BTW, I didn't really word the first post right. Of course once he died all his investments and interests would have been subsumed by other wiseguys. Many sources state, however, that the actual reason for the loan was a large "business" investment (some sources cite drug trafficking, others financial) that would "revive" the Family (like they needed reviving). I wonder if it's so simple as said venture simply "got busted/fell through/died on the vine" etc etc. Even if the crew was being legally battered, he was losing vast amounts, whatever.

Surely if it came to it, there could have been some sort of arrangement hammered out at a sitdown? Mobsters at that level, at that time and place? Furthermore, nobody from the Genovese seemed to have any qualms over one of their top guys being whacked. Even if it was Gambino that ordered it. Were they all complicit to a degree?

So regardless of the dyamics in the situation, or what was going through Tommy Ryans mind...it seems Carlo Gambino just really wanted him dead.