Mafia Violence (murders, inner family fighting, and wars)

Bonanno- Giuseppe "Joe the boss" Masseria was murdered on April 15, 1931 ending the Castellammarese war. Salvatore "Boss of bosses" Maranzano was murdered on September 10, 1931 at the request of Lucky Luciano who then created the Commission and became chairman of it. A war broke out in 1963 when Bonanno and Joe Magliocco, Profaci's successor, planned to wipe out many other mob leaders, including Magaddino, Carlo Gambino, Tommy Lucchese, and Frank Desimone. Magliocco was given the task of taking out Gambino and Lucchese, so he gave the contract to his top hit men, Joe Colombo. Instead of killing them Colombo alerted Gambino and Luchese. The bosses quickly realized that Magliocco couldn't have planned this by himself. They then remembered how close Magliocco was to Bonanno, and that Bonanno was the real mastermind. Magliocco was forced to give up his family to Colombo. Joseph Bonanno retired in 1968 and capo Gaspar DiGergorio was named the new boss. Philip Giaccone, Alphonse "Sonny Red" Indelicato and Dominick "Big Trin" Trinchera were murdered at the request of Philip "Rusty" Rastelli, and the hit was carried out by Dominick "Sonny Black" Napolitano and future boss Joseph "Big Joe" Massino. On August 17, 1981, Napolitano was shot and killed in a basement by Ronald Filocomo and Frank "Curly" Lino as a punishment for admitting undercover FBI agent Joe Pistone to his crew. Anthony Mirra, the man who had brought Pistone into the family, was also killed.

Colombo-The first war took place in the late 1950s when capo Frank "Frankie Shots" Abbatemarco was murdered as a result of refusing to pay Profaci's unpopular demand of a $25 tribute from every soldier in his family. Joe Gallo carried out the hit with help from Joseph Gioielli. Gallo then revolted against Porfaci soon after. The war continued on resulting in 9 murders, 3 disappearances, and multiple attempted murders and finally ended in the early 1960s. The second war broke out in 1971, after Gallo's release from prison and the shooting of Colombo. Colombo's consigliere Joseph Yacovelli, family acting boss, directed a new campaign to murder Joe Gallo and his crew. On April 7, 1972 four gun killed Joe Gallo while he was dining with his family. Carmine Persico, the new family boss, led Colombo supporters and won the war after Gallo's crew was exiled to the Genovese family in 1975. The third and bloodest was erupted in 1991, when acting boss Victor Orena, tried to seize power from Persico while he was imprisoned. The family split into two factions, members loyal to Orena and Persico. In November of 1991, Greg " The Grim Reaper" Scarpa, a Persico loyalist, pulled out of his driveway with his daughter and grandchild in a car behind, several Orena gunmen ambushed them, Scarpa and his family were able to escape. Over two years of mayhem ensued, but finally in 1993 with twelve family members dead, three innocent bystanders kiled, and Orena jailed, Persico won the war. Carmine Persico was left to pick up the pieces of a family decimated by war. Persico's son, Alphonse "Little Allie Boy" ordered a hit in 1999, on underboss William "Wild Bill" Cutolo a Orena supporter during the third war.

(Five Families NYC)

More to come...

Members

How to become a "made" man (man of honor, or wiseguy)- before being a made man you are required to carry out a contract killing. Committing one's first contracted killing is referred to as "making your bones". Only made men can rise through the ranks of Cosa Nostra (from lowest to highest) soldier, capo (regime), consigliere, underboss, acting boss, and boss. When introducing one made man to another, the phrase "a friend of ours" is used, indicating that he is a member and business can be discussed openly with him. If the person being introduced is an associate or civilian to whom business should not be mentioned, the phrase "a friend of mine" is used instead. To become made, an associate has to be sponsored by a made man, who vouches for his reliability and abilities. But ultimately the boss of the family gets to decide if the associate becomes a made man. When the crime family "opens the books" (accepts new members) a ceremony will take place, an inductee (associate) is required to take the oath of Omerta, the mafia code of silence. After the ceremony the inductee is a made man and a full member of the Mafia hierachy, and is given certain responsiblies and privileges. The made man now enjoys the full protection and backing of the Mafia establishment as long as he remains in favor and earns enough money, of which a percentage is passed up the hierachy. A full member is traditionally seen as "untouchable" by fellow criminals, a man to be respected and feared. To attack, let alone kill, a made man for any reason without the permission of mafiosi higher up in the organization is a cardinal sin normally met with serve retailiation (usually death), often regardless of whether the perpetrator had a legitimate grievance. A made man can however be killed if a good enough reason is provided and the Mafia bosses give permission.

More to come..

(Yardley)

Crimes and Arrests

Bonanno (130- 145 members)- Joseph Massino, boss in 1991, was convicted of 7 murders dating back from the 1980s. Vincent " Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano, acting boss was convicted on several murder charges

Joseph Massino (former Bonanno boss)

Colombo (75- 85 members)- Carmine Persico, boss from 1973 to present, arrested in 1985 on 2 racketeering charges. Alphonse Persico, acting from early 1999- late 1999, arrested on weapons and loansharking charges. Gregory "The Grim Reaper" Scarpa, chief enforcer for Carmine Persico, arrested in 1993 and convicted on several racketeering involving murders, passed away while in jail. John "Jackie" DeRoss, Joel "Joe Waverly" Cacace, and underboss/ consigliere Andrew Russo have been convicted and jailed.

Gregory "The Grim Reaper" Scarpa (former capo for the Colombo's)

Gambino (150- 200 members)- Paul Castellano, boss, serving several years for racketeering. John "Dapper/ Telfon Don" Gotti, boss from 1985- 2002, arrested in 1992, for several racketeering charges and 5 murders. John A. Gotti, boss from 1992- 1999, charge with 4 racketeering charges but they were dropped. Peter "One Eye" Gotti, acting boss from 1999- 2002, arrested in 2002 for murder. Arnold "Zeke" Squitierl, acting boss from 2002- 2005, arrested in 2006 on extortion charges.

John "Dapper/ Teflon Don" Gotti (former Gambino boss)

Genovese (200- 225 members)- Vincent "Chin" Gigante, boss in 1982, arrested in 1997. Mario Gigante, acting boss, served 3 years for labor racketeering.

"The Oddfather" Vincent "The Chin" Gigante

Lucchese (120- 130 members)- Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese, boss from 1951- 1967, charged with auto theft in 1921 and served 3 years and 9 months. Vittorio "Vic" Amuso, was boss from 1987- 2012, charged with Murder, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion, . Louis "Louie Bagels" Doudone is serving life for murder. Steven Crea, served 3 years for labor racketeering charges. Joseph DiNapoli, arrested in 1999, served 29 months for fraud and loansharking. Matthew Madonna was a major herroin trafficker who supplied notorious Harlem drug kingpin Leroy "Nicky" Barnes in the 60s & 70s. Madonna was "made" following his release from federal prison in 1995, after serving 20 years for drug dealing.

Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese (former Lucchese boss)

(Nymail)

New York City Mafia

Ive always been very interested in the New York City Mafia and I cant wait to share everything that I have learned. Whether its from their background info to violence I have researched just about everything you need to know about the mafia. Feel free to leave me comments I love hearing from my readers!!

Xoxo,
Katie

"Specialities"

Bonanno-racketeering, conspiracy, loansharking, money laundering, murder, drug trafficking, adult film, gambling, and during the Prohibition era boot legging

Colombo- arms trafficking, arson, assault, battery, bribery, burglary, cigarette smuggling, chop shop, conspiracy, contract killing, counterfeiting, drug trafficking, extortion, fencing, fraud, illegal gambling, larceny, loansharking, money laundering, murder, racketeering, robbery, skimming, theft, truck hijacking, adult film, prostitution, tax evasion, protection racket, and during the Prohibition era boot legging

Gambino- racketeering, extortion, fraud, illegal gambling, money laundering, robbery, drug trafficking, fencing, hijacking, and during the Prohibition era boot legging

Genovese- racketeering, conspiracy, loansharking, money laundering, murder, drug trafficking, extortion, labor racketeering, adult film, prostitution, bookmaking, illegal gambling, and during the Prohibition era boot legging

Lucchese- assault, bookmaking, burglary, cargo theft, conspiracy, contract killing, counterfeiting, cigarette smuggling, credit card fraud, drug trafficking, extortion, fencing, fraud, illegal gambling, hotel robbery, hijacking, jewelry heist, labor racketeering, point shaving, loansharking, money laundering, murder, robbery, skimming, racketeering, and during the Prohibition era boot legging

( Five Families)

Background info on the Five Crime Families

Bonanno- founded and named after Joseph Bonanno. The Bonanno was the first of the New York families to be kicked off the Commission due to allegations that the family was actively dealing heroin and the inner family fighting. Around 1979 they faced shaky leadership following the murder of acting boss Carmine Galante. The acting boss Philip Rastelli ordered the hit. In 1981, the family learned an FBI agent calling himself Donnie Brascco had infiltrated their ranks. Boss Joseph Massino, in 2004, who brought the family back to respectable stature among the families and got them back on the commission, became a government informant.

Vincent Basciano (former Bonanno boss)

Colombo- is the youngest of the five families. In 1928, Joseph Profaci formed the Profaci crime family. After the 1st family war Joseph Colombo took over and renamed the family after him. After the shooting of Colombo, Carmine Persico took over. The family enjoyed over 15 years of peace under Persico and his many acting bosses. In 1991, while Carmine Persico was in jail, acting boss Victor Orena tried to seize power of the family. In 1993, after the war and Orena imprisonment, Persico was left with a family decimated by war. The family was crippled in the 2000s by multiple convictions in the federal racketeering cases and numerous members becoming government witnesses.

Joseph Colombo (former Colombo boss)

Gambino- is named after Carlo Gambino boss of the family from 1957- 1976. The family's operations extend from New York to California. The rise of what for a long time was the most powerful crime family in America began in 1957. Gambino partnered with Meyer Lansky to control gambling interests in Cuba. The family's fortunes rose through 1976, when Gambino appointed his brother-in-law, Paul Castellano, as boss. Castellano infuriated upstart capo John Gotti. Gotti's downfall came in 1992 when underboss Sammy Gravano started to cooperate with the FBI. Gravano's cooperation brought down Gotti, and most of the top members of the Gambino family.

Carlo Gambino (former Gambino boss)

Genovese- They have been nicknamed "Rolls Royce" of organized crime. They are rivaled in size only by the Gambino's and are unmatched in terms of power. Trying to find new ways to make money in the 21st century, the family took advantage of lax due diligence by banks during the housing spike with a wave of mortgage frauds. They also found new technology to improve on illegal gambling, with customers placing bets through offshore sites via the Internet. The current "family" was founded by Lucky Luciano, but was renamed in 1957 after boss Vito Genovese. The family was run by "The Oddfather", Vincent "The Chin" Gigante for years. Although leadership of the family seem to have been limbo after Gigante, they appear to be the most organized family and remain quite powerful. Unique in the Mafia today, the family has greatly benefited from members following the code of Omerta. Many mobsters across the country have testified against their crime families since the 1980s, the Genovese only have had 5 members turn state's evidence in its history.

Vito Genovese (former Genovese boss)

Lucchese- Originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano Reina serving as boss up until his murder in 1930. The family was then taken over by Tommy Gagliano during the Castellammarese War and led by him until 1951 when he died. The family was peaceful and low key under Gagliano, focusing on their criminal activities in New York and New Jersey. The next boss Tommy Lucchese, who turned the family around to become one of the most powerful families to be on the Commission. Luchesse teamed up with Carlo Gambino to control organized crime in NYC, Lucchese died in 1967, Carmine Tramunti took over for a short time before he was arrested in 1973. Anthony Carallo than took control of the family. Corallo was secretive and soon became one of most powerful members of the Commission. Corallo was arrested in 1986 and tried in the famous Commission case.

Anthony Corallo(former Lucchese boss)

(Five Families NYC)