In the 1950s, he worked as a Journalist for Associated Press and New York Magazine, specializing in crime reporting for more than three decades; this would provide the background upon which he later drew as a Writer of factual books and fictional films related to the Mafia.
Pileggi began his career as a Journalist and had a profound interest in the Mafia. He is best known for writing Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family (1986), which he adapted into the movie Goodfellas (1990), and for writing Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas and the subsequent screenplay for Casino (1995). The movie versions of both were co-written and directed by Martin Scorsese. Pileggi also wrote the screenplay for the film City Hall (1996), starring Al Pacino. He served as an Executive Producer of American Gangster (2007), a biographical crime film based on the Criminal career of Frank Lucas. He also authored Blye, Private Eye (1987).
Pileggi was married to fellow author, Journalist, and Screenwriter Nora Ephron from 1987 until her death in 2012. Pileggi lives in New York City. His brother Frank was married to Charlotte Moorman; the couple founded and ran the Annual Avant Garde Festival of New York.
Pileggi cowrote the pilot of the CBS television series Vegas, which first aired in September 2012.
