Infamous New York mobster brutally beheaded by a truck in freak accident 'forgot to look both ways'

The 86-year-old man brutally beheaded by a truck at a Brooklyn crossing, was a former acting captain for the infamous Genovese mob, according to The New York Post .

Anthony Conigliaro, also known by "Tony Cakes," "Tony the Dessert Man," and other dessert-related nicknames, met his untimely demise on June 12, when he was inadvertently hit by a local Department of Transportation truck.

"He spent his life looking over his shoulder but he forgot to look both ways before crossing the street," one police source commented. Conigliaro appeared to have lived a quiet life in a modest Bay Ridge flat on Dahlgren Place prior to his grizzly end. A neighbor praised Conigliaro, referring to him as a father of two who was always thoughtful toward others. "We miss him. Everyone misses him," they said.

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Yet, the neighbor remained oblivious to Conigliaro's colorful past, including a nearly two-decade-old racketeering conviction on top of his mafia association .

Court documents reveal that Conigliaro had a long history in the wholesale cake industry, selling sweets around New York City and running an Italian ice and gelato stand in Little Italy. In 2005, he was accused by Brooklyn federal prosecutors of being a soldier in the Genovese crime family, reports the Mirror US .

The FBI filed a four-count indictment alleging that Conigliaro worked as a loan shark for the Genovese family. He eventually pleaded guilty to a charge of racketeering conspiracy and was sentenced to 13 months, according to court records. In 2006, Conigliaro was also held in connection with a grand larceny case that has since been sealed, and in 1999 for criminal usury, sources say.

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Mathew Mari, a seasoned mafia lawyer and friend of Conigliaro, said that after serving time in prison, the man known as "Tony Cheesecake" made a successful transition into the dessert industry. "Later on in life he became known as Tony the Dessert Man," Mari stated.

He was described as a quiet, polite man who was always trying to help others. A small memorial consisting of two candles and four bouquets of flowers was set up at the scene of his death, on Dahlgren Place and 92nd Street, on Friday.

Horrific footage from the accident showed Conigliaro's head being thrown several yards from his shattered body, along with a visibly upset DOT driver who was operating a city truck when the elderly man ran a red light to cross the street.