Russell Bufalino is underrated. He was a member of the Buffalo family. He was a protégé to John Montana, Stefano Magaddino and Joseph Barbara. Bufalino controlled two families, his own and temporary the Buffalo crime family for a few months. He never controlled the Genovese crime family. He was one of the few bosses against Jimmy Hoffa being killed, which the matter finally rested with the commission.

He did have joint operations with Buffalo, Bonanno, Cleveland, Decavalcante, Philadelphia, and Pittsburg crime families. These connections made him and his crime family very rich with gambling and loansharking. He was very skilled with labor racketing as well. His family's infiltration of union's with the help of other crime families help consolidate his position as boss.