"Fat Andy" is a notable character from the movie "Goodfellas," based on true events involving the mafia. The actor who portrayed Fat Andy was Louis Eppolito, a corrupt police officer deeply involved in criminal activities. Alongside his partner, Stephen Caracappa, Eppolito became known as one of the "Mafia Cops." They were implicated in numerous illegal activities, including passing confidential information to the mob, committing murders, and engaging in drug trafficking.
Eppolito and Caracappa used their positions in the NYPD to provide valuable information to the Lucchese crime family. Their actions facilitated the murder of several individuals, either directly or indirectly. Their most infamous act was their involvement with mobster Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso who ordered they hit a made mafia for him. Casso later turned informant and implicated both officers in his crimes.
The law eventually caught up with Eppolito and Caracappa. In 2005, both men were arrested, and in 2006, they were convicted on all charges. Eppolito was sentenced to life in prison plus 100 years. His actions, alongside Caracappa's, remain one of the most egregious examples of police corruption in American history.
Louis Eppolito died on November 3, 2019, in federal prison in Tucson, Arizona, at the age of 71.
