Tommy Eboli was only ever a front boss for a ruling panel and mainly insulation for Gerry Catena(only at the time, I'm well aware Catena stepped away in the 70s). In my opinion the $4mil loan was a kiss of death. Gambino either having no faith Eboli could lead the Genovese in a street based heroin trade, or having set him up with the police who almost instantly brought down the racket and all the Genovese involved it gave Gambino undeniable reason to kill Eboli and have him replaced by a more favorable individual in Funzi Tieri, and more like a more favorable ruling panel than Ryan-Catena-Miranda-Lombarado, with Tieri-Salerno-Gigante. I'm not saying Gambino aligned himself with the Genovese by taking Tommy Ryan out of the way, it just seems to me that he chose the lesser or two evils and set up more favorable leadership to work alongside.
Once again, why did the Genovese need Gambino's help to get rid of a front boss when Lombardo, Catena, and Miranda were already the administration? Losing $4 million is alot of money to get rid of a front boss when they could have just made him disappear and say he was a snitch or stealing money.
