FBI asked 'Sammy the Bull' if ex-Gambino mob prosecutor Comey knew meaning of '86': court filing

The FBI interviewed Salvatore Gravano, the former underboss of the Gambino crime family known as "Sammy the Bull," to ask if ex-FBI Director James Comey likely knew what the term "86" means, according to court documents.

Gravano, who had familiarity with Comey due to Comey's role as the lead prosecutor in United States v.

John Gambino et al. in the 1990s, told an FBI case agent during a May 2026 phone call that Comey "had to know" what 86 meant, according to a sworn affidavit from his lawyer Patrick Fitzgerald supporting Comey’s motions to dismiss the case.

Comey is facing a case in the U.S.

District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Eastern Division, accusing him of threatening President Donald Trump through his May 2025 "8647" seashell Instagram post.

"On May 8, 2026, the case agent had a telephone conversation with Salvatore 'Sammy the Bull' Gravano, the former Gambino crime family underboss who was one of the cooperating witnesses at the United States v.

John Gambino trial," the affidavit, filed last month, reads.

"During the telephone conversation to discuss the logistics of his forthcoming interview, Mr.

Gravano stated his belief that Mr.

Comey had to know what the term '86' meant 'as it related to killing someone,'" the court documents say.

JAMES COMEY '86 47' SEASHELL CASE PROSECUTOR SUDDENLY STEPS DOWN, ASSISTANT US ATTORNEY STEPS IN The U.S.

Department of Justice brought two federal charges against Comey – threatening the president and transmitting a threat in interstate commerce – in April for a social media post Comey made displaying a photo of seashells arranged on a beach to say "8647." BLANCHE TURNS THE TABLES ON COMEY INDICTMENT CRITICS: ‘REST ASSURED’ CASE GOES BEYOND INSTAGRAM POST Prosecutors alleged the photo was a reference to killing Trump , with "86" referring to a slang term for killing and "47" referring to Trump as the 47th U.S. president.

Comey’s defense lawyer cited the FBI’s interview with Gravano to challenge the claim that Comey’s Gambino prosecution meant he understood "86" as a reference to killing.

Though Gravano told agents Comey "had to know" the term’s mob meaning, he said he did not recall ever discussing it with Comey.