. >>> prosecutors allege that vincent osoro played a crucial role in a 1978 airport heist. >> it was the crime immortalize in goodfellas. >> this is the biggest heist in american history. >>reporter: but on wednesday, nearly 40 years after the robbery took place, the only person to ever stand trial for it, aging mobster vincent osoro was acquitted. >> there was a hold up of historic proportions. >>reporter: off screen, the 1978 heist gripped the u.s. >> authorities are saying they believe this to be the largest robbery in american history. >>reporter: armed robberies broke into new yorks kennedy airport. investigators found an empty black van but not the robbers or the haul. >> 5 million in undocumented cash, a million in gems and jewelry, which today would be worth over $20 million. >>reporter: he spent his career covering the mob. >> the various mafia families had big pieces of action at jfk, the airport. everybody was involved. the bonano family, the gambino family. so when the mastermind of the airport heist planned it, he had to give cuts to everybody. >>reporter: that alleged m