How is “kick upstairs” used?

In GoodFellas (1990), one line is: “He kicked some money upstairs to Paulie, but that was it.”

Which movie is “kick upstairs” from?

The clip at the top of this page is from GoodFellas (1990).

Idiom

to move sb to a job that seems to be more important but which actually has less power or influence

informal · Heard in 3 movies

kick sb upstairs
to move sb to a job that seems to be more important but which actually has less power or influence

Definitions from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, 9th edition

He kicked some money upstairs to Paulie, but that was it.

Said in 3 films · #1