From what I've read on the boards here, the Genovese have always been the most powerful family. Other posters will be able to explain in more details.

I doubt that Paul would or even couldve manipulated Chin. Gigante was extremely shrewed, but also seemed to like Castellano. He was really pissed off when Big Paul was killed and wanted Gotti and all of the conspirators whacked. I doubt anyone could dictate to the Genovese... they're way too powerful and smart.

I always wondered if he really wanted to kill Gotti. If he did, why did he fail?...I don't believe that the guy who blew Decicco up, mistaked another guy for Gotti....Who resembled John?

If anyone wanted Gotti dead, all you had to do was rent an apartment near The Ravenite, then, hire a sniper any day of the week. Case closed!

No One is unwhackable. If Anastasia could be whacked, then anyone can be.

Exactly !! In my eyes,and personal opinion, Gotti was a big Pussy !! He surrounded himself at all times with everyone and anyone,and made himself into this Gangster Celebrity Extraordinaire for the simple fact,He knew the Chin and others were gonna "PUSH HIS FUCKEN WIG BACK" for breaking sacred rules in whacking the boss with absolutely no authority to do so !! If Bobby Manna doesn't get caught plotting Gotti's death then guess what ! Gotti is laid out in the streets full of holes in a public display !!!! Gotti knew all this from the time he pulled off the hit and knew he was on his way to prison ! In my personal opinion , Gotti was scared to death !!!He was protected,Like a federally endangered species ! He did what he did so if and when they managed to kill this asshole it would be all over the news and media around the globe and there obviously would be a full scale attack on his perpetrators to no end !! Sort of like the pope being assassinated !!

I'd say the Genovese were bigger and more powerful, or at least equal to the Gambinos during the 60s. The thing was Vito was in prison and the three leaders in his place weren't always on the same page. I think Gambino took advantage of that, plus he was allied with Luchese, Colombo and Bruno so he held a lot of sway. I wouldn't bet that he ever dictated how things went to guys like Benny Squint and Fat Tony though.

By the time Castellano and Gigante were in power it seems the tide had turned a bit. According to Gravano, Gigante was doing a lot of manipulating of Castellano, not the other way around.

so the genovese were always the more powerful and dominant family ?

so the genovese were always the more powerful and dominant family ?

I'm not so sure. How about today?

No until the Don Carlo dead the Gambino was the most powerful but with castellano, Gotti and Gravano where on 21 active crews only 10 remain active the Genovese family thanks to the few high ranking rats become the most powerful LCN family in the US.

you think that frank cali
can restore the power and control that the gambinos had in the 50s-70s ?

The Gambinos was powerful with Don Carlo due he was the commission Chairman but Genovese are the "Ivy League" because 1)their influenze on the other family for example Nardi and Greene went to NY to ask Salerno help,Caponigro thinked that the genovese give the ok to kill Bruno ecc;
2)they had no John Gotti;
3) they prefered to had a Ruling Panels so who is out of the family don understand who give orders;
4) apart a capo in Massachusetts the high ranking members always respected the omertà.

i doubt that genovese family is currently stronger than the gambinos, the gambinos have several zips inside their ranks, more links with sicily,they are more rooted in at least 2 boroughs (queens and brooklyn)and more involved in drug trafficking

Fish cafaro spread alot of light as to wat happend with the genovese family in the early 70tys i wish he told more about tommy ryans snuff out. They guy was gambinos number 1 enemy in the usa. But if funzi tieri was a pupet of carlos a few yrs after his death they say funzi single handly set angelo bruno up for the shotgun blast. Funzi tieri comes up alot in scarpas fbi files. He was a force in bk but he was sick alot. Who knows.

How do you know that Gambinos are more involved in drugs? Because Cefalù or Cali are the boss ? The genovese are low key and with few rats is impossible to understand how much are involved in drugs (ndrangheta control the coke and heroin so be a siggie dont means nothing in the drug traffick scene).

They COULD be, but as of yet.... I haven't seen any large scale bust linked to mob guys moving stuff in the street, maybe that Decalvalcante thing awhile back....