Friday 8 July 2022 08:48 PM 'Sammy the Bull' Gravano claims James Caan was in the mob with the Colombo ... trends now
A former mobster claimed The Godfather star James Caan, who passed away on Thursday, was associated with the mob and had to ask a New York crime boss for permission to be in the iconic film.
Megan Kelly was interviewing former Gambino family underboss turned FBI informant Salvatore 'Sammy the Bull' Gravano when she shared with him the breaking news of Caan's death yesterday.
Gravano then claimed that Caan, 82, was connected to the mob and was present when the actor allegedly asked Colombo family boss Joe Colombo for permission to star as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather.
'He was in the mob,' Gravano told a confused Kelly. 'James Caan was in — was hooked in with the mob.'
'I was there when he came down and asked permission to be in that movie. I was there with Carmine Persico,' Gravano said, referencing another Colombo family boss allegedly present. 'Joe Colombo gave him the role. He was connected with the Colombo family.'
Despite Kelly's skepticism, Gravano doubled down and said that while Caan was not a made member of the mob - given that he was Jewish born from German immigrants - he was an associate of the Colombo family.
Former Gambino family underboss turned FBI informant Salvatore 'Sammy the Bull' Gravano (left) claimed the late James Caan (right) was connected to the mob
Caan (second from the right) is best known for his breakout role as Sonny Corleone in 1972 crime film The Godfather, which won him an Oscar nomination. He is pictured with co-stars (L-R) Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, and John Cazale
Gravano said he was in the room with the Colombo family heads when Caan allegedly asked boss Joe Colombo (pictured) permission to be in the gangster movie
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Taken aback by his comments, Kelly asked Gravano to elaborate on his claims against the late actor.
'It’s an associate of the mob,' Gravano said of Caan' alleged connections. 'In other words, he’s on record now with the mafia as an associate.
'He’s not a made member. He’s not one of us, but he’s an associate of the Colombos. Just like [Frank] Sinatra was,' he added, referencing the famed singer who often flaunted his ties with the mafia.
Startled by the claims, Kelly apologized to her viewers as she could not immediately verify his ex-mobster's claims.
'I feel uncomfortable if none of this is true, disparaging him on the day of his death,' she said as she moved the conversation away from Caan.
Gravano was a high-ranking mafioso who arranged and carried out murders for John Gotti in the 1980s before secretly partnering with the FBI in 1991 and helping bring down 39 mobsters - including Gotti, head of the Gambino crime family.
In exchange for acting as a government informant, Gravano was given a five-year sentence in 1994, but released after one year
