ANTHONY SALERNO

'Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno' (May 1, 1911 - July 27, 1992) was a member of the U.S. La Cosa Nostra and was a leader in the Genovese Family from the 1970's until his conviction in 1986. Usually seen wearing a fedora hat and chomping on a cigar, he was nicknamed "Fat Tony' due to his being overweight.

Contents

Early Years

Family Success

Front Boss

Commission Case

Prison Time and Death

External links

Early Years

Salerno was born and raised in East Harlem, New York. As a young man, he became involved in gambling, numbers, loansharking and protection rackets through the Genovese family. Salerno climbed the family ranks by controlling a $50 million a year numbers racket operation in Harlem and a major loansharking operation. While many mobsters moved out of these neighborhoods when they became predominantly Latino and African-American, Salerno kept his headquarters at the Palma Boys Social Club in East Harlem.

Family Success

In the 1970's and 80's, Salerno divided his time between several addresses; a home in Miami Beach, Florida. a 100 acre estate and horse farm in upstate Rhinebeck, New York, the Palma Boys Social Club in East Harlem, and his apartment on posh Gramercy Park in Manhattan. Salerno was, at one time or another, the Genovese Family consigliere, underboss and acting boss or front boss.
In 1978, Salerno was sentenced to a six months in prison for gambling and tax evasion charges. Some time in early 1981, Salerno suffered a mild stroke and retreated to his Rhinebeck estate to recuperate. At the time of his stroke, Salerno was family underboss. After his recovery and the March 31, 1981 death of Boss Frank Tieri, Salerno apparently became the head of the Genovese Family.

Front Boss

However, it later appeared that Salerno was not the real power in the Genovese family. Vincent "The Fish" Cafaro, Salerno's right hand man who later turned informant, said that Salerno was only a "front man". Ever since the death of boss Vito Genovese in 1969, the real family leader was Philip "Benny Squint" Lombardo. Over the years, Lombardo used several acting or front bosses to disguise his true status from law enforcement and the other four New York Families. Lombardo was grooming Vincent "Chin" Gigante to eventually succeed him in the top position. Therefore, according to Cafaro, Salerno became Front Boss in 1981 to protect Gigante.

Commission Case

In 1985, law enforcement finally caught up with Salerno. On February 25, 1985, Salerno and the eight other New York Bosses who comprised "The Commission" were indicted in the so-called "Commission Case". Their trial started in September 1986 and lasted three months. On November 19, 1986 Salerno was convicted on RICO Act charges and sentenced, along with six other defendants, to 100 years in prison.

Prison Time and Death

In October 1986, ''Fortune Magazine'' named the 75-year-old Salerno as America's top gangster in power, wealth and influence. Many would dispute the "top power and influence" assessment, but he was definitely one of the richest (if not the richest) gangsters in America. As Salerno spent time in prison, his health deteriorated due to his diabetes and suspected prostate cancer.
In July 1992, Anthony Salerno died of a stroke at the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri. He died alone at age 81 with no family members at his bedside. Salerno was buried at Saint Raymond's Cemetery in the Throggs Neck section of The Bronx in New York.

External links

★ New York Times "Teamsters and Mobster Linked" from July 29, 1988

★ Find A Grave page on Anthony Salerno, with bio and pictures.

★ American Organized Crime - Genovese Crime Family - Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno