Regarding Gigante, has it ever been posited that he was acting as a front for Benny Lombardo, Frank Tieri, or someone else? I could've sworn I read that somewhere before.
The Genovese leadership has been and is so deliberately labyrinthine, it can be hard to know what's what regarding who is the real power.
A lot of people thought Tony Salerno was the main answerable guy in that family until Gigante's power became known.
I’m with you on this one Moe. I feel Salerno truly wasn’t a front for anyone. His power was equal to Chin’s and Salerno probably had double Chin’s money. I don’t think it gets talked about enough how Chin’s guys would whisper privately about his act. It was embarrassing for a lot of them.
In Vincent Cafaro's affidavit given to the senate hearing on organized crime, he says that after Salerno had a stroke in 1981, Lombardo, Gigante, Manna and Santora "pulled down" Salerno. Then Lombardo retired and Gigante became the boss. Gigante then
allowed Salerno to come back and "front as boss" so Gigante could stay in the background.
I interpret that not as Gigante forcing Salerno to be the fall guy, rather Gigante letting Salerno play the big shot.
