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Vin Makazian (April 27, 1951-March 1999) is a supporting character portrayed by John Heard. He is a corrupt Newark, New Jersey police detective who fed information to DiMeo crime family capo Tony Soprano.

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What role did Vin Makazian play in Tony Soprano's therapy? toggle section
John Heard's character in the Sopranos, Vin Makazian, was a detective who fed Tony Soprano information. Tony used Vin as a private investigator to learn about his therapist, Dr. Melfi, when he started therapy in 1998. Vin misinterpreted Tony and Dr. Melfi's professional relationship as romantic, leading to over-enthusiastic actions. He also revealed to Tony that Pussy Bonpensiero was a rat, impacting Tony's therapy.
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How did Vin Makazian misinterpret Tony Soprano's relationship with Dr. Jennifer Melfi? toggle section
Detective Vin Makazian, working for Tony Soprano, misunderstood Tony's therapeutic relationship with Dr. Jennifer Melfi as romantic. He surveilled Dr. Melfi, took covert photos, and falsely accused her of a traffic violation, assaulting her date in the process. He compared Tony to 'prime rib' and criticized Dr. Melfi's choice of companion, whom he called a 'hamburger'.
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What was Vin Makazian's profession and how did it benefit Tony Soprano? toggle section
Vin Makazian, played by John Heard in the Sopranos, was a police detective and a private investigator for Tony Soprano. He provided Tony with crucial insider information and investigated Dr. Melfi at Tony's request. Makazian's intel led to Tony's suspicion of Pussy Bonpensiero as an informant. However, Makazian's life ended tragically due to his gambling debts and an arrest at a brothel, leading him to commit suicide.
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Who portrayed the character of Vin Makazian in the Sopranos? toggle section
John Heard played the role of Vin Makazian in the Sopranos, making appearances in episodes such as 'Meadowlands', 'Pax Soprana', 'Boca', 'Nobody Knows Anything', and 'The Test Dream'.
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How did Vin Makazian's over-enthusiasm affect his role as an investigator for Tony Soprano? toggle section
John Heard's character, Vin Makazian in The Sopranos, was an investigator for Tony Soprano. His over-enthusiasm led to misinterpretation of Tony's professional relationship with Dr. Jennifer Melfi as a romantic one, resulting in him tailing Dr. Melfi and assaulting her companion. Despite his flawed methods, Makazian provided valuable information to Tony, including a tip about Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero being a rat, which was later dismissed due to Makazian's gambling debts.
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Biography[]

Tony first used Vin as an investigator, tasking him to find information about Dr. Jennifer Melfi when Tony first started therapy in 1998. Makazian was over-enthusiastic in this role, having misunderstood the relationship between Tony and Jennifer as a romantic one, not a professional one. He tailed her and pulled her car over, beating up her companion unprovoked and chastising her for being out with a man he refers to as "hamburger, when you've got prime rib at home."

Vin was partnered with fellow detective Lewis Pantowski. Unlike Makazian, it seems that Pantowski was an honest policeman as he didn't know the real reason for the two of them to be tailing Jennifer Melfi.

He later told Tony that he had taken photographs of Melfi undressing from outside her home, if he's interested in them, to which Tony replies with disgust. Detective Makazian was responsible for informing Tony that DiMeo soldier Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero was a rat, prompting Tony's suspicions of Pussy, though this was later seemingly dismissed when Tony found out Vin owed Pussy $30,000 in gambling debts, and Vin would like to see Pussy taken out to absolve him of said debt.

Makazian frequented an illegal brothel and had a relationship with the madam there. He was arrested at the brothel along with DiMeo capo Raymond Curto during a police raid. Vin later committed suicide by leaping off the Donald Goodkind Bridge shortly after he was released from jail. Tony later visited the madam with whom Makazian had a therapeutic relationship, and she divulged to Tony that Makazian viewed him as a friend and, like Tony, he was prone to depression. This leaves Tony depressed because he had always treated Makazian with disdain and never showed him any respect or kindness.

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