Contact us: ww@blogquizshop.com
Cart is empty The 5 Major Crime Families of Murder Inc
The history of major crime families in New York City is intriguing. Filled with enigmatic stories associated with the major crime families or simply the mob. Perhaps, you’ve come across fragments of information about organized crime and are interested in getting the complete picture.
We’re here to assist you in understanding a period overwhelmed by entities called Murder, Inc., a designation that still induces fear today.
Murder, Inc. was not an ordinary group. They functioned as the security division for the National Crime Syndicate developed by the major crime families during the 1930s and early ’40s. Murder Inc. was accountable for some of the most frightening instances in the chronicles of crime.
This blog will guide you through their identities, focusing on major crime families such as Genovese, Gambino, Lucchese, Bonanno, and Colombo — all with individual leaders who were instrumental in shaping New York’s dark side.
From Lucky Luciano to John Gotti — all contributed immensely.
We will also discuss significant incidents that seriously disturbed New York City — the Castellammarese War and Albert Anastasia’s assassination, to name a few — presenting these narratives in a way that makes you feel as if you’re physically present in those same locations.
Are you prepared to take a trip back into history? Let’s embark on this exploration.
Key Takeaways
- Murder Inc. was a gang that worked for New York’s major crime families in the 1930s and ’40s, doing their violent work.
- The Commission, formed by bosses of the five major crime families, made important decisions together to control New York’s underworld.
- Leaders like Charles “Lucky” Luciano and Carlo Gambino played key roles in organizing crime in New York and are still famous today.
- Major conflicts like the Castellammarese War shaped the power structure within the Mafia’s major crime families. This led to the creation of The Commission to prevent future wars between the major crime families.
- Famous events such as Albert Anastasia’s assassination showed that no one was safe in the struggle for power among New York City’s crime families.
The Major Crime Families of Murder Inc in New York
Murder Inc. (Murder, Incorporated) was a notorious enforcement arm for the National Crime Syndicate in New York during the 1930s and early 1940s. This criminal organization drew members primarily from both Jewish and Italian-American mobs based in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and it served multiple major crime families through acts of contracted murder and intimidation.
Major Crime Families and Key Leaders
Murder Inc. was formed as a collaboration between the main Italian and Jewish organized crime groups. The most notable major crime families and leaders involved included:
The Luciano Crime Family (later the Genovese family), led by Charles “Lucky” Luciano, which was a major force in creating the National Crime Syndicate and utilizing Murder Inc.’s services.
The Mangano Crime Family (later the Gambino family), with Albert “Mad Hatter” Anastasia as underboss, played a crucial operative and leadership role in Murder Inc..
The Jewish Mob, particularly the Bugs and Meyer Mob, founded by Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel, was also central, especially in the organization’s origins.
Louis “Lepke” Buchalter emerged as the original overall head of Murder Inc., overseeing both Jewish and Italian criminals, with Albert Anastasia acting as the critical enforcer and operational boss. The organization received orders from the top mob “board” and functioned as a multi-ethnic, profit-driven hit squad, executing hundreds of murders as enforcement for Syndicate interests.
SHOP NOW ZAZZLE - CLICK BELOW
The influential members of Murder Inc
The most influential members of Murder Inc. included a mix of Jewish and Italian mobsters who played key roles in its leadership, contract killings, and day-to-day operations. Below are the most notable figures:
Key Leaders and Hitmen
Louis “Lepke” Buchalter: Original head of Murder Inc. and a powerful labor racketeer.
Albert “Mad Hatter” Anastasia: Succeeded Buchalter, managed operations, and later became boss of the Gambino crime family.
Bugsy Siegel: Founder and important leader in Murder Inc. and national syndicate architect.
Abe “Kid Twist” Reles: Prolific hitman who later became a turncoat witness against his former associates.
Harry “Pittsburgh Phil” Strauss: Notoriously prolific contract killer, believed responsible for over 100 murders.
Martin “Buggsy” Goldstein: Trusted Jewish hitman and leader.
Frank Abbandando: Feared enforcer and regular contract killer.
Louis Capone: Human resource manager and recruiter for Murder Inc., not related to Al Capone.
Emanuel “Mendy” Weiss: Chief operator, participated in high-profile hits, notably Dutch Schultz’s murder.
Jacob “Gurrah” Shapiro: Buchalter’s principal associate and syndicate fixer.
Other Notable Members
Harry Maione: Loyal hitman and operational leader.
Seymour Magoon: Murder Inc. enforcer.
Frankie Carbo: Transitioned to Lucchese crime family, influential in boxing rackets.
Samuel “Red” Levine: Trusted trigger man involved in major mob wars and murders.
Whitey Krakow: Key member involved in enforcement activities.
Albert Tannenbaum, Benjamin Tannenbaum, and others: Trusted hitmen active in major murder contracts.
These members were central to Murder Inc.’s operations. there were orchestrating or executing hundreds of murders that cemented their reputation as the major crime families’ most feared enforcers during their heyday.
Structure and Neighborhoods
Murder Inc. maintained its main operational base in Brooklyn. Most notably out of Rosie Gold’s candy store at Saratoga and Livonia Avenue. Core members—predominantly recruited from Brownsville, East New York, and Ocean Hill—included both direct enforcers and loosely affiliated hitmen, many of whom had longstanding ties to the Jewish and Italian Brooklyn underworld.
Influential Members
Key figures who led or carried out operations for Murder Inc. included:
Louis “Lepke” Buchalter—main leader and “boss”
Albert “Mad Hatter” Anastasia—operational chief, “Lord High Executioner”
Bugsy Siegel—founding member, earlier hitman
Abe “Kid Twist” Reles—notorious hitman who later became an informant
Harry “Pittsburgh Phil” Strauss—prolific contract killer
Martin “Buggsy” Goldstein—Jewish enforcer
Jacob “Gurrah” Shapiro—principal Buchalter associate
Other important figures were Frank Abbandando, Louis Capone, Seymour Magoon, Harry Maione, and others, illustrating a joint Italian and Jewish composition.
Activities and Downfall
Murder Inc. operated by accepting contracted killings for the Syndicate’s major crime families, targeting informants, witnesses, rivals, and even internal defectors for business preservation. Estimates of their total killings range from 400 to 1,000. The group’s unraveling began when insider Abe Reles turned state’s witness in 1940–41, leading to multiple convictions and death sentences for major members. Louis Buchalter was executed; Albert Anastasia survived initially and later led the Gambino family before his assassination in 1957.
Overall, Murder Inc. symbolized the extreme violence and cross-ethnic cooperation that marked organized crime in New York’s formative underworld era, directly serving the interests of the major crime families of its time.
Formation and Structure of Murder Inc.
Murder Inc. came to life under the careful planning of The Commission, a council made up of bosses from the top Italian-American crime families. This group set up a system where orders flowed from the top down through a clear chain of command, making it one efficient and deadly operation in New York’s underworld.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Pd5VGKdJy8
The Commission’s Role
The Commission was the boss of all bosses in New York’s major crime families in the Mafia world. It included leaders from the five families: Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese. They made big decisions together, like who could become a leader and how to split up territories.
This group started in the 1930s to stop wars between families that were bad for business.
The Commission acted as a court for mob issues. If two groups had a problem or someone broke the rules, The Commission would step in to solve it. This kept peace and order among the major crime families.
Leaders such as Carlo Gambino and Charles “Lucky” Luciano played key roles on The Commission. Their job was tough because they had to make sure everyone followed the plan while making money from illegal activities like extortion and racketeering.
They used Murder Inc., a gang of killers-for-hire, to handle their dirty work across New York City from 1929 to 1941.
How the Commission resolved inter-family disputes
The Commission resolved inter-family disputes by serving as a governing board for the Mafia’s major crime families, creating a centralized mechanism to prevent violent conflict and ensure cooperation.
Structure and Voting
-
-
The Commission was composed of bosses from the Five Major Crime Families of New York, along with leaders from other major Mafia organizations, each having an equal vote in decisions.
-
Decisions were typically made by consensus or majority vote, with no single boss wielding absolute authority.
-
Dispute Mediation Methods
-
-
When a dispute arose—over territory, succession, or business interests—the involved parties would present their case to the Commission rather than resorting to violence.
-
The Commission acted as a “Supreme Court” whose rulings all families were compelled to obey, or risk collective retribution from the others.
-
If a family violated the Commission’s rules or tried to unilaterally attack another, it risked facing the combined force of all the major crime families.
-
Additional Powers
-
-
The Commission regulated major criminal activities, brokered peace between families, and approved the succession of new bosses to prevent power struggles.
-
It also had to approve contract killings if the target was a high-ranking Mafia member.
-
Hierarchical Structure of the Families
Each of the five major crime families in New York had its own boss, underboss, and consigliere. The boss led the family. His second-in-command was the underboss. The consigliere acted as an advisor.
Below them were capos who controlled street-level groups of soldiers. These soldiers did various illegal jobs.
The Mafia used this structure to manage its activities across New York City smoothly. This setup helped with tasks like loan sharking, gambling, and extortion, the typical business of the major crime families. It also made it hard for law enforcement to track down who was in charge of crimes.
This system allowed leaders like Carlo Gambino and Vito Genovese to control their operations tightly without getting caught easily. Soldiers carried out orders from their capos, making sure the bosses’ commands got done right away.
Summary Table: Five Major Crime Families Overview
| Family Name | Original Name | Key Early Boss | Notable Era | Distinction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonanno | Maranzano | Joseph Bonanno | 1930s-1960s | Retained its original name |
| Colombo | Profaci | Joseph Profaci | 1930s-1960s | Internal war in 1970s |
| Gambino | Mangano | Carlo Gambino | 1950s-1980s | Largest membership |
| Genovese | Luciano | Vito Genovese | 1940s-1970s | Most secretive operations |
| Lucchese | Gagliano | Tommy Lucchese | 1950s-1970s | Business-like rackets |
Key Major Crime Families of Murder Inc.
The crime world of New York saw the rise of five powerful major crime families. These groups played big roles in the city’s underground dealings.
Bonanno Family
The Bonanno family, one of the five major crime families in New York City Mafia groups The family got its name from boss Joseph “Joe Bananas” Bonanno. This group stood out for its secretive actions and long reach.
They dealt in illegal activities like murder and racketeering since the 1930s. Joe Bonanno led them with a firm hand, making sure they stayed strong in their territory.
A family’s unity makes it untouchable.
Joseph Bonanno’s leadership saw the family through many battles and power struggles. Over time, the FBI caught up with some of their acts. The crime scene changed too. Even so, this family’s story shows how deep and lasting Mafia influence can be in America.
Origins and Early History
The Bonanno family originated with Sicilian immigrants in Brooklyn and emerged from the aftermath of the Castellammarese War, a bloody power struggle between rival Mafia factions in 1930-1931. The group was first known as the Maranzano family, headed by Salvatore Maranzano, who was murdered in 1931 in a plot masterminded by Lucky Luciano. After Maranzano’s death, Joseph Bonanno became the boss at age 26, making him one of the youngest leaders of a major crime family in the US.
The Five Major Crime Families and Mafia Structure
The Bonanno family operates alongside the Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese families, each controlling specific territories and rackets. These families report to a governing body known as the Commission, created by Luciano to mediate disputes and organize Mafia activities nationwide.
Leadership and Influence
Under Joseph Bonanno’s leadership from the 1930s to the 1960s, the family was powerful and maintained close ties to the Sicilian Mafia. Their criminal operations included loan-sharking, narcotics, prostitution, and gambling. The Bonanno family organized heroin importation into the US, making it central to major drug trafficking operations.
Internal Conflict and Later Developments
The family’s stability faltered in the 1960s when Bonanno attempted to overthrow leaders of the Commission but failed, instigating the “Banana War,” a violent struggle for internal control. Bonanno was eventually forced into retirement by the Commission and lived in Arizona until his death in 2002. Subsequent leaders like Carmine Galante maintained the family’s influence until Galante was assassinated in a Commission-approved hit in 1979.
Colombo Family
Moving from the Bonanno Family, we now turn our attention to the Colombo Family. This family is another key part of New York’s mafia world. They are one of the five major crime families in the city.
The Colombo Family got its name from Joseph Colombo, a big figure in their history.
The Colombos were involved in a lot of illegal stuff like gambling and lending money for high interest. They also did some murder-for-hire jobs. Their actions caused many problems over the years.
In 1992, they had a big setback when a top member was found guilty of several murders and other crimes.
Throughout their time, they fought for control and power with other families. These fights often turned violent. One famous conflict was the Banana War, showing just how far these groups would go to stay on top.
Summary Table: Colombo Family at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1928 by Giuseppe Profaci |
| Original Name | Profaci crime family |
| Renamed For | Joseph Colombo, boss from early 1960s |
| Notable Bosses | Profaci, Colombo, Persico |
| Key Activities | Racketeering, extortion, gambling, drug trafficking |
| Internal Conflicts | Three major wars (1950s, 1970s, onward) |
| Current Operations | Brooklyn, Staten Island, New York City |
The Colombo Family is the youngest of New York City’s Five major crime families, the powerful mafia organizations that have historically controlled organized crime across the city.
Origins and Structure
The family’s roots date to 1928, when Sicilian immigrant Giuseppe “Joe” Profaci formed a gang that was later recognized as the Profaci crime family during Lucky Luciano’s post-Castellammarese War reorganization. Profaci ruled unchallenged for decades, shaping the family’s development as a profitable bootlegging and racket-running enterprise. After Profaci’s death in 1962, Joseph Colombo was appointed boss, and the family took his name—Colombo became the first American-born boss in New York mafia history.
Internal Wars and Notable Events
Three major internal wars shaped the family’s history. The first occurred in the late 1950s when caporegime Joe Gallo led a rebellion against Profaci, ultimately dying down after Gallo’s imprisonment and Profaci’s death. The second erupted in 1971 after Colombo was shot and paralyzed at an Italian-American Civil Rights League rally; the resulting conflicts saw the Gallo faction exiled, and Carmine Persico rising to power.
Modern Era and Leadership
The Colombo family has faced ongoing legal scrutiny. In recent years, bosses like Carmine Persico and Andrew “Mush” Russo have led the organization despite legal challenges and imprisonment. The family’s criminal activities—racketeering, extortion, gambling, and drug trafficking—predominantly center around Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Legacy and Status
The Colombo Family has never achieved the power of the Gambino or Genovese groups, in part due to its history of internal divisions and high-profile defections. Today, it remains a prominent part of La Cosa Nostra, entrenched in New York City’s organized crime landscape.
Gambino Family
After exploring the Colombo family, we come to another powerful group, the Gambino family. This family was a key player in New York’s organized crime scene. They were part of Murder Inc., a group known for its brutal methods to keep power.
The Gambino family had many leaders over time, but one of the most famous was Carlo Gambino.
Carlo Gambino rose to become a top boss in the 1950s and kept control until his death in 1976. Under his leadership, the family engaged in various illegal activities like murder and extortion.
They had strict rules and worked hard to avoid police attention. Another notable leader was John Gotti, known as “The Dapper Don” for his stylish way of dressing and “The Teflon Don” because charges against him didn’t stick early on.
This crime family faced challenges too, such as internal power struggles and legal issues. For example, Paul Castellano became head after Carlo but was killed outside a steakhouse in 1985 on Gotti’s order.
These events showed how violent and competitive life within the mafia could be.
The Gambino crime family is one of the “Five Major Crime Families” that has dominated organized crime in New York City as part of the American Mafia since the early 20th century. Named after its longtime boss, Carlo Gambino, the family has a long, complex history marked by power struggles, high-profile murders, and extensive criminal enterprises.
Origins and Early Leadership
The family originated in the early 1900s under Salvatore D’Aquila and rose to prominence after the Castellammarese War of 1931, officially becoming one of the Five Major Crime Families. Over the decades, a series of notable bosses included Vincent Mangano, Albert Anastasia—famous for his connection to “Murder, Inc.”—and, ultimately, Carlo Gambino, whose name the family still bears.
Carlo Gambino Era
Carlo Gambino became boss after orchestrating the murder of Anastasia in 1957, leading the family into its most powerful period. Gambino was known for his discreet leadership, strategic avoidance of law enforcement, and expansion into lucrative rackets such as labor and construction, gambling, extortion, and loansharking. He discouraged drug trafficking within the family, fearing harsh sentences might turn members into informants.
Key Successions and Infamous Bosses
Upon Carlo Gambino’s death in 1976, Paul Castellano succeeded him, leading the family through a period marked by internal dissent over Castellano’s business-like approach. John Gotti, angered by this leadership, orchestrated Castellano’s murder in 1985 and became boss. Gotti’s flamboyance and repeated acquittals earned him the moniker “The Teflon Don,” although he was imprisoned for life after his underboss, Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano, turned government witness.
Modern Era
Control passed through several hands in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, including Gotti’s son, John Gotti Jr., and later Sicilian factions. Frank Cali was the most recent well-known boss, killed in 2019. The family continues to adapt and operate, focusing on racketeering, gambling, and extortion, even in the face of law enforcement pressures and continued arrests.
Genovese Family
The Genovese family is one of the major crime families in New York. They have a long history filled with power and secrets. Vito “Don Vito” Genovese, after whom the family is named, made it very powerful.
This family was great at keeping their actions hidden. They were involved in illegal activities like murder and racketeering.
Vito Genovese once said, ‘I learned from Mr. Luciano that this thing of ours comes before everything else.’
Vincent “Chin” Gigante
Early Life and Rise
Gigante was born in New York City in 1928 and first gained notoriety as a professional boxer before entering organized crime as a protégé of Vito Genovese. He was known in the underworld for an assassination attempt on Frank Costello in 1957, which helped Genovese gain control of the crime family. After serving time for drug trafficking, Gigante rose to become a caporegime and later boss, running the family’s Greenwich Village crew.
Genovese Family Leadership
When Philip Lombardo stepped down as boss in 1981, Gigante assumed control and implemented Anthony “Fat Tony” Salerno as a front boss to shield himself from law enforcement scrutiny. Under Gigante’s leadership, the family dominated racketeering, labor union corruption, extortion, and gambling, infiltrating major industries in New York such as trucking, construction, and the Fulton Fish Market.
Insanity Act and Prosecution
Gigante maintained a long-running charade of mental illness to avoid trial, convincing many observers, but prosecutors ultimately proved he was competent and convict him in 1997 on racketeering and conspiracy charges. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, where he remained active in family affairs until his death in 2005.
The Genovese family is one of the Five Major Crime Families that have dominated organized crime in New York City and New Jersey since the 1930s. It is considered the oldest, largest, and most powerful of these Italian-American Mafia syndicates, often referred to as the “Ivy League” of the American Mafia due to its tightly controlled operations and code of secrecy.
Origins and History
The group’s roots trace back to the late 19th century as the Morello gang in East Harlem, led by Giuseppe Morello, which soon became the most dominant Italian criminal organization in New York.
Through alliances with other Sicilian émigrés and strategic marriages, they expanded their power base and launched major crime operations including counterfeiting, extortion, and racketeering.
In the 1930s, under Charles “Lucky” Luciano, the family was instrumental in ending the Mafia power struggle known as the Castellammarese War and establishing the Commission, a national criminal board of directors for the Mafia.
The family’s name changed to “Genovese” after Vito Genovese became boss in 1957, marking an era of aggressive expansion and tightly managed criminal activities including gambling, loan-sharking, fraud, and narcotics trafficking.
Influence and Activities
The Genovese family historically controlled Manhattan’s West Side waterfront, the Fulton Fish Market, and had a major influence on labor and construction unions, especially on the docks.
Their power extended beyond New York, maintaining relationships and influence with other Mafia families in cities like Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Buffalo.
In modern times, the family adapted to new criminal opportunities, such as mortgage and healthcare fraud, and online gambling.
The FBI and law enforcement agencies frequently described the Genovese family as the most disciplined, hardest to infiltrate, and most powerful of all the Five Families.
Leadership and Structure
Charles “Lucky” Luciano and Vito Genovese are among the most notable leaders; Luciano, in particular, restructured the American Mafia, while Genovese pushed the family into narcotics trafficking and coordinated the infamous Apalachin meeting that exposed Mafia operations to national authorities.
More recent leaders include Vincent “The Chin” Gigante, who ran the family in a famously secretive and eccentric manner, and, in the 21st century, Liborio “Barney” Bellomo is believed to be the current boss.
Unlike other Mafia families, the Genovese family rarely suffered from high-profile informers, contributing to its reputation for secrecy and effectiveness.
Lucchese Family
The Lucchese family, named after Tommy Lucchese, took control in New York City’s underworld. They were part of the five major crime families that ran illegal activities. These included things like taking money by force and planning and doing murders.
Tommy became a boss in 1951 and made the group strong.
This family was sneaky and smart about their crimes. They worked with other criminals to grow their power. Over time, they became known for not just violence but also making deals and using politics to their advantage.
One big event was when Joseph “Joe” Massino turned against his own kind in court in 1992. This shocked many people and showed how deep betrayal went within these groups.
The Lucchese family is one of the Five Major Crime Families that dominate organized crime activities in New York City and New Jersey. It was established in the early 1920s and gained power during the Castellammarese War, with Tommy Gagliano as the boss and later Tommy Lucchese, for whom the family is named.
Origins and History
The family originated under Gaetano Reina, but after Reina’s murder in 1930, Tommy Gagliano took control.
Under Gagliano and then Tommy Lucchese, the family became one of the most stable and powerful, with major holdings in labor unions, the garment industry, and trucking.
The Lucchese family was notable for its low-profile, secretive operations, and close alliances with the Gambino crime family.
Power and Activities
The Lucchese family was deeply involved in gambling, extortion, drug trafficking, aircraft hijacking, and murder.
They were particularly influential in New York’s Garment District and at JFK Airport, specializing in large-scale thefts and rackets.
During the 1950s to 1980s, they rose to dominance and expanded their influence by forging relationships with politicians and judges, contributing to their immunity from prosecution for decades.
Notable Leadership and Decline
Tommy Lucchese was succeeded by Carmine Tramunti and then by Anthony Corallo, who was a powerful force on the Commission until he was imprisoned during the Mafia Commission Trial of 1986.
In the late 1980s, the family became notorious for its violent leadership under Victor Amuso and Anthony Casso, whose reign was marked by numerous murders and betrayal.
The family saw many of its hierarchy turn informant, leading to a period of significant decline after the early 1990s.
Despite this, the Lucchese family remains an integral part of the structure of organized crime in New York.
The Lucchese family is known for blending violence with careful business acumen, leveraging connections in labor and politics to gain economic power while maintaining a strong presence in the underworld.
Notable Leaders and Their Influence
Leaders like Charles “Lucky” Luciano and Carlo Gambino shaped the Mafia world. They set rules, led their groups with a strong hand, and made the New York Mafia famous around the globe.
Charles “Lucky” Luciano
Charles “Lucky” Luciano was a big name in New York’s mafia world. He helped create Murder Inc., a scary group that did the dirty work for the National Crime Syndicate. They hurt or killed people who got in their way from 1929 to 1941.
Luciano wasn’t just about violence, though. He had smart ideas about how crime families should work together.
He started meeting with other bosses to make plans and solve problems without fighting. This way of doing things was new for the mafia in America. It made him very powerful and respected among Italian-American mobsters, like those in the Genovese family, which he led.
Luciano also had ties with Jewish gangsters. He worked closely with Meyer Lansky and Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, famous names themselves in organized crime history. Together, they ran many illegal businesses all over New York City and beyond.
Carlo Gambino
Carlo Gambino rose to be one of the most powerful leaders in the Italian American Mafia. He led the Gambino crime family, one of New York’s major crime families. Starting from the 1930s, he used smart moves and avoided public attention to stay powerful until his death in 1976.
Under him, the family dealt in illegal acts but stayed out of big trouble with law officers.
Gambino was known for keeping peace within his family and with other crime groups. This skill helped him avoid wars that hurt other families. He became a boss after helping plan the hit on Albert Anastasia, showing his strength without using violence himself.
His leadership saw the Mafia’s power grow in America, making him a key figure in organized crime history.
Joseph Bonanno
Joseph Bonanno was a big name in the New York Mafia. He led the Bonanno family, one of the five major crime families. Born in 1905, he became known as “Joe Bananas,” though he didn’t like that name.
In 1992, this leading figure faced conviction for many crimes, including murder.
Bonanno’s story is full of power struggles and fights with other families. His time showed how violent and tough the Mafia could be. He played a key role in the history of organized crime in America.
How approval for a hit was requested and granted?
To request and grant approval for a Mafia hit, especially against a made man or high-ranking member, a structured process involving the Commission was followed.
Step-by-Step Procedure
-
-
The family boss or acting boss who wished to sanction a hit would first present the reason for the contract killing to the Commission, particularly if the target was a member of another family or if the act could impact inter-family peace.
-
The Commission would discuss the evidence and justification, sometimes hearing arguments for and against the act.
-
If the request involved a made member or a boss, the threshold for approval was higher, requiring a consensus or majority vote by the Commission’s members.
-
Once approved, the originating boss was notified and the killing could proceed.
-
The actual execution of the hit was kept compartmentalized; typically, the order was relayed through multiple intermediaries and may have been assigned to hit squads like Murder, Inc. to avoid linking the killing directly to any high-ranking family members.
-
Key Principles
-
-
Hits conducted without Commission approval, especially on made men, were seen as egregious violations, sometimes resulting in severe retribution against the responsible party.
-
The process was intended to ensure discipline, minimize vendettas, and protect the interests of all families—making murder a “business decision” sanctioned only with collective agreement.
-
This system helped stabilize organized crime, curbed impulsive violence among families, and reinforced the Commission’s authority as the primary arbiter of Cosa Nostra policy.
Major Events and Conflicts
The Castellammarese War changed everything for New York’s crime scene. It was a brutal power struggle that led to the rise of Murder Inc.’s most famous leaders. Then, the killing of Albert Anastasia in a barber shop showed how deadly these major crime families could be, even against their own.
The Castellammarese War
The Castellammarese War was a bloody battle for control among New York City’s crime families. It lasted from 1930 to 1931. The War was fought mainly between the factions led by Joe “The Boss” Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano they were the main bosses fighting for power.
This war got its name from Maranzano’s hometown in Sicily.
The war marked a turning point in the history of the American Mafia, rooted in a rivalry between the older, traditionalist Sicilian “Mustache Petes” (like Masseria and Maranzano) and a new generation of Americanized mobsters, the “Young Turks,”. They wanted a more modern, business-focused approach to organized crime. The fight began over dominance in bootlegging and racketeering operations during Prohibition and was catalyzed by the murder of Gaetano Reina, orchestrated by Masseria, who was seeking greater control.
Key Events
-
-
February 1930: Murder of Gaetano Reina, starting the war.
-
Series of Killings: Both sides saw significant losses, including Masseria adviser Giuseppe Morello and several lieutenants.
-
Defections: Lower-ranking members frequently switched sides as loyalty was overshadowed by the desire for self-preservation and profit.
-
April 1931: Luciano, Masseria’s ambitious lieutenant, conspired with Maranzano to end the conflict by arranging for Masseria’s murder.
-
Many people died during this time. The streets of New York became dangerous as both sides tried to take out their enemies. In the end, Maranzano won and declared himself “capo di tutti i capi,” or boss of all bosses.
But his victory was short-lived; Charles “Lucky” Luciano had him killed soon after because he wanted a different kind of organization.
Aftermath and Reorganization
-
-
After Masseria’s assassination, Maranzano briefly declared himself “boss of all bosses” and sought to reshape the Mafia into the “Five Families” structure still recognized today.
-
Maranzano was soon killed as well, in a plot orchestrated by Lucky Luciano, who then proposed a power-sharing arrangement called “the Commission,” intended to prevent future Mafia wars and allow for shared governance and profits.
-
This period marked the ascendancy of the Americanized Mafia, emphasizing business acumen, cooperation across ethnic lines, and a more corporate structure over old-world traditions.
-
This event led to the creation of The Commission, which changed how the Mafia operated in America.
The Castellammarese War directly led to the establishment of the Five Families and the Commission, radically transforming the structure of the American Mafia.
Creation of the Five Major Crime Families
After the war ended in 1931 with the deaths of both Joe Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano, Maranzano initially reorganized New York’s Mafia into five distinct crime families: the Maranzano, Profaci, Mangano, Luciano, and Gagliano families. Each family was given defined territories and a hierarchical structure. Maranzano attempted to rule as capo di tutti i capi (boss of all bosses) and demanded tributes, but this autocratic approach led to his assassination shortly thereafter.
Rise of the Commission
Following Maranzano’s murder, Lucky Luciano called a meeting of the major Mafia bosses. Rejecting the boss-of-bosses model that had caused so much violence, Luciano established a power-sharing system called “the Commission.” This governing body included the leaders of the Five Families as well as the heads of major non-New York crime organizations, such as the Chicago Outfit and Buffalo family. The Commission’s purpose was to oversee all Mafia activities in the United States and mediate disputes to avoid future wars, fundamentally institutionalizing cooperation and decision-making among the Mafia’s leaders.
Long-Term Impact
The creation of both the Five Major Crime Families and the Commission ended the era of single autocratic rule and ushered in a more stable, business-like organization for the American Mafia. This arrangement provided a degree of balance and helped the Mafia thrive for decades, minimizing internal violence and maximizing profits through collective governance.
Now, let’s take a closer look at The Assassination of Albert Anastasia.
The Assassination of Albert Anastasia
Albert Anastasia met his demise in 1957. Recognized as a commanding figure in the criminal sphere, he was known for his fearless application of force. His life concluded during a haircut in New York City when armed individuals entered the barbershop, shooting him repeatedly.
This occurrence stunned numerous individuals, demonstrating that even influential mafia leaders could meet their end. Albert Anastasia’s death was a segment of an extensive power struggle among the mob families in New York City.
This conflict resulted in increased aggression and shifts in leadership positions within these factions.
Death and Legacy
-
Anastasia’s reign ended on October 25, 1957, when he was assassinated in a Manhattan barbershop on the orders of rivals Vito Genovese and Carlo Gambino.
-
His assassination marked a dramatic power shift in New York organized crime and signaled the end of the era of Murder Inc., but his legacy and violent methods profoundly shaped Mafia operations for decades to come.
Anastasia’s life exemplifies the violent, secretive, and hierarchical world of New York organized crime in the mid-20th century.
Conclusion
Murder Inc. shows how crime shaped New York’s history. This group carried out hits for the Mafia. Their story is full of leaders like Lucky Luciano and events like the Castellammarese War.
These crimes remind us to stay aware and learn from the past. Let’s use this knowledge to make better choices today.
FAQs
1. Who were the significant figures in Murder Inc and the major crime families in New York?
Significant figures included Arthur Flegenheimer, also known as Dutch Schultz, Charles “Lucky” Luciano, Louis “Lepke” Buchalter of the Genovese crime family and Abe “Kid Twist” Reles. Joseph Valachi played a key role during the Valachi hearings while Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel was part of the mafia boss network.
2. What was Murder Incorporated’s connection with notable crime families like Colombo and Lucchese?
Murder Incorporated worked closely with several major crime families including Colombo, led by Joseph Profaci and later Carmine Persico; Lucchese, initially under Tommaso Gagliano then Paul Sciacca; along with godfathers such as Joe Adonis and John Joseph Gotti Jr.
3. How did Thomas Dewey contribute to tackling organized crime in New York?
Thomas Dewey played an instrumental role in prosecuting members of these criminal organizations such as Lucky Luciano which eventually led to his conviction. His actions paved way for laws like RICO Act that targeted organized crimes specifically.
4. Can you tell me more about undercover agents’ roles within these gangs?
Undercover agents such as Donnie Brasco aka Joseph Pistone infiltrated these gangs providing crucial insights into their operations leading to numerous arrests including those of capo dei capi like Paul “Big Paul” Castellano from Genovese Crime Family.
5. Were there any infamous alliances or rivalries among these major crime families?
Yes indeed! A notorious alliance existed between Louis Capone’s Five Points Gang and Jacob “Gurrah” Shapiro’s Whyos gang while intense rivalry brewed between Vincent “Mad Dog” Coll’s Westies gang against Dutch Schultz’s crew.
6. Did anyone ever betray or turn against their own family or group within this underworld?
One notable instance was Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano who testified against his former boss, John Gotti of the Genovese family. His testimony led to Gotti’s conviction and marked a significant turning point in New York’s criminal history.
