An undercover agent would never reach the hights of Joe Pistone today, you have to know somebody in order to get in contact with anybody, and the amount of made members willing to 'vouch' for someone is probably harder to find, as they are being more careful. Everyone learns from their mistakes. - and the Mob has only shrunk with 10-20 made members or so for each of the NY families. There have been an estimated 8-9000 made members through history, and all the American rats put togheter, you'll have a number of 114 estimate (thanks to IvyLeague for providing a previous thread where off he listed each and every rat/although he says it might need an update)

and the 114 number is from the 50s, 60s and up. They earn more money than before, because they've moved into more white-collar crimes. They even run schemes on Wall street and they have a huge cash flow from Internet porn and Internet related schemes - Not only the arabs are trying to give you a million bucks and there's always a sucker who falls for anything.

Gambling rackets have probably shrunk but they're still there, and you've had (or have) a better economy the last years, so people spend more money.

People say that the traditional Mob will end due to the young guys. The Youngsters change the traditions although they probably try to keep it, however, I call it evolution. People said the exact same thing in the 80s I imagine. Guys from the 20s era complained about the guys from the 60s era and their traditions have always changed with time. In 30 years I imagine the biggest family have an estimated 120 inducted members, if not more - not that many guys are squeeling, the number of agents trying to take them down has been reduced and Mob wars are ''forbidden.'' In 2050, they'll go around complaining about how they don't make the kids ''like they made them in 2000.'' Remember, the youngsters will become the old guys one time or another.

To answere your question, I think that the most influental gangsters are Frankie Cali and Cefalu, if not Daniel Leo. If you're thinking street guy, I'd say Charles 'Chuckie' Tuzzo, great friend of Bellomo, they were indicted togheter after working on some sort of pump and dump stock scheme. Also Frank Cali is active on the streets, I think they're gonna nail him on RICO pretty soon if he don't move to sicily

Joey Sneakers Cacciopoli is definetely the biggest name in queens, and Big John Castelle carries the largest amount of respect and fear in Bensonhurst. Castelle is a real street guy, he reminds me off Sonny Black Napolitano, if you look beyond the facts..