FBI interviewed Gravano on Comey's knowledge of '86' as PEN America criticizes novel use

Federal prosecutors are building their case against James Comey partly on mob-witness testimony and a passage from his own thriller novel.

Salvatore 'Sammy the Bull' Gravano — the former Gambino family underboss turned government witness — told the FBI that James Comey 'had to know' the term '86' meant killing someone, according to a court filing. The statement directly contradicts Comey's denial that he understood the term that way, and prosecutors have included it as part of their federal case against the former FBI director. Comey, who served as FBI director from 2013 to 2017 and led high-profile prosecutions of organized crime earlier in his career, is facing a federal case that centers on whether a social media post he made referencing '86 47' constituted a threat against President Trump, the 47th president. Comey has said he did not intend the post as a threat and was unaware '86' carried lethal connotations in that context. On a separate front, literary and free speech organization PEN America has publicly criticized prosecutors for citing a passage from a crime thriller Comey authored, arguing the move conflates fictional writing with real intent. PEN America called the tactic 'foul play,' contending that using an author's novel as evidence of criminal intent sets a dangerous precedent for creative expression. The organization's condemnation adds a civil-liberties dimension to a case already drawing wide attention.

Why it matters

The case raises questions about the line between protected speech and criminal threats, and the prosecution's methods — drawing on mob-figure testimony and a defendant's fiction writing — are being challenged on First Amendment grounds.

What's next

The evidentiary disputes over Gravano's statements and the novel excerpt are expected to be contested as the case proceeds through court.

Key facts

• Salvatore 'Sammy the Bull' Gravano, former Gambino underboss, told the FBI Comey 'had to know' '86' meant killing someone
• Comey served as FBI director from 2013 to 2017 and previously prosecuted organized crime figures
• The federal case centers on a social media post by Comey referencing '86 47,' with '47' referring to President Trump
• Prosecutors cited a passage from a crime thriller Comey authored as additional evidence of intent
• PEN America, a literary free speech organization, publicly condemned the use of Comey's novel as prosecutorial evidence
• Comey has denied that he intended the post as a threat or understood '86' to mean killing in that context

Bias & framing notes

Fox News focused on Gravano's testimony and its potential to undercut Comey's defense, framing it as damaging to him. The Guardian centered its reporting on PEN America's civil-liberties critique, emphasizing the chilling effect the prosecution's tactics could have on writers. Neither source provided extensive detail on the other angle, leaving a fuller picture only visible by reading both together. The sources do not conflict on established facts but differ sharply in emphasis.

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