11 Facts About Gerardo Catena

Gerardo Catena was ranked as the fourth richest mobster in the United States by Fortune magazine.

Gerardo Catena was married to Catherine McNally and was the father to Patricia, Geraldine, Donna, Vicki and Richard.

Gerardo Catena was the brother of Eugene, Mary Frederico and Sadie Dellasante.

Gerardo Catena was a vending machine racketeer with interests in People's Express Co.

Later, it was confirmed that Gerardo Catena moved to New York City to join the forces of Charlie "Lucky" Luciano and Meyer Lansky during the early 1920s, when the rise of two Mafia dons named Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano began fighting a bloody internal battle called the Castellammarese War.

Little is known of Gerardo Catena in his early days of the Luciano crime family, but reportedly he was a soldier in the crew that became the powerful Genovese crew during the late 1920s, headed by later underboss Vito "Don Vito" Genovese.

Apparently, Gerardo Catena is to have risen through the ranks, as he was listed as the underboss in the late 1950s, heading the New Jersey faction of the Genovese crime family, under the leadership of Vito Genovese.

Gerardo Catena was attending the so-called Apalachin Meeting in 1957, and was one of the hundred mafiosi who were indicted after the convention, following the arrest of Vito Genovese in 1959.

Gerardo Catena was incarcerated at the Yardville State Prison from 1970 to 1975 because he had refused to testify before the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation.

Gerardo Catena died of natural causes on April 23,2000, at the age of 98.

Gerardo Catena was a secret investor in slot machine manufacturer Bally Manufacturing during its early years.