Genovese crime family – First crime family of New York

Genovese crime family had been nicknamed ‘Rolls Royce’ and Ivy League’ and is among the powerful ‘Five Families’ of New York’s organized crime. It is Gambinoi crime family that had rivaled this family in size. The Genovese were said to be unmatched with regards to power and maintained generally different degrees of influence over the other smaller mafia members based outside New York and had ties with crime families of Philadelphia, Buffalo and Patriarca.

Rise to power

This mafia family according to the experts is considered to be the most sophisticated, logical, crafty, largest and intelligent among the five families of the region. During the 21st century, this family tried to find out new ways for taking benefits of bank caused lax ‘due diligence’ at the time of housing spike by getting involved in mortgage frauds in waves. Home equity loans were obtained by the victims of loan sharks for paying off their mob bankers of their debts. New technologies were used by the family for enhancing illegal gambling, with bets being placed by customers through the web using offshore sites.

Its history

It was Lucky Luciano who had founded the current ‘family’. It got renamed after Vito Genovese in 1957. Vincent Gigante ‘the Chin’ was in control originally on Manhattan’s West Side waterfront including Fulton Fish Market. He was also known as ‘the Oddfather’. After Gigante’s death in 2005, the Genovese family leadership looked like it was in limbo, however, they were actually the most powerful and organized crime family in the region. This family is said to have benefited immensely following the Omerta Code from the members. Although, mobsters from other crime families have testified against them, since the 1980’s, only 6 members of the Genovese family had turned witness in its entire history.

Facts about Genovese crime family

Originating from East Harlem’s Morello gang, this crime family is New York City’s first mafia family. Giuseppe Morello is the founder of this family and it has been active until now, right from its emergence in 1980’s. It operated the territories of The Bronx, Manhattan, New York, Brooklyn, Connecticut, New Jersey, Las Vegas, South Florida, and Massachusetts. They presently have about 250 to 300 made-members and criminal associates of more than 3,000. They are involved in criminal activities like conspiracy, racketeering, money laundering, loansharking, drug trafficking,  murder, extortion, pornography, labor racketeering, waste management, weapons trafficking, fraud, prostitution, counterfeiting, bribery, bookmarking, illegal gambling,  contract killing and robbery.