The Mafia in New York

The Italian Mafia – Early History

Mafia operations in New York during the 1920s were controlled by Giuseppe “Joe the boss” Masseria. His group of gangsters mainly came from Sicily as well as from the Calabria and Campania regions of Southern Italy. Famous members of this faction included Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Albert (Mad Hatter) Anastasia, Vito Genovese, Alfred Mineo, and Frank Costello.

Late in the 1920’s, a powerful Sicilian mob boss, Don Vito Cascio Ferro, who hailed from Castellammare del Golfo, decided he wanted to take over control of all mafia operations. He sent a representative to New York, Salvatore Maranzano, to launch his takeover bid. Among the New York operatives that he recruited to assist were Joe “Joe Bananas” Bonnano, Stefano “The Undertaker” Magaddino, Joseph Profaci, and Joe Aiello.

Over time, a conflict developed between the “old guard Sicilians” (sometimes called Mustache Petes) and the younger members of the groups (the Young Turks) who were more forward-thinking in terms of how they saw their business developing. This group was led by Lucky Luciano, who wanted to resolve Masseria’s war so that his people could get on with doing business. Put another way, Luciano wanted to eliminate what he felt were unnecessary unorthodox norms in order to modernize the mafia. To do this, a decision was made in early 1931 to take out Masseria. Once Masseria was gone, Maranzano reorganized the Italian American gangs in New York City into the Five Families.

The “Commission” and the Five Families

Over the course of time, Maranzano came to recognize Luciano was a threat. To deal with him, he hired Vincent “Mad Dog” Coll (an Irish gangster) to kill him. Luciano, however, was tipped off to the plan. Consequently, when Maranzano ordered Luciano, Genovese, and Costello to come to a meeting at his office in late 1931, Luciano got into action. To avoid certain death, he sent four unknown Jewish gangsters to the meeting. This help was provided to him by two of his old Jewish mobster friends, Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel. The assassination of Maranzano that day is now referred to as the “Night of the Sicilian Vespers.”

After Maranzano’s murder in 1931, Lucky Luciano organized a meeting in Chicago. Rather than setting himself up as the “capo” of the new organization, he established “the Commission,” which operated like a board of directors, made up of five families, who would oversee Mafia activities in the U.S. They also helped to mediate conflicts between the families.

The five families, as they came to be designated, included the Mangano, Maranzano, Luciano, Profaci, and Gagliano families; they later came to be known as the Bonnano, Colombo, Genovese, Lucchese, and Gambino crime families.

The New York families operate in geographically defined territories. All are ruled by a structured hierarchy (the organization) to whom different designated leaders and “made men” report. At the top of the organization is the capo dei capi (boss of bosses).

Territories

The five families have traditionally operated in New York City;, however, their influence spread to other areas and states. Different factions operate across the counties of Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk) and include points north in Westchester, Rockland, and Albany, New York. There is also a strong presence that is maintained in the state of New Jersey. Outside of the Northeast, they operate in South Florida, Las Vegas, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

Bonanno Family

Operates mainly in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and Long Island, but also points north that include the Bronx, Westchester County, New Jersey, California, Atlanta, and Florida. The “Bath Avenue” crew operated in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn.

Colombo Family

The Colombo family also mainly operates, in Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. Again, they have operations in other areas that include Staten Island, Manhattan, The Bronx, New Jersey, Georgia, and Florida.

Gambino Family

The Gambino family operates primarily in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, and Long Island. The family also maintains influence in The Bronx, New Jersey, Westchester County, Connecticut, Florida, and Los Angeles. Their crew, the “Ozone Park Boys” operate in Queens and Long Island. The Staten Island Boys operate in Staten Island.

Genovese Family

The Genovese family operates mainly in Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn, and New Jersey. The family is further influential in Queens, Staten Island, Long Island, Westchester County, Rockland County, Connecticut, and Massachusets.

Lucchese Family

The Lucchese family operates mainly in The Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and New Jersey. The family also maintains influence in Queens, Long Island, Staten Island, Westchester County, and Florida. They also operate a faction that works throughout New Jersey.

Little Italy

The Mexican Mafia