I was reading about the NYC Mob…and it seems that Carlo Gambino (head of the NYC family) lived a very low key lifestyle-he ate his meals at home (cooked by his wife). he avoided flashy cars, and had no telephone 9he took calls at a neighbor’s house). He looked (for all appearences) like a retired blue collar worker.
He was typical of many people high up in the mob-Meyer lansky lived in a little box house in Miami-and his favorite food was potatoes.
I guiess my question is: why accumulate a lot of money and power, if you are going to live like this?
Of course, there are good reasons not to show off your wealth-the IRS and FBI are always snooping around-and income tax evasion was always a good way to nail gangsters (its how the convicted Al Capone).
If you were a mafia don-would you live like gambino-or more like Tony Soprano?
Lived like “Paupers” my dear fellow not like papers, which mostly involves lining bird cages or being used for unmentionable things. Furthermore being a mafia don=/= to be very rich or having a large disposable income.
My WAG- because living like an average regular guy doesn’t attract attention and allows them to avoid suspicion. That way, even your neighbors wouldn’t suspect your up to anything.
I guess keeping a low profile as a means of avoiding to draw too much attention and scrutiny by the public and by law enforcement agencies is one aspect.
For some people, leading a simple, lower middle class lifestyle just feels more natural. There are millionaires who live in a crammed apartment and all they eat is porridge.
On the other hand, I would assume the majority of big shot mobsters are living the good life (if they are not incarcerated).
The Mafia-style families are centuries old. They have been hiding from authorities (and each other) since at least as far back as when the Spanish ruled Sicily and Southern Italy.
Keeping a low profile is deeply ingrained into the mindset. Don’t attract attention to yourself is a major concept.
When John Gotti started deliberately going after media attention, the old timers were appalled. It really went against their grain.
And they were right. It took a while (especially with stopping jury tampering) but eventually the Feds got the Teflon Don. Gotti may have stayed out of trouble for several more years if he had lived a quieter lifestyle.
Ditto Sam Giancana. He was attracting too much attention living a playboy lifestyle. The Chicago Outfit actually turned on him.
Power is the issue. A lot of people enjoy the power far more than living the high life. Plus they can take trips and live it up in less public ways that don’t get attention.
Infamously, there was Vincent Gigante’s lifestyle, wandering around in a bathrobe, etc., but it was an act.