Soldato

"Picciotti" usually perform simple tasks such as beatings, money collection, robbery, kidnappings and homicide.

[citation needed] An associate can only be promoted to soldier after a period of being "on record" with an incumbent member of a family.

He must be sponsored by the incumbent soldier's caporegime (capo or captain), promoted by underboss and personally cleared by the family's boss.

[citation needed] Like an associate, a soldier is required to pay tribute to the captain for the privilege of being able to operate.

Some associates become soldiers because of their usefulness in strong arm work, but even they must demonstrate an ability to earn money.

[5] Aside from any rackets that are given to them (which can vary in profitability depending on the strength of their crime family), they are often left to survive on their own means.

They may also spend exorbitant sums of money on lawyer's fees while their earning ability is thwarted by incarceration or police surveillance.

For example, John Baudanza, a soldier in the Lucchese crime family, was able to make millions from running a pump and dump scam with his crew.

[5] Earlier, labor racketeer and union official Anthony "Tough Tony" Anastasio, a soldier in the Mangano crime family (what is now the Gambino family), ruled the Brooklyn waterfront with an iron hand for three decades and delivered millions to the mob via kickbacks from union dues, stolen goods and payoffs.

[6] Depending on the power of the family to which they belong, they can also receive "no-show jobs" (being employed at a job and receiving pay checks without ever showing up to work) due to their crime family's infiltration of legitimate businesses like construction, waste management, etc.