Not to defend Oak here, but does anyone honestly believe someone like Frank Costello could attain all that power, rub shoulders with the political denizens of New York, become "Prime Minister of the Underworld", without selling a few of his chums down the river? Honestly now?

There were a lot less rats back then because the mafia were basically given carte blanche because the FBI were too busy chasing their tails over communists.

Look at how quickly Costello moved out of the way when Genovese tried to take him out.

A lot of these guys wouldn't have been able to do the hard time if the FBI dangled all the benefits guys like Massino, Leonetti, D'Arco and Gravano got.

I mean all of those guys got to keep the lions share of their illicitly gained wealth; the Feds even agreed to back off Massino's wife even though she was complicit in a lot of his rackets, he practically gave her more power than his own brother in law.