The great JFK moneybag heist: Echoes of “Goodfellas” as trial begins in Brooklyn

A cinematic heist, reminiscent of scenes from the iconic film “Goodfellas”, unfolded on the tarmac of John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2019. Nearly two years later, the trial commences at Brooklyn Federal Court this week.

Quincy Thorpe, then a Delta baggage handler, and his associate, Emmanuel Okon, stand accused of a brazen theft: a bag filled with a whopping $258,205, destined for Miami but mysteriously missing upon arrival.

According to court filings, on Sept. 24, 2019, eight bags brimming with U.S. and foreign currency were securely transported by a renowned security company, Loomis. The baggage, under the watchful eye of security, was handed to Thorpe and his Delta Air Lines Ground Services team at Gate C-70 for loading onto Delta Flight 1225. However, when the aircraft touched down in Miami, one bag was conspicuously absent.

Key evidence hinges on multiple surveillance videos capturing the movements of Thorpe and Okon throughout the day of the theft. These videos reportedly show Thorpe diverging from standard procedure, scanning some bags but placing the stolen bag into a separate vehicle.

Moments later, both the Delta Airlines van and the vehicle with the missing moneybag traveled to an obscure airport area, returning shortly after with the trailer conspicuously empty.

As the plot thickened, the Delta van was spotted in an unsecured parking area behind Building 21. A blue Nissan Sentra, driven by a man closely resembling Okon, pulled up shortly thereafter. Minutes later, both vehicles departed simultaneously.

When the Delta van reentered the secure area of Terminal 2, Thorpe was no longer inside. Nevertheless, surveillance shows him reentering Terminal 2 using his security credentials shortly after.

This audacious act mirrors a chapter from New York’s notorious criminal past. On Dec….