Anthony "Little Tony" Ferrari, who had been accused of having Miami Subs founder Konstantinos "Gus" Boulis rubbed out in a Mob-style hit, has been found guilty of murder and murder conspiracy.
The jury handed down its verdict after seven hours of deliberation.
Ferrari and Anthony "Big Tony" Moscatiello were accused of putting together the plot to have Boulis killed on the night of February 6, 2001.
See also: Gus Boulis, Miami Subs Founder, Murder Trial Finally Begins
On the night of his death, Boulis, who was also the owner of SunCruz Casinos, pulled out of his Fort Lauderdale office in his car when two cars approached him. A person in the car that appeared in the opposite direction shot Boulis before screeching off.
According to investigators, Boulis drove a mile toward Federal Highway and SE 18th Street, where he crashed into a tree on the side of the road and died from his gunshot wounds.
The killing was motivated by a deal between Boulis and a businessman named Adam Kidan that went sour.
Kidan brokered a deal to purchase SunCruz Casinos from Boulis for $147.5 million in 2000. However, the deal would be deemed fraudulent. Boulis accused Kidan of falsifying the wire transfer, and things came to a head when the two got into a fistfight in December 2000.
Fearful of Boulis, prosecutors told jurors that Kidan hired "Big Tony" Moscatiello for protection; Moscatiello brought "Little Tony" Ferrari along.
During the trial, witnesses testified that Little Tony was a captain in the infamous Gambino organized crime family.
Moscatiello saw the earning potential of working for Kidan. And he thus considered Boulis a threat to his money, prosecutors said.
This was the two Tonys motivation to have Boulis rubbed out.
During the trial, Ferrari took the stand on his own behalf, against his attorney's wishes. He testified that he had nothing to do with the hit on Boulis.
The jury read its verdict Friday at 3 p.m. Ferrari hung his head when the guilty verdict was read. He was taken into custody immediately after.
As for Big Tony Moscatiello: His attorney had become ill during the trial, so he was granted a mistrial. But he is expected to be tried again soon.
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