FBI nabs 19 mobsters linked to crime family portrayed in 'Goodfellas'

FBI agents in New York arrested 19 suspected members of the Lucchese crime family, famously portrayed in the popular movie “Goodfellas."

The suspects arrested Wednesday are accused of crimes ranging from murder to drug-dealing and extortion. The indictments span the years 2000-2017, according to Reuters. The Lucchese family is one of the most notorious and longest-running organized crime gangs in the tristate area.

The Lucchese crime family inspired Martin Scorsese’s 1990 film “Goodfellas” and is believed to be connected to the infamous Kennedy Airport heist that took place in 1978, which resulted in the theft of $5 million and hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry.

The arrests come amid a nationwide crackdown on gang activity and violence, emphasized by President Donald Trump and his administration. Earlier this month ICE arrested more than 1,000 gang members in a nationwide, six-week surge, the agency said. Many of those included members of the infamous MS-13 gang, which has been a particular focus for the White House due to its cruel tactics and incidents of violence across areas of Long Island, New York.

In Mid-May, the largest ever MS-13 raid was conducted in Los Angeles and resulted in the arrest of 21 members believed to belong to the gang.