There's really no way the Feds can get a good count on associates. An associate is a guy on the record with a family. But a family can claim any guy that does business with them. Picture Elvis Dalessio and his 50 odd agents, Elvis was claimed by prisco, so Elvis is a west side associate. Now his agents may not even know who they report to, they are doing biz under a genovese associate. Which means by extension they're associating and working for a family. Associates aren't all the same, a guy who lost a lot in sports runs to a guy to protect him while he pays the debts back, TECHNICALLY he's an associate. But he's on the same level as a associate who has his own crew and has a million in loans on the street