Leone Family
The Leone Crime Family is an Italian-American Mafia criminal organization, originating from Sicily (referred to by Salvatore as "the old country") whose main base of operations is in Liberty City.
Salvatore Leone became the Don of the Leone family after a bloody power struggle during the mid-1980s. He has a son, Joey Leone, who much to Salvatore's dismay is not wed yet. It is assumed that Salvatore became Don after his unnamed brother was killed.
At the time of GTA III, they held various assets in Portland including Cipriani's Restaurante in Saint Marks, Sex Club 7 In the Red Light District, Marco's Bistro In Saint Marks, and Joey's Auto Shop In Trenton. Much thanks to Leone capo, Toni Cipriani, Capital autos, a car shop, in Saint Marks, and Punk Noodles in Chinatown, then on Staunton Island, Toni then extorted Well Stacked Pizza in Bedford Point, and Hogs 'n' Cogs in Belleville Park. Their main base of operations, however, is Salvatore's mansion, which is in the northeast end of the Saint Mark's district.
The Leone family was also active in Las Venturas, where they held a stake in Caligula's Casino with the Sindacco and Forelli families, as agreed upon in San Andreas in 1992, possibly in an attempt to unite the organizations. Salvatore Leone eventually seized total control of the casino in 1992 after the death of Johnny Sindacco and the murder of the Underboss of The Forelli Family Giorgio Forelli, only to have his casino robbed later in a heist organized by former ally, protagonist Carl Johnson.
It is assumed that because of the great loss of money from the heist, Salvatore abandons his investments in Las Venturas and returns to Liberty City, allowing the Sindacco family to retake their position within the city, however this is merely speculation. Not only that, but the shock of Carl (previously a loyal associate) betraying him and stealing so much of his money right from under his nose drove the Don to paranoia.
The Leone family are engaged in a war with the Sindaccos in Liberty City Stories, which they win, with Toni Cipriani, the Leone family's Caporegime, eventually killing Don Paulie Sindacco. In the process, they take over Paulie's Revue Bar (later renamed as "Sex Club 7") as well as the Red Light District, Northern Chinatown and Hepburn Heights, destroying all the influence the Sindacco family once had on the island. They also engage in some open warfare against the Forelli family, but are mostly content to prolong the hostilities between the Sindacco and Forelli families, allowing them to wipe each other out. The Forelli family's power is seemingly broken when Toni unknowingly obliterated their main base of operations on Staunton Island while working for Donald Love (who inadvertently kills Don Franco Forelli), and later, Toni takes out the Sindacco Don, Paulie Sindacco. With Toni and Salvatore taking out the Sicilians responsible for starting the gang wars, the Leones becomes the pre-eminent family in Liberty City, taking Hepburn Heights and the Red Light District in Portland.
Three years later in GTA III, the Leone family have declined in power, although they are still one of the strongest crime syndicates in town. Their territory in Chinatown has been openly taken by the Triads (although they still have businesses there), Hepburn Heights now belongs to the Diablos (as Toni Cipriani predicted it would in Liberty City Stories) and the Colombian Cartel is undermining them by selling cheap SPANK from their freighter in the harbor. Joey Leone engages in a small, subtle war with the now-weakened Forelli family, ordering the killing of Mike Forelli (Lips), the speculated Don of the Forelli family. In the same year, the Leones engage in a full-scale war with the Liberty City Triads after certain businesses in Chinatown stop paying their protection money to the Leone family. The war is long and concludes in three of the Triad warlords being killed, as well as the Triad Fish Factory being destroyed by a bomb set off from a garbage truck.
Claude was seen working for the Leone family in GTA III, killing "Lips" Forelli, acting as their main agent against the Triads and destroying the Colombian freighter; however, Don Salvatore Leone eventually betrays Claude, ordering him to retrieve a car secretly rigged with explosives. It was later revealed that Salvatore had grown paranoid of Claude. Salvatore had offered Claude's death as a deal to the Colombian Cartel. As a result, Claude assassinates Salvatore as a final gesture to the Leone family, which strengthens his own ties with the Liberty City Yakuza. Following the death of Salvatore, it is assumed that Toni Cipriani will become the new Don of the Leone family, as Joey hasn't done much for his family. Many People believe however, that the title rightly belongs to Joey, and they fight it out real hardcore style. Real mob war, with both Toni and Joey vying for control.
In GTA III and GTA Liberty City Stories, Leone henchmen don black suits; some with sunglasses. In GTA San Andreas, the mobsters (presumed to be the Leone Family) dress in either brown leather jackets with gray pants, light blue shirts with chains or in black jogging suits. The Leone family is widely speculated to be based on the Corleone family from The Godfather novel and film.
Known Members As Of 1998
- Salvatore Leone - Don of Leone Family from the mid 1980s to 2001. Killed by Claude.
- Joey Leone - High ranking member of Leone Family, runs an auto shop out of Trenton
- Toni Cipriani - Caporegime of Leone Family, takes over Vincenzo's regime. Runs a restaurant in Saint Marks with his mother.
- Vincenzo Cilli - Caporegime of Leone Family from time unknown to 1998, has an office in Atlantic Quays. Killed by Toni Cipriani.
- Mickey Hamfists - Made Man for the Leone Family, lives in Portland Beach
- Luigi Goterelli -Made Man for the Leone Family, runs Sex Club 7. Not seen GTA: LCS
- Joseph Daniel O'Toole - Originally worked for the Sindaccos, but switched sides in the middle of the war. Killed by Mickey Hamfists under orders of Salvatore Leone.
Associates
- Donald Love - Runs as Mayor but loses to Miles O'Donovan
- Miles O'Donovan - Beats Donald Love as Mayor but quickly falls under Leone Family control
Known Territory as of 1998
- Salvatore's Mansion - On the Northeast end of Saint Marks. Leone Family base of operations.
- Cipriani's Restaurante - Ran by Leone Capo Toni Cipriani.
- Marco's Bistro - Longtime Forelli Family front.
- Sex Club 7 - Strip club in the Red Light District run by Luigi Goterelli and Mickey Hamfists.
- Joey's Auto Shop - Ran by the Don's son Joey, fronts auto theft racket.