Recognized mob employee beat NYC loan shark due to fear of death

It’s a kill or get killed world.

A reputable Gambino mob employee shot down his longtime friend, a mafia-affiliated loan shark, because he feared the older man would beat him over a debt, federal prosecutors said.

Anthony Pandrella, 62, is due to appear in court on Tuesday for the murder of Vincent Zito, 78, in 2018.

In two sets of court documents filed with the Brooklyn Federal Court, prosecutors revealed that there are witnesses who said Zito was murderously angry at Pandrella over a missing $ 750,000 that Pandrella held for him.

A witness is expected to testify that Pandrella, weeks before the murder, during dinner with friends at a restaurant in Brooklyn, allegedly heard Zito loudly tell someone that he would kill him because of the debt.

Pandrella held on to the illegal funds for Zito because the older man was concerned that U.S. authorities saw his business, prosecutors said. It was Pandrella who told Zito that he was “hot”, according to FB.

But when Zito asked for the money back, Pandrella said the cash mysteriously disappeared from his basement, authorities said.

“I gave him $ 750,000 and he said it was gone,” Zito reportedly told another man, who is expected to testify at the next two-week trial, according to court documents. “The fat f – k stole my money.”

The dinner was not the only time Zito suggested he could use violence to pay off the debt Pandrella owed him, prosecutors said.

Another witness said Zito made a gunfight with his hand while talking about how he would get his money back from Pandrella, court documents say.

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Pandrella promised to give Zito an initial payment of $ 300,000 first t by selling property, but that did not satisfy Zito, according to FB.

The day of the murder – October 26, 2018 – Pandrella was to collect her debt.

But instead of returning the money he owed, he went to Zito’s Sheepshead Bay home, shot the Septuagan once in the back of the head, took some expensive watches and left, the prosecutor said.

Surveillance footage allegedly shows Pandrella coming in and leaving the house around the time of the robbery and killing.

The accused killer later returned to the home and spent time with Zito’s grieving family and friends, and even asked about the police homicide investigation, according to FB.

Pandrella’s lawyer, James Froccaro, declined to comment beyond saying his client pleaded not guilty and plans to fight the charges.

The jury selection begins Wednesday morning. Pandrella, who is accused of Zito’s murder as well as robbery and illegal possession of weapons.