General Mob Questions

[HairyKnuckles]

I've read Al D'Arco's book, finished it yesterday. It was okay, the thing that bothers me is that he too tells how the books were opened in '74 and he was passed because Frank Manzo had some issues. What about that? Could all these rats be wrong?

Manzo wasn't a made guy in 1974 so how could he have any objections to D'Arco getting made? Associates doesn't have that pull. How can an associate object to a thing like that if he himself is not made? The books opened in 1976.

[AlexfromSouth]

I've read Al D'Arco's book, finished it yesterday. It was okay, the thing that bothers me is that he too tells how the books were opened in '74 and he was passed because Frank Manzo had some issues. What about that? Could all these rats be wrong?

Manzo wasn't a made guy in 1974 so how could he have any objections to D'Arco getting made? Associates doesn't have that pull. How can an associate object to a thing like that if he himself is not made? The books opened in 1976.

Yes HK I get that but known rats all made the same mistake, Fish, D'Arco, Casso etc. Is it a mistake or..?

[Confederate]

Their tenure has more to do with the low priority LCN receives today from LE than any smarts or talents on the part of Cefalu and Bellomo. Only a fraction of FBI agents and local LE (not to mention money) are devoted to the 5 families today compared to the 80s-2000s. Back then Bellomo and Cefalu went down just like everyone else.


Pogo

25 full time FBI agents dedicated to fighting all Five Mafia families. It's simply abysmal.

Those 25 guys have an army of informants doing a lot of their work.

[UTC]

That's a good point.

[Raven]

I've read Al D'Arco's book, finished it yesterday. It was okay, the thing that bothers me is that he too tells how the books were opened in '74 and he was passed because Frank Manzo had some issues. What about that? Could all these rats be wrong?

Manzo wasn't a made guy in 1974 so how could he have any objections to D'Arco getting made? Associates doesn't have that pull. How can an associate object to a thing like that if he himself is not made? The books opened in 1976.

Thanks for clearing that up Hairy! I always assumed Manzo was made before the books were closed if he objected to D'arco being made. I wonder if D'arco just made the story up to justify them not making him.

[Wiseguy]

Their tenure has more to do with the low priority LCN receives today from LE than any smarts or talents on the part of Cefalu and Bellomo. Only a fraction of FBI agents and local LE (not to mention money) are devoted to the 5 families today compared to the 80s-2000s. Back then Bellomo and Cefalu went down just like everyone else.


Pogo

25 full time FBI agents dedicated to fighting all Five Mafia families. It's simply abysmal.

Those 25 guys have an army of informants doing a lot of their work.

The latest info (from 2013) was there were 25-35 agents between the two squads, i.e. the C-5 squad for Genovese, Colombo, and Bonannos and the C-16 squad for the Gambinos and Luccheses. In 2014, 5 agents were reported to be investigating the Luccheses specifically. So it probably fluctuates depending on assignments. But definitely a fraction of what it once was.

[HairyKnuckles]

I've read Al D'Arco's book, finished it yesterday. It was okay, the thing that bothers me is that he too tells how the books were opened in '74 and he was passed because Frank Manzo had some issues. What about that? Could all these rats be wrong?

Manzo wasn't a made guy in 1974 so how could he have any objections to D'Arco getting made? Associates doesn't have that pull. How can an associate object to a thing like that if he himself is not made? The books opened in 1976.

Yes HK I get that but known rats all made the same mistake, Fish, D'Arco, Casso etc. Is it a mistake or..?

A nistake yes.

1976.png

I've read Al D'Arco's book, finished it yesterday. It was okay, the thing that bothers me is that he too tells how the books were opened in '74 and he was passed because Frank Manzo had some issues. What about that? Could all these rats be wrong?

Manzo wasn't a made guy in 1974 so how could he have any objections to D'Arco getting made? Associates doesn't have that pull. How can an associate object to a thing like that if he himself is not made? The books opened in 1976.

Thanks for clearing that up Hairy! I always assumed Manzo was made before the books were closed if he objected to D'arco being made. I wonder if D'arco just made the story up to justify them not making him.

You´re welcome. I don´t think he made the story up but was dead wrong on the year. Capeci who wrote it, should have done some better research.

[gohnjotti]

Their tenure has more to do with the low priority LCN receives today from LE than any smarts or talents on the part of Cefalu and Bellomo. Only a fraction of FBI agents and local LE (not to mention money) are devoted to the 5 families today compared to the 80s-2000s. Back then Bellomo and Cefalu went down just like everyone else.


Pogo

25 full time FBI agents dedicated to fighting all Five Mafia families. It's simply abysmal.

Those 25 guys have an army of informants doing a lot of their work.

Not nearly as many as they used to have.

[Confederate]

Their tenure has more to do with the low priority LCN receives today from LE than any smarts or talents on the part of Cefalu and Bellomo. Only a fraction of FBI agents and local LE (not to mention money) are devoted to the 5 families today compared to the 80s-2000s. Back then Bellomo and Cefalu went down just like everyone else.


Pogo

25 full time FBI agents dedicated to fighting all Five Mafia families. It's simply abysmal.

Those 25 guys have an army of informants doing a lot of their work.

Not nearly as many as they used to have.

How do you know? Based on what evidence?

[aleksandrored]

So the fact that they are not very important to LCN nowadays, does the 5 families have a chance to become powerful again? Growing in the shadows I mean.

[DPG]

So the fact that they are not very important to LCN nowadays, does the 5 families have a chance to become powerful again? Growing in the shadows I mean.

Matter of opinion. Do you think they can?

[aleksandrored]

So the fact that they are not very important to LCN nowadays, does the 5 families have a chance to become powerful again? Growing in the shadows I mean.

Matter of opinion. Do you think they can?

It's complicated, the fact that they are not giving importance to LCN gives them a chance to reorganize, but different from the past, there are no more Italian-Americans than before, and neighborhoods like lower east side equal to the decade of 20s and 30s do not exist , which makes it difficult to recruit members.

[DPG]

So the fact that they are not very important to LCN nowadays, does the 5 families have a chance to become powerful again? Growing in the shadows I mean.

Matter of opinion. Do you think they can?

It's complicated, the fact that they are not giving importance to LCN gives them a chance to reorganize, but different from the past, there are no more Italian-Americans than before, and neighborhoods like lower east side equal to the decade of 20s and 30s do not exist , which makes it difficult to recruit members.

I'm sure with the advancements in tech 25-35 agents can do a lot more then people think.

[gohnjotti]

Their tenure has more to do with the low priority LCN receives today from LE than any smarts or talents on the part of Cefalu and Bellomo. Only a fraction of FBI agents and local LE (not to mention money) are devoted to the 5 families today compared to the 80s-2000s. Back then Bellomo and Cefalu went down just like everyone else.


Pogo

25 full time FBI agents dedicated to fighting all Five Mafia families. It's simply abysmal.

Those 25 guys have an army of informants doing a lot of their work.

Not nearly as many as they used to have.

How do you know? Based on what evidence?

Distinct reduction of cases. If those informers are sitting on their ass and not out there making cases, then what’s the use of keeping them on the feds payroll?

[Confederate]

Um Mr. Gotti, Sir: F.B.I Informants provide information to the F.B.I. about criminal activity in exchange for financial gain OR the F.B.I reducing their sentence OR the F.B.I overlooking their own criminal activity.
In other words, not all Informants are on a payroll.

Wiseguy would have the data on the amount of cases now versus the past. However, since the Mob is SMALLER today than in the past, the actual number of cases might be less simply because the number of mob guys are less. The PERCENTAGE of Informants may be the same or even greater. Everything is RELATIVE.