The elderly man who was decapitated by a truck this week turned out to be a gangster, nicknamed "Tony Cakes," belonging to a massive crime family
Anthony Conigliaro, an 86-year-old former acting captain of the Genovese crime family, met a tragic end on June 12 when he was struck and decapitated by a New York City Department of Transportation truck at a Brooklyn crossing. Known by various nicknames such as "Tony Cakes," "Tony the Dessert Man," and "Tony Cheesecake," Conigliaro lived a quiet life in a small Bay Ridge apartment complex before his untimely death.
Conigliaro had a notorious past as a mobster. In 2005, he was accused of being a soldier in the Genovese crime family and was charged with racketeering. He was also involved in a 2006 grand larceny case and a 1999 criminal usury case. Despite his criminal background, Conigliaro was known to his neighbors as a considerate and kind individual, unaware of his mafia connections.
Transitioning from his life of crime, Conigliaro ventured into the dessert industry, operating an Italian ice and gelato stand in Little Italy and working in the wholesale cake business. His lawyer and friend, Mathew Mari, remembered him as a quiet, polite man who successfully turned his life around.
A small memorial with candles and flowers was set up at the site of his death on Dahlgren Place and 92nd Street. The accident, which showed the horrific aftermath and the distressed DOT driver, highlighted the tragic end of a man who had spent years trying to lead a quiet life.
