Christopher “Christie Tick” Furnari, Sr., a former Luchese crime family consigliere, was quietly released from prison in 2014 at the age of 90. He had been serving a 100-year sentence since 1986 following his conviction in the high-profile Commission Case, which targeted organized crime’s ruling bodies. Furnari’s sentence was initially thought to be without parole. Still, he managed to secure his release through persistent legal efforts, including claims that the Parole Commission had improperly calculated his offense severity and ignored mitigating factors.
Furnari’s release occurred without much public notice, and officials provided scant details, only confirming that he was released from a prison hospital in Minnesota. His attorney and the Parole Commission have remained silent on the matter. Despite a request from his sentencing judge for Furnari to remain incarcerated for life, his determination and the lack of direct evidence tying him to violent crimes ultimately led to his release after nearly 28 years in prison.
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