Capo dei capi

I think we have to keep saying it because if we stop saying it, then the game is lost.

But I think that what she's talking about is just a present-day reality that we hope someday will end because after all, when you have a Department of Justice and an FBI that is essentially either a protection racket for the Capo di Tutti copy or a mechanism for revenge – you know, you're not looking to get justice on the federal level.

And also, you know, let's be honest about our legal system is as much as the judiciary writ large has been a check on some of the abuses in this current Trump administration.

Nevertheless, the system of law and courts is not particularly friendly to the poor in comparison to the wealthy.

The first involves the first gangster to arrive in Havana, Vito Genovese, a member of the mafia's old school with designs on Luciano's syndicate.

Genovese wants to be Capo dei tutti Capi, who I think is an Argentine fullback, but also the boss of all bosses, which is a title done away with by Luciano and Lansky's hierarchicalist organization.

As Luciano himself had famously told Al Capone years earlier when Capone offered him that role, quote, "None of that Old World Sicilian shit."

Yeah, I mean, there was famously a war between Luciano and what they call the Mustache Petes, who were the more traditional-

In the late 1920s, the formation of the National Crime Syndicate helped smooth over, somewhat, the working relationships between the multi-ethnic criminal organizations.

But the American Mafia was still in turmoil due to several people vying for the position of Capo dei tutti capi, the boss of all bosses.

This was resolved in 1931 during the Castellammarese War, a pivotal moment in American crime history that led to the formation of the Commission.

Now, we've already talked about the Castellammarese War in detail in our bios for Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel, since their gang members were used as hitmen to take out the former bosses.

Uh-huh.

The Capo di tutti capi, the Pope of Pappardelle, the Prime Minister of Pizza, the King of Cannoli, the Lord of Lasagna, the Boss of Braciole, the Godfather of-

Gabagool.

Who ate all the gabagool? It's the Hoboken Hammer, Rich Pepe.

Hence, even as criminals exploiting society at large, if they respected the rules, they could consider themselves men of honor, a concept associated with domination, manhood, and strength.

When several families were allied, or at least in agreement, one man stood out as the boss of all bosses, the capo di tutti capi.

The others owed him their support and respect.

He offered protection in the form of employment, lawyers when arrested, expenses for the family when serving time, and threats against business rivals.

Mr. Italy.

Capo di tutti capi.

Love that one, too.

The Pope of Parfideli, the Prime Minister of Pizza, the King of Cannoli, the Lord of Lasagna, the Boss of Rajol, the Godfather of...

Hence, even as criminals exploiting society at large, if they respected the rules, they could consider themselves men of honor, a concept associated with domination, manhood, and strength.

When several families were allied, or at least in agreement, one man stood out as the boss of all bosses, the capo di tutti capi.

The others owed him their support and respect.

He offered protection in the form of employment, lawyers when arrested, expenses for the family when serving time, and threats against business rivals.

Mm-hmm.

The Capo di Tutti Capi.

That's the one I like.

The Pope of Parpadele.