James Burke (gangster)
James Burke (July 5, 1931 – April 13, 1996), also known as "Jimmy the Gent", was an American gangster and Lucchese crime family associate who is believed to have organized the 1978 Lufthansa heist, the largest cash robbery in American history at the time. He was believed to be responsible for the deaths of those involved in the months after the robbery.
James Burke | |
|---|---|
Burke's 1979 mugshot | |
| Born | July 5, 1931 New York City, U.S. |
| Died | April 13, 1996 (aged 64) Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Resting place | Saint Charles Cemetery, East Farmingdale, New York |
| Other names | "Jimmy the Gent," "The Big Irishman" |
| Occupation | Mobster |
| Known for | Lufthansa heist |
| Spouse |
Mickey Burke (m. 1962) |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Anthony Indelicato (son-in-law) |
| Allegiance | Lucchese crime family |
| Conviction(s) | Extortion (1972) Conspiracy (1982) Second degree murder (1985) |
| Criminal penalty | 10 years' imprisonment 12 years' imprisonment 20 years' imprisonment |
Following the testimony of Henry Hill, Burke was convicted in 1982, of conspiracy charges related to his involvement in the 1978–79 Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal, and sentenced to 12 years in prison. While in prison, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to another 20 years. He died of cancer at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, New York, eight years before he would have been eligible for parole.
Burke inspired the character Jimmy "The Gent" Conway, one of the main characters of the 1990 film Goodfellas, played by Robert De Niro.