Saverio Santora
Encyclopedia
Saverio Santora also known as "Sammy Black", was a New York mobster with the Genovese crime family
who briefly served as family underboss
.
In the late 1970s, Santora took over as caporegime
of Antonio "Buckaloo" Ferro's powerful 116th Street crew in the East Harlem section of Manhattan
. Santora quickly became one of the most powerful captains in the family. The crew was involved in illegal gambling, bookmaking, loan sharking, heroin trafficking, and labor racketeering within the Carpenters' Union.
In 1981, longtime Genovese boss Philip Lombardo
went into semi-retirement. Vincent "Chin" Gigante and Santora were the prime candidates to succeed Lombardo as boss, being two of the most respected and influential members of the family. Lombardo made Gigante the boss and Santora the underboss
. Santora continued as underboss of the family until his death in 1987.
Acting boss Liborio Bellomo
was considered a protegeé of Santora.
Genovese crime family
The Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
who briefly served as family underboss
Underboss
Underboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
.
In the late 1970s, Santora took over as caporegime
Caporegime
A caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
of Antonio "Buckaloo" Ferro's powerful 116th Street crew in the East Harlem section of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Santora quickly became one of the most powerful captains in the family. The crew was involved in illegal gambling, bookmaking, loan sharking, heroin trafficking, and labor racketeering within the Carpenters' Union.
In 1981, longtime Genovese boss Philip Lombardo
Philip Lombardo
Philip Lombardo also known as "Benny Squint" and "Cockeyed Phil", was the boss of the Genovese crime family from the late 1960s until the beginning of the 1980s....
went into semi-retirement. Vincent "Chin" Gigante and Santora were the prime candidates to succeed Lombardo as boss, being two of the most respected and influential members of the family. Lombardo made Gigante the boss and Santora the underboss
Underboss
Underboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
. Santora continued as underboss of the family until his death in 1987.
Acting boss Liborio Bellomo
Liborio Bellomo
Liborio Salvatore Bellomo , known as Barney and Big Barney, is a high ranking caporegime and street boss of the Genovese crime family in New York City. Bellomo is one of the fastest rising Mafia members in the United States today, becoming a capo in his mid-twenties...
was considered a protegeé of Santora.