Born July 12, 1912 in New York to Giuseppe (Tailor; 24y) and Giuseppina Abinanti (20y). Father from Ventimiglia di Sicilia comune of Palermo, Sicily. Family resided at 184 Chrystie St in Little Italy, Manhattan.
By 1940 family residing at 573 Crescent St in East New York, Brooklyn. Peter and his father both listed employment in garment factories.
By 1950s inducted member of Lucchese Family in crew headed by Salvatore 'Don Turi' Curiale.
Made members in Curiale crew included Abinanti, Alfonso 'Foo' Curiale (Don Turi's son), Paolo Danna, Luigi and Rosario Sacco (Curiale relatives), Joseph 'Joe Reese' Schiavo and brothers Paul and Salvatore 'Babe' Vario.
Abinanti and Paul Vario were close associates and the two were possibly made at the same time. By the early 1960s Vario succeeded Curiale as Captain.
In 1969 Carmine 'Fats' Taglialatela provided the FBI with a large amount of information on the Lucchese Family. Taglialatela, self-described Lucchese member, claimed he was sponsored by Paul Vario around 1958. Abinanti is believed to be the 'Pete (LNU)' named in the reports as attending Taglialatela's induction. Pete (LNU) was described as 'cumpari' to the Varios.
By early 1970s resided at 101-05 Ave J in Midwood, Brooklyn.
In February 1974 Paul Vario began serving a Federal sentence for tax evasion. Peter Abinanti possibly named Acting Capodecina of the crew. In August 1974 CI reported: "[Abinanti] handles all of Paul Vario Senior's operations since Vario went to jail [and] is assisted by Babe Vario. Abinanti reports to Tony Ducks [Corallo] on 116th Street [on] behalf of the Vario group."
In July 1978 included in FBI's list of approximately 70 identified Lucchese Family members.
On morning of September 18, 1979 son Joseph Abinanti (28y), a Lucchese Associate, shot and seriously wounded while exiting his car in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Hit ten or more times in chest, neck and head. Taken to Kings County Hospital in critical condition.
Attended August 24, 1982 dinner hosted by Paul Vario to celebrate inductions of crew members Louis Daidone and Alfonso D'Arco.
D'Arco took over the crew following Paul Vario's death in May 1988. Shortly after his promotion a meeting of the crew was held in Canarsie. Purpose for D'Arco to meet with each member one-on-one and to put each individual's activities on record. Unable to attend, aged crew member Paolo Danna instead visited at his residence by D'Arco and Abinanti, who handled the formal introductions.
On February 6, 1989 Vario crew associate Thomas 'Red' Gilmore shot to death in Family-ordered hit. Against the wishes of Boss Vittorio 'Vic' Amuso, Abinanti and Lucchese Soldier Peter Vario, Paul's son, attended the wake. D'Arco was called in by Amuso: "Vic was steaming and he says, you know I told you to tell them not let anybody go to the wake. I said I did, it's done, what do you mean. He said, well, how come Pete the Killer and Rugsy [Vario] went to the wake. He says go ask them if they like wakes..I told them [and they] said they didn't hear."
D'Arco named Peter's son Joseph Abinanti as a participant in February 1990 murder of Lucchese Soldier Anthony DiLapi.
Around 1990 Vario crew associate Angelo 'Sonny Bamboo' McConnach accused of withholding money. D'Arco: "When Paulie Vario died, he had other people holding money for him..Peter Vario and Peter Abinanti [complained] that Sonny Bamboo they believed was holding $100,000 of Paulie's money [so] I went to Sonny's house and threatened him..I said, 'I'll kill you just like that. You're hiding money over here'. He said, 'I'll give it to Petey' and he gave the money back..I didn't get any money from that or anything. That was their personal money, Petey Vario."
Died on or around July 24, 1994 and buried in Canarsie Cemetery.
