Genovese crime family

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).

The Genovese Crime Family is one of the "Five Families" that controls organized crime activities in New York City, USA, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia (or Cosa Nostra).

Contents

[edit] History of the Genovese Crime Family

[edit] Origins of the Family

The story of the Genovese Crime Family is believed to have originated in the 1890s, with the arrival from the legendary town of Corleone, Sicily of mafioso, Ignazio "Lupo the Wolf" Saietta and the Morello Family. Saietta was the pre-eminent Italian crime boss in the Mulberry Street area of Manhattan's Little Italy and led a Black Hand Gang of criminals, controlling most of the rackets such as gambling, the Italian lottery, robbery and extortion. The equally powerful Morello Family and their Black Hand Gang was led by the eldest brother, Antonio Morello who along with his brothers and half brothers, Giuseppe Morello, Nicholas "Nick" Morello, Vincenzo "Vincent" Terranova and Ciro "The Artichoke King" Terranova controlled the rackets in the areas of East Harlem, Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx that had predominantly Italian neighbourhoods. Ignazio Saietta became a Morello Family relative through marriage which gave the leaders of the two aligned criminal organizations ample motivation to form a stronger crime family than the other Italian crime families that had formed to take control of their own rackets and territories throughout New York City. By the time brother, Giuseppe Morello took control of the Morello Gang in 1898, the Morello Crime Family was on its way to being formed in 1900. The top leaders of the newly formed Morello Crime Family were known to be Ignazio Saietta and Giuseppe Morello, law enforcement and newspapers referring to both mafiosi as the boss at one time or another, while others such as New York mafiosi and Morello Crime Family ally, Nicola "Cola" Gentile clearly named Giuseppe Morello in his autobiography, "Vita di Capo-Mafia" as the Capo di Tutti Capi or Boss of Bosses of New York's Italian underworld from 1900-10. The Morello Crime Family's activities centered around gambling, extortion, theft, the Italian lottery and a large scale counterfeiting ring. When Iganazio Saietta and fellow Boss, Giuseppe Morello were jailed in 1910 for their parts in the large counterfeiting ring that originated in Italy and operated in New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Morello Family brother and Saietta brother-in-law, Nicholas "Nick" Morello, took control of the crime family and aimed to create a unified gang of Sicilian criminals, maximizing profits and eliminating opponents.

Upon taking control of the Morello Crime Family, Nick Morello became involved in a war for control of the Brooklyn and Manhattan rackets with a Neapolitan Camorra Gang based in Brooklyn. The war between the criminals of Sicily known as the Mafia and the criminals of Naples known as the Camorra lasted between 1914-18. Mafia Boss, Nicholas Morello eventually agreed to a meeting with rival Camorra Boss, Don Pellegrino Morano, who was based out of the Santa Lucia Restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn to discuss the war and the loss of profits, law enforcement and media attention, along with a number of shootings and murders the on going conflict has caused on both sides. On November 6, 1916, New York mafiosi, Pelligrino Morano, his top lieutenant, Allessandro Vollero, Nicholas Morello and his bodyguard, Carles Ubriaco met with each other at the Brooklyn, Navy Street Cafe of Allessandro Vollero to allegedly have a sitdown with the intent of establishing a peace agreement that would be acceptable to both parties. The Morello Crime Family leader was duped into believing the [[Camorra leaders wanted peace and eventual co-operation, which Nick Morello had long hoped for in the Italian underworld, but Morello and his bodyguard, Ubriaco were killed in an ambush by Camorra shooters as they prepared to sit down for the meeting inside the Navy St. Cafe. The New York Camorra leaders, Morano and Vollero were soon betrayed by one of the shooters who was arrested and quickly confessed to his part in the murders, causing the arrests, conviction and imprisonment of the two Camorra leaders and the eventual deportation of Morano back to Italy once he was released. The murders of mafia boss, Nicholas Morello and the imprisonment of the rival Camorra's bosses caused the war to slow down and its end by 1918 and the eventual alignment of the Sicilian and Neapolitan crime groups into one organization. After the death of Nick Morello, the Morello Crime Family passed into the hands of Morello half brothers, Vincent and Ciro Terranova, who controlled the Brooklyn and Bronx/Manhattan family rackets from 1916-22. The brothers ran the crime family rackets in tandem, but the media of the times usually labelled brother and well known Bronx/Manhattan mafiosi, Ciro "The Artichoke King" Terranova the Boss of the Morello Crime Family. The brothers continued to run the crime family operations and lead those loyal to them, but they became increasingly marginalised by the rise to power of Morello Crime Family member, Giuseppe Masseria, later nicknamed "Joe The Boss."

[edit] The Morello-Masseria-Valenti Conflict

The Morello Crime Family was one of the first dominant Italian crime families to come out of the New York underworld and continue to grow in power and influence as other ethnic crime groups in the Irish and Jewish underworlds rose to rival the Italian crime group, but the biggest rival for the Morello Crime Family eventually came in the form of a former underling and ally by the name of Giuseppe Masseria. Joe Masseria was an New York mafiosi who was born in Palermo, Sicily in 1879 and immigrated to America when he was 16. He began his rise to criminal fame as an enforcer and hit-man in the Morello Crime Family and quickly asserted himself as a man who was eager to use violence to get what he wanted. From 1916-20, the Morello Crime Family fell under the leadership of brothers, Vincent and Ciro Terranova who led the crime family after the murder of Nicholas Morello and while former leaders, Giuseppe Morello and Ignazio Saietta were in prison.

In 1920, Morello and Saietta were paroled from prison and returned to New York, but only Morello continued as a leader of the crime family, while Saietta left for Sicily, returning two years later in 1922. He was in semi-retirement, only involving himself in some low level bootlegging and gambling activities while he ran a bakery in Manhattan's Little Italy, never becoming a powerful force in the Italian underworld again. Giuseppe Morello changed his name to Peter to confuse law enforcement concerning his past criminal record and was known on the streets as Peter "The Clutch Hand" Morello due to having only 3 fingers on his left hand. Upon the return of Peter Morello, the history of the Morello Crime Family and that of the Italian underworld in New York becomes somewhat confusing concerning the make up of the crime family and its leadership. What is known for certain is that former Morello lieutenant Giuseppe Masseria became a power in the Italian underworld by 1920 and began asserting his authority and making claims for the leadership of the crime family. What is debated by crime historians and mob watchers is whether or not Peter Morello and Joe Masseria were rivals who went to war for leadership of the Morello Crime Family between 1920-22 or if they were allies against another power in the Italian underworld by the name of Umberto "Rocco" Valenti. Rocco Valenti was a New York gangster who was originally a member of the Neapolitan Camorra of Brooklyn, who then allied himself to the Morello Crime Family from 1917 to 1920 after the Mafia-Camorra War.

What is known is that from 1920-22 there were 3 factions of the Morello Crime Family vying for control of the family. The factions consisted of the original leadership of Peter Morello, Vincent and Ciro Terranova, who controlled the crime family at this time, and a faction led by Joe Masseria, Rocco Valenti and his partner and former Camorra member, Salvatore Mauro. Some crime historians have the Morello,-Terranova group aligning themselves with the Valenti-Mauro group against Joe Masseria and his allies, who some say included powerful Brooklyn and Manhattan boss Salvatore "Tata" D'Aquila who wanted to rid himself of former Capo di Tutti Capi, Peter Morello and assume the title. Others say Tata D'Aquila was aligned with Cleveland boss Joseph "Big Joe" Porello against Masseria, who was his bitter foe. Some crime historians have the Morello-Terrranova group aligned with Joe Masseria against the Valenti-Mauro group, which included Nicola Gentile, who was also lined up against Tata D'Aquila, Joe Lonardo and various New York, Cleveland and Pittsburgh mafiosi. What is known is that Joe Masseria was at war with the Valenti-Mauro group and that the Morello-Terranova group was either allied to Masseria or the Valenti-Mauro group. It is most likely that the Morello-Terranova group was allied to Joe Masseria as the Morello brothers and Vincent and Ciro Terranova had been known to be closely aligned to Joe Masseria from 1916-20 after they became leaders of the Morello Crime Family. Other crime historians who tend to lean towards a Morello-Masseria war are hard-pressed to answer the fact that in 1922 when Joe Masseria became the leader of the Morello Crime Family, he made Peter Morello his top advisor, this being very unlikely if the two had been foes. The Morello-Masseria War apparently arose out of a need to explain the abdication of leadership by Giuseppe-Peter Morello after he was released from prison in 1920, but it is easy enough to explain with the fact that within the ten year period that Morello spent in prison, Masseria became one of the top Italian bosses in New York and was too powerful for Morello to topple as was realized by Ignazio Saietta by his semi-retirement. It is safe to say that the war of 1920-22 pitted the Morello-Terranova-Masseria alliance against that of Valenti and Mauro.

The alliance of Joe Masseria and the Morello-Terranova group can further be proven through the events of the short war which are as follows.

  • Salvatore Muaro - last hold-out of the Mafia-Camorra War of 1914-18 and partner to Umberto Valenti. Muaro was a powerful mafioso and bootlegger who was killed by Joe Masseria on December 29, 1920 which helped begin Masseria's rise to domination of New York's Italian underworld.
  • George Terranova - New York mafioso and uncle of Vincent and Ciro Terranova. Allegedly killed by Valenti gunmen on January 27, 1921.
  • Vincent Terranova - Morello crime Family leader from 1916-22, he was shot from a moving car and killed by Valenti gunmen on May 8, 1922 outside his home at 116th St. and 2nd Ave. The killing of Terranova is seen as the event that leaves the crime family under the complete control of powerful mafioso Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. The crime family now takes Masseria's name, and Peter Morello and Ciro Terranova became top members of the Masseria Crime Family. Ciro Terranova became a capo in charge of the Bronx operations, while Peter Morello became a Masseria's lieutenant in Manhattan and the crime family's top advisor.
  • Joe "The Boss" Masseria acted quickly to avenge the murder of Vincent Terranova by personally setting up an ambush for Rocco Valenti and his bodyguard Silvia Tagliagamba on May 8, 1922 outside the curbside liquor exchange on Kenmare, Broome Grande and Elizabeth Streets near police headquarters, where bootleggers meet openly to swap their liquor surpluses. The plan was considered solid, as Masseria underling Tommy Pennochio supervised the exchange and could assist Masseria and his gunmen in the ambush, but Valenti escaped unharmed. Tagliagamba was severely wounded and died. Masseria was caught fleeing the scene and arrested. The police were surprised to find Masseria had a gun permit signed by a city official, but charged him with the Tagliagamba murder. The case was never prosecuted.
  • On August 8, 1922, Joe Masseria was ambushed by Valenti gunmen on 5th St. and 2nd Ave. near his home. Masseria ducked into Heiney's Millinery where a Valenti gunman proceeded to shoot at him 4 times from a range of 10 feet while Masseria ducked and dodged while the gun was fired. The amazed shooter and store clerk cannot believe only store items and Masseria's straw hat were hit. The legend that Joe Masseria could dodge bullets was born.
  • Joe Masseria duped Rocco Valenti into believing that he was scared for his life and wished to retire and abdicate his position as boss to Valenti. A peace meeting was held on August 11, 1922 at an Italian restaurant located at 233 East 12th St. where Masseria and Valenti eat and discuss Masseria's up-coming retirement. After the meeting ended, Masseria left the restaurant before Valenti and as Valenti left, he realized that he had been set up. Valenti ran from a shooter who chased him and took aim. As Valenti reached a taxi cab, he was shot and killed, allegedly by Masseria gunaman Charlie Luciano.
  • The war has ended and Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria was now considered the top boss in the Italian underworld.

[edit] Joe Masseria, Salvatore Maranzano and the Castellammarese War

After becoming Boss, Giuseppe Masseria quickly asserted his authority in the underworld and took control of some the most lucrative rackets in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx including the Italian lottery, bootlegging, loansharking, hijacking, theft, extortion and drug trafficking. He led the largest and most powerful crime family in the Italian underworld which was considered senior over the smaller crime families in New York including those of Bronx rackets boss, Gaetano "Tommy" Riena, Brooklyn rackets bosses, Nicola "Cola" Schiro and Giuseppe "Joe" Profaci. Manhattan and Brooklyn crime Boss, Salvatore "Tata" D'Aquila was Joe Masseria's biggest rival for the title of Capo di Tutti Capi or Boss of Bosses, leading a crime family that was second only to that of Masseria's in size and power. By the mid 1920s, Masseria reached the pinnacle of New York's underworld and decided to make a play for complete dominance in the Italian underworld. Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masserai decided to strengthen his underworld position and become the ultimate authority in New york's mafia by having himself proclaimed Boss of Bosses. He had Salvatore "Tata" D'Aquila, assassinated on October 10, 1928. Masseria, who was a glutton for food and could devour 3 plates of pasta before his dinner guests had finished their first, was equally hungry for absolute power in New York's underworld. He maintained the Masseria Crime Family's criminal interests in bootlegging, gambling, loansharking, the Italian lottery, extortion, hijacking, theft and narcotics throughout the 1920s. He masked his criminal activities with a number of legal food distribution businesses such as cheese, olive oil and other Italian delicacies, as well as participating in ice distribution, which was a big money maker at the time.

Joe Masseria soon faced a new foe in the Italian underworld named Salvatore Maranzano, an old-school Sicilian criminal originally from Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, who arrived in America in 1925 and quickly became a power in New York's mafia. Salvatore Maranzano was a well-educated and wealthy mafioso from Palermo who set up bootlegging, gambling, loansharking, theft and hijacking operations that eventually came into conflict with the interests of Joe "The Boss" Masseria. Two areas that Masseria and Maranzano battled each other for domination were in the Italian lottery and bootleg liquor distribution in the Italian communities, Maranzano having established large liquor stills and distribution operations that competed directly with Masseria's operations. Salvatore Maranzano's top lieutenant, Joseph Bonanno, was overseer of many of Maranzano's operations, including his largest liquor still in Pennsylvania. Salvatore Maranzano would battle Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria for control of New York City's bootleg empire and various rackets along with the chance to influence the city's corrupt political machine. Eventually their increasingly bitter conflict descended into what became known as the Castellammarese War, Masseria having tried to exert his authority over and demand tribute from the Castellammarese Clan Maranzano was a member of, as well as the other 3 large criminal Families that made up New York's Italian underworld.

Some crime historians believe that Joe Masseria's murder of his former ally and Bronx Family Boss, Gaetano Riena on February 26, 1930, was the first volley to start the Castellammarese War, while others believe it was the murders of Detroit and Chicago Castellammarese Clan Bosses and Maranzano allies, Gaspar "The Peacemaker" Milazzo and Giuseppe "Joe" Aiello. Milazzo was killed by Masseria ally Caesare LaMare on May 31, 1930, while Aiello was killed by Masseria ally Alphonse "Scarface" Capone on October 23, 1930. Joe "The Boss" Masseria called Salvatore Maranzano into a meeting to discuss why he had Milazzo and Aiello killed and to figure out how the two warring camps could come to a peaceful solution to the conflict. Salvatore Maranzano and Joseph Bonanno met with Masseria, his Underboss Charles Luciano and his top advisor, Giuseppe Morello, who was now known as "Peter the Clutch Hand". Despite this, no solution to the conflict was in sight, as Masseria and his advisor Morello made it clear that they wanted the Castellammarese Clan to be subservient to Masseria. Maranzano, Bonanno and their allies in New York and around the United States prepared for war with Masseria and his many supporters. The earlier conflict of encroachment on to the other's territory, along with robberies, warehouse thefts, liquor hijackings and some shootings, now erupted into a war of shootings, hijackings, bombings and murders. While the Five Families tried to conduct business as usual, bitter enemies Masseria and Maranzano, battled for total domination over the other. Masseria's advisor and war chief, Giuseppe Morello, was killed in his 326 East 116 St. office on August 15, 1930 by a Maranzano gunman.

By 1931, the Castellammarese War continued to interrupt the Prohibition-era rackets of the Five Families and the war seemed destined to leave them on the fringe of New York's underworld if a solution to the conflict was not found soon. Throughout the mid to late 1920s a group of young, ambitious and like-minded gangsters of Italian and Jewish decent led by Charles Luciano and Meyer Lansky reached a level of power and influence in New York's underworld that was beginning to rival that of the old Bosses, Masseria and Maranzano. Masseria Crime Family Underboss, Charles Luciano, was a highly respected and connected gangster with allies throughout the U.S. and in the Jewish underworld. Charles Luciano had always been very ambitious and knew that he would eventually have to eliminate the old Bosses in New York if he wanted to reorganize the American underworld and reach its pinnacle. Luciano used the war as an excuse to finally remove his obstacle to great power, influence and wealth and requested the assistance of his Jewish and Italian allies to eliminate the old Bosses, Joe Masseria and Sal Maranzano, and end the war. Luciano called upon his closest Jewish associates Meyer Lansky and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel and sought the approval for his plan of reorganization of the underworld from the other Jewish Bosses, Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, Abner "Longy" Zwillman and Dutch Schultz. His longtime allies under Bosses Masseria and Maranzano, such as Frank Costello, Vito Genovese and Giuseppe "Joe Adonis" Doto of the Masseria Crime Family, Albert Anastasia of the Mineo Crime Family and Gaetano Gagliano and Tommy Lucchese of the Reina Crime Family rallied to Luciano's side and cause. A new breed of Americanized and modern gangster from both the Jewish and Italian underworlds came together under the leadership of Charles Luciano and plotted the elimination of the old line Bosses and the eventual reorganization of the underworld on a national level.

[edit] The Underworld Re-Organizes

Giuseppe Masseria was assassinated in Scarpato's Coney Island restaurant by 4 shooters on April 15, 1931. Luciano's plot was successfully concluded when the newly self proclaimed Boss of Bosses Salvatore Maranzano was stabbed and shot to death in his Helmsley Building, Manhattan office on September 10, 1931 by Luciano's Jewish allies posing as I.R.S agents. After Masseria and then Maranzano were assassinated at the behest of Luciano, he ascended to the head of the most powerful crime family in New York and to the pinnacle of the American underworld, reorganizing the Mafia and creating its governing body, the Commission. Along with New York's top Italian gangsters such as Joseph Bonanno, Vincent Mangano, Gaetano Gagliano and Joseph Profaci, Charles Luciano aligned the Five Families, created the "Commission" and became the new de facto Boss of Bosses. With Luciano's influence and guidance, the 26 crime families of America's La Cosa Nostra aligned themselves with the Jewish Mob to form the National Syndicate and created a national board of crime directors that included the members of the Commission and the top Jewish Bosses to oversee the rules and policies of the National Syndicate and to vote on all major decisions affecting the top criminal organizations and their activities in America. Charles Luciano and his Luciano Crime Family would come to dominate criminal activities in New York and across the United States throughout the 1930s, even after Luciano was imprisoned and deported.

[edit] Luciano Era

Charles Luciano was a young, powerful and influential gangster that had finally reached the pinnacle of America's underworld, directing its criminal rules, policies and activities along with the other top Bosses. He sat atop the most powerful crime family in America, which now bore his name and controlled the most lucrative criminal rackets in New Nork such as gambling, bookmaking, loansharking, extortion, prostitution, and narcotics. Luciano was very influential in labor and union activities and controlled the Manhattan waterfront, garbage hauling, construction, garment center businesses and trucking. Luciano elevated his most trusted and loyal Family members to high level positions in the Luciano Crime Family. The feared Vito Genovese became his Underboss, Frank Costello was made Consigliere, while former Chicago Boss, Johnny Torrio was a member and considered Senior Advisor to the Family. The Luciano Crime Family had many powerful underworld members, and Luciano trusted his Capos to oversee his empire on the streets, including Giuseppe "Joe Adonis" Doto, Michael "Trigger Mike" Coppola, Anthony "Tony Bender" Strollo, Generoso Del Duca, Thomas "Tommy Palmer" Greco, Louis "Louie the Gimp" Avitabile, John "Duke" DeNoia, Gaetano Ricci, Rocco "The Old Man" Pelligrino, John "Footo" Biello, Guarino "Willie Moore" Moretti, Angelo "Gyp" DeCarlo and Ruggero "Ritchie the Boot" Bioardo in New Jersey, Salvatore "Big Nose Sam" Cufari in Connecticut and Anthony "Little Augie Pisano" Carfano in Florida.

Charlie Luciano became extremely wealthy and liked to be seen around town at the most exclusive and expensive nightspots such as the Stork Club and Copacabana (nightclub) with a different woman every night, most likely one of the women from his alleged string of brothels, run by Luciano Crime Family soldier, David "Little Davey" Betillo. Luciano's reign was relatively short-lived - special prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey, a future Republican presidential candidate, singled out Luciano as an organized crime ringleader and succeeded in having him convicted on prostitution charges in 1936 and sentenced to 30 to 50 years in prison along with Dave Betillo and others. He continued to run the Luciano Crime Family from prison, relaying his orders through his first Acting Boss, Vito Genovese, who quickly lived up to his feared reputation for violence and fled to Naples, Italy in 1937 to avoid a murder indictment. The Family's third most powerful member, Consigliere Frank Costello became the new Acting Boss and overseer of Luciano's interests, it is a mystery to most organized crime historians as to who replaces Costello as the Family Consigliere. The only hint to the Costello successor is that former Genovese Family soldier and the first mafia informer in the United States, Joseph "Joe Cago" Valachi mentions in the book "The Valachi Papers", a certain "Sandino" as the Family counselor at a meeting he attends with his Capo Anthony "Tony Bender" Strollo.[1]

[edit] The Costello Era

Under Frank Costello's leadership the Genovese Family maintained its control and influence in New York's underworld and over the rackets the Family dominated. Known for his flamboyant, persuasive, leadership style, which won over many a politician and member of the judiciary (to the great benefit of the Family), Costello became known as the "Prime Minister" of the underworld. Costello was the Genovese Crime Family's Connection Guy, an overseer of graft and political corruption with law enforcement, judges and politicians of Tammany Hall, which Costello was allegedly Boss of. It was said that during Costello]]'s reign as a Mob Boss that no judge in New York was made without the consent of Costello. Frank Costello allegedly even managed to get F.B.I. director J. Edgar Hoover on his side, fixing horse races in Hoover's favor when the Bureau Boss indulged in one of his favourite pastimes at the track, but even though Hoover knew the races were fixed he never wagered more than $5 or $10, which astounded Costello.

Costello also pushed the Family into legitimate liquor importation business when prohibition ended and the lucrative slot machine business with great success. The one armed bandits brought in millions of dollars for Costello and the Luciano Crime Family, but in 1934, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia who had run on a reform and anti-corruption ticket singled out Costello's slots for a search and destroy mission, destroying hundreds of the machines, swinging a sledgehammer himself for the newsreels. Frank Costello placed the rest of the machines in storage, then in 1935 Costello was able to start his slot operation once more, thanks to the dubious motives of Louisiana Governor Huey Long and New Orleans mafiosi Salvatore Silver Dollar Sam" Corolla and Carlos Marcello. Governor Long allowed Costello to bring the slots to his State of Louisiana for 10 percent of the take, Corolla and his underling Marcello made sure the slots were placed all over the State. Frank Costello associate, Philip "Dandy Phil" Kastel was chosen to oversee the slot machine and gambling operations with the Costello set up in Louisiana with the New Orleans Family.

But all the while Costello was pushing the Luciano Crime Family into new rackets and forging political alliances, Genovese was simmering on the sidelines from Italy, believing he was the Family's rightful Boss. Genovese was forced to bide his time, ingratiating himself with Fascist leader Benito Mussolini and his son-in-law, Count Ciano, as well as overseeing narcotics and Black Market operations in Italy during the Second world War, but following the war he was returned to New York in 1946 by a U.S. Army official that had arrested him in Italy after the war, when 2 of his Black Market operatives were caught and rolled over on Genovese. Vito Genovese faced no trial or prison due to the fact that the only witness to the 1934 murder of gangster Ferdinand "The Shadow" Boccia was killed in his jail cell awaiting trial. Vito Genovese rejoined the Luciano Crime Family, no longer as Acting Boss or even Underboss, as Frank Costello had elevated New Jersey gangster, Guarino "Willie Moore" Moretti to the position. Genovese ostensibly became a loyal Costello supporter and by extension a supporter of the still-exiled Luciano, now only a Capo, Genovese felt that Frank Costello had only looked after his and Luciano's interests, leading the Family into white collar crimes and neglecting the blue collar crews that Genovese was popular with. Vito Genovese once again forced to bide his time until he could plan his take-over and recruit allies to support him, Genovese began a campaign to take control of the Luciano Crime Family from Costello and Luciano.

[edit] Genovese Plans

Frank Costello was popular with the white collar crews in the Family, those involved in the garment center, garbage hauling, construction, labor and union rackets, along with legitimate businesses. Costello was a connection guy and political corrupter and was vying for the same political influence as New York Boss, Gaetano "Tommy Brown" Lucchese and now he had Vito Genovese to deal with as well. Genovese felt that Costello had only looked after his and Luciano's interests, leading the Family away from the blue collar rackets such as hijacking, theft, fencing, extortion, prostitution and narcotics, neglecting the crews that worked on the streets and that Genovese was popular with. Rackets such as gambling, bookmaking and loansharking are a universal mainstay for all Families and are never neglected, but when the soldiers on the streets who do the debt collecting, muscle work and murders are not happy, there is a lack of trust and confidence in the Bosses leadership abilities and this is exactly what Genovese was trying to accomplish. Vito Genovese knew that most of Frank Costello's muscle and support on the street came from his cousin and Underboss, Willie Moretti and his band of goons and hitters. With this in mind, Genovese influenced the Commission to order the October 4, 1951 murder of Moretti in a New Jersey restaurant, by engineering a campaign of fear based upon the latter's mental problems caused by his untreated syphilis, which was "loosening his tongue" about mafia affairs loosely. Moretti had been a loyal Costello supporter, but was dismayed to learn of the newly-formed alliance between Costello and Albert Anastasia, Boss of what would become known as the Gambino Family, which further strengthened Costello's position and undermined Moretti's. An underworld theory is that Albert Anastasia helped influence the commissions decision to kill Moretti because Anastasia feared Willie Moretti's mental instability and felt he could possibly make an attempt to have Anastasia killed. This theory is strengthened by the fact that the main shooter in Moretti's assassination was Anastasia Family member, John "Johnny Roberts" Robilotto and Anastasia would have to give his blessing for Robilotto to be used in the hit.

[edit] Genovese Takes Control

Starting in 1950, the underworld began to experience a number of investigations that exposed the Bosses and their criminal operations to the media and the public. The Keafauver Committee hearings began in May of 1950 and ended in May of 1951, Luciano Crime Family Boss, Frank Costello was the highlight of the event, with over 600 gangsters, pimps, bookies, politicians, and shady lawyers taking the stand. Costello had always craved respectability from the upper world, since he already had it from the underworld, so he agread to testify and not plead the Fifth Amendment, like so many other Bosses such as Tommy Lucchese, Albert Anastasia and Vito Genovese had. Television was new to America and the hearings would be covered by the 3 major networks and Costello made only one demand, that his face not be shown, only his hands be televised in the coast-to-coast hook up. Although he testified, Costello refused to answer hostile questions and skirted others, when asked "What have you done for America", Costello replied, "Paid my tax". Frank Costello's refusal to answer all the questions, eventual walk-out on in the hearings and revived notoriety as America's #1 gangster galvanized the government and Costello eventually spent a year in prison for contempt and soon after, 11 months in for tax evasion before his conviction was overturned on appeal.[2] The whole time Frank Costello was in prison, Vito Genovese was busy lobbying behind the scenes for Costello's removal following a poor performance by the Boss at the Kefauver Committee hearings, but this led to nothing, and eventually Genovese decided he could wait no longer. On May 2, 1957, Genovese gunman and protege, Vincent "Chin" Gigante tried to assassinate Luciano Crime Family Boss, Frank Costello in the lobby of his Manhattan apartment building, but botched the hit, leaving Costello with a minor scalp/head wound. Future Acting Boss, Thomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli, drove the getaway car.

Clearly shaken by the attempt on his life, Costello decided almost immediately to retire as Boss of the family, only being able to stand in the background as friend and ally Albert Anastasia was assassinated on October 25, 1957 in the barber shop of Manhattan's Park Sheraton Hotel. With the now volatile situation in New York's underworld ready to explode, due to the attempt on Costello's life and Anastasia's assassination, Vito Genovese calls for a National La Cosa Nostra meeting. The Apalachin, New York estate of Northeastern Family Boss, Joseph "The Barber" Barbara, is chosen for the meeting where Genovese plans to solicit the other family Bosses in allowing him to take Charles Luciano's seat as the defacto Boss of Bosses. The Apalachin Meeting becomes a debacle when curious New York state trooper, Edgar Crosswell decides to check out the estate of known New York and Pennsylvania criminal, Joseph Barbara and accidentally comes across a national meeting of the nation's La Cosa Nostra. The delegates representing the 26 mafia Families in North America try to flee, but over 60 are detained and later indicted. The worst result the Bosses faced due to the Apalachin Meeting was not only the indictments, but the mafia is finally brought into the public light and now faces more law enforcement scrutiny, even F.B.I. director, J. Edgar Hoover, who formerly denied the existence of a National Crime Syndicate must now admit its existence. The blame for the Apalachin debacle is placed on the shoulders of Vito Genovese for calling the meeting and Buffalo Boss, Stefano Magaddino for choosing the location, many Bosses will not forgive them.

Despite the shambolic end to the meeting, Genovese is too powerful, influential and feared to eliminate and finally manages to reach the summit of power in the former Luciano Crime Family which now takes his name. Vito Genovese choses New Jersey mafioso, Gerardo "Jerry" Catena as his Underboss and longtime ally, Michele "Mike" Miranda as Consigliere of the new Genovese Crime Family. After Genovese successfully removed Costello from power and checked the power of defacto Boss of Bosses Charles Luciano and became Boss of the Family, he continued with the traditional rackets, but made an effort to bring the Genovese Crime Family into the narcotics trade in a big way.

[edit] Drugs and the Genovese Family

A great deal of debate took place during the 1950s regarding the place of drugs in the mafia. Some believed they would corrupt the organization and increase its profile, leading to more arrests and police harassment. The various mob bosses banned drug dealing in the early fifties, with anyone disobeying the rule subject to being killed. Charles Luciano had now lost control of his crime family and with it the power and prestige he once carried. Luciano was still a highly respected and influential mafiosi and still had many allies in the United States. His long-time associate Meyer Lansky set in motion a plan to frame Genovese in a drug bust. with Luciano and his allies paying $25,000 to a small time Puerto Rican drug dealer named Nelson "Melon" Cantellops to turn informant, the authorities managed to pin a 15-year trafficking conviction on Genovese on April 17, 1959, despite the fact that the claims made by Cantellops (via information fed to him by Lansky et al) were spurious to say the least.

Upon his 1959 conviction, Vito Genovese placed loyal Capo, Anthony "Tony Bender" Strollo as Acting Boss of the Genovese Family. Tony Bender ran the Family with Underboss, Jerry Catena, Consigliere, Mike Miranda. What didn't surface until the 1987 defection of Genovese Crime Family soldier and Tony Salerno right-hand-man, Vincent "The Fish" Cafaro was that after Genovese's 1959 conviction that high ranking, New Jersey, Genovese Crime Family Capo, Philip "Benny Squint" Lombardo also stepped up under mentor Jerry Catena to run the Family and start his rise to power.

Genovese continued to run the family from prison, giving orders and commands concerning the Family and from time to time making hierarchy changes such as the one he made when Acting Boss, Tony Bender Strollo disappeared on April 8, 1962, after saying goodbye to his wife and leaving his Fort Lee, New Jersey home. Genovese may have suspected that Strollo did what he does best and switched his allegiance to new Boss, Carlo Gambino, Strollo knowing that with Genovese in prison, Gambino would begin his rise to dominate the New York underworld. Boss Vito Genovese would maintain control over his Family from prison by using a Committee of top Genovese Crime Family members to run the Family, appointing a substitute or substituto to oversee the Family's Commission seat. After Strollo's disappearance in 1962, Capo, Thomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli was named as Acting Boss and Commission substitute for the Family, but Underboss Catena and Consigliere, Miranda were the real powers on the streets. Legendary Boss Vito Genovese would try and plot against the remainder of those who had helped engineer his downfall, but before he could take his revenge he died of a heart attack on February 14, 1969 in an Atlanta prison.

[edit] Without Genovese

While in jail, Genovese had made Tommy Eboli his Acting Boss, and upon Don Vito's death the former boxing manager allegedly became the Genovese Crime Family's new Boss and continued to run the family with Jerry Catena, Mike Miranda and Philip Lombardo. Being that Jerry Catena was the Underboss and #2 man in the family when Boss, Vito Genovese died in 1969, Catena was most likely the real Boss of the Family, but by 1970, was convicted and imprisoned for 4 years, leaving Eboli, Miranda and Lombardo as the top members of the Genovese Crime Family. Eboli's power and influence in the Family, along with his respect in La Cosa Nostra, quickly diminished after ascending to the top position due to a number of hapless decisions he made during his time in charge and a known lack of respect for fellow Bosses. Phil Lombardo was Jery Catena's protege and was most likely the real power on the streets, a Street Boss, representing Catena and continuing his rise to the top. In early 1972 Eboli and millionaire drug dealer, Louis Cirillo received a $4 million loan from Carlo Gambino to finance a drug deal, Cirillo was eventually indicted on narcotics charges and when the police came to his home to arrest him they uncovered millions of dollars hidden in his home. Top Boss and Commission chairman, Carlo Gambino demanded the loan be repayed and Eboli refused. Eboli was killed on July 16, 1972, after leaving the home of a Crown Heights, Brooklyn girlfriend, taking five bullets to the face and chest while sitting in his car.

By late 1972, Eboli was dead, Catena was in prison, planning his sem-retirement to Boca Raton, Florida once released and Consigliere, Michele Miranda had recently retired. This left Philip "Benny Squint" Lombardo as top Boss in the Genovese Crime Family with top Capos like Frank "Funzi" Tieri, Vincent "Chin" Gigante, Gaetano "Toddo" Marino, Thomas "Tick" Contaldo, Matthew Ianniello Joseph "Joe by the Bay" Schipani, Anthony "Tony Pro" Provenzano in New Jersey. Even old timers like Vincent "Jimmy Blue Eyes" Alo, Dominick "Dom the Sailor" DiQuarto, Ruggero "Ritchie the Boot" Bioardo and Angelo "The Gyp" DeCarlo still in New Jersey and Salvatore "Big Nose Sam" Cufari always in control of Connecticut and keeping the Genovese Crime Family strong.

With Carlo Gambino being the supreme mafia power in New York, it is alleged that Gambino's ally and preferred choice as new Boss of the Genovese Crime Family, was Capo Frank "Funzi" Tieri. Frank Tieri or "Funzi" as he was known, allegedly took over after Eboli was killed, but the 1987 testimony of informant Vincent Cafaro sheds light on Tieri. Gambino was the most powerful underworld Boss in America and backed longtime friend, Frank Tieri as the new Boss, but the Family was still on the same level of power as the Gambino Crime Family and would never let another Family's Boss chose their Boss outright, so the top Genovese Crime Family members most likely met and voted to elect Frank Tieri as a Front Boss, which according to Vincent Cafaro the Family had been doing since 1969. Phil Lombardo was the real power in the family in 1972 and let Frank Tieri be the Family's representative to the Commission and take the law enforcement heat of him. The Genovese Crime Family hierarchy was completed in 1972 when Carmine "Little Eli" Zeccardi was made Underboss and Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno was made Consigliere,[3] while Jerry Catena stayed on as Senior Advisor and mentor to Philip Lombardo from his Florida condo. Carmine Zeccardi disappeared in late 1975, allegedly killed by the Westies Irish Gang based out of Hell's Kitchen on the West Side of Manhatten, but the underworld grapevine has Frank Tieri eliminating Zeccardi who was growing in power and could have made a move for the top position. Regarding Carmine Zeccardi, informer Vincent Cafaro stated in his testimony that Zeccardi was Acting Boss from 1972-74, then former Underboss from 1972-74, Frank Tieri took over and Zeccardi was demoted to Underboss from 1974-75, he then disappeared and was presumed dead. [1] Vince Cafaro's testimony regrading the Genovese crime family's leadership in the early 1970's makes Zeccardi's disappearance or death understandable, Tieri may have believed that Zeccardi would try to regain his former position of power, thus Zeccardi had to be eliminated to secure Tieri's position as the Boss or Front Boss. Tony Salerno was promoted to Underboss after Zeccardi's disappearance, leaving Antonio "Buckaloo" Ferro as the alleged Consigliere from 1976-78 until he retired, then Vincent "Chin" Gigante was promoted to Consigliere from 1978 until he was again promoted in 1981, this time to the top position! Frank Tieri was not a weak Acting Boss, he was highly respected and feared throughout the New York underworld, Tieri had always been a big money maker throughout his criminal career or an "earner" for the Genovese crime family and while representing the them on the Commission he was regarded as a top La Cosa Nostra Boss across the United States. Frank Tieri may have shown just how cunning and ruthless he was as a mafia Boss when he allegedly engineered the assassination of Philadelphia crime family Boss, Angelo Bruno on March 12, 1980, Tieri's motivation being a portion of the Atlantic City rackets that Bruno controlled. the Genovese Boss then covered his tracks by killing the Bruno assassination conspirators, Bruno crime family Consigliere, Anthony "Tony Bananas" Caponigro and brother-in-law Alfred Salerno on April 18, 1980 and took over Caponigro's lucrative North Jersey gambling operation which Tieri had supposedly coveted for years and allegedly lost the rights to in a mafia sit down sometime before. Frank Tieri does not only go down in mafia history as a Genovese Crime Family Boss, but the first mafia Boss to indicted and prosecuted under the RICO statute, he was convicted on November 21, 1980, and sentenced to ten years on January 23, 1981, but under the mafia mindset and ideals, he beat the justice system and the government by not going to prison when he died on March 31, 1981, in Mount Sinai Hospital of natural causes before ever starting his sentence!

The true power in the Genovese Crime Family since the beginning of the 1970's, until his retirement in 1981 and quite possibly since the 1969 death of Boss Vito Genovese was Philip "Benny Squint" Lombardo, also known as "Cockeyed Ben" and "Ben Turpin". The Genovese Crime Family implemented a highly secretive method of operating within the underworld by using "Acting" or "Front" Bosses and a Ruling Committee or Ruling Panel since the 1959 incarceration of crime family namesake, Vito Genovese and would continue to use this method of sheltering the real Boss from law enforcement scrutiny and media attention up to the present day. Boss, Phil Lombardo was mentor to Capo and Greenwich Village rackets Boss, Vincent "Chin" Gigante from 1969 and had groomed his protege to be the future Boss, by placing Gigante on the Family's Ruling Committee as an Advisor in 1972 and made the Consigliere in 1978 when Ferro retired, either way by the mid 1970s Gigante held tremendous power on the streets. It is mentioned by former Gambino Crime Family Underboss and informer, Sammy "The Bull" Gravano in his testimony that when he met with Genovese Crime Family representatives in 1978, concerning the construction business that Vincent Gigante was introduced to him as a Capo and Gigante politely corrected the person and said that he had been promoted to Consigliere, backing up rumors of Gigante's position in the Family's hierarchy in the 1970s. Former Los Angeles Family Capo and acting Underboss, Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno makes reference to Gignate's high level Family position and how he was present at a very important Family meeting with Boss Teiri, Underboss Zeccardi and Consigliere Salerno to vote on a murder in his 1981 book, "The Last Mafioso".[3] By 1981, Philip Lombardo was retired and living in Miami, Florida and died soon afterward, but made the list at #27 of Fortune Magazine's article, "The 50 Biggest Mafia Bosses", Tony Salerno was listed as #1.

By 1960, Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno was the Capo of the Genovese Crime Family's East Harlem, and South Bronx Crew, overseeing a multimillion dollar gambling racket with his brother and soldier, Cirino, that included bookmaking, numbers and floating dice games. Even when their East Harlem territory changed from a predominately Italian to predominately Black neighbourhood, the Salerno brothers maintained control over their rackets which were said to employ over 200 people. Anthony Salerno maintained a base of operations from his East Harlem, Palma Boys Social Club, located at 416 East 115th St. in Manhattan throughout his criminal career. Tony Salerno was a low key mafiosi who was respected and feared and by 1975 was the Underboss of the Family and had not experienced any jail time until his 6 month conviction on tax evasion charges in 1978. By then Salerno was one of the most powerful and rich gangsters in New York with interests in gambling, loansharking and influence in garbage hauling, construction, labor and union activities which all added to his power and wealth. It has been debated by the media, crime historians and law enforcement as to whether or not Tony Salerno became the official Boss of the Genovese Crime Family in late 1980, early 1981, during Frank Tieri's legal troubles, eventual RICO conviction and death soon after in 1981, but what is certain is that Salerno suffered a mild stroke in 1981 and was given permission to relax and recover at his Hudson Valley, New York horse farm. It is rumored that this is when Vincent "Chin" Gigante was elevated to official Boss of the Family, but by late 1981, Gigante allowed the recovered Salerno to return to New York and oversee his rackets, while sheltering the real Boss Gigante from law enforcement and the other New York Families as the Genovese Crime Family Front or Acting Boss. Whether Tony Salerno or Vincent Gigante, what is known is that Saverio "Sammy" Santora was promoted to Underboss and New Jersey's Louis "Bobby" Manna was promoted to Consigliere. What was unknown to Tony Salerno and the rest of the Genovese Crime Family was that Salerno's Palma Boys Social Club had been bugged by the F.B.I. and that in February 1985 that a RICO indictment had been handed down by the Federal District Court in Manhattan against Anthony Salerno and the other New York Family Bosses or the Commission and that on February 25, 1985 they would all be arrested by the F.B.I. Anthony Salerno was arrested at his East Harlem apartment, about to sit down to an order of food from Andy's Colonial Tavern with his personal physician, Bernard Weschler and 4 Genovese Crime Family underlings. The famous "Commission Case" began in September of 1986. On November 19, 1986 the jury filed into the courtroom after 6 days of deliberation and found Tony Salerno and all seven of the other defendants guilty on all 151 counts in the indictment. In January of 1987, seven mafia Bosses including Salerno returned for sentencing. The sentence was identical for each of them: the maximum for a RICO conviction, one hundred years without the possibility of parole. Legendary mafiosi, Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno died five years into his sentence in a Springfield, Missouri prison on July 27, 1992, at age 80.

[edit] The Oddfather

Vincent "Chin" Gigante was most likely the Boss of the Genovese Crime Family throughout the alleged reign of Acting Boss, Tony Salerno from 1981-87, while law enforcement and mob watchers are certain that by 1987, Gigante was the official Boss of the Family. Boss Vincent Gigante elevated longtime associate and ally Venero "Benny Eggs" Mangano to Underboss in 1987, after Santoro retired, while Bobby Manna remained in the position of Consigliere. Vincent Gigante was a former boxer turned gangster who was once managed by Genovese Family member Thomas Eboli. By the late 1940s Vincent and his brothers Pat, Mario and Ralph were all soldiers in the crew of former Genovese Crime Family Underboss and Capo since 1946, Vito Genovese. Another Gigante brother, Louis Gigante went in a totally opposite direction and became a well known New York Catholic priest. Along with Genovese underling, Tommy Ryan Eboli and his brother Pat, the Gigante brothers all were loyal Genovese underlings. By the early 1950s Vincent Gigante, known as "Chin", became driver and bodyguard for Vito Genovese. In May of 1957, Vincent Gigante proved his loyalty to Genovese by trying to assassinate Genovese Crime Family Boss, Frank Costello, but failed. Gigante was arrested, but eventually acquitted in the spring of 1958 when costello failed to identify his shooter. Three months later in July of 1958, Vincent Gigante was indicted and arrested with his Boss Vito Genovese, Giovanni "Big John" Ormento of the Lucchese Crime Family, Natale Evola, Carmine Galante and Anthony Mirra of the Bonanno Crime Family and Rocco Mazzie of the Gambino Crime Family, along with a total of 35 defendants on narcotics charges. A year later in 1959, Vincent Gigante received 7 years, while his Boss Genovese received 15 years.

Gigante was paroled from Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in Pennsylvania less than 5 years later in 1964 and was immediately promoted to Capo by Boss, Vito Genovese for his loyalty. Vincent Gigante led a crew that oversaw rackets and operations in Greenwich Village and Little Italy, Manhattan and the West side, from the Battery at the Southern tip of the borough to 14th St. By the late 1960s Gigante became famous in and out of mafia circles not only for his leadership abilities, but for his most famous eccentricity, walking around Greenwich Village in his pajamas and slippers, while muttering to himself and acting crazy. This was an act that Gigante had used in the mid 1960s to avoid being charged and prosecuted for trying to bribe a New Jersey Sheriff's Department. In over a period of over 3 decades, Vincent Gigante has used his crazy act to throw off law enforcement from his criminal activities and his true position as Boss of the Genovese Crime Family, having charges dismissed or winning acquittals due to his ability to fake mental illness, earning him the name, "The Oddfather". After the death of Boss Vito Genovese in 1969, Gigante stayed loyal to Acting Boss Tommy Eboli until his 1972 murder and then came under the tutelage of Genovese Crime Family power and Boss, Philip Lombardo. Lombardo took Gigante under his wing and became his mentor and by the mid 1970s Gigante was an Advisor or Consigliere to Lombardo and possessed a lot of power and influence in the Family and on the streets. By 1980 Philip Lombardo was in poor health, semi-retired in Maimi, Florida and when he died in 1981, "Chin" took over the Genovese Crime Family, putting Tony Salerno in as Front Boss.

Boss, Vincent Gigante ran the affairs of the Genovese Crime Family or the West Side as the Family was known in the New York underworld, from the Triangle social Club on Sullivan St., between West 3rd and Bleeker Streets. Throughout the 1980s Gigante ran the Genovese Crime Family with an iron fist, all the killings Gigante would eventually sanction were because a La Cosa Nostra rule had been broken. He maintained the Family's control over gambling, loansharking, extortion, hijacking and narcotics rackets and maintained a firm grip on the garment center, garbage, construction, labor and union rackets in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, as well as the Genovese Crime Family's influence over most of the smaller East coast Families in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Buffalo and New England. Chin kept his most loyal associates very close, men such as his brothers, Underboss, Venero "Benny Eggs" Mangano, his most trusted Capos, the 4 Doms,Dominick "Quiet Dom" Cirillo, Dominick "Baldy Dom" Canterino, Dominick "Dom the Sailor" DiQuarto and "Dominick "Fat Dom" Alongi, driver and bodyguard Vito "Bruce" Palmieri and soldier Frank "Frankie California" Condo who was the caretaker of the Triangle Social Club.

Stories abound about Gigante's remarkably secretive leadership style and his ability to install fear in his underlings. He is alleged to have ordered his men never to utter his name but instead to point to their chin (a reference to a shortened version of the Italian version of his first name, "Chin"), to receive them at his headquarters one by one and to never allow them to speak above a whisper. He also created the position of "Messaggero", a messenger used to put further distance between himself and his men. Close associate Dom Cirillo was said to retain this position throughout the 1980s, until 1997 when he was promoted, but in 1998 he suffered a heart attack and stepped down to recover. Vincent Gigante's sons, Vincent Esposito and Andrew Gigante, believed to have held the position from 1998-2002. The Genovese Crime Family also uses "Street Bosses" to assist the Boss or Acting Boss and the Underboss in relaying orders to Capos, soldiers and associates on the streets. The First Genovese Crime Family member to hold the Street Boss position was Capo, Liborio Bellomo.

It is well known by underworld members and mob watchers alike, the sheer hatred and contempt Vincent "Chin" Gigante held for Gambino Crime Family Boss, John Gotti, throughout Gotti's reign as Boss, before his 1992 conviction and life sentence. Gotti's fascination with his media persona and flamboyant lifestyle were a contradiction to the traditional mafia lifestyle that Vincent Gigante was loyal to and counter to the motivations and ambitions of a true mafioso. Gigante demonstrated his disgust with Gotti when he ordered his Consigliere, Bobby Manna to have Gotti killed. the plot was never carried out as Manna and his underling, Martin "Motts" Casella were caught on an F.B.I. bug planted in Casella's Hoboken, New Jersey restaurant discussing the Gotti hit. Manna and Casella were eventually convicted of attempted murder and jailed in 1989. Genovese Crime Family member, James "Little Guy" Ida took the position of Acting Consigliere when Manna was jailed. It is not known when Manna stepped down from the position and Ida was made official Consigliere, but most believe it was after Manna's appeals had been exhausted.

Gigante orchestrated the Family's moves into more hi-tech crime, such as boiler room stock scams, mortgage, insurance and computer fraud, alongside the usual racketeering and construction industry scams that were the bedrock of the Family's income. On May 30, 1990 Gigante, along with his Underboss Venero Mangano, Gambino Crime Family capo, Peter "One Eye" Gotti, Colombo Crime Family Consigliere, Benedetto "Benny" Aloi and Lucchese Crime Family Boss and Underboss, Vittorio "Vic" Amuso and Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso were indicted the "Windows Case", due to Genovese Crime Family associate and informer Peter Savino. This is the case that Managno and Aloi received 15 years for a white collar, non violent crime that called for 3 to 5 years. Vincent Gigante was bonded from the "Windows Case" on a $1 million bail and then indicted again in 1993 on murder and being a La Cosa Nostra Boss. His lawyers delayed the trials for 4 years with motions concerning Gigante's mental state, however, following seven years of evading prosecution due to his alleged mental instability, Gigante faced trial in the Summer of 1997 and in July of 1997, at age 69, Gigante received a 12-year jail sentence on various racketeering and conspiracy charges, including conspiring to kill Gambino Crime Family Boss John Gotti for Gotti's unsanctioned hit on previous Gambino Crime Family Boss, Paul Castellano on December 16, 1985. [2]. His trial included testimony from a number of mobster-turned-informants, including Sammy "the Bull" Gravano, a former Underboss to Gigante's principal rival, Gambino Crime Family Boss, John Gotti.

Gigante kept control of the Genovese Crime Family, continuing to run the Family and give orders through his trusted sons, who visited him regularly. In 2002 Vincent Gigante was again indicted, this time for running the Genovese Crime Family from prison and at a court hearing in April 2003, Gigante finally admitted that his insanity defense had been a ruse all along and he was given an additional 3 years on his sentence. He died in prison from heart disease on December 19, 2005.[3].

[edit] After The Chin

The Genovese Crime Family is the most powerful, secretive and disciplined crime family in the U.S. La Cosa Nostra and since the days of Eboli, Catena and Lombardo the Family's top members have used Front or Acting Bosses to disguise the identity of the Family's real Boss from the other New York Families and law enforcement. When Gigante's legal troubles started in 1990 and Underboss Benny Mangano was convicted in 1990, Gigante placed East Harlem Capo Liborio "Barney" Bellomo as the Family's Street Boss and Capo and Family power, Michele "Mickey Dimino" Generoso as Acting Underboss to replace Mangano. Bellomo was indicted, charged and eventually incarcerated in 1996 and Generoso in 1997, who was replaced as Acting Underboss by Capo Joseph Zito. By 1997, powerful and highly respected Capo, Matthew "Matty the Horse" Ianniello stepped up as Acting Boss of the Family and Dominick "Quiet Dom" Cirillo was made Street Boss from 1997 until his heart attack in 1998. From 1997, the Acting Boss Ianiello was assisted by the Street Bosses and by several high level Genovese Crime Family members who had been elected to lead the Family through a Ruling Committee. From Bellomo's 1996 incarceration, the powerful East Harlem Crew seemed to step up and place members of the crew in the Street Boss position, including, Frank "Farby" Serpico from 1998 until his death in 2002, Ernest "Ernie" Muscarella from 2002 until he was incarcerated in 2003 and then the power went from the East Harlem crew to Dominick "Quiet Dom" Cirillo once again as he stepped up as Street Boss from 2003 until his 2005 conviction. The Genovese Crime Family Ruling Committee/Panel was in use from roughly after the time of Street Boss, Barney Bellomo's 1996 incarceration until 2002. Genovese Crime Family members who were on the Committee include Frank "Farby " Serpico from 1997-98 (promoted), Pasquale "Patsy" Parrello from 1997-2001 (jailed), Ernest Muscarella from 1997-2002 (promoted), Alan "Baldie" Longo from 1997-2002 (jailed), Lawrence "Larry Fab" Dentico from 1997-2003 (promoted), John "Johnny Sausage" Barbato from 1997-2003 (promoted) and now it is known that present Acting Boss, Daniel Leo was a Committee member from 1997-2003. The Committee disbanded in 2003, being that 3 Committee members were jailed from 2001-2003, once again Acting positions were used. In 2003, Acting Boss, Matty Ianiello was assisted by Street Boss, Dom Cirillo, Acting Underboss, John Barbato and Acting Consigliere, Larry Dentico until Cirillo, Barbato and Dentico's 2005 convictions. So Matty Ianiello was Acting Boss from 1997-2006 and now Daniel Leo is Acting Boss. Who will run the Genovese Family with Leo is the question.

[edit] Current Leadership

Since late 2004 a series of prosecutions against high ranking Genovese Crime Family Capos has weakened the Family. Dominick "Quiet Dom" Cirillo, allegedly the Street Boss while Gigante was in prison, was charged with racketeering, conspiracy to murder, extortion and loan-sharking in 2005, and sentenced to 46 months in prison on March 3, 2006.[4]. Former Street Boss, Liborio "Barney" Bellomo[5], already incarcerated for racketeering, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges ranging from drug dealing to murder along with 31 other reputed mobsters. Other alleged high-ranking Genovese Family members convicted on RICO charges include alleged Acting Consigliere, Lawrence "Larry Fab" Dentico, alleged Acting Underboss, John "Johnny Sausage" Barbato and Capo, Anthony "Tico" Antico who were charged in the same indictment as Cirillo and received between 4 and 5 years incarceration. April 10, 2006, also saw four members of the Family pleading guilty to various charges while controlling the drywall industry in New York - a typical occurrence in an increasingly difficult time for the family. Over in New Jersey, Capo Angelo The Horn" Prisco was already under the spotlight for getting out on parole early through Governor McGreevey's unusual aid arranged by their mutual friend, lawyer Donald Scarinci, a prominent advisor to Senator Bob Menendez [6][7][8]. Prisco was arrested by the Feds on March 7, 2006, and charged with extortion involving bid rigging at the San Gennaro Festival[9],[10]. In a related development, former NJ parole chief took the Fifth Amendment 75 times in a court case when asked about Prisco's early release[11]. Prisco had previously been convicted of leaning on John Gotti Jr. and the nightclub Scores for money, as well as being asked to provide protection for famed actor Steven Seagal from various Gambino Crime Family extortion efforts[12].

Also facing charges is Vincent Gigante's brother [13]Mario[14], seen by many as the caretaker boss of the family while the leadership remains in limbo, under attack from federal prosecutors. 85 year old Genovese Crime Family Underboss, Venero "Benny Eggs" Mangano who is in ill health [15] was released from prison into a Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn half way home in late 2006 and returned home on November 2, 2006. [16] Only time will tell if the ailing Mangano will be able to step up and be an active member of the Genovese Crime Family or if he will retire as the classy and respected mafiosi New York media and law enforcement have portrayed him to be. On December 1, 2006, New York Post reporters Jean MacIntosh and Kati Cornell reported that assistant U.S. attorney, Eric Snyder identified 65 year old, Rockleigh, New Jersey businessman, Daniel Leo as the newly elected Genovese Crime Family Acting Boss. At the November 31, 2006 bail hearing of Genovese Crime Family member Charles Salvano, assistant U.S. attorney Snyder also implicated Leo in two violent extortion schemes involving an East Harlem gambling operation and a New York taxi-company owner, perpetrated by Daniel Leo and his alleged right-hand-man Salvano. [17] New York mob reporter and foremost mafia expert, Jerry Capeci, identified Daniel Leo in a November 30, 2006 Gangland News column as a former member of the 1970's, Genovese, Bonanno and Lucchese affiliated, East Harlem and Bronx area Purple Gang, a group of well known narcotics dealers. The low key and virtually unknown gangster's only arrest came in 1980 when he was charged with contempt of court when he refused to testify in a grand jury probe investigating loansharking, drug trafficking and 4 murders, Leo was found guilty in 1981, but spent no time in prison. In October 1999, the F.B.I. listened in on Genovese Crime Family Capo, Salvatore "Sammy Meatballs" Aparo as he described how the well respected Leo assisted fellow high ranking Genovese Family members, Lawrence Dentico and Ernest Muscarella as they conducted a La Cosa Nostra induction ceremony of 14 proposed associates by pricking their fingers and telling them what to say. A year later in 2000 the F.B.I. listened in once again as Genovese Crime Family associate and informant, Michael "Cookie" D'Urso recorded his conversation with Capo, Allen "Baldie" Longo in which Longo described Leo and Dentico as close associates of incarcerated Boss, Vincent "Chin" Gigante and how they were presently running the Genovese Crime Family since Gigante's 1997 conviction and how it has stayed powerful. This shows that Daniel Leo is considered a high ranking and influential member of the Genovese Crime Family and is another example of the their high level of secrecy and organization that has kept the Family on top of the New York and American underworld, earning the Family the title of Organized Crime's Rolls Royce! [18]

[edit] Bosses of the Genovese crime family

(Due to the secretive nature of the organisation, this list is based on generally accepted names and dates but may not be accurate)


[edit] Leading Family Members

  • Anthony "Tino" Antico
  • Salvatore "Sammy Meatballs" Aparo
  • Anthony "Tony" Arilotta
  • John "Johnny Sausage" Barbato
  • Liborio "Barney" Bellomo
  • Ludwig "Ninni" Bruschi
  • Dominick "Quiet Dom" Cirillo
  • Joseph "Joe D." Denti, Jr.
  • Lawrence "Larry Fab" Dentico
  • Silvio DeVita
  • Paul "Paulie Stripes" DiMarco
  • Louis "Louie" DiNapoli
  • Vincent "Vinnie" Esposito
  • Anthony "Tony Parkside" Federici
  • Tino "The Greek" Fiumara
  • Albert "Kid Blast" Gallo
  • Rosario Gangi
  • Michele "Mickey Domino" Generoso
  • Mario Gigante
  • Frederico "Fritzy" Giovanelli
  • Matthew "Matty the Horse" Ianniello
  • James "the Little Guy" Ida
  • Joseph "Joey" Ida
  • Frank "Punchy" Illiano
  • Alan "Baldie" Longo
  • Alphonse "Allie Shades" Malangone
  • Venero "Benny Eggs" Mangano
  • Louis "Bobby" Manna
  • James "Jimmy From 8th St." Messera
  • Louis "Louie" Moscatiello
  • Ernest "Ernie" Muscarella
  • Vito "Bruce" Palmeri
  • Pasquale "Patsy" Parrello
  • Ciro Perrone
  • Angelo "The Horn" Prisco
  • Renaldi "Ray" Ruggiero
  • Charles "Chuckie" Tuzzo
  • Joseph "Joe" Zito

[edit] Known Crews

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Mass, Peter. The Valachi Papers. New York, Harper Collins, 1968.
  • Demaris, Ovid. The Last Mafioso: Jimmy the Weasel Fratianno. New York, Bantam Books, 1981.
  • Dannen, Fredric. Hit Men. New York: Vintage, 1991
  • Sifakis, Carl. The Mafia Encyclopedia: Second Edition. New York, Checkmark Books, 1999.
  • Capeci, Jerry. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia. Indianapolis, Alpha, 2002.
  • Cowan, Rick & Century, Douglas. Takedown: The Fall of the Last Mafia Empire. New York, Berkley Books, 2002.
  • Raab, Selwyn. The Five Families. New York, St. Martin's Press, 2005.

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../g/e/n/Genovese_crime_family.html"