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Aging gangster accused of ‘Goodfellas’ heist goes on trial

In this Jan. 23, 3014 courtroom drawing, Vincent Asaro, left, is joined by his attorney, Gerald McMahon, at federal court in New York. Asaro, 78, was named along with his son, Jerome, and three other defendants in wide-ranging indictment alleging murder, robbery, extortion, arson and other crimes from the late 1960s through 2013. Asaro goes to trial in October 2015 for his role in the 1978 Lufthansa heist which Martin Scorsese immortalized in his film “Goodfellas.” (AP Photo/Elizabeth Williams, File)
In this Jan. 23, 3014 courtroom drawing, Vincent Asaro, left, is joined by his attorney, Gerald McMahon, at federal court in New York. Asaro, 78, was named along with his son, Jerome, and three other defendants in wide-ranging indictment alleging murder, robbery, extortion, arson and other crimes from the late 1960s through 2013. Asaro goes to trial in October 2015 for his role in the 1978 Lufthansa heist which Martin Scorsese immortalized in his film “Goodfellas.” (AP Photo/Elizabeth Williams, File)

By Associated Press 1 min read

NEW YORK (AP) – An aging gangster is being tried on charges he was in on a legendary mob heist recounted in the hit film “Goodfellas.”

In opening statements Monday, a prosecutor told federal jurors in New York City that the $6 million Lufthansa holdup in 1978 was “the score of all scores” for Vincent Asaro and other mobsters.

Asaro’s lawyer countered by accusing the government of building its case on the testimony of shady turncoat gangsters.

Prosecutors say the 80-year-old Asaro was a member of the Bonanno crime family for decades. Along with the Lufthansa heist, they say he and the late mobster James Burke killed a truck driver in 1969 after becoming convinced he was an informant.

Robert De Niro played a character based on Burke in the 1990 Martin Scorsese movie.