The imprisonment of reputed Bonanno acting boss Vincent “Vinny Gorgeous” Basciano has ignited fears that his son, suspected in the slaying of a Genovese leader’s son earlier this year, will be targeted by mob hit men seeking revenge.
Brooklyn federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis ordered Basciano, 45, held without bail on unrelated murder and racketeering charges earlier this week – leaving the Bonanno big’s son, Vincent Jr., extremely vulnerable to retaliation, authorities told The Post.
The younger Basciano, 23, is suspected of whacking Nicholas Cirillo – whose father, Dominick “Quiet Dom” Cirillo, is a powerful reputed Genovese mobster – after a dispute at a Mother’s Day meeting in a City Island real-estate office.
Mafia code strictly prohibits mobsters from murdering members and associates of another crime family without authorization from bosses on both sides – a rule that authorities believe Basciano’s son violated.
Nicholas Cirillo, 41, of The Bronx, was reported missing by his wife May 10.
His body has not been recovered, although cops located his gold 2003 Acura MDX SUV later that month.
Authorities have said they believe that before he vanished, Cirillo had disrespected the younger Basciano in some way.
Despite years of bad blood between Dominick Cirillo, 75, and his son, who struggled with drug addiction, authorities said they fully expect the missing man’s father to take revenge.
The elder Cirillo formerly held the position of acting boss under notoriously nutty-acting Vincent “The Chin” Gigante, who is serving a federal sentence for racketeering with a projected release date of 2010.
He could delay retaliation, however, until he sees whether the elder Basciano is convicted, in order to lessen chances of a full-blown mob war, according to sources.
“The Genovese are very, very patient,” a source said.
Defense lawyer Benjamin Brafman declined comment.
In an odd parallel, “Vinny Gorgeous” is facing life behind bars for allegedly killing a Genovese associate who had threatened to kidnap one of Vinny’s relatives.
It does not appear that alleged Bonanno boss Joseph Massino sanctioned the February 2001 murder of Frank Santoro, as he has not been charged.
Santoro was gunned down at close range while walking his Doberman along the Throgs Neck Expressway in The Bronx.