Although boss Sam DeCavalcante ran a "Family" based in "The Garden State," for many years, dating to at least the 1940s, this borgata also maintained a large New York membership.

The question is, of those DeCavalcante members who lived and operated in New York, who in your estimation, from the five men listed below, was the most active and notorious and most powerful, overall?

A) Joseph (Uncle Joe) Miranda
B) Frank (Frankie Coch) Cocchiaro
C) Gaetano (Corky) Vastola
D) Frank (Big Frank) Majuri
E) Virgilio (Virgil) Alessi

Furio, I thought your question also well suited for this thread that I started earlier. I hope you don't mind if its posted both places. I'd like to hear other forum members opinions about this (yours also).
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Originally Posted by furio_from_naples

Your Question: The DeCavalcantes was never strong but in the last years their rebuilt the ranks? And now how are considerated by the other families?
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My Answer: Thats not exactly true Furio. Because although they were never as strong as NY's Five Families, in their own right, as a "medium" sized borgata, at one time they were very respected. Especially during the years that boss "Nicky Dell" led them.

With his death, his nephew Sam DeCavalcante took over. And he too, greatly maintained and expanded their footprint. Even in later years, after John Riggi became boss, they were a very viable entity. Riggi WAS a very respected guy!

It was only after Gotti became boss they he tried shitting on them. And because Riggi feared what could come, he acquiesced to Gotti's demands, which essentially emasculated them. Shame on Gotti for disrespecting another boss and borgata. But what can you say, he was what he was, and ultimately, he ended up where he ended up.

Does anyone care to stick their toe in the underworld waters and venture a guess?

Once again fellas, this is largely an "opinion" piece subject to your personal viewpoints. So there aren't necessarily any wrong answers, per se.

Take a shot! After all, what have you got to lose?

I think that Frank (Frankie Coch) Cocchiaro was the most powerful because was first that the 5 families forbide to recruit men from NY area. He was made when the book was open in the late 1970s when the NY crew was created. For me was him.

IMO, Cocchiaro is a respectable choice.

Anybody else care to take a shot at this question?

I say Corky Vastola. He was big in the record business back when that was a super profitable industry.

I'm going to go with Joe Miranda.

What about Vincent jimmy rotondo?

D) Frank (Big Frank) Majuri

We picked 5 names to choose from. Rotondo wasn't a choice, as many other NYC guys were not among the five.

Please pick one of the 5 listed, ok.

CORKY

Vastola is another respectable choice. He was def a major force for years. A pretty notorious guy.

Since you only listed those 5 members, perhaps to help build your narrative of the Decavalcante family. I will say Frank Majuri. Otherwise it would be Louis, a former member of the Reina family, who was big in the garment industry, trucking, gambling, involved in at least one drug deal in the 1950s, most likely transferred back to the Lucchese crime family when Sam Decavalcante became boss.

Ok, good GV. So you're going with Big Frank Majuri. He was another important guy.

Side note: Who is the Louis you're speaking of?

NY on a different note did you know that the Decavs were in bed with Chin?

To my knowledge, since the days of Carlo Gambino being boss, NJ's boss Sam DeCavalcante was always close to Carlo. Gambino was sort of like his "unofficial" mentor, promoter, and protector within the mob.

I also think, years later, after he became the boss, thats why Gotti felt comfortable putting the shit on John Riggi. He had him under his thumb.

I am not familiar with Gigante exerting that type of control over the DeCav's. (I'm sure there were many instances where the 2 families worked together, but I don't think they were "in bed" as you say, with Chin).

Why do you ask? Do you know of such a relationship between them?

I'm going to go with Corky Vastola.

Good choice MS.

Corky was a born and bred Brooklyn guy all his life. And VERY active in a wide variety of rackets. Even after he started racket action in Jersey and later moved his family out to Colts Neck, NJ, he still maintained all his NYC activities.