Luciano now, the most powerful
man in the American Mafia ran the most powerful crime family in the United
States. His family, which now bore his name and later, became the Genovese
family, had their hands in every piece of the criminal pie in New York City. Luciano,
once boss, promoted his most loyal and valuable family members to top tier
positions in the Luciano family. The feared Vito Genovese became his underboss,
while Frank Costello became his Consigliere. Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel and
Johnny Torrio were all unofficial advisers to the family. Giuseppe “Joe Adonis”
Doto, Michael “Trigger “Coppola, Anthony “Tony Bender” Strollo and Anthony
Carfano served as his Caporegimes. These men, under Luciano’s leadership,
controlled the most lucrative rackets in New York City such as gambling,
loan-sharking, extortion, drug trafficking and bookmaking. Luciano was also very influential in labor and
union activities and controlled the Manhattan Waterfront, garbage hauling,
construction, Garment Center businesses and trucking.
