Louis Daidone, an alleged acting boss of one of New York's five major organised crime families, has been arrested on two charges of murder and racketeering.
Daidone (56) was arrested at his home in Brooklyn.
The indictment charges Daidone with being the acting boss of the Luchese crime family and on two counts of racketeering that include the 1989 murder of Thomas Gilmore and the 1990 killing of Bruno Facciola - two members of the Luchese organisation.
If convicted, he faces a maximum life sentence on each count.
In 1992, the then boss of the Luchese family, Vittorio "Vic" Amuso, was convicted of conspiracy to murder Gilmore and Facciola and is currently serving a life term.
"These new charges ... raise the possibility of permanently removing yet another acting boss from this crime family," US Attorney Mr James Comey said.
"Others who aspire to that position would be well advised to take note of the fates of their predecessors," Mr Comey said.
Daidone was also charged with two counts of loan sharking, each of which carries a maximum 20-year prison term.
In the past 18 months, the FBI has arrested or indicted the top bosses from each of the five New York families.
Daidone is the third Luchese chief to be prosecuted in the past decade.
AFP