5 big American Mafia Families 1920
Powerhouse of the Sicilian Mafia in America, the five biggest American Mafia families are discussed below:
Lucchese Family
Lucchese family was originally started by Gaetano Tommy Reina in the early 1920s and ended up in 1930 after his murder. Some of its illegal activities were money laundering, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, extortion, hijacking, and murder for hire.
During the Castellammarese War, Gaetano Tommy Gagliano took over the Lucchese family. At that time, the family concentrated on Bronx, Manhattan and New Jersey for their criminal activities. After Gagliano, Gaetano Tommy Brown Lucchese became the new boss. One of the most powerful members of the Commission, he controlled the organized criminal activities in New York City together with the Gambino family.
Lucchese died in 1967 and Carmine Tramunti temporarily took over the family until his arrest in 1973. At that time Anthony Tony Ducks Corallo was released from the prison and he took over the Lucchese family. He became a powerful Commission member. He got arrested in 1986.
After him, Anthony Casso was put in charge as an under boss of the family. He was so fearful of his arrest that he ordered murdering all those whom he felt to be disloyal. His street boss Little Al D’Arco turned informant for fear of his own life leading to the arrest of all the Lucchese family members including Casso. In an attempt to save his life, Casso also turned an informant. This family soon lost all its respect and power in the Mafia world.
Bonanno Family
Bonanno family was founded by Joseph Bonanno and is named after him too. This family was the first one who got kicked out of the Commission on the allegation that it was dealing heroin. Moreover, the family was unable to maintain order because of the fights going on inside the family for leadership control.
As if it was not enough, the Bonanno family’s imprisoned boss Philip Rastelli ordered the murder of the acting boss, Carmine Galante. The family was badly shaken by this. Moreover, in 1981, it was found out that an FBI agent secretively infiltrated their ranks. Furthermore, in 2004 the family’s boss Joseph Massino became an FBI informant; he was the first Mafia boss to become an informant.
Gambino Family
Gambino Family was named after the family’s boss Carlo Gambino. The family’s activities spread over New York to the California’s eastern seaboard.
The family is involved in money laundering, extortion, drug trafficking, murder for hire, fencing, and pier thefts.
Colombo Family
Colombo family, also known as Profaci crime family, was originally founded by Joseph “The Olive Oil King” Profaci in 1928.
Colombo family suffered three family wars. First one started in the late 1950s when Crazy Joe Gallo stood against Joseph Profaci on account of demanding too much tribute. This war calmed down in 1960s on the arrest of Crazy Joe and death of Profaci.
Joseph “Joe C.” Colombo took over the family. But he was shot dead on the orders of Crazy Joe after his release. Carmine Persico lead Colombo’s supporters and got Crazy Joe murdered in 1972.
In 1991, the family faced yet another war when the imprisoned boss Carmine Persico was undermined by Victor Orena. The family then got divided into 2 parties: one supporting Persico and the other supporting Orena. Finally in 1993, the war was over on the arrest of Orena.
Genovese Family
Also known as Ivy League and Rolls Royce, the Genovese family has no match when it comes to power. Their only rivals are the Gambino family and Chicago Outfit. They have an influence over the Patriarca, the Buffalo, the Syracuse, the Albany, and the Philadelphia crime families as well as many other smaller mob families outside of New York.
The family is considered to be the most organized and powerful family.
5 Biggest American Families 1920
Powerhouse of the Sicilian Mafia in America, the five biggest American Mafia families are discussed below:
Lucchese Family
Lucchese family was originally started by Gaetano Tommy Reina in the early 1920s and ended up in 1930 after his murder. Some of its illegal activities were money laundering, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, extortion, hijacking, and murder for hire.
During the Castellammarese War, Gaetano Tommy Gagliano took over the Lucchese family. At that time, the family concentrated on Bronx, Manhattan and New Jersey for their criminal activities. After Gagliano, Gaetano Tommy Brown Lucchese became the new boss. One of the most powerful members of the Commission, he controlled the organized criminal activities in New York City together with the Gambino family.
Lucchese died in 1967 and Carmine Tramunti temporarily took over the family until his arrest in 1973. At that time Anthony Tony Ducks Corallo was released from the prison and he took over the Lucchese family. He became a powerful Commission member. He got arrested in 1986.
After him, Anthony Casso was put in charge as an under boss of the family. He was so fearful of his arrest that he ordered murdering all those whom he felt to be disloyal. His street boss Little Al D’Arco turned informant for fear of his own life leading to the arrest of all the Lucchese family members including Casso. In an attempt to save his life, Casso also turned an informant. This family soon lost all its respect and power in the Mafia world.
Bonanno Family
Bonanno family was founded by Joseph Bonanno and is named after him too. This family was the first one who got kicked out of the Commission on the allegation that it was dealing heroin. Moreover, the family was unable to maintain order because of the fights going on inside the family for leadership control.
As if it was not enough, the Bonanno family’s imprisoned boss Philip Rastelli ordered the murder of the acting boss, Carmine Galante. The family was badly shaken by this. Moreover, in 1981, it was found out that an FBI agent secretively infiltrated their ranks. Furthermore, in 2004 the family’s boss Joseph Massino became an FBI informant; he was the first Mafia boss to become an informant.
Gambino Family
Gambino Family was named after the family’s boss Carlo Gambino. The family’s activities spread over New York to the California’s eastern seaboard.
The family is involved in money laundering, extortion, drug trafficking, murder for hire, fencing, and pier thefts.
Colombo Family
Colombo family, also known as Profaci crime family, was originally founded by Joseph “The Olive Oil King” Profaci in 1928.
Colombo family suffered three family wars. First one started in the late 1950s when Crazy Joe Gallo stood against Joseph Profaci on account of demanding too much tribute. This war calmed down in 1960s on the arrest of Crazy Joe and death of Profaci.
Joseph “Joe C.” Colombo took over the family. But he was shot dead on the orders of Crazy Joe after his release. Carmine Persico lead Colombo’s supporters and got Crazy Joe murdered in 1972.
In 1991, the family faced yet another war when the imprisoned boss Carmine Persico was undermined by Victor Orena. The family then got divided into 2 parties: one supporting Persico and the other supporting Orena. Finally in 1993, the war was over on the arrest of Orena.
Genovese Family
Also known as Ivy League and Rolls Royce, the Genovese family has no match when it comes to power. Their only rivals are the Gambino family and Chicago Outfit. They have an influence over the Patriarca, the Buffalo, the Syracuse, the Albany, and the Philadelphia crime families as well as many other smaller mob families outside of New York.
The family is considered to be the most organized and powerful family.
Related posts: