Gambino Soldier’s Heist at Chanel Boutique

Thomas “Tommy” Dono, a relatively obscure one-armed mobster connected to the Gambino crime family, is back in the spotlight due to his role in a large-scale bank heist in the 1990s. Prosecutors claim he still has a knack for making big scores.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office alleges that Dono and his crew were behind a staggering $1.7 million theft from Chanel’s flagship store, considered the most significant boutique in the United States.

This audacious robbery took place around two years ago. Court documents indicate that Dono masterminded the operation, which involved stealing hundreds of luxury items valued at $1.7767 billion from Chanel located at 15 East 57th Street. The well-coordinated theft occurred during a three-hour window on the night of July 13, 2024.

Dono, now 52, is said to have overseen the heist from a parked white minivan until the early hours of July 14. After the theft, he reportedly left the scene while a white Sprinter van filled with trash bags containing 10 large items and 300 stolen Chanel products was removed through a ceiling hatch in the warehouse.

Surveillance footage captured by the NYPD shows five members of Dono’s crew transporting the stolen goods through a back emergency exit and into a nearby alley.

The crew then moved the items to a nearby construction site on East 58th Street, loaded them into a van, and drove away.

Some of the robbers disguised themselves as construction workers to gain entry into the Chanel store, breaking in through a hatch in the ceiling of a supply area.

As of now, the stolen merchandise remains unaccounted for.

Only Dono has been apprehended in connection to the crime. He pleaded not guilty to grand larceny on May 19 and was granted bail at $300,000, which is less than the amount prosecutors requested. Ongoing investigations may lead to more arrests.

Dono’s unique physical condition—having lost his left arm years back—helped investigators quickly link him to the robbery. Sources suggest the injury occurred due to a car accident.

Authorities also discovered surveillance footage showing Dono and two white vehicles associated with the robbery parked outside a residence in Brooklyn’s Bath Beach area on the day of the Chanel heist.

Dono, who is related to the late Gambino soldier Thomas “Huck” Carbonaro, has a criminal history that includes being part of the crime family since his release from prison five years ago. His prior conviction was for the murder of FBI informant Frank Heidel in 1998.

In a 2008 racketeering indictment, it was reported that Dono was proposed as an asset for joining a crime family in exchange for a crime he committed for the family, which included Heidel’s murder.

After accepting a plea deal that led to a 15-year prison sentence and resolving the Heidel case, Dono was released in 2021. Since then, he had seemingly distanced himself from legal troubles until recently. Currently, he is believed to be active under the leadership of Louis “Big Lou” Vallario, an elder capo who succeeded Gravano’s crew in Brooklyn.