Strongest crew from 60-90's

[HairyKnuckles]

im going to go with the Vario crew. I know on the lower rings of that ladder, the crew was mostly thugs and degenerates (Hill, the Argentina Brothers, Larry Taylor) blue collar street shit...but the crew as a whole was huge. between made guys and real associates it had to have been 50 guys?

original poster said it best. Luccheses highly underrated.

the Luccheses from the time of Valachi up until the Commission Trial... insane. ridiculously powerful. small in numbers...maybe even the smallest in numbers out of all the 5 families at the time? but look at the Capos. they had the top titans of industry for every racket imaginable. garments, garbage, even that 282 local before Thomas Lucchese gifted it to the , and lets face it...drugs. The Luccheses in the 50s and 60s definitely didnt shy away from drugs, they pioneered the Heroin and pharmaceutical trades in NYC.

for what its worth, even though the book read like a steaming pile of fanboy shit, in Phil Carlo’s book on Anthony Casso, Casso said that he was apparently a free agent with ties to all 5 families. He specifically gravitated to the Luccheses because of their smaller size, reputation, and the fact they were known for making the most money. Take that with a grain of salt, but lets assume that is the truth and Casso “had his pick” , it says something that he “chose” the Luccheses

Appreciate the input! And i would have to agree that in the 60s-early 70s that the lucchese HANDS DOWN were the #3 family and even maybe #2 depending on what you value. if youre going by overall influence in unions, control of rackets, and overall money intake - i'd say they would tie for the #2 family (not counting direct members).

I forgot where i read the post, either on here or gangsterbb, but one of the big posters (i think nymafia?) said at the time the lucchese had more individual millionaires and huge union influence for their member size for that period. As you mentioned, they were involved in the garment industry, concrete industry, JFK, garbage industry and one of the pioneers of the heroin trade. Tom mix, Mr gibbs, joe beck and big john all were huge in the heroin trade, but they weren't limited to it like some of the bonanos.

The Vario crew was the biggest crew in the lucchese at that time and paul himself was SUPER lowkey. Its honestly amazing how little info there is about him. I am not sure what would have happened if they had to go to war with another family, but as a self sustaining family, they were the little giants. Many families had captains who just weren't that influential, but EVERY captain in the lucchese at the time were legends in their own right. Tommy lucchese was loved deeply by his family, and was said to be more generous with splits of money more than any other boss. He also believed in using money to solve problems and not bullets. The colombo family of the same 60-70s era would be considered a joke compared to them, unless youre talking about just "street guys" aka having known killers. Heck the bonanos were being kicked off the commission in 64 due to joe bonanos plot to kill some of the other NY bosses.

I wonder what the family would have ended up like if they had a massino (before he flipped of course..) or barney bellomo take over instead of amusso/casso. I know they had someone else in mind that tony ducks would have appointed but he was in prison at the time i think. Someone correct me if i am wrong. I bet they'd be another genovese if they didn't decide to go into a reckless war in the 90s which lead to them getting big busts in the early 2000s then 2010s.

That you Maxie?

I was just about to ask the same.

[Nurzhamba]

I think that in the Colombo family, Patsy Amato and Bill Cutolo had strong teams that eventually they took an active part during the Third war.

[Extortion]

116, DeMeo, Fatico/Gotti, Vario, Wild Bill

[Ninored]

What about frankie Decicco crew? I remember Sammy saying in one of his videos that even with John and sammy own crew put together, they weren’t no match for Decicco crew, so who the fuck was in his crew besides Joe Watts?

[ChicagoOutfit]

116th
Greenwich Village
Elmwood Park

[PolackTony]

Buccieri/Torello crew
Battaglia/Alderisio/Lombardo crew
Cerone/Gagliano/DiFronzo crew
Aiuppa/Carlisi crew

Edit:Unless this is just strictly NYC. Then 116, GV, Vario.

[ng]

No one going to mention the generoso crew? Or the catena crew in nj. I agree that e116 st was and is still the primary powerhouse regime in ny, with the village crew probably being a very close 2nd, despite chin being boss. Look where his kids and grandkids are, sure they're mob royalty, but theyre in the spotlight too. Ufcw or ila positions and whatnot, but look at the Salernos.. You wont see them in a no show/no work/union pres job. They dont need the 400k a year. Chin had to act crazy for decades, never got to enjoy the good side of the life, tony died inside but changed his family's tragectory. You sure as shit wont see his grandkids mixed up with oxys and weed like the gottis, barneys either. So to each his own, but in the manner i measure success, 116 st got it

[ChicagoOutfit]

No one going to mention the generoso crew? Or the catena crew in nj. I agree that e116 st was and is still the primary powerhouse regime in ny, with the village crew probably being a very close 2nd, despite chin being boss. Look where his kids and grandkids are, sure they're mob royalty, but theyre in the spotlight too. Ufcw or ila positions and whatnot, but look at the Salernos.. You wont see them in a no show/no work/union pres job. They dont need the 400k a year. Chin had to act crazy for decades, never got to enjoy the good side of the life, tony died inside but changed his family's tragectory. You sure as shit wont see his grandkids mixed up with oxys and weed like the gottis, barneys either. So to each his own, but in the manner i measure success, 116 st got it

What are the Salernos related to fat Tony doing nowadays?

[Nurzhamba]

Ronnie G
Alphonse Trucchio
Greg Scarpa and Wimpy Boys
Tommy Gioeli and BPB crews

[SonnyBlackstein]

I would love an 'expose' (cough cough historians) on Cantena's Jersey crew. Surely that in the 60's would have been Hoooooge.
It got him the defacto boss position...

Obviously theres 116th, but Id bet there were westside jersey crews which were just as substantial. Lets look at demographics, 116th street is in Harlem. No matter the time period Jersey was way more Italian than Harlem.

Food for thought.

[CabriniGreen]

I would love an 'expose' (cough cough historians) on Cantena's Jersey crew. Surely that in the 60's would have been Hoooooge.
It got him the defacto boss position...

Obviously theres 116th, but Id bet there were westside jersey crews which were just as substantial. Lets look at demographics, 116th street is in Harlem. No matter the time period Jersey was way more Italian than Harlem.

Food for thought.

Ebolis article?

[TommyNoto]

John Ormento crew had Heroin and Garment center. Huge rackets and a crew of killers too

[Eline2015]

East village (biondo-armone) of Gambino’s
Ettore Zappi during Castellano reign
Johny Keyes Simone of Philly

[Pmac2]

What crew did fat andy,tony lee, and the corrozo's come from. That crew was big and they had alot of guys in it.

[Manf]

Fatico crew.