Michael James Genovese

Michael James Genovese (April 9, 1919 – October 31, 2006) was an alleged boss of the Pittsburgh crime family. References to Michael Genovese as the brother of New York mob boss Vito Genovese[1] are to a different Michael Genovese; Michael James Genovese was first cousin to Vito Genovese.[2]

Early years

Genovese was born to Anthony and Ursula Genovese[3] in East Liberty, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He had two brothers. Felix and Fiore, and three sisters: Virginia, Frances and Angeline. In his early years, Genovese was arrested for robbery and carrying concealed weapons.[4] Among his " legitimate businesses was a car wash.[4][5] According to a report by the then Pennsylvania Crime Commission, Genovese once controlled the Numbers Game in Western Pennsylvania.[6] His climb through the Pittsburgh crime family included stints as caporegime and underboss to John Sebastian LaRocca, who became boss in 1956. In November 1957, Genovese accompanied LaRocca to the abortive Apalachin meeting of mob bosses in Apalachin, New York with Gabriel "Kelly" Mannarino.[4][6] In 1978, facing poor health, LaRocca formed a three-man commission of Genovese, Mannarino, and Joseph "Jo Jo" Pecora to take over day-to-day operations of the family.

Family boss

Within a year, with the death of Mannarino and the imprisonment of Pecora, Genovese headed the commission. Under Genovese's reign, the Pittsburgh family dominated illegal gambling in Western Pennsylvania, the West Virginia Panhandle, and Eastern Ohio. The family was also involved in major drug trafficking, loan sharking, scams, and theft in Pittsburgh. However, the Mafia Commission in New York would not allow Genovese to recruit new members into the family; he could only replace those who died or retired. Three years after Genovese took control, Pecora died at age 68. In 1985, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) described the Pittsburgh family as being one of the lower-ranked crime families. However, in a 1995 report, the FBI implied that due to large scale federal prosecutions of New York's Five Families and the Chicago Outfit, the Pittsburgh organization was one of the stronger families in the Eastern United States.

Prosecutions

Age and federal prosecutors began catching up with organized crime in Pittsburgh by the early 1990s. In March 1990, underboss Charles "Chucky" Porter (Genovese's right-hand man), and capo Louis Raucci Sr., were indicted for distribution of narcotics, extortion, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, gambling and racketeering. Police stake-outs at L.A. Motor in Verona, Pennsylvania where Genovese worked, revealed him meeting almost daily with Porter, and Raucci. However, surveillance equipment never recorded Genovese making any incriminating statements. Genovese was always careful to go outside when talking to his mob subordinates. Though not indicted, Genovese was named as the head of the Pittsburgh crime family during testimony. Porter and Raucci were both convicted of all charges in the trial.

Death

In 1990, Genovese was suspected of ordering the takeover of territories of Youngstown and Cleveland, formerly held by the Cleveland crime family. On October 31, 2006, Genovese died of natural causes at his home in West Deer Township, Pennsylvania.

Notes
  1. See, for example, Owning major interests in the First National Service & Discount Corp., New York City, were leading Mafia members, among them Michael Genovese, younger brother of the notorious Vito Genovese, as testified to the N.Y. State loan shark probe. Allen, Robert S. and Scott, Paul (1964) "Inside Washington: Underworld Elements Turning to Banking" Jefferson City Post-Tribune (24 December 1964) p. 9, col. 3; Following Rogers to the witness stand was Michael Genovese, 50, brother of imprisoned Cosa Nostra Boss Vita Genovese. Staff (1964) "NY Commission Hears Nation IS Held In Billion-Dollar Grip of Loan Sharks" Albuquerque Journal(2 December 1964) p. 27, col. 1
  2. DeVico, Peter J. "The Mafia Made Easy: The Anatomy and Culture of La Cosa Nostra". (pg. 186)
  3. Staff (1971) "Obituary: Fiore Genovese" North Hills News Record (Pennsylvania) (31 March 1971) p. 49, col.1
  4. Staff (1959) "The Cast Of Characters For Appalachian Convention" Tucson Daily Citizen (26 June 1959) p. 7, col. 6
  5. Staff (1957) "Police Flush Large Section Of Nation's Top Underworld" Simpson's Leader-Times (15 November 1957) p. 2, col. 7
  6. Staff (1974) "Mike Genovese jailed again for contempt" North Hills News Record (Pennsylvania) (5 November 1974) p. 12, col.5

Further reading
  • Block, Alan A. East Side-West Side: Organizing Crime in New York, 1930-1950. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers, 1983. ISBN 0-87855-931-0
  • Capeci, Jerry. The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia. Indianapolis: Alpha Books, 2002. ISBN 0-02-864225-2
  • Pennsylvania Crime Commission. St. Davids, Pennsylvania: DIANE Publishing, 1984. ISBN 0-8182-0000-6
  • United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Governmental Affairs. Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Organized Crime and Use of Violence: hearings before the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the Committee on Governmental Affairs. 1980.
  • United States. Congress. Senate. Select Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field. Investigation of Improper Activities in the Labor Or Management Field: hearings before the Committee on Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field. 1959.
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