Henry Hill, 'Goodfellas' mobster, dies in Los Angeles

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Henry Hill, the famous mobster turned FBI informant who's life story was told in the book "Wiseguy" and the movie "Goodfellas", has died at 69.

Hill began his life of crime at the age of 11 while running errans in East New York for Paul Vario, a captain in the Lucchese family. His first major robbery came in 1967 when he orchestrated the theft of $420,000 from an Air France shipment.

Hill turned informant after a drug trafficking arrest in the 1980s. His testimony led to 50 arrests and forced him and his then wife into witness protection. They were expelled from the program after several drug-related arrests. The couple divorced and he moved to California.

He went from a life in hiding to a life in Hollywood after crime reporter Nicholas Pileggi published the book "Wiseguy" in 1986. The book was then turned into the movie, Goodfellas. Ray Liota portrayed Hill in the movie, which was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Hill alsobegan to sell his own artwork on eBay and made frequent guest appearances on The Howard Stern Show.

He died in a Los Angeles hospital of an undisclosed illness on Tuesday.

Read more about Henry Hill on ABCNews.com.

CLICK HERE TO SEE NOTABLE DEATHS FROM 2012

---
Get Eyewitness News Delivered

Facebook | Twitter | Newsletters | Text Alerts

Get more Eyewitness News »

famous deaths, eyewitness news

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•