Well Cich died because he was an original character. A character on the level of Kingpin would surely have been safe, possibly even coming out on top. If the story went on, from what I can gather Gambit would have eventually come into contact with Kingpin as he would undoubtedly been one of his marks but because he is the Kingpin, Gambit would end up pinched somehow. You just don't get over on Kingpin without losing something. He's the Kingpin. Asmus seemed to want Gambit to cross into psuedo villainy, at least con-crooks and crime bosses. Eventually he'd probably end crossing too many or the wrong big bad and have to get his "associates" involved (various X-Men, Deadpool, Spiderman Daredevil etc.).However probably half-way con them as well, so he gets his help he wants but keeps the profit. I would have been soooo in for that. If you take the last page of his solo, and how enthused Gambit was calling that meeting of the Cardinals, I think we would have gotten quite a ride.
But if you look closer, editorial wanting him to make original characters makes sense if you take into consideration on how limited he was creatively. It goes along with the idea of them not letting him use established characters. Which is why we got Joele and Cich to begin with and only got Rogue, Tombstone, War Machine and Wisdom as characters with speaking roles. Outside of the Rogue, all secondary or C-list characters that barely see the light of day (in the cases of Tombstone and Wisdom at least). Not to mention all those characters like the Leaper and Asp at "the Club with No Name". Thor, Cap and Wolverine only showing up in face was kind of distracting as they never uttered a word as if they would be paid by each. Wolverine staying silent made the least bit of sense, seeing his background and relationship with Gambit.