Pittsburgh Underboss: Michael (Mike) Genovese

Mike Genovese was the underboss of the LaRocca crime family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

He started his criminal career early when he was only 17 years old and arrested for assault and battery. Later, he was a key figure in control of all numbers racket operations in the East Liberty District of Pittsburgh on behalf of the LaRocca Family .

He was also one of the 62 mafiosi arrested at the infamous 1957 Apalachin meeting in Upstate New York .

Michael James Genovese -- aka Mike Genovese and Antonio Genoves” -- was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 19, 1919. He was one of four children born to Antonio and Ursula (nee’ Di Angelo) Genovese.

Genovese and his two brothers, Felix and Fiore, and a sister named Angelina grew up and later resided in Pittsburgh or its outer suburbs.

Mike Genovese

Mike Genovese stood about 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed a solid 175 pounds. He was a pleasant-looking man with smooth features, a full head of wavy black hair, dark brown eyes, and a dark complexion.

He got married young to a local girl named Carmela Napoletano, but the marriage didn’t work out. By 1945, they were divorced. Genovese later met and became involved with Alice Gray Rohbacker, and together, they raised three daughters, Kathleen, Yvonne, and Alice Jo.

By the early 1940s, Mike Genovese quickly established his underworld credentials. Actually, he had started his fledgling criminal career many years before that.

He was first picked up by the cops at the age of 17 for assault and battery. In later years, he added to his anti-social register with subsequent arrests for carrying a concealed weapon, armed robbery, suspicion of murder, numbers lottery, and federal obstruction of justice charges.

FBI #4373362, Penn-SP #185296

By at least the early 1950s, Mike had purchased a large tract of land at Road #2, Box 149B, Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, where he later built a large home.

This estate-like property boasted a sprawling residence and a farm. It is where Genovese would reside with his wife and family for the remainder of his lifetime.

He listed his employment as part-owner of Archie’s Automatic Car Wash at 850 Bennett Street in Pittsburgh.

When he wasn’t at home tending to his property or at his place of business, Mike enjoyed frequenting the various mob hangouts and clubs operated by his minions. These included the Red Eagle Athletic Club in Pittsburgh, Club 30 on Route 30 in Chester, West Virginia, and The Holiday House in Monroeville, PA.

A Powerful Circle of Friends

He numbered among his many criminal associates most of the top racketeers and hoodlums operating within Pittsburgh and many other top mafiosi within the state of Pennsylvania.

These included such top mafiosi as Francesco (Frank) Amato , Luigi (Lou) Volpe , Samuel and Gabriel (Kelly) Mannarino , and Pittston-Scranton-based capos William (Billy) Medico, Dominick (Nicky) Alaimo, and his “soldier” brother Sam, and Pittston-based family boss Rosario (Russ) Bufalino himself.

Mike Genovese

By virtue of his position as the formal “underboss” to family head John LaRocca of Pittsburgh’s Cosa Nostra, Mike Genovese also came into contact with many of the nation’s most important racketeers, including New York’s Vito Genovese and Joe Profaci and Philadelphia’s Angelo Bruno.

This became clearly evident to federal authorities when he was among the 62 men nabbed at the infamous November 14th, 1957, Mafia conclave held at Apalachin, New York. Dubbed the top racketeers in the United States, one and all, it brought much-unwanted attention to Mike and his partner John LaRocca for many years.

Local and federal authorities both agree that Mike Genovese was the key figure in control of all “numbers” racket operations in the East Liberty District of Pittsburgh for the LaRocca crime family. They also say he was considered “a dangerous and feared hoodlum.”

Although technically the underboss, Mike was essentially the “de facto” leader whenever LaRocca was out of town, most often vacationing in Miami Beach. After LaRocca’s death, Genovese officially took over the family.

Until next time..."The Other Guy"

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