High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Vito "Don Vito" Genovese (November 27, 1897 – February 14, 1969) was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante. His two brothers Michael "Mike the Pipe" and Carmine Genovese joined him in the Genovese family, his cousin Michael James Genovese became boss of the Pittsburgh crime family.