Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano, the former Mafia underboss living in Arizona, became an unlikely source of information in the federal case against former FBI Director James Comey.
An FBI report filed in court showed that investigators spoke to Gravano about how he understood the meaning of “86 47.” Comey posted a photo on Instagram of seashells arranged into the “86 47” number.
Prosecutors claim that the post was a death threat against President Donald Trump, the nation’s 47th president. Comey has argued that it was political speech calling for Trump's removal from office, not a call for violence.
But Gravano told an FBI agent that Comey should have known that “86” could mean killing someone because of Comey’s past work prosecuting organized
crime, according to the FBI interview report.
The report was released as part of court filings from Comey’s lawyers. They are asking a judge to throw out the case because investigators have stretched the meaning of the post and pursued Comey because of Trump’s long-running anger toward him.
The judge has not yet ruled on Comey’s request to dismiss the indictment. An arraignment was set for Sept. 30, and a jury trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 21, if he pleads not guilty.
What did Sammy the Bull tell the FBI about James Comey?
The FBI report says Gravano spoke by phone with Special Agent April Floyd on May 8 while agents arranged a longer interview.
Gravano said he had no personal issue with Comey and did not care whether he went to prison or remained free. But he told the agent that Comey must have understood “86” as a reference to killing someone and used his son, Gerard, as an example. He said that if he ordered Gerard to be “86-ed,” it would mean he wanted his son killed.
Gravano also said investigators might have trouble finding the term in old FBI records because Mafia members avoided using familiar organized-crime language around law enforcement.
Two retired FBI agents who worked organized-crime cases reportedly gave investigators a different perspective.
They said they did not remember “86” being used to mean killing someone, according to Comey’s court filings.
FBI agents also did not find references to “86” in the John Gambino case file or in organized-crime trial transcripts, according to Comey’s court filings.
Who is Sammy the Bull and why is he in Arizona?
Gravano was once the underboss of New York’s Gambino crime family and a close associate of Mafia boss John Gotti.
He later became a government witness and admitted involvement in 19 killings. His testimony helped federal prosecutors convict Gotti of racketeering and murder.
After receiving a reduced prison sentence and entering witness protection, Gravano left the program in 1995 and moved to Arizona.
His legal problems followed him to the West. In 2000, Arizona authorities arrested Gravano, his son and others in a major ecstasy-trafficking case operated from the Phoenix area. The drug ring was tied to the Devil Dogs, a violent Gilbert youth gang associated with White supremacists. Gravano pleaded guilty and served about 17 years in prison.
Gravano is currently facing a federal lawsuit filed by a former employee who accuses him of sexual assault, threats and workplace abuse. Gravano has asked a judge to dismiss some of the claims and remove him and his wife as defendants.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Sammy the Bull' talked to Phoenix FBI agents about James Comey case
