Vincent “The Chin” Gigante FBI Files and other Related Material

Description

Vincent “The Chin” Gigante and the Genovese Family

Timeline of Main Events

• 1944-1947: Vincent “The Chin” Gigante has a professional boxing career, fighting 25 bouts and achieving a record of 21 wins and 4 losses.
• Late 1940s: Gigante begins working as an enforcer for the Luciano crime family. His brothers Mario, Pasquale, and Ralph join him in criminal activities.
• 1946: Lucky Luciano is deported to Italy. Frank Costello becomes the acting boss of the Luciano family.
• Late 1940s – 1957: Vito Genovese flees to Italy to avoid a murder charge.
• May 2, 1957: Under Vito Genovese’s orders, Vincent “The Chin” Gigante attempts to murder acting boss Frank Costello in the lobby of his apartment building. Costello survives the shooting but refuses to identify Gigante as the shooter.
• May 1957: Frank Costello relinquishes control of the Luciano crime family to Vito Genovese, who renames it the Genovese family.
• 1958: Vincent “The Chin” Gigante is acquitted on attempted murder charges related to the shooting of Frank Costello, due to Costello’s refusal to identify him and successful challenging of the doorman’s credibility by Gigante’s defense team.
• 1959: Vito Genovese is convicted of conspiracy to violate narcotics laws and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He continues to run the Genovese family from prison in Atlanta.
• Late 1950s – Early 1960s: After sharing a prison cell with Vito Genovese, Vincent “The Chin” Gigante becomes a caporegime, overseeing his own crew based in Greenwich Village. He becomes one of Genovese’s most loyal supporters.
• 1959: Vincent “The Chin” Gigante is also convicted of heroin trafficking and sentenced to seven years in prison.
• Early 1960s: Gigante is paroled after serving five years of his sentence and is promoted to captain, running the Greenwich Crew. His crew operates out of various social clubs in downtown Manhattan.
• 1960s – 1970s: Vincent “The Chin” Gigante rapidly rises to power within the Genovese crime family, becoming one of the most powerful caporegimes in New York City. His crew is involved in a wide range of criminal activities.
• 1981: Vincent “The Chin” Gigante becomes the boss of the Genovese crime family. Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno serves as the front boss during the first half of the 1980s.
• 1986: Gigante orders the failed murder attempt on Gambino crime family boss John Gotti.
• 1988: A Congressional hearing, “Organized Crime: 25 Years After Valachi,” details the state of Northeast U.S. organized crime.
• 1990: Vincent “The Chin” Gigante is indicted on federal racketeering charges but is initially determined to be mentally unfit to stand trial, beginning his decades-long feigned insanity.
• 1992: With the arrest and conviction of John Gotti and other Gambino family members, Vincent “The Chin” Gigante is recognized as the most powerful crime boss in the United States.
• 1997: Vincent “The Chin” Gigante is declared mentally competent to stand trial.
• 1997: Gigante is tried and convicted on racketeering charges and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
• 2000: The latest date covered in the FBI files on Vincent “The Chin” Gigante.
• 2003: Facing new charges, Vincent “The Chin” Gigante pleads guilty and admits that his supposed insanity was a long-term effort to avoid prosecution. His reign as boss of the Genovese family ends.
• May 2004: The State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation releases a report, “The Changing Face of Organized Crime,” which states that organized crime is still present in New Jersey.
• December 19, 2005: Vincent “The Chin” Gigante dies while incarcerated.

Cast of Characters

• Vincent “The Chin” Gigante (1928 – 2005): Boss of the Genovese crime family from 1981 to 2003. Started as a professional boxer, then became an enforcer, caporegime, and eventually the head of one of the most powerful Mafia families in the US. Known for feigning insanity for nearly 30 years to avoid prosecution.
• Lucky Luciano (Salvatore Lucania) (c. 1897 – 1962): A prominent figure in American organized crime. Deported to Italy in 1946. The crime family he headed was later named after Vito Genovese.
• Frank Costello (Francesco Castiglia) (1891 – 1973): Became the acting boss of the Luciano crime family after Luciano’s deportation. Survived a murder attempt ordered by Vito Genovese and carried out by Vincent Gigante, but subsequently relinquished control of the family.
• Vito Genovese (1897 – 1969): Underboss of the Luciano family who fled to Italy to avoid a murder charge. Returned to the US, orchestrated the attempted murder of Frank Costello, took over the family (renaming it after himself), and later was imprisoned for heroin trafficking.
• Mario Gigante: Brother of Vincent Gigante. Also involved in crime and became a capo in the Genovese family, maintaining influence in the Bronx, Yonkers, and upper Westchester.
• Pasquale Gigante: Brother of Vincent Gigante, involved in his criminal activities.
• Ralph Gigante: Brother of Vincent Gigante, considered one of his closest associates.
• Louis Gigante: Brother of Vincent Gigante who became a priest and later was elected to the city council.
• Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno (1911 – 1992): Served as the front boss of the Genovese crime family during the first half of the 1980s while Vincent Gigante was the real boss.
• John Gotti (1940 – 2002): Boss of the Gambino crime family. Vincent Gigante ordered a failed attempt on his life in 1986. His conviction in 1992 led to Gigante being recognized as the most powerful crime boss in the US.
• William S. Sessions: Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1988, who provided testimony during the Congressional hearing on organized crime.
• Tommaso Buscetta (1928 – 2000): A former member of the Porto Nuova Sicilian Mafia Family who provided testimony during the 1988 Congressional hearing on organized crime.
• Angelo Lonardo (1911 – 2006): Former underboss and acting boss of Cleveland’s La Cosa Nostra Family. Provided testimony and a written statement during the 1988 Congressional hearing on organized crime.
• Vincent “Fish” Cafaro (b. 1933): A mobster and protégé of Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno who became a government informant and witness. His testimony was part of the 1988 Congressional hearing.
• Andrew Gigante: Son of Vincent Gigante, listed as one of his closest associates.
• Vincent Esposito: Son of Vincent Gigante, listed as one of his closest associates.
• Dominick Alongi: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Venero Mangano: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Frank Condo: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Dominick DiQuarto: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Thomas D’Antonio: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Frank Caggiano: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Louis Manna: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Giuseppe Dellacroce: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Dominick Canterino: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Dominick Cirillo: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Joseph Denti: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.
• Joseph Sarcinella: A close associate of Vincent Gigante according to FBI files.

Vincent “The Chin” Gigante FBI Files and other Related Material

3,151 pages of material.

Vincent Louis Gigante (1928 – 2005), also known as “The Chin”, was a New York Italian-American organized crime figure, boss of the Genovese crime family. Gigante started out as a professional boxer who fought 25 bouts between 1944 and 1947. He went 21 and 4, with 13 wins by knockout. He then started working as an enforcer for the Luciano crime family, which became the Genovese family. His brothers Mario, Pasquale, and Ralph joined him in crime. His brother Louis became a priest, and later was elected to the city council. By 1981, Vincent was the boss of the Genovese crime family until 2003.

With Lucky Luciano deported to Italy in 1946, Frank Costello became acting boss when underboss Vito Genovese  fled to Italy to avoid a murder charge. Costello led the Luciano family until May of 1957.  Genovese returned to the United States when a key witness against him was poisoned and the murder he faced charges were dropped.

Genovese took control by sending soldier Vincent “The Chin” Gigante to murder Costello. Costello survived the attack but relinquished control of the family to Genovese, who named the family after himself. Attempted murder charges against Gigante were unsuccessful, because Costello refused to identify him as the shooter. In 1959, it was Genovese’s turn to go to prison following a conviction of conspiracy to violate narcotics laws. He received a 15-year sentence but continued to run the family through his underlings from his prison cell in Atlanta, Georgia.

After sharing a prison cell with Genovese, following Genovese’s conviction for heroin trafficking, Gigante became a caporegime, overseeing his own crew of Genovese soldiers and associates who operated out of Greenwich Village. Gigante was one of Genovese’s most loyal supporters, siding with him throughout his struggle for power with Costello.

Gigante quickly rose to power during the 1960’s and 1970’s. By 1981 he became the family’s boss, while Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno served as front boss during the first half of the 1980’s. He also ordered the failed murder attempt of Gambino crime family boss John Gotti in 1986. With the arrest and conviction of Gotti and various Gambino family members in 1992, Gigante was  recognized as the most powerful crime boss in the United States. For the better part of 30 years, Gigante feigned insanity in an effort to throw law enforcement off his trail. Dubbed “The Oddfather”  by the press, Gigante often wandered the streets of Greenwich Village in his bathrobe and slippers, mumbling incoherently to himself.

He was indicted on federal racketeering charges in 1990 but was determined to be declared mentally unfit to stand trial. In 1997 he was declared competent and was tried and convicted on the racketeering charges and was given a 12-year sentence. Facing new charges in 2003, he pleaded guilty and admitted that his supposed insanity was an elaborate effort to avoid prosecution. He died while incarcerated in 2005.

FBI FILES

1,702 pages on FBI Files on Vincent “The Chin” Gigante, boss of the Genovese crime family (1981-2003)

Scope and Content

The files date from 1957 to 2000. They cover a wide range of information gathered on Gigante during his rise in the American La Cosa Nostra. The files show that at least nine individuals close to Gigante were FBI informantsm referred to in the files as T1, T2, T3…, regularly providing information to the FBI. They provided much information about various hits and what was going on in Triangle Social Club at 208 Sullivan St, New York City.

Costello Murder Attempt

On May 2, 1957, Vito Genovese ordered Gigante to murder Luciano family boss Frank Costello, a close friend and successor of Lucky Luciano, the best-known underworld figure in the United States. Gigante shot Costello as he entered the lobby at 115 Central Park West, where he had an apartment in The Majestic, on the corner of 72nd Street, Manhattan. Just as Gigante fired his .38-caliber handgun, Costello moved, causing the bullet to graze the right side of his head. It is believed that because Costello fell down, Gigante thought the mob boss was dead and sped away in a black Cadillac. Costello refused to identify his attempted assassin, leading Gigante to thank Costello in court, but the doorman at 115 Central Park West did. When tried for the shooting, his defense team effectively challenged the credibility of the doorman, and Gigante was acquitted in 1958 on charges of attempted murder An FBI informant characterized the hit as just a warning to Costello.

As Caporegime

A caporegime (usually shortened to a capo) is a rank of a made member of the crime family who heads a “crew” of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization.

In 1959, Gigante was convicted, with Vito Genovese, of heroin trafficking and sentenced to seven years in prison. The sentencing judge was swayed by a flood of letters from residents of Greenwich Village and Little Italy attesting to Gigante’s good character and his work on behalf of juveniles. He was paroled after five years. Not long afterward, he was promoted from soldier to captain, running the Greenwich Crew. Gigante’s crew was based at the Triangle Social Club at 208 Sullivan Street, and also met at the Dante Social Club at 81 MacDougal Street, and the Panel Social Club at 208 Thompson Street. Gigante also met with gangsters and business associates at his mother’s apartment. He was involved in bookmaking, loansharking, was immersed in labor racketeering in New York City’s construction, waterfront, garbage haulage industries and was identified in the files as being in complete control of fireworks sales and street festivals in New York City.

The crew controlled much of organized crime throughout downtown Manhattan, and Gigante went on to become one of the most powerful caporegimes in New York from the early 1970’s until his promotion to boss in 1981. Some of the rackets included labor union control, gambling, loan sharking, hijackings, and extortion of businesses. Through his brother Mario, who later became a capo of his own crew, the Gigantes maintained influence in the Bronx, Yonkers and upper Westchester. Gigante’s closest associates according to the files included his brother Ralph Gigante and Mario Gigante, sons Andrew Gigante and Vincent Esposito, Dominick Alongi, Venero Mangano, Frank Condo, Dominick DiQuarto, Thomas D’Antonio, Frank Caggiano, Louis Manna, Giuseppe Dellacroce, Dominick Canterino, Dominick Cirillo, Joseph Denti, and Joseph Sarcinella.

ADDITIONAL MATERIALS

Additional materials include:

Congressional Report Organized Crime: 25 Years After Valachi: Hearings Before The Permanent Subcommittee On Investigations (1990)

A remarkable 1,260-page report of a congressional hearing, detailing the state of North East U.S. organized crime in 1988. Includes transcripts of live witness testimony including William S. Sessions, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation. Tommaso Buscetta, former member, Porto Nuova Sicilian Mafia Family, Palermo, Sicily. Angelo Lonardo, former underboss of Cleveland’s La Cosa Nostra Family. Vincent “Fish” Cafaro a mobster and protegee of Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno, a top lieutenant in the Genovese crime family until becoming a government informant and witness, a written statement by Angelo Lonardo,  a mobster who became the acting boss of Cleveland crime family in the early 1980’s.

Also includes charts, copies of documents, letters, and written testimony. A chronology of major organized crime events from 1890 to 1987, 3 transcripts of FBI bugged conversations.

State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation The Changing Face of Organized Crime A Status Report In New Jersey May 2004

“Organized crime is alive in New Jersey, if not altogether well,” is the opening sentence in this 164-page 2004 report by the State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation