i can agree if you are only talking low level associate. however as is my habit ill try to reframe the question a bit and ask is there different levels to being an associate?

i think so, and as i often have chicago outfit names in my head will use a few as examples. at a point in time in 2013 the outfit would have had as associates; michael davis and maher abuhabash. davis was an associate for cicero crew and a loanshark with alleged ties to both salvatore delaurentis and pete difronzo. abuhabash was an associate connected to the P-K street crew headed by robert panozzo and paul koroluk. maher was tasked with surveillance on drug houses and in placing and tracking gps devices on cars.

there is obviously a difference in these 2 associates in the pecking order of associates. both involved in criminal deeds but at higher levels. davis was caught trying to collect on a $300 000 loan. i would doubt mr. abuhabash made that across entirety of indictment timeline in P-K crew.

also to consider could be guys like michael marcello. the brother of onetime boss james marcello, not considered made by most but also was heavily involved in melrose park crew while marcello was imprisoned and after. as far as associates go one can get no higher than being the bosses brother, putting marcello in an envious spot amongst associates. years later however after family secrets, prison time and release marcello is still considered a associate by many, but any status he once held is gone on the streets of chicago.