Actually there is quite a long thread over on the realdeal forum posted by a very credible individual( an author of one of the books you sighted for proof) claiming high ranking Mafioso and bikers alike were coming to the Cotroni headquarters to pay tribute which is indicative that they actually are major players and that there name actually does carry more weight than most if not all.

I will cut and past the article here as long as it is not a rules violations.