Genovese crime family

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The Genovese Family is one of the "Five Families" of the Mafia that controls racketeering activities in New York City. The faction got its name from Vito Genovese, who ran it in the 1950s, although it had existed before that time. It is presently the most powerful Cosa Nostra Family in the United States today.

Contents

1 Impact of the Genovese Crime Family
2 History of the Genovese Crime Family

2.1 Early history
2.2 The Castellammarese Era to Luciano
2.3 The Costello Era
2.4 Influential Current Members

3 The Gigante Era
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

Impact of the Genovese Crime Family

The Genovese Crime family is known as the "Ivy League" of New York Organized Crime. Genovese Family interests are estimated at least $500 million per year and the number of government informants from within the family can be counted on one hand. There are at least 300 'made' members includeing the Fardella Crime Family and at least a thousand associates in the Family.

History of the Genovese Crime Family

Early history

The rackets that are today controlled by the Genovese family of American La Cosa Nostra were originally contolled by Salvatore Maranzano, a ruthless Mustache Pete who emigrated to the United States from Sicily in the mid 1920s the son of a made member of the Fardella Crime Family. Educated and erudite, Maranzano at first impressed the embryonic New York underworld. However, with his penchant for histrionics and a healthy appetite for greed and power, Maranzano provoked Joe "The Boss" Masseria (also called "Joe Boss"), a Bronx underworld powerhouse, into a war. While Maranzano won (and in doing so, established the nascent Five Family system of organized crime in New York), his reign was brief. An ambitious gangster named Lucky Luciano would soon rise to the top of the family.

The Castellammarese Era to Luciano

After Maranzano and Masseria were assassinated at the behest of Luciano, he took over the largest and most profitable family. Vito Genovese served as his underboss. However in 1936 Luciano was sent to prison for and Genovese fled to Italy escaping a murder charge. Frank Costello took control of the family.

The Costello Era

During the reign of Frank Costello, the Genoveses controlled much of the bookmaking, loansharking, labor rackets and the garment industry in New York City. Costello also controlled much of the docks in New York, New Jersey and Florida. Known as the Prime Minister of the Underworld, Costello was said to have so many political and judicial contacts that no state judge could be appointed without his consent. Costello believed in diplomacy and discipline, and also started the Family's interests in Las Vegas. Costello ruled for 20 years until his underboss, Vito Genovese, attempted to have him assassinated in 1957 (the trigger man was Vincente "The Chin" Gigante, future boss of the Family). Having survived the bullet wound, Costello retired quietly.

Influential Current Members

John "Buster" Ardito - Octagenerian Bronx and Westchester caporegime, involved in loansharking, gambling and union racketeering. Arrested in early 2006.

Matthew "The Horse" Ianniello - Former Acting Boss and Manhatten capo. Currently incarcerated.

Liborio "Barney" Bellomo - Former Acting Boss and Bronx capo. More then a generation younger (born c. 1958) then his caporegime contemporaries, believed to be a leading contender to be the new Don following the death of Vincent Gigante. Incarcerated since 1996 and facing more racketeering and new murder charges.

Mario Gigante - Older brother of deceased Don Vincent Gigante, believed to be the current Acting Boss of the Family. Is over 80 years old as of 2006.

James "Little Jimmy" Ida - Consigliere to Vincent Gigante. Imprisoned for life in 1997 for murder.

Venero "Benny Eggs" Mangano - Underboss. Incarcerated since 1991 and over 80 years old, he still has the title and much influence. Due to be released in late 2006. May be the new Don since the death of Vincent Gigante.

Tino "The Blade" Fiomara - New Jersey capo. Ran the docks and corrupted many unions in North New Jersey. Incarcerated.

Note that while many of the influential members of the family are in prison or awaiting trial, they can (and many do) wield considerable sway on day to day matters involving their crews.

The Gigante Era

When Genovese was sent to prison, a "Ruling Committee" that included Jerry Catena and his protege Phillip Lombardo, was set up to rule the family with complete secrecy. Various "Front Bosses" were also established for the purpose of distracting law enforcement.

A more elaborate Family Administration was introduced upon Vincent Gigante's take-over of the Genovese Family, which involved the creation of a fourth messagario (messenger) and fifth position (Street Boss) in the family. The messagario was responsible for relaying messages up the chain-of-command as well as between families, while the Street Boss operated family activities on behalf of the Administration (i.e., Boss, Underboss, Consigliere). Since Gigante spoke only with a few close associates and through his sons, Vincent Esposito and Andrew Gigante, these positions were set up with the intention of insulating the Boss further from law enforcement investigations.

During the 1970s, the Genovese Family was aligned with the Gambino Family, but the two Families drifted apart in the 1980s, primarily due to the rivalry between the then-boss of the Genovese Family, Vincent "the Chin" Gigante, and the flamboyant and swaggering Gambino boss, John Gotti.

Gigante died from heart disease on December 19, 2005. He was 77 years of age. At his time of death he was incarcerated at the federal prison in Springfield, MO. Since his incarceration in July of 1997, a panel of several caporegimi took care of day-to-day business.

Since late 2004 a series of prosecutions against high ranking Genovese capos has weakened the Family. Liborio 'Barney' Bellomo, already incarcerated for racketeering, was hit with murder charges. Dominick Cirillo, Lawrence Dentico and Mario Gigante, all senior capos, have also been indicted on broad RICO enterprise charges.

On February 23, 2006, 32 known members and associates (as well as their acting boss) were indicted. Similar to the large scale Operation Family Secrets which indicted many mobsters part of the Chicago Outfit. For individuals indicted and news go to these websites [] [] []

In Mafia parlance the hierarchy of the Genovese crime family is referred to as the "west side".

References

Dannen, Fredric. Hit Men. New York: Vintage, 1991
Raab, Selwyn. The Five Families. 2005

External links

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