Casso's Damage

Here's a general timeline of everything relevant to what I'm saying about the Lucchese family.

1970's - French Connection is busted up, Henry Hill puts capo Paul Vario in jail, Jimmy Burke's crew is destroyed.

So up until now, all we've seen are the same setbacks any of the other families have dealed with at around the time. The family was even prospering under Tony Corallo's leadership, and he helped build up the Jersey Crew to a respectable faction, something like the New York Corleone family in GF2.

Amuso + Casso - successors to Corallo, we all know Casso ran things. During their reign, their most notable terrifying decision was to whack the entire Jersey crew, something like 42 made men, because the leadership was in a dispute with them. And it wasn't even far into their reign. Amuso eliminated every possible informant, and ironically, created dozens of them. The acting boss during their time in hiding, a top captain, another top captain, all hits were ordered. Even in hiding, Amuso planned to hit the NEW acting boss. And Casso turned informant.

So I'm rambling, point being. Casso absolutely destroyed the solid organization, what Tony Corallo and Carmine Tramunti had worked so hard to build up. Even in incarceration, he wanted to whack John A Gotti. When an informant ex-underboss is trying to whack the son of John Gotti, it doesn't reflect well on the family. My question is. Will Lucchese recover to the levels they had previously achieved? Will the string of informants continue? How does the future look, and how has it been since Casso/Amuso.

While little can be conclusively proven, it appears that Steven "Wonder Boy" Crea may be the kind of gangster that can bring a modicum of stability to the Luccheses. Few people seem to take a step back and look at the relative stability this family has enjoyed throughout history. Since Tommy Lucchese was boss, there have been only 3 genuine successors: Mr. Gribbs, Tony Ducks and Vic Amuso. Most other families have had far more turnover. While Amuso and Gaspipe did destroy the family, they were relative outsiders (being from Brooklyn) and do not reflect what the Lucchese family is all about. In fact, the only reason they became the family leaders is because of Chris Tick Funari, who convinced Ducks to appoint them leaders (Buddy Luongo was actually Ducks choice as successor before he disappeared).

Crea is from the Bronx/Manhattan faction of the family, which has historically been the power base of the Luccheses. While it may not be as exciting for Mafia Buffs, having Amuso as a figurehead in prison will allow the family to consolidate behind Crea and Aniello Migliore (the only member of the ruling panel still on the streets). Migliore is VERY old school (a Tommy Lucchese and Ducks loyalists) and also from the Manhattan/Bronx faction of the family.

Crea and Migliore lend stability and nostalgia to the Luccheses and it appears the family can build something of a powerhouse behind these two individuals if they remain smart and savvy. The turmoil in the Gambino, Colombo and Bonnano families was far more ingrained. While Amuso and Casso were horrific for the family, it was a short lived and recent conflict that can potentially be overcome.

In a way, I'm kind of happy some kind of stability has been restored. I figured after the hitman NYPD bust, he was doing something right. I just felt this could become Scarfo all over again. I'm actually surprised it hasn't. But it's not luck that's on their side, clearly the traditional values and hierarchy restructuring have done wonders.

On Gaspipe + Amuso again: yes, they don't reflect what Luccheese has traditionally been about. Traditionally they've stuck to the respectable old school values. Had a comfortable position in the top 3 of the five families. But with them at the reigns, it was still their era, so many soldiers flipped, can't deny they left the family in a hell of a mess. Because at certain times in history, have been chain reactions. But you've proven this was not the case, thank you for the information.

New topic:
Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa. Bankrolled by Luccheese as hitmen and small time racketeers. Yes, hitmen. And Eppolito was the 11th most decorated officer in the NYPD, also had a starring part in Goodfellas. Think the other families are doing this? What's the benefit in the first place?

That's never been backed up by anyone remotely connected to the NYPD. It's just the braggadocio of that fat pig Eppolito in his silly book.

And there's no upside to the wiseguys using the cops in the first place.

Welcome to the boards .

For all the damage Casso did, he was also lethal Underboss/Boss who didn't hesitate much to order a hit (even if unwarranted) and who earned tons of $$$.

Ironic how Casso seriously criticised the new generation of mobsters, and their new school values, alluding to all the young wiseguys who turn states evidence. Then he took a go at it himself.

But you do make a good point. Ever since I learned about his conspiracy to whack out the entire Jersey faction, I've held a bias against him. Admittedly I didn't want to give him much credit. But of course there are nice things to say. He had a lot of ingenuity, he crafted his business relationships perfectly so they would pay off tremendously in the long run. Like the Colombo-Lucchese Manhattan steel robbery that netted him 800k. And he safely conspired, and almost succeeded in whacking Gotti and Frank DeCicco. And Chin was a paranoid guy.

All in all. I'm not updated with who's who, what's what in the families within the past couple years. Are a chunk of the soldiers still getting flipped? Are they reaping in an impressive amount? Oh, and what about the murder rates.

The Bonannos and Colombos have been reeling the past few years with guys flipping, guys being charged for old hits, and just convictions on all ready weak families. Comparatively, the Genovese have been low key as usual besides the MA branch which has had a few guys flip recently as well.

They really are the Ivy League. Good to know about the smaller two families. I've always been out of the loop as far as they go. But comparatively to Luccheese?

I think Casso destroyed the Lucchese Family the same way Gotti destroyed the Gambino's, by which i mean they were not destroyed but set back. Remember that after each informant is flushed out, the pieces shift & things change. power dynamics change. The mob adapts, we all know that. I think theres always a key group of guys that dont get caught up in the bullshit & keep it all rocking along. Even with nut bags like Casso in charge, eventually the guy that kept his head down & earnt is rewarded when they (the nutbag) self destructs, as they always do, & (in the shift of dynamics) the one-time soldier/capo is elevated to Boss, having proved his ability to earn under the radar as much as possible, to "make money not headlines".

These are the type of guys that keep the Family going, & thankfully the "brain drain" in the modern mob means there's less & less such men to keep things in order & viable.

Casso is a thug.

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Padding out the ol' posts Ronnie?

Not sure what happened Mickey

Eppolito had a bit part in "Goodfellas": He was "Fat Andy" (how appropriate), one of the guys who greeted Henry Hill in Sonny's restaurant.