- Originally formed by Gaetano "Tommy" Reina in the early 1920s
- Family was taken over by Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano following the War
- Led until his death in 1951
- He kept the peace, containing crime to the Bronx, Manhattan, and New Jersey
- Gaetano “Tommy Brown” Lucchese took over after Gagliano
- Teamed up with Carlo Gambino and together controlled most organized crime in NYC
- Anthony Corallo took control in 1973
- Very secretive and one of the most powerful leaders of the Commission
- Tried in the Commission case of 1986
- Corallo put Vittorio Amuso in charge, started one of the most dangerous reigns in Costa Nostra history
- Almost everyone who crossed the family was to be murdered
- Entire family arrested in 1967
Colombo Family
- Current Boss: Carmine Persico
- Territory: Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island
- Traditionally gambling and drugs are also major money makers
- Political control seen mostly at the local level
- “[...] control over various illegal markets, and its diversification into legal markets, has so far not been matched by any other criminal organization in the United States” (National Institute of Justice)
Bonanno Family
- Originally the Profaci family, formed in 1928. There were 3 family wars, during which the power shifted quite a bit.
- Originally had complete control over the olive oil industry, hence the name of the family’s creator, Joseph “The Olive Oil King” Profaci
- Had “control over labor unions, construction, trucking and garbage hauling companies, and that resolved disputes among families” (National Institute of Justice)
- “no other criminal organization [in the United States] has controlled labor unions, organized employer cartels, operated as a rationalizing force in major industries, and functioned as a bridge between the upperworld and the underworld” according to Jacobs quoted in National Institute of Justice
- Current Boss: Michael Mancuso
- Territory: Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Long Island
The Founding
Family fortunate due to circumstance, built back up
Massino's Fall
Troubles...
The Bonanno crime family can be traced back to the town of Castellammare del Golfo located in Sicily and led by boss Giuseppe "Peppe" Bonanno.
Salvatore Bonanno moved to the US and took control of part of the Castellammarese
After the war, Luciano killed Maranzano and
named Joseph Bonanno the new head of the family.
The Bonanos partnered with the Profacis until 1964.
In 1964 Joey Profaci died and Bonanno moved to have the other bosses killed. When he failed the commission appointed a new head of the family.
Bonanno refused to give in, Civil War ensued.
Eventually Bonanno gave up
Sciacca and then Rastelli took over
Donnie Brasco Affair
The Five Families
- Five Italian American Mafia crime families
- Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese
- Have ruled US organized crime since the summer of 1931
- Names formally declared in 1963 according to each group's then-current boss
Crime Families in Pop Culture
Family Structure
- The Godfather (1972)- Corleones, Tattaglias, Barzinis, Cuneos, and Straccis
- Five crime families in Grand Theft Auto IV
- HBO's The Sopranos- DiMeos and Lupertazzi families working together
- Boss
- Underboss
- Advisor
- Captain
- Soldier
- Associate
And if you're really special...
- Boss of Bosses: Salvatore Maranzano
Began in 1927 over liquor shipments.
It was Castellammarese vs. Masseria
The leader of the Castellammarese was Salvatore Maranzano
Factions included Joseph Bonanno, Joseph Profaci, and Gaetano Reina
War ended when the ‘Young Turks’ joined the Castellammarese
Included Lucky Luciano, Vito Genovese, Frank Costello, and Tommy Lucchese
Luciano had Giuseppe Masseria killed and the war ended
Gambino Family
- Current Boss: Domenico Cefalu
- Territory: Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Long Island, Staten Island
Carlo "the Godfather" Gambino
Mangano and Anastasia
- Carried out murders for new mob bosses in New york when he was a teenager
- Illegal Immigrant from Sicily (came on a shipment boat)
- Participated in “Young Turks” who were known for robbery, theft and illicit gambling
- Bribed OPA officials for ration stamps, them put them on black market early on
- Speculated to have organized the shooting of Joseph Colombo
- Died of a heart attack in 1976
- It is widely speculated that Anastasia murdered or arranged the murder of Mangano in order to gain power
- The rise of the Gambino family began when Albert Anastasia, leader of the Anastasia crime family, was assassinated in a barber shop in 1957
- Experts believe that Carlo Gambino helped orchestrate the hit on Anastasia in order to take control of the family
- The Anastasia crime family was renamed the Gambino crime family - one of the five families that still exists today
Genovese Family
Early History
- Can be traced back to Salvatore D’Aquila’s crime family of Manhattan from as early as 1906
- The D’Aquila crime family became one of the most powerful and influential crime families in New York City
- After D’Aquila’s death, the Castellamarese war broke out stemming from conflict between two mafia leaders, Joe Masseria and Salvator Maranzano, during which both of D’Aquila’s successors were killed
- Charlie “Lucky” Luciano orchestrated hits on both of the mafia leaders and reorganized the gangs of new york once they were gone
- Current Boss: Daniel Leo (Acting Boss)
- Territory: Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, New Jersey
Impact
Modern Leadership
- Original Activities
- Extortion
- kidnapping
- Robbery
- Modern Activities
- Mortgage fraud
- Loan sharking
- Illegal online gambling
- Vincent Gigante
- Early 1980s until 2005
- Perceived as very strange
- Boxing= Mental condition
- Disorganized, yet got the job done
- Current Boss
- Unknown
- Daniel Leo=acting boss
Quick Facts
- Originally called the 107th street mob
- Established by Giuseppe Morello and Ignazio “the Wolf” Lupo in 1892 in the Bronx and East Harlem.
- The family was founded after Charles Lucky Luciano in the 1930’s --> renamed after Vito Genovese took over in 1957.
- Only Gambino and Chicago Outfit are larger in terms of number
- No rival in terms of power
- Strength through dedication
Today
- One of the strongest families in NY
- 250 men, 14 crews, and thousands of associates
- No official boss since Gigante
- Allegiance to Omerta
- "Ivy League" or "Rolls Royce" of organized crime
- Adaption and collaboration
- Secretive
Lucchese Family
- Current Boss: Steven Crea
- Territory: Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, New Jersey
Corallo and the Jaguar XJ
Family History and Leadership
- Anthony Corallo was afraid of the FBI monitoring his conversations
- Used the car phone in his Jaguar XJ to discuss business while being driven around by his bodyguard and chauffeur
- In the early 1980s the FBI planted a bug in the car and caught Corallo talking about illegal gambling, labor racketeering, drug trafficking, and murder
- Corallo was arrested and put on trial with the other five current family heads
Mafia Cops
- It was revealed in 2006 that NYPD detectives were also working as hitmen for the Lucchese family
- Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa worked as informants for boss Anthony Casso during the 1980s and 1990s
- Together they participated in eight murders and received around $375,000 from Casso in bribes
- Both have been sentenced to life imprisonment
Organized Crime in New York
by JP Miller, Mandy Seiner, Robbie Weaver, Nate Novak, and Christian Kelly