Anthony “Ace” Aiello, a soldier in the Bonanno crime family fully embraced the mob life, despite his father getting locked up for over twenty years in a heroin bust. When a gambler known as Eric failed to pay his $45,000 gambling debt, Ace, Dominick Cicale, and Joseph Gambina went to confront the delinquent bettor. On Dominick’s orders, Ace struck Eric with a hammer which sent him to the hospital. While hospitalized, the crew sent him flowers with a note attached stating, “We still want our money.”