Real-life Goodfellas crime family arrested in New York

The leaders of a New York crime family famously portrayed in the film Goodfellas have been arrested by FBI agents.

The street boss of the Luchese crime family and 18 other people have been charged with murder, extortion, fraud and drug dealing after their arrest yesterday , reports AP.

Among the nicknames of those charged were "Wonder Boy," ''Big John," ''Jimmy the Jew," ''Big Joe," ''Joey Glasses," ''Paulie Roast Beef" and "Spanish Carmine."

The Lucchese family is one of the most notorious and longest-running organised crime gangs in the Big Apple, reports Fox News.

The criminal network inspired Martin Scorsese’s 1990 film Goodfellas and is believed to be linked to the infamous Kennedy Airport heist in 1978.

Authorities said they were determined to bring the leaders of organised crime to justice.

"As today's charges demonstrate, La Cosa Nostra remains alive and active in New York City, but so does our commitment to eradicate the mob's parasitic presence," said acting US attorney Joon H. Kim.

He explained that the Luchese crime family's ringleaders had been charged and that the defendants used violence and threats "to make illegal money, to enforce discipline in the ranks and to silence witnesses."

Most of the defendants were arrested yesterday and were awaiting court appearances in White Plains federal court.

If convicted, all but two of the defendants could face life in prison.

The defendants are alleged to have committed fraud in connection with various public building projects, including a $34 million expansion of a major New York hospital.

But the hospital and related details were not divulged.

William F. Sweeney Jr., head of the FBI's New York office, said organised crime families believe their way of life is acceptable and don't plan to stop.

"Their crimes aren't victimless, and this case proves they're willing to use murder and many other violent tactics to enforce their dominance," he said in media statement.