With all of these bosses getting caught on tape, what's it going to take to run a family without getting nabbed? Seems like Chin did it the best/safest but he still got taken down in the end. What do members of the board think is the best way to avoid getting ensnared in taped conversations or close people flipping on them? Is there a way to insulate yourself?

The only way that I can think is if we use the Sopranos as an example, if I was Tony the only guy I would trust would be Silvio, basically I would only ever issue orders through him. I would only talk generally with other members, not about mob business. I don't think you should ever talk inside nowadays, talk in parks, wide open spaces away from possible listening devices.
Chin had a good idea by never allowing people to use his name, also putting a dummy boss like Salerno was a good plan.

Ligambi did a pretty good job, so did Massino. But in the end they trusted some people, and got taped.

I think gigante was the master of insulating himself ..on his gangland biography his prosecutor actually had the nerve to say you couldn't convict him with meaningful evidence ..he was convicted solely on the words of killers who were testifying for their freedom ..does anybody here seriously believe that a man like gigante who took so many precautions would tell gravano the first time he met him that ''he put many years into this crazy act ?? The government knew that was a lie and yet they just railroaded the guy ..hey if you're a criminal, take your punishment, but i know this, with that weak of a case against gigante, if he had ben a middle eastern money man with terror ties, they would have said there wasn't enough evidence to bring to trial !!

For starters, the boss, or whoever the top guy is, should only communicate through a few trusted associates at most. And that's the up close, whispering-in-the-ear type thing. Never on the phone or out loud (especially inside) or around other people. Those few trusted underlings should only be passing the orders on down at meetings at some out of the way motel or something at like 3 am in the morning. And that's after they've done all those fancy maneuvers to shake any surveillance. And never meet in the same place more than once or twice. Keep things generally one-on-one. No big meetings. Everyone only knows what he needs to. That way, if there's a weak link or a snitch, the damage he can do if he flips is more limited.

Chin did a lot of this before he became careless with Savino.

Gravano did a lot of this before Gotti made him and everybody else parade around at the Ravenite.

Incorporate...

I think you're right Ivy... It seems that is the safer way to do business. I think you'd have to definitely trust your facilitator and maybe even cut him in on some $$$ to try to seal his loyalty.