Vincent Forlenza

Vincent "The Jew" Forlenza is a fictional character in Mario Puzo's novel "The Godfather" and Mark Winegardner's sequel "The Godfather Returns".

In "The Godfather"

Forlenza is the Mafia boss of Cleveland. "The Godfather" establishes that the Forlenza crime family is almost completely comprised of Jews, hence its Don's nickname. His organization is the most powerful of strictly gambling-based crime families in the U.S.. Sal Narducci is his right-hand man, and the only Gentile in the organization.

In "The Godfather Returns"

Vincent Forlenza is a minor character in "The Godfather", but one of the main villains of "The Godfather Returns". The latter novel established his backstory; He is an immigrant from Sicily who establishes himself in the underworld by running numbers for other gangsters, and then killing them and assuming their territories. By the 1940s, he is a force to be reckoned with, quietly expanding his empire until no one stands in his way.

At around this time he employs Fausto Geraci and becomes godfather to his son, Nick.

In 1957, he conspires with Nick Geraci to kill Narducci, Michael Corleone, and Hyman Roth, thereby weakening the Corleone Family's gambling operation in Cuba, strengthening the Chicago mob. Geraci personally executes Narducci.

In 1961, Michael learns of Forlenza's plan and devises one of his own to kill him. As part of a sweeping revenge, when Forlenza has a heart attack, Michael sends an ambulance to get him. The ambulance picks him up, and drives him to the docks where they drag him to a boat. They tie him to the bottom and sink the boat.

Forlenza is succeeded by Frank Greco.