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Four years ago, the future looked almost as bright for Anthony (Gaspipe) Casso (left) as it did for Salvatore (Sammy Bull) Gravano, (right) the turncoat Gambino  underboss who won freedom for himself years before he deserved it.

As a murderer, Casso, underboss for the Lucchese family, was far more prolific:  36 bodies for Gaspipe and a mere 19 for Sammy Bull. But like Gravano, Casso had lots of good stuff that the feds wanted, and he was ready to spill his guts in court.

Among other things, he was involved in murder plots with the feds' Mafia target of the day, Genovese boss Vincent (Chin) Gigante, he committed two murders with two NYPD detectives and had intimate dealings with top members of the emerging and treacherous Russian mob.

Today, however, Casso's future looks as bleak as his and Gravano's former bosses, Vittorio (Vic) Amuso (right) and John Gotti (left). Both are serving life sentences without the possibility of parole.

Brooklyn Federal Judge Frederic Block ruled last week that prosecutors could renege on their deal to seek leniency for Gaspipe, who pleaded guilty to 15 murders, racketeering and a slew of other crimes. Sentencing is set for Wednesday.

Casso, 58, on  brought all this on himself.

He wrote the book on the wrong things to do when you agree to cooperate with the feds - especially when you've killed 36 people, plotted to kill a federal judge and a prosecutor, and planned a brazen prison break from the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Manhattan.

Casso was less than candid about his role in the Lucchese family's attempted murder of a turncoat capo's sister, who was shot and wounded after dropping her kids off at school. He assaulted several inmates in two special witness units where he was being held. He sweettalked a secretary in one of the units into granting him special favors, such as the use of a non-monitored phone. He bribed guards at the Otisville Correctional Facility to supply him with cash, steaks, sushi, turkeys, vodka, wine and other contraband.

The last straw occurred late last summer when, after federal prosecutors in Brooklyn had convicted Gigante of racketeering without using Casso as a witness, Gaspipe wrote a letter to them accusing Gravano and former Lucchese acting boss Alfonse (Little Al) D'Arco (right) of lying at Gigante's trial. That's when prosecutors said Casso breached his agreement with them and informed him they would not write a letter recommending leniency and instead would seek a life sentence.

Casso was kicked out of the witness unit and is in solitary confinement to protect him from retribution from other mobsters. He asked Bloch to order the feds to honor the agreement, contending his behavior was not a "material"breach of his agreement and that the feds were just using it all as a pretext to cancel a deal they never intended to keep.

Casso claims other mobsters cooperating with the feds had bribed guards, but still received letters recommending leniency.

Block, in his 18-page ruling, said Casso's questionable prison conduct may not have been a material breach of his agreement, but said the government's actions were justified.

"The government should not be required to turn a blind eye to criminal conduct by cooperating witnesses....because other criminals may have engaged in similar conduct, " Block wrote. "Simply put, criminal behavior by cooperators should be condemned, not condoned, and repudiation of the government's obligations under a cooperation agreement is an effective means of delivering such an important message."

Gang Land Contest Read 'em and weep, or rejoice. We're still tabulating the results of our second contest, but we've posted the answers so you can grade yourself. We will post the two prize winners next week.

Rizzuto, 25, just sauntered into Brooklyn's Sheepshead Bay stationhouse,  whose detectives had first investigated and solved the March, 1995 Schiro slaying and obtained an arrest warrant for Rizzuto.

Rizzuto had changed his appearance significantly since he fled New York. He was spotted in Minneapolis last year and also spent time in Miami during his three plus years on the lam.

ASK ANDY
This week, Andy, seen posing with one of his all time favorite books, "Mob Star," gets an opportunity to take a crack at a query about Salvatore Gravano and author Peter Maas. The question is from a reader who just finished "Underboss" and "was just wondering if he (Gravano) is ever seen in public or if he is living a life of secrecy."

Sammy Bull remains in hiding to protect himself. Gravano, creep though he is, is basically safe from the mob because he has done his damage, it can't be reversed, and there is nothing other than simple revenge to be gained by killing him. That would only make it more difficult for mobsters seeking parole. In addition, the mob wouldn't have a clue how to find him unless he returned to his old haunts, and Sammy Bull isn't that stupid.

Gravano is more concerned with the lawyers who are trying to sue him over the self-serving book's profits. Several close relatives of some of his victims are attempting to use legal means to make him pay for his confessed killings of their fathers and brothers. I have mixed feelings about the whole thing.

Most of the Gravano victims were pretty bad guys themselves. Their relatives  are dooming themselves to a decade of having their fathers' sordid lives raked over the coals in awful detail if their cases ever go to trial.

I am also very suspicious that John Gotti is behind at least some of the lawsuits. I find it hard to understand why Gotti hasn't been sued, since he's been convicted of being involved in the killings. The plaintiffs are naive and probably being used by lawyers for money and publicity.

And I lost a great deal of respect for author Peter Maas (right)  with his disingenuous denials of paying Gravano any money. Who the hell did he think he was kidding?

Books, by Andy

CASINO by NICK PILEGGI

Amazon     $5.59                

This book can be considered a companion piece to "THE ENFORCER,"last week's recommended book. Once again, the tale of the mob in Las Vegas is told, but this time it's through the eyes of the reputed inside man at the Stardust Casino, Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal. We hear his innocent version of how he got to Las Vegas and rise by merit in the Hotel empire controlled by Allan Glick. It is also a fascinating insider look at a very important chapter in the decline of the Chicago Outfit.

Although Pileggi faithfully repeats Rosenthal's own sanitized version, he gives enough detail to let the reader know that Left was no ordinary casino employee. He outlines Glick's tale of semi innocence as he got tangled up in a deadly web of Mafia intrigues to present "clean" front men as owners of the huge hotels. The veteran author also gives a glimpse into the high body count that came about when the whole skimming scam fell apart. Pileggi weaves in Rosenthal's sordid family life which unraveled as the pressure mounted.

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