Vincent Gigante
A federal judge found in 1996 that Gigante became boss of the Genovese family "in title as well as in fact" after Salerno's 1985 arrest, and that he feigned mental illness. He was convicted in 1997; the Second Circuit affirmed.
- Aliases
- Chin
- Family
- Genovese family (court finding, 1996)
- Role
- Captain by the early 1970s, then consigliere; boss "in title as well as in fact" from 1985 (court finding, 1996)
- Rights
- Biography on this page is limited to what the cited federal records state.
On the record
- 12 January 1960 — United States v. Aviles, 274 F.2d 179: in the 1959 narcotics trial "Vincent Gigante and Ralph Polizzano received seven years"; the court summarized testimony that he drove the courier Cantellops to Lorain, Ohio. Court opinion.
- Late 1960s or early 1970s — United States v. Gigante, 925 F. Supp. 967 (1996): "By the late 1960s or early 1970s he had become a Captain." The court found he later became consigliere. Court finding.
- 1985 — The same findings: "After Salerno was indicted and arrested in 1985 Gigante became the Boss in title as well as in fact." Court finding.
- 1990 — The same findings: "In 1990 after Gigante himself was indicted he established an 'acting' Administration of the family." The court also found that "He appeared disheveled on the streets, unshaven and in an old bathrobe and pajamas." Court findings, on whether he was feigning incompetency.
- 29 October 1997 — United States v. Gigante, 982 F. Supp. 140: at sentencing, Judge Weinstein wrote that the evidence "demonstrated without a reasonable doubt that Mr. Gigante had been the boss of the Genovese Crime Family since at least 1985." Court opinion, after the verdict.
- 22 January 1999 — United States v. Gigante, 166 F.3d 75: "The government asserted that Vincent Gigante was the boss of the Genovese family and supervised its criminal activity." The court affirmed. The government's position, as the court stated it; affirmance.
The role line is a district court’s own finding, made in 1996 on the competency question before trial, and repeated in substance by the sentencing court after the jury’s verdict in 1997. It stays on this page. It is not copied onto the Genovese chart.
The FBI Vault parts on Gigante have no viewer text layer and were not read. No opened record gives his birth or death.
Records
itemUnited States v. Gigante, 925 F. Supp. 967 (E.D.N.Y. 1996)District Judge Nickerson's findings of May 15, 1996 on whether Vincent Gigante was feigning mental illness. It names the Triangle Social Club at 225 Sullivan Street as the club Gigante returned to at night.itemUnited States v. Gigante, 982 F. Supp. 140 (E.D.N.Y. 1997)Judge Weinstein's sentencing memorandum of October 29, 1997 after Vincent Gigante's conviction. It states that the evidence showed beyond a reasonable doubt that he had been boss of the Genovese family since at least 1985.itemUnited States v. Gigante, 166 F.3d 75 (2d Cir. 1999)Second Circuit opinion of January 22, 1999 affirming Vincent Gigante's convictions. It names the cooperating witnesses who testified against him.itemUnited States v. Aviles, 274 F.2d 179 (2d Cir. 1960)Second Circuit opinion of January 12, 1960 affirming most of the 1959 narcotics-conspiracy convictions of Vito Genovese, Vincent Gigante and others. It finds Genovese one of the conspiracy's "principal directing heads."