16. The Bank of America robbery netted the thieves $1.6 million
In 1998, robbers struck the Bank of America at 1 World Trade Center in New York City, a feat believed to be impossible after the increase in security at the complex following the bombing in 1993. The robbery was masterminded by Ralph Guarino, a career felon who associated with several members of organized crime, though he was not a member of a crew. Guarino acted on the information given him by an employee at the World Trade Center, who also gave him his security pass. Guarino brought in three additional known criminals of his acquaintance to assist in the robbery, which was of a Brinks shipment of cash, which was to be taken to the eleventh floor facility after arriving at the complex.
At 8.30 in the morning of January 14, 1998, the Brinks truck arrived and the guards were transferring the cash when they were overpowered by the gang assembled by Guarino. The World Trade Center employees had already been subdued. It took about fifteen minutes for the thieves to leave the World Trade Center, taking with them $1.6 million in cash. Only one of the robbers wore a mask, the others were easily identified and arrested. One of the thieves, the one who had worn a ski mask, made it as far as Albuquerque, New Mexico before he was arrested two days following the robbery. When Guarino was identified as the leader of the robbery he was taken into custody at his home on Staten Island, and within a few days he arranged to work as an informant, transferring information to the FBI and New York authorities on the activities of his various mob contacts. After numerous convictions were attained using his information he entered the Witness Protection Program.