Opinion Ask Me Anything About American Organized Crime

[Arashikage4Life]

How heavily involved is the Mexican cartel in American organized crime?

They never really cross paths.

 

[Seano]

Vito shouldn't have been at that bar

Hey come on! Its a joke.

 

[computer fogie]

Do you have any first hand experience with organized crime, or did you just read books on the subject? Not trying to be a dick, but most people who talk about it don't really know anything about it. With very rare exceptions, "Those who talk, don't know. Those who know, don't talk."

 

[KeiranMc]

@Arashikage4Life who in your opinion are the top 5 most ruthless killers from the five families? I'm guessing Albert Anastasia will have take one of the spots.

 

[Arashikage4Life]

@Arashikage4Life who in your opinion are the top 5 most ruthless killers from the five families? I'm guessing Albert Anastasia will have take one of the spots.

So many to choose from...

Vito Genovese and Anthony Casso maybe, as far as the upper echelons are concerned. For the rank and file, probably Roy DeMeo, Tommy Pitera, Charles Carneglia, Greg Scarpa. I'm sure there are more I'm not thinking of.

 

[Arashikage4Life]

Do you have any first hand experience with organized crime, or did you just read books on the subject? Not trying to be a dick, but most people who talk about it don't really know anything about it. With very rare exceptions, "Those who talk, don't know. Those who know, don't talk."

I've spoken with fringe guys but unless you are actually in an organized crime family or associate with them it is difficult to really grasp, that is true. But, FBI files and court documents are full of information from those who "know" and "talk;" informants, cooperators, etc. Just look how many government witnesses there are. The Colombo Family alone has 16. When you take all of the families into consideration, that is a lot of information to be gleaned from defectors.

 

[milkmandanl]

1. Genovese
2. Gambino
3. Lucchese (could be switched with 4)
4. Bonanno (see above)
5. Colombo

Why does Carlos Marcelo continue to fly under the radar? Those in the know...know the black hand originated in New Orleans and not NYC...

 

[Arashikage4Life]

Why does Carlos Marcelo continue to fly under the radar? Those in the know...know the black hand originated in New Orleans and not NYC...

He was always recognized as a powerful figure, both nationally and locally. However, once he died the family basically withered away. Same thing with Trafficante and Tampa.

 

[Culombo]

what do members think of all the attention they get in the media .. movies, documentaries etc ?

 

[Oiler]

Yes, definitely, although it is much less prevalent than in the past because the mob resorts to violence less frequently than in the past to avoid law enforcement attention.

Are you referring to Connie's Pizza? That chain was being shaken down until at least 2002.

No, it was in burbs....

If that happens to you what do you do?

I suppose there is a "fair" tax and a totally unfair tax

 

[Arashikage4Life]

No, it was in burbs....

If that happens to you what do you do?

I suppose there is a "fair" tax and a totally unfair tax

You can go to the cops. The threat of violence is still there but the chance of getting your business torched or vandalized is probably more prevalent nowadays due to the "impersonal" nature of it. Also, the mob uses the mere implied threat of violence because of their historic reputation. How long this will serve them remains to be seen.

 

[jeffk]

Why did Mickey Cohen leave Kiev, Ukraine?
Did he have bad blood with the owners of Burisma?

- sorry, bad attempt at a joke.

 

[KeiranMc]

@Arashikage4Life is there any criteria for a new boss to change the family name? And what family name has stood the longest?

 

[Arashikage4Life]

@Arashikage4Life is there any criteria for a new boss to change the family name? And what family name has stood the longest?

The names were actually given by the government at the Valachi hearings where they simply assigned the last name of the current boss to the family. The names eventually stuck, with the one exception being the Colombos, who were originally tagged as the Magliocco Family. Magliocco wasn't approved by the Commission and was deposed not long after the hearings with Joe Colombo appointed in his stead.

They have never really attempted to change the family names. There was a time where Joe Massino, boss of the Bonanno crime family in the 90s, attempted to rename the family after himself because he was disgusted that former boss Joseph Bonanno had written an autobiography. Ironically enough, Massino defected to the government several years later.

 

[KeiranMc]

The names were actually given by the government at the Valachi hearings where they simply assigned the last name of the current boss to the family. The names eventually stuck, with the one exception being the Colombos, who were originally tagged as the Magliocco Family. Magliocco wasn't approved by the Commission and was deposed not long after the hearings with Joe Colombo appointed in his stead.

They have never really attempted to change the family names. There was a time where Joe Massino, boss of the Bonanno crime family in the 90s, attempted to rename the family after himself because he was disgusted that former boss Joseph Bonanno had written an autobiography. Ironically enough, Massino defected to the government several years later.

What I mean is for example the mangano-Anastasia-Gambino family never became the Castellano family or the Gotti family.

 

[Arashikage4Life]

What I mean is for example the mangano-Anastasia-Gambino family never became the Castellano family or the Gotti family.

My guess is that they didn't see any need to after the government assigned names. They probably considered it a tribute to the past bosses. Even an egomaniac like Gotti avoided it altogether.

 

[KeiranMc]

My guess is that they didn't see any need to after the government assigned names. They probably considered it a tribute to the past bosses. Even an egomaniac like Gotti avoided it altogether.

That was my thinking, if a guy like Gotti didn't change it, there must be something else to it.

 

[Arashikage4Life]

That was my thinking, if a guy like Gotti didn't change it, there must be something else to it.

I would also imagine that Gotti changing it would be seen as an insult to Gambino, which would have pissed off a lot of old-timers who were still around under his reign.