The FBI interviewed Salvatore Gravano, the former underboss of the Gambino crime family, to determine if former FBI Director James Comey was aware of the term '86,' according to court documents. Gravano, who had previous interactions with Comey during the prosecution of John Gambino in the 1990s, stated in a May 2026 phone call that Comey 'had to know' the term's meaning related to killing. Comey is currently facing charges in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, including threatening President Donald Trump through a May 2025 Instagram post featuring seashells arranged to spell '8647.' The prosecution claims this post was a reference to killing Trump, with '86' signifying a slang term for murder. Gravano indicated that while he believed Comey's post suggested violence, he did not claim that Comey intended to carry out any violent act. Comey has stated that he did not arrange the seashell display and did not realize that some interpreted '86 47' as a violent message.
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FBI Interviews Gravano Regarding Comey's Knowledge of '86' Term
The FBI interviewed Salvatore Gravano to assess whether former FBI Director James Comey understood the term '86' in the context of a legal case against him. Gravano asserted that Comey likely knew the term's meaning related to killing, although he did not recall discussing it with Comey. Comey is facing charges for a social media post that prosecutors allege threatened President Trump.
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FBI asked 'Sammy the Bull' if ex-Gambino mob prosecutor Comey knew meaning of '86': court filing
FBI Interviews Gravano Regarding Comey's Knowledge of '86' Term