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Vito Genovese
Born	November 27, 1897 Rosiglino, Naples, Italy
Died	February 14, 1969 New York, USA

Vito Genovese (November 27, 1897 – February 14, 1969) was a mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family and mentor to many future mob bosses including Vincent Gigante, Nephew Michael Genovese and Carlo Gambino.

Contents 1 The beginning 2 Rise to Power 3 Apalachin Meeting and downfall 4 External links

Genovese started his Mafia career serving Joe Masseria and worked with people like Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, and Frank Costello. A less well-known and significant associate was Dominic Trotta, who operated out of Italian Harlem

In April 1931, Luciano orchestrated the assassination of Joe Masseria. Vito Genovese was one of the four shooters involved in the hit on his former employer. Later that year, Luciano also arranged a hit on Maranzano, and established himself as the paramount gangster in the United States.

After World War II, Genovese began a murder spree to gain new status in the underworld, taking advantage of Luciano being in exile in Italy. Facing a murder charge (of Ferdinand "The Shadow" Boccia) in 1937, Genovese was forced to flee to Italy as well.

When he later returned to the States, all the witnesses to his murder spree had disappeared. He remained a free man, and attended the infamous Havana Conference in 1946.

Now Genovese had control of Luciano's family and sought to strengthen his hold. He reportedly co-ordinated the Apalachin Meeting where he expected to be named Boss of Bosses.

Unfortunately for him, the meeting (November 14, 1957) went horribly wrong. New York State Trooper Edgar Croswell had been watching the house in which the meeting was supposed to be held, because he was suspicious of the owner, Joseph Barbara.

When he checked the license plates of the cars coming in and out, he found enough reason to set up a road block on the only road leading up to and down from the house on the hill. The attendees, who actually had nothing to worry about (because they were committing no crime), panicked and fled the house, thereby calling attention to themselves and making national headlines.

Genovese was blamed for the fiasco and before he could move to take advantage of the situation prosectors set him up on a huge drug smuggling deal.

In 1959, Genovese was sent to prison, and while there he set up a new administration within the family. This included Philip Lombardo as Acting Boss, Gerardo Catena as Acting Underboss, Michele Miranda as Acting Consigliere, and Vincent Gigante as Top Capo, with his nephew Michael Genovese becoming messenger for his uncle, passing messages to the acting Administration.

Genovese died in prison in 1969 with Lombardo and Gigante becoming his successors.

• Genovese Article on Gangland News
• Apalachin Meeting on Gangland News
• Vito Genovese
• American Organized Crime - Genovese Crime Family - Vito "Don Vitone" Genovese

Preceded by Frank Costello

Genovese Crime Family Boss 1957-1969

Succeeded by Thomas Eboli