I have been delving into the lives of Madonna, DiNapoli and Migliore. They are all Bronx/Manhattan based (as opposed to Amuso/Casso who were Brooklyn based). DiNapoli has connections to the Genovese family (his brother is a capo). Migliore, the most powerful of the three (and likely the only one to remain free in the next year or two), was almost killed by Amuso and has massive amounts of respect on the street.

Steven Crea was initially elevate to Underboss with Amuso's support, but he is also an advocate of returning power to the East Harlem/Bronx factions. Finally, Dominico Cutaia - Amuso's mouthpiece from jail to the streets and Paul Vario's former driver - is in jail with MS.

It seems that unlike Carmine Persico, VIc Amuso has little to no clout anymore. I really wonder whether the guy has any say whatsoever in anything at this point. I would go so far as to suggest there is a strong chance that Crea or Migliore is the Official Boss of the Lucchese Family. It really sucks for all of us buffs that we will never truly know until it is too late.

A lot of that stuff is relatively old news and went away after Casso flipped. In other words, Amuso's take was that much of the internal problems in the Family had been caused by Gaspipe which he often didn't know about. Probably some half-truths there. In any event, Amuso is still the official boss and has clout. One example is, his envelopes got bigger under acting boss Steven Crea and Louie Daidone. Which made him think former acting boss Joseph Defede had been holding out on him. Defede was in prison himself when Amuso started asking him about it and he flipped because he thought he would be killed.

There really is no point in the Family naming someone else the official boss. Better to have a guy who already is doing life retain the title and still get his money. His family anyway. That's why Crea is still underboss, and Migliore, Madonna, and DiNapoli were running things as a committee.

But do you think that Amuso is still receiving his dues? Or do you think he is being phased out? It is "old news," but as time progresses and these guys are still on the street while Vic is still locked up it seems like there may be some angst developing.

In other words, how can we assume he still has clout.

Coincidence, I was just thinking about this same topic while pondering Crea and what if anything is Frank Lastorino a heavy hitter back in the day up to now since his release in 2008.

Unfortunately, we wont know much until some indictments/somebody flips. The family has been relatively free of major turncoats since Joe DeFede and Vincent Salanardi in 2002.

I can tell you that the Prince Street Crew is more than alive and well.

Interesting that Lastorino is out now. He was a Casso loyalist and did alot of work for Casso. I wonder if Amuso is interested in letting him back in the fold in a capo or ruling panel situation. Obviously Amuso is not fond of Casso anymore and it has little to do with flipping. Amuso still believes Casso tipped off the feds somehow as to his where abouts. Amuso sent word to Greg Scarpa JR in ADX Florence that he wanted to know how their "friend" was doing and if he made it to dinner. Of course being that ADX is the most secure prision in the country, Scarpa never got the message. The Feds assumed they meant Casso but they also had a VERY small hunch they could have meant Gravano

Obviously all the money in the world won't do Amuso himself much good. His tribute likely goes to his family. That, plus having his say in some issues, is probably the extent of his clout. Plus still retaining the title of boss. Him having clout doesn't automatically mean he still has say on the day-to-day affairs of the family, which he really isn't in a position to be.

Frank was also close friends with Amuso as well. He was one of his handball partners along with Al D'Arco. Amuso/Casso were inseparable back in the day thats how they earned the nicknames "Vic and Gas," in a bunch of the surveillance photos you see from the FBI you always see Frank in the background talking to them or near them.

Wasnt Scarpa Jr the one that punched Amuso out for calling his dad (Scarpa Sr) a rat? And in regards to this why would Amuso want to know about Gravano... According to Casso, he caught up with Vic one day when they were both on the same van/plane getting transferred around prisons,etc this was after Casso flipped. Amuso basically told Casso that he can tell from his face that Anthony regretted what he did/that he is really troubled. Anthony told him he was right and proceeded to tell Vic what the govt had done to him/how they screwed him over for Gravano/and how he regrets flipping,etc.

Also another Lucches heavy hitter Anthony "Bowat" Baratta gets out in 2012 the family has a number of heavy hitters out now/getting out...

I have no idea, I was just stating what I read on Gangland news one time. In regards to Scarpa JR knocking out Amuso, that is funny as hell. Im assuming this was not when Amuso was boss? Certainly Scarpa JR would not have made it out of that pickle alive. Also, the way I read the story on Gangland, it was like Amuso was basically asking if Casso had been taken care of or as I said maybe Gravano. But anyway, it had to be somewhat recent because Gravano went there in 2002 I believe? I could be wrong and probably am.

Dapper Don is much more educated on the subject than I am.

I have no idea, I was just stating what I read on Gangland news one time. In regards to Scarpa JR knocking out Amuso, that is funny as hell. Im assuming this was not when Amuso was boss? Certainly Scarpa JR would not have made it out of that pickle alive. Also, the way I read the story on Gangland, it was like Amuso was basically asking if Casso had been taken care of or as I said maybe Gravano. But anyway, it had to be somewhat recent because Gravano went there in 2002 I believe? I could be wrong and probably am.

Dapper Don is much more educated on the subject than I am. [/quote]

Heres the article on the Amuso beating

HIT SQUAD GUNS FOR A JAILED MOB CAPO

By JERRY CAPECI

Thursday, July 20th 1995, 1:14AM

Colombo capo Gregory Scarpa Jr. has been marked for death by the mob because he severely beat Luchese boss Vittorio Amuso in jail after Amuso called his father a rat, sources said yesterday.

All five families have put out a contract to kill Scarpa, 43, because Amuso is a member of The Commission, the mob's governing body.

Scarpa's father, Gregory Scarpa Sr., was an FBI informant for 30 years.

"He raised his hands to a member of The [Mafia's] Commission he's got no one on his side," said a law enforcement source.

Scarpa, who had been imprisoned with Amuso in Terre Haute, Ind., has been moved into solitary confinement at the Metropolitan Correctional Center for his own protection.

Amuso, 60, was hospitalized briefly and needed stitches to close facial and head wounds he suffered two weeks ago in the cellblock fight, law enforcement officials said.

Authorities had feared a Luchese/Colombo war and began separating imprisoned members of the two families, but sources said those fears have been put to rest.

"The only blood spilled will be Scarpa Junior's. His own family cannot help him now," said one underworld source.

Like imprisoned-for-life Gambino boss John Gotti, Amuso has kept his official position as Luchese boss and as such is a member of The Commission.

Amuso remains in the general population of the federal pen in Terre Haute, where he triggered Scarpa's rage by chiding him for "strutting" like an important man when his father had been an FBI informant.

"Your father was a rat. You should be ashamed," said Amuso.

Scarpa clocked Amuso immediately, knocking him down, sources said.

Amuso fought back but was "beaten pretty badly before Scarpa was pulled off him by other inmates," said one source.

Already serving 20 years for drug dealing, Scarpa lost his cool soon after learning that the feds had hit him with new racketeering and murder charges that could mean life in prison and were preparing to ship him to Brooklyn to plead to the new indictment.

After getting to New York, Scarpa pleaded innocent, and was placed in a virtual isolation unit to await trial May.

Amuso is serving life for a 1992 federal murder and racketeering conviction.

The senior Scarpa was a long-time FBI mole. But by the time he died in prison of AIDS last year, authorities also were aware that Scarpa had often used his position to help his and his son's mob rackets.

http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/1995/07/20/1995-07-20_hit_squad_guns_for_a_jailed_.html

It's crazy, I read Scarpa Jr. beat him in the prison while hundreds of other guys witnessed the beating. Scarpa Jr is/was a big guy who was jacked so I can only imagine how bad the beating was.