QUIZ New York’s Five Major Crime Families

Murder Inc. and New York’s Crime Families

• Murder Inc. was a notorious enforcement arm for the National Crime Syndicate in New York from the 1930s to the early 1940s, composed of members from both Jewish and Italian-American mobs.
• This organization served as a security division for major crime families, conducting contract killings and intimidation, with estimates of their victims ranging from 400 to 1,000.
• Key figures involved in Murder Inc. included Louis “Lepke” Buchalter as the original head and Albert “Mad Hatter” Anastasia as a critical enforcer and operational boss.
• Murder Inc. operated from Rosie Gold’s candy store in Brooklyn, recruiting members predominantly from Brownsville, East New York, and Ocean Hill.
• The group’s unraveling began when insider Abe Reles turned state’s witness in 1940–41, leading to convictions and death sentences for many members, including Louis Buchalter.

The Commission and Mafia Structure

• The Commission, established by bosses from top Italian-American crime families, created a structured system for the Mafia, ensuring a clear chain of command and mediating disputes.
• Composed of leaders from the Five Families (Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese) and other major organizations, the Commission made decisions by consensus or majority vote to prevent inter-family wars.
• This governing body approved contract killings for high-ranking Mafia members and oversaw major criminal activities, including loan sharking, gambling, and extortion.
• The Mafia’s hierarchical structure included a boss, underboss, consigliere, and capos who controlled groups of soldiers carrying out illegal jobs.

The Five Major Crime Families of New York

• Bonanno Family:
  • Named after Joseph “Joe Bananas” Bonanno, this family originated with Sicilian immigrants in Brooklyn from the aftermath of the Castellammarese War (1930-1931).
  • Under Joseph Bonanno, the family was powerful from the 1930s to the 1960s, involved in loan-sharking, narcotics, prostitution, and gambling, especially heroin importation.
  • The “Banana War” in the 1960s resulted from Bonanno’s failed attempt to overthrow Commission leaders, leading to his forced retirement.
• Colombo Family:
  • The youngest of New York City’s Five Major Crime Families, it originated in 1928 as the Profaci crime family, led by Giuseppe “Joe” Profaci.
  • Joseph Colombo became boss in 1962, and the family took his name, facing three major internal wars, including conflicts with the Joe Gallo faction.
  • Their criminal activities, primarily in Brooklyn and Staten Island, include racketeering, extortion, gambling, and drug trafficking.
• Gambino Family:
  • Named after Carlo Gambino, this family rose to prominence after the Castellammarese War of 1931, becoming one of the most powerful.
  • Carlo Gambino led the family into its most dominant period after orchestrating Albert Anastasia’s murder in 1957, focusing on labor, construction, gambling, extortion, and loansharking while discouraging drug trafficking.
  • John Gotti, known as “The Dapper Don” and “The Teflon Don,” became boss after ordering Paul Castellano’s murder in 1985 but was later imprisoned due to Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano’s testimony.
• Genovese Family:
  • Considered the oldest, largest, and most powerful of the Italian-American Mafia syndicates, often called the “Ivy League” of the American Mafia.
  • Its roots trace back to the late 19th century as the Morello gang, later becoming instrumental in establishing The Commission under Charles “Lucky” Luciano.
  • Under Vito Genovese, the family aggressively expanded into gambling, loan-sharking, fraud, and narcotics trafficking, controlling the West Side waterfront, Fulton Fish Market, and influencing labor unions.
  • Vincent “The Chin” Gigante maintained a charade of mental illness to avoid trials but was eventually convicted in 1997.
• Lucchese Family:
  • Established in the early 1920s, gaining power during the Castellammarese War, with Tommy Gagliano and later Tommy Lucchese as bosses.
  • Known for low-profile, secretive operations, strong alliances with the Gambino family, and influence in the garment industry, JFK Airport, and labor unions.
  • Involved in gambling, extortion, drug trafficking, aircraft hijacking, and murder, they also forged relationships with politicians and judges.
  • The violent leadership of Victor Amuso and Anthony Casso in the late 1980s led to many informers and a significant decline, though the family remains part of New York’s organized crime.

Influential Leaders of The Mafia

• Charles “Lucky” Luciano:
  • Instrumental in creating Murder Inc. and the National Crime Syndicate, he developed smart strategies for crime families to work together and solved problems without fighting.
  • He restructured the American Mafia by establishing The Commission, moving away from autocratic rule and fostering cooperation across ethnic lines, including ties with Jewish gangsters like Meyer Lansky and Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel.
• Carlo Gambino:
  • Led the Gambino crime family from the 1950s until his death in 1976, known for his discreet leadership, strategic avoidance of law enforcement, and maintaining peace within his family and with other crime groups.
  • He orchestrated Albert Anastasia’s murder, demonstrating his power without direct violence, and expanded into lucrative rackets, though he discouraged drug trafficking to avoid informants.
• Joseph Bonanno:
  • Led the Bonanno family, involved in power struggles and conflicts with other families, demonstrating the violent nature of the Mafia.
  • Despite his efforts to keep the family strong, he faced conviction for numerous crimes and eventually retired from the Mafia.

Critical Events in New York Mafia History

• The Castellammarese War (1930-1931):
  • A brutal power struggle between two main factions led by Joe “The Boss” Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano, named after Maranzano’s hometown in Sicily.
  • The war was rooted in a conflict between older, traditional “Mustache Petes” and new-generation “Young Turks” who favored a modern, business-focused approach.
  • The conflict concluded with the assassination of Masseria and Maranzano, orchestrated by Lucky Luciano, leading to the creation of the Five Families and The Commission.
• Assassination of Albert Anastasia (1957):
  • Anastasia, a commanding figure and leader of Murder Inc., was assassinated in a Manhattan barbershop on October 25, 1957, on orders from rivals Vito Genovese and Carlo Gambino.
  • This event marked a dramatic power shift in New York organized crime and signaled the end of the Murder Inc. era.