also done to reinforce the point that whoever was a member and especially charge of the Aprile Crew would fast almost certain doom......
1. Jackie Aprile
2. Richie Aprile(2nd and last time as head of crew)
3. Gigi Cestone
4. Ralph Ciffaretto
5. Vito Spatifore
as well as most of their members die or be shelved from injuries:

Febby Putrulio was in their crew before he went into Witness Protection, this is why Tony kills him in the college visit episode
Bryan Spatifore gotten beaten into a vegetative state by Sally Mustang
Beansie Gaeta was in their crew in the 70s-80s and was crippled by Richie
Gene Poncevorvo kills himself being trapped in between a rock and hard place after Tony refuses to let him retire
Donny K gets beaten into a coma by Johnny Sac then retires afterwards
Jackie Jr. and his crew of Dino and Carlo all get killed after attempting to to rob a card game

no Aprile crew member or associate seemingly ever lived healthily to the end of that show