Vito Genovese and the Sicilian/Italian Campaign
Vito Genovese was an enforcer for Lucky Luciano, eventually rising to become the so-called Boss of all Bosses in organized crime in the United States. Genovese participated personally in several murders as he rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a naturalized American citizen, and after Luciano went to prison he took over as leader of the Luciano crime family. When it became apparent that he would be prosecuted for a murder committed in 1934, Genovese fled to Italy, where he continued to enjoy success as a member of the Mafia. He also supported the Mussolini government, both with bribes to local officials and with donations to the Fascist party.
In 1943 the Allies, already having been successful in Sicily, invaded Italy and Genovese switched to supporting the Allied cause. Deciding to return to the United States he offered his services to the United States Army as an interpreter. He also served as a liaison officer between military authorities and the local Italian government. Genovese worked within the Allied Military Government for Occupied Territories.
Genovese continued to exploit the local black market to line his pockets as he worked for the Americans, and in the late summer of 1944, he was arrested by the US Army Military Police. Subsequent investigation by the MPs revealed who he was and the fact that he was implicated in a murder charge in New York, but the Army and other federal agencies expressed little interest in any further prosecution, as Genovese’s value in dealing with local matters exceeded the desire to prosecute him on a state charge in New York.
The US Criminal Investigation Division continued to build a case for sending Genovese back to the United States, with one agent trying to send the mobster home despite increasing resistance from senior American intelligence officers. Eventually, as the war began to die down Genovese’s value to the Army lessened and he was returned to the United States, where he was acquitted of the murder charge after a key witness was found murdered, and another died while in protective custody.
Why senior US military and intelligence officers resisted the pressure from state and local authorities to deliver Genovese for trial remains a mystery, suffice it to say that in their view he was too valuable as an employee of the United States in Italy to let him return to face the charges.