered Clemente on his orders in 1951, Tomasino was left without work and requested the duo sponsor him in the Moretti family. Falcone's underboss Eddie Scarpa agreed, asking Tomasino to kill Vinci family consigliere Leo Galante as a show of loyalty, though Scaletta informed Galante of the impending hit out of friendship and helped him leave town, but Tomasino was nonetheless welcomed into the Moretti family. A short time later, Tomasino convinced Scaletta and Barbaro to cash into the narcotics trade, and through a $35,000 loan from lender Bruno Levine, they entered into a partnership with the Triads, agreeing to sell their heroin for a price. They successfully sold a profitable quantity of drugs, but Triad enforcers had learnt of Tomasino's status as a federal informer, and they would take retribution for his treason.

Death[]

Henry Tomasino Death

Tomasino after being hacked to death by the Triads

On 24 September 1951, Tomasino called Scaletta and Barbaro to meet with him in Central Park and discuss Falcone asking a $60,000 cut of their business. As the two arrived there, they witnessed Tomasino being attacked by multiple Triads slashing him with meat cleavers on the ground. Tomasino attempted to fight back, but he succumbed to his injuries and died, with the Triads taking back the drug money from Tomasino's corpse.

Advertisement