I'm even skeptical they ever had as many as 400. I think that at their height both families probably had closer to 300 made members. In the 1970s there were mass ceremonies to fill up the ranks of members that had died since 1957. So it is reasonable to assume that the numbers in the 1970s would be comparable to the numbers in the 1950s.
I personally don't put a lot of stock in any estimates prior to the 1980's, which is when the feds started keeping better tabs.
Ok, let me ask this. Today we are told the Genovese Family has between 275- 300 memebers? You doubt there was much more back in the golden days of the 30's thru the late 60's? Also the FBI estimates back in the 60's and 70's are not accurate in the least. The FBI by thier own admission was chasing ghosts and had no clue who was who back then. You don't think hundreds of guys slipped under the radar? Just some food for thought.
Actually the most consistent estimates for both the Genovese and Gambino families are a little over 200 members each. That's what was cited in both Danny Leo's 2007 indictment and Danny Marino's 2008 indictment. I don't think either family is as high as 250-300 now.
No thank you, not on my list to ask the FBI. However when the FBI say there numbers are ESTIMATES how can you tell me your stating a FACT?
They're called "estimates" because it's not likely that the feds are going to know about every single member. But it's also not likely, in this day and age, that a large number of members will be unknown. The feds are going to know about most of them and come up with a specific number. It's a very educated, close, estimate; especially when you consider that the NY families apparently have a specific max they can have (unless they try to cheat).
In my personal opinion, I highly doubt more than, say, 10% of a given family, at most, could be unknown to the feds. So, for the Genovese or Gambino families, maybe as many as 20 guys are unknown. But 50, 75, 100? No way.
