Do anyone have a better understanding of the relationship between Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno and Vincent Gigante??

We’re they very close or more like business partners??

Salerno was almost 20 years older then Gigante; so how was their agreement?

A lot of people that don’t know anything about the mafia say that; Salerno was stupid and was just fronting for Gigante with no power..... Obviously that was not true; Salerno was the one of the most powerful guys through out the country.

What was the relationship like between Chin and Fat Tony?

Traditionally power was divided between 3 locales. Harlem, the Lower Westside, and North Jersey. So their relationship was representative of that. Chin ruled Downtown, and Fat Tony ruled Harlem/Bronx. And in New Jersey, it was Bobby Manna. The triumvirate

Someone had to be #1, it just so happened to be Chin. He was closer to Vito.

Bobby manna always intrigued me, very powerful. Nymafia have you done an in-depth story on him? If not how about considering it.

I am considering it

I don’t think my question was really ever answered;

Did Gigante look up to Salerno like a father figure?? Or advisor of some sort??

@NYMafia

I agree; the family was ruled like a triumvirate. I think it was that way when Benny “Squint” Lombardo ran the family.

Did Chin view Salerno as a mentor or father figure? I doubt it. I'm positive that he respected him for his service and tenure to the borgata, but Chin was pretty full of himself, and I doubt he looked to many as a "father" figure. The one exception being Vito. Or possibly Costello and Luciano even though he clipped Costello in the noggin on Vito's orders. THEY were iconic figures.

Chin was younger than Fat Tony, but had nearly as much time in the tenches ya know, so I don't think it was that kind of relationship. But who knows?

In my Chin book written by Larry McShane he writes that Gravano testified that Salerno and Gigante were not close at all and supposedly Chin would make faces and "mock" Salerno behind his back while he was talking....but I don't know If I can truly believe that. Especially coming from a liar like Gravano. Chin needed Salerno to take the major fall for him to keep the charade going, if Salerno knew that Chin really felt that way about him it would make him less likely to take the 100 years.

mutual respect. fat tony was a millionaire when chin was selling herion in the 50tys. fat tony was underboss when chin was a capo.

Sometimes in perspective , this family is dizzying....I did not realize that Fat Tony was so much older than Chin..Poor Tony died in the clink 4 just basically being a patsy...eating candy bars 2 boot...

Yeah, I've. just read this book. And this really caught my attention.
Like you I find it hard to believe. Especially pulling faces in front of members of another family.
How come you call Gravano a liar? I've always thought him very pretty truthful in interviews.

Although, he obviously lied about his motives for ratting out. And the killing of his brother in law

I wouldn't say Salerno was a patsy/ fall guy at all. He must of been in the family administration for years.
If people like Scoop, Indelicato??, Furnari, G.Lang, were part of the case then he definitely should of been.

How comes only the full admins. of the Luccs were indicted? what happened to gambino consig. Gallo?

Fat Tony was at the top of the biggest numbers operation in the 40s when Chin was still a boxer. fat Tony ruled in acting capacity in east harlem when Trigger Mike Coppola was down in Florida. fBI documents show that Salerno was semi retired in the mid to late 70s in Florida and wanted to retire for good like Catena and Coppola did but the Genovese admin called him back into the fold. He couldn't refuse. The guy was wanting to retire at 70 to his upstate residence in Rhinebeck and his place down in Florida. The east harlem crew was almost as powerful and influential as the Village crew in the early 60s. Chin was doing a bid for a drug charge at the time Tony was taking over officially for Trigger Mike.

Fat Tony was at the top of the biggest numbers operation in the 40s when Chin was still a boxer. fat Tony ruled in acting capacity in east harlem when Trigger Mike Coppola was down in Florida. fBI documents show that Salerno was semi retired in the mid to late 70s in Florida and wanted to retire for good like Catena and Coppola did but the Genovese admin called him back into the fold. He couldn't refuse. The guy was wanting to retire at 70 to his upstate residence in Rhinebeck and his place down in Florida. The east harlem crew was almost as powerful and influential as the Village crew in the early 60s. Chin was doing a bid for a drug charge at the time Tony was taking over officially for Trigger Mike.

Absolutely correct! every word!

Salerno was a senior compared to Chin. And highly respected by all. He was nobody's patsy. He caught the 100, and that was that.... we went in to do his time like a man

Yaeh fat tony was respected across the country. I think some family's preferd his easy accessibility and seemed pretty level. The buffalo guys went to him the Cleveland. New england. They knew chin was boss. Tony ducks was visiting fat Tony's club when there recorded on wires well after chin took over in 80/81. Big Paul's on tape call fat tony or chin like they were equals

I always thought, from reading the boards and other files, fat Tony asked to come back after having a stroke. That's when he became the front boss for chin. Prior to his stroke he was the underboss.

One indvidual that can answer this question is Fish Cafaro. From what i read from his testimony (but i didn't read everything), it was clear to Salerno that Gigante was the shot caller. Salerno didn't seem to have any negative feelings towards Gigante.

It also appears that somehow, Gigante made sure that Salerno was well informed on what was going on with the family and that he was included in the decision making. As stated above, Salerno was one of the best connected mafioso in the country and i feel that Gigante gave him some autonomy in how he would deal with other families.

I think your assessment of their relationship is on point.

Was SALERNO from the Genovese camp or a Luciano/Costello guy? Its interesting that this Family was able to remain intact after having such a divisive and destructive Boss like Vito.

Maybe it made them smarter, enough cake for everyone to eat. Have rotation of admin positions to keep everyone happy and instill a front boss to take the heat.

This.

This family just seems to have always done everything right. Even the Genovese/Costello incident was short lived and settled quickly. Nothing like the Colombo or "Banana" wars, or the Amuso/Gaspipe bloodbath. Or Phily under Scarfo. Costello just retires, peace is restored and the wheels were moving again.

Here's a cool on YouTube called; VINCENT “THE CHIN “GIGANTE SENTENCED. Click on the link below to view the video. Enjoy

https://youtu.be/iQNEwn5ndSI

I don't believe that story for a second...Gigante wasn't some 20 year old kid, he certainly wouldn't make faces behind Salerno's back in front of other families

That's pretty rotten, if a guy that age wants to retire, you should at least let him semi-retire.

I haven't seen pmac around, anything happen to him? I know he likes the bottle and other stuff.

I don't believe that story either. It's absurd...

He lied about the # of people he clipped. He lied about the reasons for them (so he can make more $$$$) and most of all he LIED about never being a drug dealer. When he was a major one, as Gaspipe said for years. His ecstasy thing was pure karma.

He posted in this thread above yours.. You sure you're not liking the bottle a bit much yourself? Lol

I thought fat tony would joke about the chin other way around. Didnt fat tony send out christmas cards with a picture of him in a bathrobe to all the genovese guys and the chin didnt mind. Fat tony was as powerful as a mob guy can possible get, his decision on matters was considered law and he was a worth millions. He didnt need to block the rise of the chin from being boss because he was an old man and the chin was groomed his whole lcn life to be adventual boss.

He is over on Black Hand site

Fat Tony was initially supposed to take the reign after Lombardo retired. Yet he suffered a stroke and wad "taken down" by Gigante, Benny Eggs & I believe Funzi at his hospital bedside!