Vincent Gigante

Vincent "the Chin" Gigante (sometimes referred to as "the Oddfather") is a notorious Mafioso whom prosecutors allege has headed the Genovese family for years, at times while in prison. Since the mid-1960s, Gigante has been regularly seen wandering the streets of Greenwich Village, New York in his bathrobe and slippers, mumbling incoherently to himself.

Gigante escaped conviction on bribery charges in 1969 by producing a number of prominent psychiatrists who testified that Gigante was legally insane, suffering from schizophrenia, dementia, psychosis, and various other mental disorders.

Gigante was convicted on several racketeering, conspiracy, and related charges in the summer of 1997, and sentenced to prison, despite his lawyers' and psychiatrists' claims that he has been quite mad for more than 30 years, and thus incapable of running a large and sophisticated organized crime operation.

As part of a plea bargain in an obstruction of justice trial stemming from his efforts to delay his racketeering trial, on April 7, 2003, Gigante admitted in court that his insanity was an act. He received a sentence of three years, to be served after his current sentence is completed. He is now due for release in 2010.

External Links

• Mob boss admits insanity an act, pleads guilty Andy Newman, New York Times, April 8, 2003