In Detroit he worked for the bootlegging Giannola brothers during the Vitale-Giannola War. Catalanotte survived several attempts on his life and emerged the "king of Little Sicily in Detroit". He lobbied for an uneasy alliance between the Eastside and Westside Mobs, which was renamed the Pascuzzi Combine. Catalanotte's unified crime syndicate demonstrated its influence by corrupting city and state officials while simultaneously ensuring protection for its racketeering operations. The Pascuzzi Combine is considered the precursor to the Detroit Partnership of La Cosa Nostra.