A soldato (or soldier) is an official member of a crime family, and can only be of Italian ancestry (although exceptions did exist). Once a member becomes a made man, he is untouchable, meaning permission from a soldier's boss must be given before he is murdered. When the books are open, meaning that a family is accepting new members, a made man may recommend an up-and-coming associate to be a new soldier. Soldiers are the main workers of the family, usually committing crimes like assault, murder, extortion and intimidation. In return, they are given profitable rackets to run by their superiors and have full access to their family's connections, files, Don's personal bedroom and power.
The new member usually becomes part of the capo's regime that recommended him. Some soldiers work by themselves, earning money for the family alone, though most are part of crews. Sometimes, a soldier will be called a button man (aka an assassin), because, in theory, when a capo presses a button (gives the order), someone dies.
Soldatos are called made men, because they are fully initiated into the Mafia and have usually "made their bones," by committing a tough murder in front of their Mafia bosses or committed a murder on the orders from a higher member of the family. This ensures the soldier's reliability and loyalty: he will never testify against a man who could testify against him.
Notable soldati
Corleone family
- Paulie Gatto (traitor)
- Albert Neri
- Rocco Lampone
- Willie Cicci
- Gaetano Paternostro
- Carmine Marino
- Dino DiMiceli
- Thomas Neri
- Carmine Fucillo
- Tony DeRosa
- Angelo Granelli
- Gaetano De Luna
- Roberto Nelenza
- Renzo Sacripante
- Cosimo Barone
- Willie Binaggio
- Anthony Squigliaro
- Vincent Mancini
- Donnie Serio
- Joe Bono
- Aldo Trapani
Chicago Outfit
Falcone family
Tramonti family
Greco family
Molinari family
Tattaglia family
Cuneo Family
Stracci Family
Barzini Family
Trivia
- Despite there being a rule in the Mafia that only members of Italian descent can be made soldatos, due to the "Cosa Nostra" tradition, the Stracci and Barzini families let this rule slide when they accepted Plinio Ottaviano (who was of African-American descent) and George Jovino (who was half Irish) to be made.