Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2 episode 3 - How did the father and son get caught?

Season 2 episode 3 of Hustlers Gamblers Crooks, titled Cocaine Pizza, dives into the case of Gregorio and Angelo Gigliotti, a father-and-son team from Queens, New York, who ran a cozy neighborhood pizzeria that secretly served as the front for an international cocaine trafficking ring.

Their restaurant, Cucino Amodo Mio, appeared to be a family-owned Italian eatery. But behind its kitchen walls, the Gigliottis were smuggling cocaine from Costa Rica to New York, using shipments of cassava to conceal the drugs. More than 55 kilograms of cocaine were discovered in shipments intercepted in late 2014, triggering a massive investigation.

Through court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance, and cooperation between U.S., Italian, and Costa Rican authorities, investigators tracked cash movements, intercepted coded calls, and linked the operation to the Italian crime syndicate ’Ndrangheta. The father and son were finally arrested on March 11, 2015, after a raid uncovered cash, firearms, and drug ledgers.

Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2 episode 3 premiered on October 7, 2025, on the Discovery Channel. It is available to view on streaming services such as Discovery GO, HBO Max, Hulu, and Prime Video.

Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2 episode 3: The family-run pizzeria and import business

Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2 episode 3 (Image via Unsplash/ @ Daniel)

Gregorio Gigliotti and his wife, Eleonora, operated the Italian eatery and pizzeria Cucino Amodo Mio in Corona, Queens, New York. After relocating from Italy approximately 40 years prior, they opened it in 2012. The company acted as a front for illicit activity.

In addition, Gregorio was the importer of Fresh Farm Produce Export Corp., which dealt with shipments of Costa Rican produce, including cassava, as per the U.S. Department of Justice.

Their son, Angelo Gigliotti, assisted in running the business, particularly while Gregorio was away. The family presented themselves as hardworking immigrants running a legitimate eatery.

Still, authorities later found it was tied to drug trafficking, a story later featured in Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2, episode 3. The pizzeria was a distribution point, though care was taken to avoid mixing food orders with narcotics deals.

Gregorio had no prior criminal record, which helped keep suspicions low. The import business allowed for large shipments to arrive without immediate scrutiny. This setup spanned from July 2014 to March 2015. The family's relative, Franco Fazio, traveled between Italy, New York, and Costa Rica. The businesses were key to laundering money and moving drugs across borders.

Law enforcement noted the restaurant's basement hid weapons and cash. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, this front helped the operation blend into everyday life in Queens.

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Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2: The cocaine smuggling operation

Gregorio Gigliotti and his wife were smuggling cocaine (Image via Unsplash/ @Colin Davis)

The smuggling included bringing cocaine from Costa Rica to New York, with some being sent to Italy. Cocaine was concealed in cold containers of cassava, a root vegetable also referred to as yucca. Cocaine was put inside cardboard box linings containing the produce. In 2014, Eleonora Gigliotti brought more than $360,000 in cash to Costa Rica to pay the suppliers.

Franco Fazio also traveled, taking $170,000 in September and meeting contacts during December, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The initial shipment in October had around 40 kilograms of cocaine. A subsequent one in December had 15 kilograms. Together, over 55 kilograms were transported. The Gigliottis utilized their import business to accept these at New York terminals.

Then the cocaine was distributed, partly to an Italian organized crime syndicate named 'Ndrangheta. Angelo took care of the day-to-day chores when Gregorio was away. As highlighted in Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2, the operation linked New York, Costa Rica, and Calabria in Italy. Shipments were marked as fresh produce to avoid detection.

Cash from sales was tracked in a ledger, which was found later. The family ensured no confusion between restaurant orders and drug deals. As per the U.S. Department of Justice, this method relied on family ties and business covers for secrecy.

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Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2: The international investigation

Several agencies collaborated on the case (Image via Unsplash/ @David Trinks/Hustlers Gamblers Crooks)

Episode 3 of Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2 shows how the U.S. agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, the New York City Police, and Homeland Security Investigations, collaborated on the investigation. They collaborated with Italian organizations like Direzione Nazionale Antimafia, Servizio Centrale Operativo, and the Italian National Police Squadra Mobile.

The Organismo de Investigación Judicial and other Costa Rican authorities also assisted, as per the US Department of Justice. The U.S. Department of Justice, HSI, and FBI attachés in Rome and Panama aided coordination. Investigators used court-approved wiretaps to listen to conversations and physical surveillance to watch movements.

This revealed cash trips and shipment plans. In October 2014, a cassava load from Costa Rica was stopped at a New York port, showing 40 kilograms of hidden cocaine. Another stop in December found 15 kilograms. These intercepts confirmed the smuggling route. Evidence sharing between countries built the case.

Italian police handled a related distribution ring in Calabria. The focus was on the Gigliottis' businesses as fronts. Wiretaps captured talks about payments and deliveries. Surveillance tracked Fazio's travels. This global setup led to arrests in both the U.S. and Italy on the same day. The methods ensured solid proof for charges, as the U.S. Department of Justice reported.

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Arrest, evidence, and legal outcomes in Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2

Gregorio, and Angelo Gigliotti are in prison (Image via Unsplash/ @Tim Photoguy)

On March 11, 2015, Gregorio, Eleonora, and Angelo Gigliotti were arrested in New York. Franco Fazio was indicted but arrested in Italy. Searches on that day at the pizzeria turned up a 12-gauge shotgun, several loaded handguns, including a .357 magnum and a 9mm Keltec, ammunition, brass knuckles, more than $100,000 cash, and a record book of drug sales.

At home, a loaded .45 caliber handgun and $18,000 cash were discovered, as per the U.S. Department of Justice. These items facilitated firearms charges against Gregorio. A Brooklyn federal court superseding indictment charged conspiracy to distribute and import cocaine, along with weapons crimes.

In Italy, 13 people were arrested during raids featured on video, including FBI agents. Following a two-week July 2016 trial, Angelo and Gregorio were convicted by a jury. According to Reuters, Gregorio received 15 years, and Angelo was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Gregorio was also found guilty of the guns.

Pending were charges against Fazio and Eleonora, as per the U.S. Department of Justice. The sentencing was done by Judge Raymond J. Dearie. The case shown in Hustlers Gamblers Crooks season 2 demonstrated how family companies concealed crime. Results broke up the ring across nations.

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Edited by Toshali Kritika