Nice post. Really puts it to perspective that out of all the membership of the mafia only a filthy few were really successful. The mob itself Seems like a big scheme, really. Were they use their glorystatus to lure in guys and use them for all that they're worth.
Of course most guys did not make much, for the most part you had the many supporting the few. For every Giancana or Catena there were hundreds of Leftys who had gambling problems who spent money like water and barely made enough to get buy. All the while they were trying to not end up on the wrong side of a family civil war where they were nothing more than cannon fodder.
Sounds very likely. I watched the decavs documentary, and they mention that most guys are barely making a living, like one guy they mention Joey Masilla if I recall, who had alot of gambling debts to other crews nonetheless. It's not as easy as it once was with the all the new technologies and much more record keeping which means everything is easier to track and expose, and probably much more harder to infiltrate. Only the really smart and connected today make any real money overtime and get away with it