DEATH DISH: Georgios Spyropoulos (top) is charged in a plot to kill his uncle, Alexandros Sgourdos (bottom), the owner of the Tick Tock Diner (top).
(Matthew McDermott)
DEATH DISH: Georgios Spyropoulos (inset left) is charged in a plot to kill his uncle, Alexandros Sgourdos (inset right), the owner of the Tick Tock Diner (above). (
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The manager of New Jersey’s landmark Tick Tock Diner hired a hit man to rub out his uncle in order to take control of the lucrative family business — which includes a popular outpost near Penn Station in Manhattan, sources told The Post yesterday.
Georgios Spyropoulos, 45, of Clifton, told the “killer” — an undercover cop — to torture Alexandros Sgourdos, 65, until he gave up the combination to the safe in his Clifton home, said New Jersey Attorney General Jeff Chiesa.
Spyropoulos then wanted the restaurateur murdered, with the body disposed of so it would look like a missing-persons case, Chiesa said.
If his wife got in the way, she should get whacked, too, Spyropoulos allegedly told the undercover cop.
“It was financial. He wanted the uncle out of the way. He felt he had more money coming his way and, if his uncle was gone, he’d be in line to get it,” a source said yesterday.
Sgourdos is co-owner of the greasy spoon — an art deco landmark featured on HBO’s“The Sopranos” and is a staple for politicians visiting the Garden State.
He also co-owns the Tick Tock Diner, on Eighth Avenue across the street from Madison Square Garden, as well as nearby Cooper’s Tavern, where he showed up for work last night and refused to comment.
Spyropoulos married Sgourdos’ niece, Penelope, to worm his way into the family — and allegedly hoped to parlay the relationship into ownership of the twin eateries by killing her uncle, sources said.
At a meeting in late March, Spyropoulos allegedly agreed to pay the would-be killer $20,000.
A final meeting took place on April 2, when the suspect allegedly handed the undercover cop an unregistered handgun, a photo of his uncle and a down payment of $3,000.
“They had a last meeting. And at that meeting, the ‘hit man’ said, ‘When I leave here, it’s on. No turning back,’ ” one source said.
The clueless suspect was busted Tuesday while greeting customers at the Clifton location, Chiesa said.
Cops found two legally registered semiautomatic handguns, a shotgun and an assault rifle in his Clifton home, Chiesa said.
Spyropoulos was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, attempt to commit murder and weapons possession and was being held on $1 million bail at the Passaic County jail.