Early FBI files show how close Luciano and Lepke were, in that the files refer to them as the 'Luciano-Buckhalter Mob.' I don't think early non Italian bosses like Shultz, Lepke, Zwillman could be considered associates, imo.
Agree, since induction was not huge in the early stages of American Organizing.
However Lanskey & Siegel were in closer to the idea of being only associated since Lucky became a force and corner stone to the more Organized Italian groups.
