Julius R. Nasso (born October 19, 1952) is an Italian-American film producer,

pharmacologist Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous (from within the body) molecule which exerts a biochemic ...

, and businessman.

Personal life

Julius R. Nasso was born in a small village called Terranova, Calabria, Italy. In 1976, Nasso graduated from St. John's University with a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy. He then earned an advanced Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from Hart ...

. On March 14, 2017, Nasso made headlines when two ponies belonging to him escaped from their barn during a snowstorm on Staten Island. The ponies, Blondie and Jewels, were quickly captured and returned to Nasso with the help of an off-duty police officer.

Legal issues

Nasso was involved in a six-year legal battle with his former longtime collaborator

Steven Seagal Steven Frederic Seagal (; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, screenwriter and martial artist. A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan and eventually ended up running his father-in-l ...

after their business relationship ended in 2000. The two had been "best friends", according to Seagal, and formed Seagal/Nasso Productions together, but their relationship eventually became strained. Believing that Seagal owed him $3 million in compensation for backing out of a four-film deal, Nasso enlisted members of the

Gambino crime family The Gambino crime family (pronounced ) is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Ame ...

to threaten Seagal in an attempt to recoup money Nasso allegedly lost. Gambino family captain

Anthony Ciccone Anthony "Sonny" Ciccone (born July 19, 1934) is a New York City mobster and a Caporegime, captain of the Gambino crime family. For over twenty years, Ciccone controlled the Staten Island and Brooklyn waterfronts. Biography On December 19, 1991, in ...

first visited Seagal in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

during the filming of ''

Exit Wounds ''Exit Wounds'' is a 2001 American action film directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak, and starring Steven Seagal and DMX. The film is based on the book of the same name by John Westermann. The book takes place on Long Island, while the film is set in D ...

'' in October 2000. In January 2001,

Primo Cassarino Primo Cassarino (born April 26, 1956) is a New York mobster who became an enforcer for Gambino crime family, and extorted money from actor Steven Seagal. Foulest mouth in Brooklyn Born in 1956 to first generation immigrants from Sicily, Italy, Cas ...

and other gangsters picked up Seagal by car to bring him to a meeting with Ciccone at a

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

restaurant. At the meeting, Ciccone bluntly told Seagal that he had a choice of making four promised movies with Nasso or paying Nasso a penalty of $150,000 per movie. If Seagal refused, Ciccone would kill him. Seagal, who later claimed that he brought a handgun to the meeting, was able to stall Ciccone and escape the meeting unharmed. Ciccone and Cassarino again visited Seagal at his home in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

the following month. In the spring of 2001, Seagal sought out another mobster,

Genovese crime family The Genovese crime family, () also sometimes referred to as the Westside, is an Italian-American Mafia crime family and one of the "Five Families" that dominate organized crime activities in New York City and New Jersey as part of the American M ...

captain

Angelo Prisco Angelo Prisco (August 1, 1939 – June 21, 2017) also known as "The Horn", was an American mobster in New Jersey who became a caporegime in the Genovese crime family. Prisco was a relative of Genovese crime family soldier Rudolph "Rudy" Prisco w ...

, to act a "peacemaker". He visited Prisco in prison at

Rahway, New Jersey Rahway () is a city in southern Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. A bedroom community of New York City, it is centrally located in the Rahway Valley region, in the New York metropolitan area. The city is southwest of Manhattan ...

, and paid Prisco's lawyer $10,000.Seagal Stars in N.Y. Trial Of Mafia
Michael Powell, ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'' (February 12, 2003) On March 17, 2003, Cassarino, Ciccone and others were convicted of labor racketeering, extortion, and 63 other counts under the

Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization. RICO was en ...

. Seagal testified for the prosecution about the mobsters' extortion attempt. Nasso pleaded guilty to the charge of extortion conspiracy in August 2003 and, in February 2004, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, fined $75,000 and ordered to take mental health counselling on release from jail. He had been described by prosecutors as a mob associate. Nasso agreed to drop a $60 million lawsuit against Seagal for an alleged breach of contract when the two settled out of court in January 2008.Staten Island film producer, action movie star, settle out of court on $60M suit
''

Staten Island Advance The ''Staten Island Advance'' is a daily newspaper published in the borough of Staten Island in New York City. The only daily newspaper published in the borough, and the only major daily paper focused on a borough, it covers news of local and ...

'' (January 7, 2008)

Filmography

* ''

Marked for Death ''Marked for Death'' is a 1990 American action film directed by Dwight H. Little. The film stars Steven Seagal as John Hatcher, a former DEA troubleshooter who returns to his Illinois hometown to find it taken over by a posse of vicious Jamaica ...

'' (1990)....Associate Producer * ''

Out for Justice ''Out for Justice'' is a 1991 American neo-noir vigilante action thriller film directed by John Flynn and co-produced by and starring Steven Seagal as Gino Felino, a veteran police detective who sets out to avenge his partner Bobby's murder by k ...

'' (1991)....Executive Producer * ''

On Deadly Ground ''On Deadly Ground'' is a 1994 American environmental action adventure film directed, co-produced by, and starring Steven Seagal, and co-starring Michael Caine, Joan Chen, John C. McGinley and R. Lee Ermey. It is Seagal's only directorial effort ...

'' (1994)....Producer * '' Under Siege 2: Dark Territory'' (1995)....Co-Producer * ''

The Glimmer Man ''The Glimmer Man'' is a 1996 American buddy-cop action comedy film directed by John Gray and produced by Steven Seagal. The film stars Seagal, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Bob Gunton, and Brian Cox. The film was released in the United States on Octob ...

'' (1996)....Producer * '' Fire Down Below'' (1997)....Producer * ''Not Even the Trees'' (1998)....Producer * '' The Patriot'' (1998)....Producer * ''

Prince of Central Park ''Prince of Central Park'' is a 2000 family movie. The cast included Kathleen Turner, Danny Aiello, Harvey Keitel, and Cathy Moriarty. It was written and directed by John Leekley, and produced by Julius R. Nasso, Steven Seagal, and John P. ...

'' (2000).....Producer * ''

One Eyed King ''One Eyed King'' is an ensemble crime drama detailing the trials and tribulations of several characters living together in the same Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. Starring Armand Assante, William Baldwin, Jim Breuer, Bruno Kirby, Chazz Palminteri, ...

'' (2001)....Producer * '' Narc'' (2002)....Producer * '' In Enemy Hands'' (2004)....Producer * '' The Poet'' (2007)......Executive Producer * ''Trophy Wife'' (2010).....Producer * ''

Sing Your Song ''Sing Your Song'' is a 2011 documentary that tells the story of Harry Belafonte. The film recounts his life and legacy, not only as a great entertainer, but as an important activist in the Civil Rights Movement. This inspirational biographical f ...

'' (2011).....Producer * ''Squatters'' (2013).....Producer * ''Nailed'' (2013).....Executive Producer * ''Split Decision'' (2013).....Executive Producer * ''Pride of Lions'' (2013).....Executive Producer * '' Getaway'' (2013).....Executive Producer * ''The Legend of William Tell: 3D'' (2014).....Producer * ''Darc'' (2019).....Producer and Director * ''Record-breaking concert experience for Andrea Bocelli at the Asian Culture Carnival'' (2019).....Producer and Director

Awards and nominations

Nasso has earned numerous critical honors, including the 2012

NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Documentary This article lists the winners and nominees for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Documentary. History This award was first given in 2008, before being discontinued after the 2009 ceremony. The award returned during the 2017 ceremony, this ti ...

for his work with Harry Belafonte on ''

'' (2011).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nasso, Julius R. Living people 1952 births American film producers University of Connecticut alumni St. John's University (New York City) alumni Italian emigrants to the United States Criminals from Staten Island Gambino crime family American extortionists