Vincent Gigante allegedly is New York City's most powerful mobster. A federal court began hearings on 11 September 1995 to determine if he is physically and mentally capable of being tried on multiple murder charges. Mr. Gigante allegedly is the head of the newly dominant Genovese crime family. He allegedly is charge of a vast bookmaking (gambling), loansharking (lending money), and extortion operation.
Dr. Abraham L. Halpern, the doctor called by the defense (Mr. Gigante's side), said under penalty of perjury that Mr. Gigante was afraid of strange and unusual places, that he could become suddenly scared for no good reason, and that a trial would carry the "added risk of his dying."
Joe Sexton, "Reputed Mobster's Faces: Very Sick or Very Clever", NY Times, 12 September 1995, sect. B Metropolitan Desk, p. 3.
The Genovese family has 300 active members. Vincent "Chin" Gigante, 67 years old (who lives on LaGuardia Place [at the corner of Bleecker Street?], Greenwich Village neighborhood, Manhattan 10012), is boss. His mentor was Vito Genovese (former boss of the family). Michael Generoso (77 years old), of Brooklyn, is underboss. James Ida (57), of Staten Island, is the consigliere. Liborio Bellomo (37), of Pelham Manor in Westchester County, is the street boss who oversees daily activities. The Genovese family headquarters is the Triangle Civic Improvement Association, 208 Sullivan Street [the same street Gigante lived on before his current prosecution], Greenwich Village neighborhood, Manhattan. The Genovese family allegedly is the country's strongest Mafia gang. Vincent Gigante allegedly is the decisive voice on the Mafia's commission (the group that sets Mafia policies and resolves Mafia disputes). The Genovese family allegedly is involved in extortion in: (1) construction and garbage-carting in New York and New Jersey, (2) shipping in Port Newark and Port Elizabeth, and (3) the Fulton Fish Market. The family allegedly is also involved in bookmaking (gambling), loan sharking (lending when lenders collect by using violence and threats of violence), and drug dealing in New York, northern New Jersey, and Connecticut. Allegedly, there has been a decline in the family's alleged influence over the carpenters' union and the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.
(The nearest subway stop to Mr. Gigante's home seems to be on East Houston Street between Broadway and Lafayette Street.)
The seven top officials of New Jersey's largest Teamsters' union local (local 97, in Union, New Jersey) were ousted on 15 August 1995 by a special trustee after court-apppointed investigators accused them of raiding the local's money and of arranging a business deal with a suspected Mafia figure. The way they allegedly raided the local's money was by improperly giving themselves raises and expense accounts, and by giving union jobs to relatives. The way that they allegedly arranged the business deal with a suspected Mafia member was by having the local hire a company (said to be linked to the Genovese crime family) to do radiology tests on members of the local. Three of the ousted officials are:
About half of the local's 9,000 members are clerks for government agencies and institutions.
Selwyn Raab, "Union Leaders Accused of Bilking Local", NY Times, 16 August 1995, sect. B Metropolitan Desk, p. 6.
