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Gregory Scarpa Jr. Discusses Fathers Alleged 120-Killings and 1992 Shootout
In a rare glimpse into the inner workings of New York’s underworld, Gregory Scarpa Jr. opened up to VladTV about his father’s infamous reputation and a violent episode that reshaped his family’s fate. The interview, released on June 15, 2026, offers a first‑hand account of the so‑called Grim Reaper’s life and the 1992 shootout that forced his house arrest to be lifted.
Born on August 4 1951 in Brooklyn, Scarpa Jr. followed his father’s footsteps straight into the Colombo crime family. His early years mirrored those of many mob aspirants: bank robbery, illegal gambling, and drug trafficking. In 1989 he was convicted of robbery and sentenced to 20 years, and a decade later, a 40‑year term followed after another conviction. After serving 31 years, he walked free from prison in November 2020.
When asked about his father, the former capo described him as “the Grim Reaper,” a nickname that reflected Scarpa Sr.’s willingness to carry out the family’s most brutal orders. The elder Scarpa’s reputation was not merely a legend; it was forged in a period when the Colombo family was torn apart by internal wars in the early 1990s.
The pivotal moment came on December 29, 1992. While under house arrest, Scarpa Sr. was caught in a confrontation that left him with a gunshot wound to the eye. Scarpa Jr. recalled the harrowing scene: his father, after being shot, returned home, poured whiskey over the wound, and told police he was fine. The incident prompted authorities to revoke his house arrest, sending him back to prison where his health deteriorated. He died on June 4, 1994.
Scarpa Jr. also revealed that his father had been an FBI informant long before the Colombo wars erupted. According to him, Scarpa Sr. had quietly disclosed his cooperation with federal agents years earlier, a fact that underscores the complex, often duplicitous relationship between organized crime and law‑enforcement.
When the question turned to the claim that Scarpa Sr. killed 120 people, Scarpa Jr. expressed skepticism. He acknowledged the family’s internal conflicts were brutal, but insisted that the figure was likely inflated. Official records and court filings list him as a hitman involved in several murders, but no credible source documents a tally of 120 victims.
The interview also shed light on Scarpa Jr.’s own violent past. He admitted to having murdered at least 11 people between 1980 and 1987, a fact that aligns with his Wikipedia entry. He said that the escalating violence within the family and the desire to protect his own family prompted his decision to cooperate with the FBI.
The FBI’s involvement in the Colombo wars is well documented. Former agent Lindley DeVecchio, known for handling mob informants, was one of the key figures in the agency’s operations against the family. The 1992 shootout and the subsequent revocation of house arrest were part of a broader crackdown during the third internal war, which spanned 1991‑1993 and resulted in twelve deaths and the imprisonment of key figures, including acting boss Victor Orena.
Scarpa Jr.’s interview offers a rare insider perspective on the violent history of the Colombo family and the personal toll on his own family. While the exact number of victims attributed to Scarpa Sr. remains unverified, the conversation confirms that the father was a feared enforcer and that he had cooperated with federal agents.
The story underscores the long‑standing tension between organized crime families and law‑enforcement agencies in New York and highlights the personal cost of Mafia involvement, as seen in Scarpa Jr.’s decision to turn informant and his father’s declining health.
No further statements have been issued by the Scarpa family or the FBI regarding the allegations.
Born on August 4 1951 in Brooklyn, Scarpa Jr. followed his father’s footsteps straight into the Colombo crime family. His early years mirrored those of many mob aspirants: bank robbery, illegal gambling, and drug trafficking. In 1989 he was convicted of robbery and sentenced to 20 years, and a decade later, a 40‑year term followed after another conviction. After serving 31 years, he walked free from prison in November 2020.
When asked about his father, the former capo described him as “the Grim Reaper,” a nickname that reflected Scarpa Sr.’s willingness to carry out the family’s most brutal orders. The elder Scarpa’s reputation was not merely a legend; it was forged in a period when the Colombo family was torn apart by internal wars in the early 1990s.
The pivotal moment came on December 29, 1992. While under house arrest, Scarpa Sr. was caught in a confrontation that left him with a gunshot wound to the eye. Scarpa Jr. recalled the harrowing scene: his father, after being shot, returned home, poured whiskey over the wound, and told police he was fine. The incident prompted authorities to revoke his house arrest, sending him back to prison where his health deteriorated. He died on June 4, 1994.
Scarpa Jr. also revealed that his father had been an FBI informant long before the Colombo wars erupted. According to him, Scarpa Sr. had quietly disclosed his cooperation with federal agents years earlier, a fact that underscores the complex, often duplicitous relationship between organized crime and law‑enforcement.
When the question turned to the claim that Scarpa Sr. killed 120 people, Scarpa Jr. expressed skepticism. He acknowledged the family’s internal conflicts were brutal, but insisted that the figure was likely inflated. Official records and court filings list him as a hitman involved in several murders, but no credible source documents a tally of 120 victims.
The interview also shed light on Scarpa Jr.’s own violent past. He admitted to having murdered at least 11 people between 1980 and 1987, a fact that aligns with his Wikipedia entry. He said that the escalating violence within the family and the desire to protect his own family prompted his decision to cooperate with the FBI.
The FBI’s involvement in the Colombo wars is well documented. Former agent Lindley DeVecchio, known for handling mob informants, was one of the key figures in the agency’s operations against the family. The 1992 shootout and the subsequent revocation of house arrest were part of a broader crackdown during the third internal war, which spanned 1991‑1993 and resulted in twelve deaths and the imprisonment of key figures, including acting boss Victor Orena.
Scarpa Jr.’s interview offers a rare insider perspective on the violent history of the Colombo family and the personal toll on his own family. While the exact number of victims attributed to Scarpa Sr. remains unverified, the conversation confirms that the father was a feared enforcer and that he had cooperated with federal agents.
The story underscores the long‑standing tension between organized crime families and law‑enforcement agencies in New York and highlights the personal cost of Mafia involvement, as seen in Scarpa Jr.’s decision to turn informant and his father’s declining health.
No further statements have been issued by the Scarpa family or the FBI regarding the allegations.
