Vito Genovese FBI Files

Description

Vito Genovese: A Mafia Timeline and Key Figures

Timeline of Events: Vito Genovese

• 1920s – 1930s: Vito Genovese served as Lucky Luciano’s right-hand man.
• 1937: Genovese fled to Italy to escape a murder charge.
• During WWII (While in Italy): Genovese befriended Benito Mussolini.
• Post-WWII: Genovese was returned to the United States to face trial for the murder charge he fled in 1937.
• 1945: Peter La Tempa, the key witness in the murder case against Genovese, was poisoned while in protective custody. As a result, Genovese was released.
• Post-1945: Genovese is reputed to have become “boss of all the bosses” through the murders of competing Mafia leaders Willie Moretti and Albert Anastasia.
• 1957: Genovese is believed to have made an attempt on the life of Frank Costello.
• 1958: Genovese was convicted on narcotic charges and sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
• 1969: Vito Genovese died of a heart attack while incarcerated at the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri.
• November 2017: Some material from the Vito Genovese FBI files was declassified.

Cast of Characters:

• Vito Genovese: A top Mafia officer whose criminal record included arrests for homicide, assault, robbery, carrying a concealed weapon, narcotics, alcohol, gambling, and garment industry shakedowns. He was Lucky Luciano’s right-hand man in the 1920s and 1930s, fled to Italy in 1937, befriended Benito Mussolini, returned to the US, was released after a key witness was murdered, reputedly became “boss of all the bosses,” was convicted on narcotics charges in 1958, and died in prison in 1969.
• Lucky Luciano: A prominent figure in organized crime who Genovese served as a right-hand man to in the 1920s and 1930s.
• Benito Mussolini: The Italian dictator whom Genovese befriended while in Italy during World War II.
• Peter La Tempa: The key witness in the murder case against Genovese. He was poisoned while in protective custody in 1945, leading to Genovese’s release.
• Willie Moretti: A competing Mafia boss who was reportedly murdered as part of Genovese’s rise to power.
• Albert Anastasia: Another competing Mafia boss who was reportedly murdered as part of Genovese’s consolidation of power, leading to him being called “boss of all the bosses.”
• Frank Costello: Another prominent figure in organized crime on whose life Genovese is believed to have made an attempt in 1957.

Vito Genovese FBI Files

537 pages of FBI files covering Vito Genovese. Genovese was referred to as a top mafia officer and whose record included arrests for homicide, assault, robbery, carrying a concealed weapon, narcotics, alcohol, gambling, and garment industry shakedowns. Some material was not declassified until November 2017.

In the 1920’s and 1930’s Genovese was Lucky Luciano’s right-hand man. In 1937, he fled to Italy to escape a murder charge. While in Italy, he befriended Benito Mussolini. After the war, he was returned to the United States to face trial. In 1945, the key witness in the case, Peter La Tempa, was poisoned while in protective custody and Genovese was released. He is reputed to have become “boss of all the bosses” through the murders of several competing bosses including Willie Moretti and Albert Anastasia. He is also believed to have made an attempt on the life of Frank Costello in 1957. In 1958, he was convicted on narcotic charges and sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. In 1969, Genovese died of a heart attack while housed at the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners, in Springfield, Missouri.