I think there is an untold story here.

I just don't know what it is.

There is.


And you never will. Those guys didn't talk when they were alive. And most of them are dead now .

He was the smartest boss of his era. The fact that he broke tradition by handpicking Vince as his successor tells you all you need to know about what kind of foresight the guy had. And the fact that the power base remained on 116th Street after Benny moved to Florida (even though Vince rarely left the Village), is what led the Feds to believe that Fat Tony was really The Boss.

Now, things obviously didn't work out so well for Fat Tony. But Vince not being dragged into the Commission Case altered mob history. Because the Genovese family picked up more construction contracts and held onto more unions after the Commission Case than any other family (but like I always say, they've always been tightly aligned with the Luccheses in construction).

the genovese became the strongest ny family when they start running this the chicago way

meaning using front bosses, triumvarites , etc to run the mob

There's always been a strong connection between the Westside and the Outfit. Milwaukee Phil was originally from Yonkers, which is just north of the Bronx and kinda like an honorary "sixth borough."

Nobody outside of OC gave a shit about Benny because he wasn't considered the boss and his inner circle probably didnt talk that much about him.

Benny was hardly a fitting media darling like Gotti or Merlino, just a "boring" old man like Danny Leo so he don't get no press coverage or people talking about him.

Vinny was on the family panel in the 70's when Benny was the boss and Benny later promoted Vinny to consigliere.

the genovese became the strongest ny family when they start running this the chicago way

meaning using front bosses, triumvarites , etc to run the mob

No desire of getting into a debate here on Lombardo, but he was the official boss for only a brief time (in the early 1980s). This is clear reading his files. Funzi Tieri was the official Genovese boss for most of the 1970s, until he was taken down by the other Genovese powers. Oviation, weren´t you a member of this forum when I posted stuff from his files? You can find it by putting "Lombardo" in the searchfield and "HairyKnuckles" in the author´s name.

It is an old argument indeed. But I don't know what files you're referring to. It seems pretty clear from Vincent Cafaro's testimony, the extent of which can be found in the "25 Years After Valachi" report, that Tieri was official underboss/acting boss and never the official boss. The whole "Benny Squint was only boss for a short time" came from picasso on the RD forum. All things considered, I think Cafaro would be in a better position to know than picasso (who also claimed Fat Tony was the official boss too and Chin didn't become boss until after the Commission case - despite all the evidence to the contrary.)

In your opinion, didn't the other 4 families know who was in real power in the Genovese family during those times, that Lombardo was the "power behind the throne" or whatever, or was it only the law enforcement that took the bait? I mean, was this whole "conspiracy" and "front bosses" thing aimed only at law enforcement or was it meant to confuse the other families also?

In your opinion, didn't the other 4 families know who was in real power in the Genovese family during those times, that Lombardo was the "power behind the throne" or whatever, or was it only the law enforcement that took the bait? I mean, was this whole "conspiracy" and "front bosses" thing aimed only at law enforcement or was it meant to confuse the other families also?

Don't know about all the family's, but a Dec 12 1984 conversation recorded at the Palma Boys between Tony Salerno and Tony Ducks seems to indicate that at least the Lucchese knew about it.
Salerno was speaking about having one of his guys chase off another guy for coming around after he had been warned to stay away...

Salerno: well, sure enough he goes down there, and this guy gives him a whack...this kid goes to his mother, his brother goes to Ben. He sends that wiseguy to knock that fucking Carmines head off.
I come in Monday, he's telling me the story. I said "Ben, hey, what the fuck, you, you put me on...you gave me a fucking job over here, do you want me to take care of it or don't you?

Corallo: But does he reason with him?

Salerno: No

Corallo: Did you reason with him?

Salerno: He, he just lets you know about it. He just lets you know about it. I don't know what to do. I swear I don't. The first time I ever had an argument with him. So fucking disgusted with myself. I said "well, we gotta live with this guy". Yeah, I told him.

Corallo: You cant do that, see, you gonna, you gonna let this run from here downtown, is that what you want to do?...you wanna say "I throwed the fucking thing out". You want it, and you have to run downtown when you want something done?

Salerno: No, I'll retire. I don't need that

Corallo: I know you'll retire. I know you'll retire
Salerno: Fuck that shit. I wont take orders from that guy.

The conversation demonstrates that Salerno was not impressed that Lombardo(Ben) and Gigante(downtown reference)had second guessed him after giving him a job to do (front boss/street boss)and that Salerno was tiring of his own no-win role and would "retire" if things didn't change.
The fact Corallo brought up the downtown reference as to where Salerno got his orders from suggests he was at least aware of the setup.

Old argument indeed. It doesn´t come from Picasso though, but from Lombardo´s files. A dozens of informants, or let me put it this way...on a dozens of occassions (both in Lombardo´s and Tieri´s files) informants identify Tieri as the official boss and Lombardo as a captain (later as the consigliere before he suffered a massive stroke which sidelined him for years). I have no clue why Cafaro testified and said the things he said. It´s possible that Lombardo was able in some cases to manipulate and control Tieri in much same way as Persico was with DiBella and that made Cafaro believe Lombardo was stronger and more powerful. Perhaps that´s what he is referring to in the testimony but words it incorrectly. In Lombardo´s files, there is a small chart showing Lombardo as a captain, Tieri as the boss. It´s based on information from CI´s. I have showed you parts of this chart over on the other site, don´t you remember?

I disagree on the genovese being the strongest family since the beginning. Thats Chicago, people seem to not get that the Chicago syndicate basically PREDATES the Comission, and was out earning every New York family during the Capone era, dont even try to dispute this...