"Fully functioning LCN family" is a definition thing. Bufallo PD have alot to do with gangs and the FBI Bufallo is specializing in terrorism. FBI Bufallo weakens his main divison if the start to talk about OC.
So my case is the law enforcment argument is weaker as we think in the first moment.
So tell me, are there no gangs in New York City? Is there no threat of terrorism in NYC, either? It seems as if your argument is that law enforcement in Buffalo is more worried about gangs and terrorism so that is why they leave the mafia alone. However, there is a significant amount of gangs and drug activity in New York which is being investigated by the NYPD and the FBI and for some reason they still have the time and resources to investigate and bring cases against the mafia. As evidenced by 9/11 and other events afterward, I'm sure that New York remains a hotbed for terrorist activity which is why the FBI and NYPD made terrorism their MAIN priority after 9/11 ... did they stop going after the mob? No. They significantly reduced the manpower of their organized crime squads so they could focus on terrorism, but they didn't simply give up on investigating LCN activity.
Why? Because the five families, even though not as powerful as they once were, are still viewed as a threat. The same goes for law enforcement in New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston, Providence and elsewhere that the families remain viable. If there were 35-40 made guys in Buffalo believe me law enforcement would dedicate resources to fight it whether or not terrorism or gangs remained their main priority. You've basically proven my point for me - the gangs in Buffalo are more prominent than what's left of the mob and that's why law enforcement places a higher priority towards them.
I do share K1NG6’s obvious skepticism but one thing I can’t seem to believe (even by today’s standards of underworld oddities) is Violi lying about being upped by JT.
It reads as such a risky move. Sure, he could have said it as a way to protect himself by letting people on the streets know that whoever messes with him will have to face the consequences of pissing off a higher up.
But in order for such threat to be effective, there is the need for Buffalo LCN to be an active and somehow still imposing entity.
Even though I'm not sure what to believe with Violi, I do agree with you 100% on that assessment. It's extremely risky. His whole claim of Todaro supposedly naming him the underboss just seemed fishy to me. For all of this time people claimed that Todaro was retired and making millions from his pizza joint, which I'm not disputing. If you have a legitimate business raking in cash like that at his age why would you want anything to do with a declining mob family that is going to do nothing for you but put you behind bars for the rest of your life? I don't claim to know a lot about Buffalo LCN but I remember that there were several names thrown around as being the boss when this topic was brought up before, I just don't remember them from the top of my head. All of a sudden a wiretap comes up with Violi claiming that Todaro named him the underboss and now Todaro is the godfather again and Buffalo is resurrected with 35-40 made guys on the streets. I could be wrong, the pieces just don't add up correctly to me.
