street boss (front boss)

[slimshady_007]

Why do guys accept a title( street boss) that practically makes them the boss’s figurehead? The SB is likely going to take more heat and he has a much greater chance of getting caught on a wire than the OB does. Is there any benefits of being a street boss? Also, does the consigliere or underboss report to the street boss?

[eboli]

These titles like street boss/front boss are law enforcement/journalistic terms for the same thing - the acting boss. Acting bosses are rarely figureheads, and people agree to the job because there are many perks that go along with it. Everybody reports to the acting boss because he's the boss, albeit on temporary terms. It's not an 'official' position in the LCN hierarchy, but in modern times it seems the acting boss and underboss positions overlap.

[slimshady_007]

These titles like street boss/front boss are law enforcement/journalistic terms for the same thing - the acting boss. Acting bosses are rarely figureheads, and people agree to the job because there are many perks that go along with it. Everybody reports to the acting boss because he's the boss, albeit on temporary terms. It's not an 'official' position in the LCN hierarchy, but in modern times it seems the acting boss and underboss positions overlap.

Oh, what are the perks of being acting boss? Do they get a good chunk of the capos tribute?

[TallGuy19]

Are you asking about acting bosses who run the family while the official is in prison, or do you mean an underboss like Tony Salerno who runs the family on a day-to-day basis?

[slimshady_007]

Are you asking about acting bosses who run the family while the official is in prison, or do you mean an underboss like Tony Salerno who runs the family on a day-to-day basis?

No, I’m referring to an acting/street boss that runs thing on the boss’s behalf. For example, in Philly how Mikey Lance runs things as acting boss, for the official boss Joey Merlino.

[eboli]

These titles like street boss/front boss are law enforcement/journalistic terms for the same thing - the acting boss. Acting bosses are rarely figureheads, and people agree to the job because there are many perks that go along with it. Everybody reports to the acting boss because he's the boss, albeit on temporary terms. It's not an 'official' position in the LCN hierarchy, but in modern times it seems the acting boss and underboss positions overlap.

Oh, what are the perks of being acting boss? Do they get a good chunk of the capos tribute?

The same as any other member of the administration. It depends on how much power the acting boss has. It varies, like most things in organized crime. Peter DiChiara, Matthew Madonna and Domenico Cefalu were acting bosses, but they served under very different circumstances.

[chubby]

I wonder how the money is divided that is kicked up by the family between the street/ acting boss and the official boss...

[Mustangsally]

Why do guys accept a title( street boss) that practically makes them the boss’s figurehead? The SB is likely going to take more heat and he has a much greater chance of getting caught on a wire than the OB does. Is there any benefits of being a street boss? Also, does the consigliere or underboss report to the street boss?

I've wondered myself why someone like Tony Salerno would accept the title of boss, knowing it was only a ruse to take attention from chin. He had to know his purpose was to take the fall. Why take the job?

[Wiseguy]

Are you asking about acting bosses who run the family while the official is in prison, or do you mean an underboss like Tony Salerno who runs the family on a day-to-day basis?

Why do guys accept a title( street boss) that practically makes them the boss’s figurehead? The SB is likely going to take more heat and he has a much greater chance of getting caught on a wire than the OB does. Is there any benefits of being a street boss? Also, does the consigliere or underboss report to the street boss?

I've wondered myself why someone like Tony Salerno would accept the title of boss, knowing it was only a ruse to take attention from chin. He had to know his purpose was to take the fall. Why take the job?

Cafaro testified that Tieri was the official underboss/acting boss. I don't recall what official title Salerno held after Chin took over but the boss title was simply given to Salerno by law enforcement and the press who were obviously being misled at the time.

At least in function, Fat Tony was certainly the acting or street boss. And it wasn't only a ruse. Salerno had a lot of power and was running the family in a lot of ways; only having to clear major decisions with Chin. And it's not like he was going to issue a press release clearing up the hierarchy simply because people on the outside had it wrong.

[chin_gigante]

Looking back at Cafaro's testimony/ affidavit I end up confused regarding what he said about administration positions.

In 1972, he said Eboli was the underboss who "fronted as boss" for Lombardo. Then following Eboli's death, Cafaro had Zeccardi as the one who fronted. By the time he got straightened out in 1974 (actually 1976) he had Tieri as the underboss who fronted. However, he then said in 1976 Salerno became the underboss and was fronting as the boss by 1980. Then in 1981, he said Salerno got taken down but was allowed to continue fronting. The underboss position then went to Santora, who served both as underboss and captain of the 116th Street crew.

So in some cases he has the underboss and the front being held by different people and in other cases he has both positions being held by the same  person.

[Mustangsally]

Are you asking about acting bosses who run the family while the official is in prison, or do you mean an underboss like Tony Salerno who runs the family on a day-to-day basis?

Why do guys accept a title( street boss) that practically makes them the boss’s figurehead? The SB is likely going to take more heat and he has a much greater chance of getting caught on a wire than the OB does. Is there any benefits of being a street boss? Also, does the consigliere or underboss report to the street boss?

I've wondered myself why someone like Tony Salerno would accept the title of boss, knowing it was only a ruse to take attention from chin. He had to know his purpose was to take the fall. Why take the job?

Cafaro testified that Tieri was the official underboss/acting boss. I don't recall what official title Salerno held after Chin took over but the boss title was simply given to Salerno by law enforcement and the press who were obviously being misled at the time.

At least in function, Fat Tony was certainly the acting or street boss. And it wasn't only a ruse. Salerno had a lot of power and was running the family in a lot of ways; only having to clear major decisions with Chin. And it's not like he was going to issue a press release clearing up the hierarchy simply because people on the outside had it wrong.

Thanks for the clarification.

[eboli]

If we put Cafaro's statements about Lombardo being the real boss aside, other federal sources paint the following picture about Salerno. We're talking 1980-1981.

October 1980 - Frank Tieri steps down as boss. Salerno is promoted.
Early 1981 - Salerno steps down after suffering a heart attack. Philip Lombardo is promoted to boss.
Late 1981 - Philip Lombardo steps down as boss because of his poor health. Chin promoted from consigliere to boss. Salerno becomes underboss. Santora becomes acting underboss.

The way I read into it, they knew the word was out that Salerno was boss because he was Tieri's UB and then allegedly the boss for a short time. Whether Salerno volunteered to act for Chin because he was an ill old man and ready to take the blows, or there were other agreements behind the scenes is unknown, but this possible explanation makes sense to me.

[HairyKnuckles]

Cafaro is the one who was confused. Not sure if he was it intentionally (purposly lying while giving testimony) or if he simply testified what he thought was the truth. The latter has some merit. Because it was decided at the time of his rico indictment by the three of them (Lombardo, Gigante and Salerno) to keep Tieri as the boss but without any power. At the same time, they told Family members to stay away from him, completing the coup de ta. Before that, Tieri was the official boss. He was not front boss or street boss or acting boss, or whatever you guys seems to want to call it, for no one.

[Pmac2]

Yaeh Greg scrape was telling the feds tieri was boss around 1975 its confusing think they wanted it like that. Then you had fat tony talking on wire about how he inducted all the guys when the books were open in the middle 70tys weather you believe cafaro and george barone saying they got made in 1974 or the books were open after Gambino died in October 76

[eboli]

100% agree. Funzi was the boss. Lombardo was a respected and powerful capo, but everything points to the fact he was the boss only for a few short months when he was old and very sick. As for Tieri, even if he wasn't hit with the RICO charges, he was ready to check out thanks to his declining health. It was a miracle he lived long enough to get convicted.