I've always been intrigued by Tony Salerno. It's almost uncontestable that he was the front boss for Gigante. What made him assume that role? Was he just being a good soldier and following orders? Did he not care that the heat would be on him? Sure he had enough money to last a few lifetimes but the risk involved finally caught up with him. I wonder what his relationship with Gigante was like. Were they tight?

uncontested? why because a Rat trying to make him look bad said that? iHe was old school so he didnt and you werent suppose to just walk away. if he wasnt boss for a time why did EVERYONE go stright to him? He was on tape with all the all the othed bosses! Carallo, Castellano etc. Chin and Tony had class so like men they worked together, no bickering like the other families!

You make a lot of sense. I never thought of the two working as a type of committee.

Got to remember those two guys were very very smart! They put ego aside and did business! Think Chin had an ego spending his life in a bath robe! He wanted nothing but money and power! Tony got sick in '81, had a stroke. I'm not saying that there wasn't a blurred period where Chin assumed the job while Tony was still around. But I'm so sick and tired of all these people making it sound like Tony was a bumbling idiot for Chin! Wasn't the case! Tiny Salerno was a gangsters gangster! Slowed a lot when he got sick, but that guy lived a wide open life for a long long time!

It trips me out how there are no books or movies out about Gigante and Salerno. These guys led some pretty interesting lives( far more interesting than a lot of the OC books that are out there). I never really heard if Salerno until I read about him in Tony the Greek's book.

There will be! Both those guys have to many people who would be interested to read it! Remember those guys were not sloppy so there isnt a ton of first hand information! Also not many Rats to provide information. Tony the Greek! He shared a cell with Fat Tony! "If I shit you leave the room"

Not sure if it's correct, I do remember a post here that lead you to an FBI archives where you could read about Fat Tony! If I had those skills I would find and set up link. But ize be computer illiterate! Anyone here can help our new friend?

Much more appealing to the masses making a movie about Gotti than say, Gigante, even though Gigante was more powerful. Gotti loved the media, and they loved him, and when that appeal is there, you can bet a guy is gonna make a movie about it.

Here's to hoping they make a movie about Gigante or Salerno. Two old school gangsters.

Were Gigante and Salerno still at Lombardo's orders until he died in 1987 or did Lombardo retire in 1981 leaving to Gigante and Salerno everything?

Cock Eye Lombardo got dimentia real bad early 80's, thats when Funzi, Tonh and Chin stepped up and ran the show together! Remember those guys had alit of ground to cover, Tony was uptown(Harlem), Chin(Village) downtown, Funzi (Brooklyn) and boroughs! Think Phil went to Hollywood Florida full time in '83 and never moved back!

Cafaro wasn't trying to make Salerno "look bad." He was telling it like it was, which was in his best interest to do, since him being caught in a lie could destroy his deal with the government.

For the record, Salerno was set to become the next official boss when Lombardo retired but had the stroke. That's when Gigante took over as official boss in 1981. When Salerno recovered, he became the acting boss. Prior to that, the top guys may have been running things much like a committee (Savino's description of his meeting with Gigante, Salerno, and Tieri paints that sort of picture) but they all had their specific positions. But it's been almost impossible to get an exact time line. Salerno was supposedly consigliere at one point. At another point, in the 1970's, Gravano talked about a meeting where Gigante told him he was now consigliere.

"Front boss" is misleading, in my opinion. It makes it seem Salerno was an unwitting dupe acting as the lightning rod for Gigante. "Acting boss" is a more accurate title. Much like Eboli and Tieri had been the acting bosses for Lombardo, who was the official boss but staying in the background, Salerno was the acting boss for Chin, the official boss staying in the background. Salerno attended most of the Commission meetings, conducted ceremonies, etc. His crew ran most of the family's construction rackets. When the Cleveland guys came to NYC, they came to Salerno.

In just about all ways, Salerno was doing what the boss did and had the power of that position. He had to check with Gigante on all big decisions but otherwise largely had a free reign. He didn't have to take the job. He wanted it. But at the same time, he was heard on a bug saying that if Phil and Chin didn't like the way he was running things, they could have the job back.

[quote=IvyLeague]Cafaro wasn't trying to make Salerno "look bad." He was telling it like it was, which was in his best interest to do, since him being caught in a lie could destroy his deal with the government.


How do you figure he wasn't trying to make him look bad? He was with Tony his entire life, if Fish didn't have Tony he would have been a toll collector! Fish was upset with Tony at the end for various reasons. Greed mainly! Fish made it his obsession to destroy Tony!
For the record that miserable excuse for a human did get bounced from the program, the government stuck him in a hole for over a year! They caught Fish peddling, lying over and over then picking and choosing when he would testify!

Agree with your other statements, however Fish and Tony situation I know all to well to be swayed the other way.

It's true the split between the two was over money. Cafaro went into great detail about in in the "25 Years After Valachi" report.

But Cafaro flipping and testifying against Salerno was enough to help "destroy" him. But that doesn't mean Cafaro had to lie. In fact, one could argue that Cafaro revealing Salerno was only the acting/front boss almost helped Salerno because it contradicted what the government did by indicting him as the boss.

I'm very curious to know what lies they caught Cafaro in. I'm not aware of any.

Tony actually cracked Fish with his cane when they first got locked up! The old man was like Yoda with that thing!

As far as lies where can I begin! First and worst is when he sold five kilo's of heroin to Sal Auletta(not sure of spelling, it's close). What Fish told the Feds is he wasn't dealing after the let him out on bond, anyway Fish sold the junk to Sal, Sal is a Rat himself and they get it all on tape! That was bad. They let him slide! Selwyn Rabb wrote about this!
Second is when he set up to old timers, one guy was the "General" other I forget it's so long. Sets these two old guys up with free Fed dope on "the front" they drop in and arrest these two guys. Barney Bellomo who was involved and got away driving a thousand miles an hour in the wrong direction. Go back to the "front" part the junk wasn't there, Fish still has it and gets caught selling it! Gets caught! The trial come up and he refuses to testify because his family was threatened! All this is documented Ivy! It's old but it's there.

if my word here counts at all, allow me to say east harlem knows his shit and on this particular subject especially.

OK, but what does any of this have to do with Cafaro lying about Salerno's position?

Once again, simply testifying against him, in itself, helped put Salerno away. Cafaro had no reason to twist the facts about his rank. And, if anything, him revealing Salerno wasn't the official boss could only help Salerno. Not hurt him anymore than he already was.

In fact, over on the Real Deal we had a very well known poster - who many considered the most legit street guy on the forums - float his theory that it was exactly what Cafaro was trying to do: help Salerno.

I personally am not interested in theories. I don't need to be. Even if one doesn't want to take Cafaro's word for it, despite Cafaro being closer to Salerno than any of us and in a better position to know, we have comments made by various mafiosi (Corallo, Ianniello, Ruggiero, etc.) either stating or alluding to the fact that Gigante was the official boss. This included Salerno himself saying that he would leave the decision to make some prospective members "up to the boss." Later on, guys like Gravano and Casso testified that Gigante had been the real boss. Selwyn Raab wrote about all that as well.

Considering the overwhelming evidence, there's really no question about any of it at this point. No room for revisionist history.

see! what did i say bro!lol.

Ok, I'm the type who isn't going to sit here trying to convince you of anything! Ask Tony Jr if Fish was trying to protect his Dad! Ask all the people Fish buried!

Your a smart guy when was the "leave this up to the boss" sound bite from? I can tell you! Can you tell me!

You notice the Rats came out of the woodwork to jump to the front of the line to say Chin was the boss after he was pinched! A Rat is only as good as there information. There street guys Ivey, thy know how to manipulate like nobody you've ever meet in these boards!

I know! Everything he says is Gospel! Gets tiring!

You talk about "rats" like every last word out of their mouth is a lie. That nothing they say can be believed. That's just ridiculous.

Again, even if you don't want to believe the rats - Cafaro before Chin was charged or Gravano and Casso after he was charged - you can't ignore the bugs. Statements made independently by different mafiosi, including Fat Tony himself, either stating or alluding to Chin being the official boss.

And, on Fat Tony's statement, I don't recall the exact date. But I believe it was after he had recovered from his stroke and was acting boss for Chin.

There's more than enough evidence to show who was what. I agree to call Fat Tony a patsy or fall guy for Chin is not correct. But to claim that Chin wasn't the official boss, and had the final say, from 1981 and on isn't correct either.

Insulting people gets tiring !

Everything I say? Don't take my word for it. It's not about what I say. It's what various mafiosi have said, either in court or on bugs. That's all the evidence one needs.

You're the one who's trying to argue that what you say trumps all this evidence. For years I've encountered one poster after another on the forums who comes along and claims to give everybody the real scoop in spite of all the evidence that contradicts them. That's what gets old.

Agree, however it's gets frustrating having to concede and opinion when you know the truth!

So the tape date? How about Tony's quote saying "because I'm the fucking boss that's why" that's actually in their "no bail" request!

Where did I state I had inside knowledge?

Ivey the way you talk with such authority, one would think you spend a month a year in each family! You act like all these articles you've read are 100% facts! You don't think things in newspapers were out out there to "tickle wires"

Keep spending your time on these board playing a know it all! Good place for you

Fair enough, except the part about your side of it being the truth because i don't know.

Btw happy new year everyone.

'ears open mouth shut'. ivyleague your making a fool of your self pal. i understand where you coming from.who knows more than the f.b.i.? i hear you,but on this subject your wrong. i will not explain my position or 'quote sources'..not to you or any one. like i said earlyer,if my word counts for any thing on here, east harlem is one hundred and one percent correct.

Fair enough, except the part about your side of it being the truth because i don't know.

Btw happy new year everyone. [/quote]

Truth is not a person on these boards does!

Happy New Year to you!

You're the guy pretending to know it all. Not me. I cite evidence that shows the facts. You just cite your own opinion. If you want to believe Fat Tony was the real boss or the family was being run by some kind of panel at the time, go ahead. But don't expect others to take your word for it, especially when there's so much evidence to the contrary.



How am I making a fool of myself? Because I'm not fooled by every bullshitter who comes on these forums?

And again, it's not about me being right or wrong. It's about what various mafiosi have said in court and on bugs. That's evidence nobody can ignore. You know this, of course, so you keep trying to make this about me instead.

I'm sorry, but why is stating your opinion wwhile quoting sources, whether right or wrong making a fool out of yourself. In my book that's the level-headed (if there is such a thing) approach to internet discussion.

Not expecting anyone to be convinced! I come here to have conversations and share ideas! You come here to play "know it all" nonstop with you have ALL the answers!

Read ALL the transcripts, not just the ones your choosing too!

You believe whatever you want, been reading you for over a year. I'm convinced you have such an ego from jamming what you believe down everyone's throat that you can't discuss anything. Go back and read your posts. Every post your setting everyone straight with your wealth of knowledge! And I know you don't buy into "it doesn't matter where you live" which is total BS. It's easy to say that when you don't live here. Convenient excuse. Tell that to PizzaBoy. Where you think his info comes from? Online like yours?