The dumb-fella grandson of an Ozone Park pizzeria owner bungled his bid to play tough guy with a rival pizza maker, severely burning himself while torching the man’s car — then blaming his injuries on a chicken-cooking mishap, federal authorities said Wednesday.
Gino Gabrielli, 22, got charred like an overdone calzone in December when he allegedly used gasoline to incinerate a 2014 Mercedes-Benz, after the car’s owner had beaten the young man’s grandfather in a bid for a $1,300 catering contract.
Gabrielli seemed to be taking a page from the 1990 Mafia flick “Goodfellas,” in which a young mobster torches a rival’s cars. The film was partly shot near Aldo’s, the pizza shop belonging to the 22-year-old’s grandfather Aldo Calore, and the crew and cast — including Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci — often gathered there for meals during breaks.
Gabrielli — who prosecutors implied had mob ties — bungled the job from start to finish. First, he was caught on surveillance tape as he crept up to the luxury car on Dec. 4, papers state.
Then, as he set the gasoline on fire, the flames caught on his pants. With his right leg on fire, Gabrielli was captured on tape scurrying away in panic, court papers state.
Gabrielli later told investigators he burned himself when a pot fell over as he cooked chicken. Cops debunked that fib after his mom said there was no cooking in her kitchen that night, according to a criminal complaint.
Gabrielli checked into Jamaica Hospital with third-degree burns just 20 minutes after the incident.
Investigators soon learned Gabrielli worked at his grandfather’s restaurant and the charred Mercedes belonged to the rival pizza man, papers state.
With his dejected grandfather in attendance, Gabrielli was arraigned on federal arson raps Wednesday afternoon. He was released on $700,000 bail.
Gabrielli’s attorney, Joseph Dibenedetto, said his client no longer worked at Aldo’s and was innocent.