I don't really care for the Families with too much infighting. That's probably the main reason that the Colombos are the laughingstock of the New York Mafia. They're still suffering the consequences. It's actually one of the worst decisions a Mafia family in America could ever make.

Silver Screen wiseguys/JoePuzzles wrote a little piece on this myth.

"The term 'Mickey Mouse Mafia' was created by the Los Angeles Police Department as a way to mock the Los Angeles Crime Family post-Fratianno’s defection. While the term began to be used by newspapers at least as early as 1981, it really gained traction in October 1984, when the Associated Press published an article quoting Los Angeles Police chief Daryl Gates following the public announcement of the conclusion of ‘Operation Lightweight’. In it he referred to Peter Milano’s organisation (then Boss of the Los Angeles LCN Family) as the “Mickey Mouse Mafia” and felt the code-name of the investigation appropriate because, “organised crime is such lightweight in Southern California”. As such, it was an invention of law enforcement and the media.

Source: ‘Mickey Mouse Mafia’ bid busted by the Associated Press (published October 29, 1984) and ‘Super Snitch’ Did His Job by United Press International (published January 27, 1981)"

Here's a link to his fantastic website https://silverscreenwiseguys.wordpress.com

Just to bring this back to the TOPIC of this thread which is the Rochester Mafia...here's our original post...

The background story and hierarchy membership chart that follows below represents the Valenti Family from its mid-1950s formation through the late 1980s, a nearly thirty-five-year time period. By the 1990s, through bloody gangland warfare, the family had basically gutted itself, and from that point forward, there was little left in the way of a solid structured or functioning Family.

Button Guys names a total of 519 mafiosi and hoodlums, including 46 fully inducted Family members as well as another 473 “associates” who kicked up a portion of their profits to Frank Valenti and his men over the years.

https://thenewyorkmafia.com/frank-valenti-family-chart-rochester-new-york/

Lisa and I both hope you enjoy it!

Best regards...'The Other Guy'

Sully, your reply just reaffirms what I said, that they're a joke.

Liggio, with all due respect, this is a thread about the Rochester Mafia. My suggestion is that you start a new thread since this has nothing to do with Rochester or any of the other things that came up in this thread......

When I first started this thread, I forgot to mention that the Valenti Family chart and historical background story starts a new ButtonGuys series focusing on Rochester's underworld.

In the near future we'll be highlighting key members and associates as well as semi-independent racketeers alike.

So keep your peepers peeled folks!
-


"Often imitated. Never duplicated. ButtonGuys of The New York Mafia...There's only one!

Sorry Student, not trying to rock the boat here. I get a little imaginative sometimes, and was just thinking, imagine how cool it would've been if Jerry Capeci's Gangland News was up and running during those days.

Sorry I missed this. FWIW:I totally agree with your breakdown of the Pittsburgh LCN I grew up with. All in all; Good job!

Yeah thats a good list and also gives us info regarding one official position which most researchers dont have a clue about. Pittsburgh's family was top notch and @FOH your word is always golden. Thanks again

Thanks or your kind words and it's always a pleasure for me to chat about Pittsburgh.

Here we go again--another interesting thread f****d up by personal attacks. CUT IT OUT NOW!

Fantastic job with this article, NYMafia.

You’ve even identified a relative of mine on your chart who is almost never mentioned in articles about the Rochester family, but I know from personal stories was indeed a very active associate. So your research was well done. Thanks for posting this.

One minor correction on the chart: the photograph you used for Joseph Tiraborelli is actually Sammy G.

I am aware of the source photo you used though and Joey is the one front and center.

Thank you Turnbull

You're very welcome FV. And thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I'm glad you really liked the article.

As far as your relative goes, I was glad to hear he's on the chart. Thats why I try and always create my Mafia charts the way I do. Many people, mob researchers and chart makers included, don't realize that a Family's 'associates' are the very backbone of any borgata. Because without them, essentially there is no family. They are the men who "make it rain" so to speak. So to me, although it can sometimes be a daunting task, no Mafia hierarchy chart could ever be complete without listing the associates (which also includes future recruits.)

Thanks for the heads up FV. I'll see if I can source the correct photo of Tiraborelli and then change the other pic out.

But please recheck the articles' photo gallery in the next few days to make sure I inserted the right one, ok?

Thank you again for your input with this.

My Bad - Sorry 'bout that!

FOH, How are you my man? Haven't seen you around here in awhile. Glad to see you back posting.

And with the Valenti brothers so closely connected to Pittsburgh, even though this article really focuses on the Valenti Family and the city of Rochester, NY, I figured you'd enjoy it. lol

FV, we changed out the photo I originally had for a new one I believe to be Tiraborelli. Please check it for me and confirm that's its him, ok?

Thanks again

@FOH....@Turbull's warning wasnt directed towards you, but instead it was about other people, including me. You're cool, as always.

WTF...I just tuned in @ already is bulls'''it ??? this IS gone to Sh..te..geezz.....I used 2 love 2 come here ....but now???..I don't know..

Everything is cool now @hoodlum and pls stay around and stay tuned. Cheers

No problem, that was quick! Chart looks good. That's Tiraborelli and everybody's photo looks accurate. Great job.

Good. Glad to hear it FV...And thanks again for the positive feedback.

Sorry I'm late to the party here, but I wanted to thank you for the kind words. We put a lot of time and effort into everything we do, especially the charts, so we appreciate your comment.

+ 1

There are some sources who've listed Pittsburgh's/Rochester's Costenze (Stanley) Valenti as the boss of that Family. But, in reality, his older brother Frank Valenti was the true boss of this crew.

I think, at the time, some law enforcement agencies (the feds included) took for granted that Stanley was the boss because he was the one married to old-time La Rocca capodecina Antonio Ripepi's daughter. Ripepi was a very powerful Calabrian based power who later rose to become a Cosa Nostra capo.

But, truth be told, Stanley was a nonentity, compared to Frank. There was no comparison whatsoever. Frank was the hoodlum!

NYM do you know anything about Frank Valenti's life in Arizona? Like how he lived, did he own property out there? And how did he end up in a retirement home in Texas?

That I've never looked into, so I cannot speak knowledgeably about Valenti's retirement years. But by that time he was certainly retired and out of the game so to speak. After his fall from grace, he left Rochester and essentially lived the rest of his years in the shadows, away from the mob.

Frank did well too, in that he lived to a ripe old age.