A celebrity chef in New York City revealed Thursday that he was part of the New York City Mafia decades ago while still a successful chef on the restaurant scene.
David Ruggerio, a famed chef at New York restaurants Maxim’s, Le Chantilly, and La Caravelle, admitted to being a member of the Gambino crime family who tortured and killed people on the mob’s behalf. Ruggerio is even related to Carlo Gambino, the former crime boss, by blood.
“I wouldn’t have wished my life on anyone. I hate to sleep. The nights are very long and filled with nightmares,” Ruggerio told Vanity Fair. “I didn’t want to be a criminal. I want you to understand that. I loved being a chef.”
ORAL SURGEON CHARGED WITH MURDER IN GIRLFRIEND’S OVERDOSE
Ruggerio added that certain mafia bosses, including Carmine Lombardozzi, wanted their crews to have real jobs to help deflect attention from law enforcement. As such, Ruggerio never told his coworkers at any restaurant about his job with the mob, even as he rose the executive ladder and began running kitchens at major restaurants.
Ruggerio’s life as a promising young chef took a sharp twist in 1998 when he was arrested on charges related to fraud. According to the FBI, Ruggerio had defrauded a credit card company out of $190,000 by inflating the tips of customers. He ended up pleading guilty to the fraudulent charges in exchange for a five-year probation and repaying $100,000.
The chef was involved in multiple gangland murders for the mob, heroin dealing, truck hijackings, loan-sharking, bookmaking, and extortion, as well as the torture and killing of 56-year-old Genovese and Colombo associate Pasquale “Paddy Mac” Macchiarole, according to the interview.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Ruggerio said he now regrets his life of crime and is working on a memoir.
“I did things when I was pushed that I’m not proud of,” he said. “But to really, truly be in the streets, you gotta have a black heart. When you turn that switch, there can be no emotion. You have no pity. You gotta just do it.”
