Informant in JFK heist tells court of 'nightmares' about mob past

An undated photo shows cousins Gaspare Valenti, left, and Vincent... — An undated photo shows cousins Gaspare Valenti, left, and Vincent Asaro. The image was presented on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, as a government exhibit at the federal trial of Vincent Asaro, charged in the $6 million Lufthansa robbery at JFK Airport in 1978. Valenti is testifying against Asaro. Credit: USDOJ

By JOHN RILEYjohn.riley@newsday.comOctober 21, 2015

Testifying for a second day in Brooklyn federal court in the Lufthansa heist trial, mob cooperator Gaspare Valenti said Wednesday he began taping cousin Vincent Asaro for the FBI in 2008 because of money troubles and "nightmares" about his mob past.

"I was tired," said Valenti, 68, formerly of Baldwin, who on Monday fingered Bonanno mobster Asaro as a planner of the famous 1978 "Goodfellas" robbery of $6 million from the Lufthansa terminal at Kennedy Airport. "A lot of remorse, a lot of nightmares."

Valenti, who testified that he was a member of the crew that executed the robbery, said the FBI helped him with expenses in return for secretly recording Asaro, 80, of Howard Beach, for several years, beginning in 2008.

In tapes played Wednesday, Valenti and Asaro discussed shaking down a relative for a share of a house sale and commiserated about being past their prime. "Good days, bad days," Asaro said on one tape. "Gettin' old."

Asaro is charged with racketeering, including murder, robberies and loan-sharking, in addition to the Lufthansa theft.