The Genovese are certainly the most powerful Mafia Family in both New York and the U.S. And I think one could make the argument that, in a number of ways, the Mafia is still the strongest organized crime group in the Tri-State area.

Unlike Philadelphia, there are still things that differentiate the Genovese Family from other OC groups. The Genovese are considered to be the most diversified "business crime group" in the nation. They are said to control the largest bookmaking and loansharking operations in the New York/New Jersey area. They are involved in drug trafficking though not as deeply as other New York Families. Over the past 15 years or so they were among the fastest to form alliances with other OC groups and move into newer rackets like stock fraud.

But what really has set them apart is their ability to maintain varying degrees of influence over labor unions and in legitimate industries despite repeated attacks from law enforcement, industry regulation, union reform, etc. That's really what set the Mafia apart in the past from other OC groups. And the Genovese Family has been the most successful in holding onto that as much as possible. Though to a smaller degree than the past, they are still are involved in the waterfront, construction, trucking, and waste hauling industries and have been involved in several cases over the past decade with the ILA, Teamsters, Laborers, and other unions.