Five Families
The Five Families are the five major Italian-American Mafia crime families which have controlled organized crime in New York City since the 1930s. The Five Families, under the suggestion of Salvatore Maranzano and Charles "Lucky" Luciano, were responsible for the establishment of The Commission, a council that changed how things worked with Mafia activities in the United States.
The five families and their bosses are (currently):
- Bonanno: Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano (Salvatore Montagna is the acting boss)
- Gambino: Nicholas "Little Nick" Corozzo and Jackie "Nose" D'Amico [1]
- Colombo: Carmine "Junior" Persico[2] (Thomas Gioeli is the acting boss)
- Genovese: Daniel "Danny the Lion" Leo
- Lucchese: Vittorio "Vic" Amuso[3] (Steven "Wonderboy" Crea is the acting boss)
The Colombo family was once known as the Profaci Crime Family, until a coup caused a name change in the early 1960s. Former Godfather Joe Massino had wanted to change the name of the Bonanno Family to the Massino Family but since his arrest and defection it is unlikely to happen. The DeCavalcante crime family, based in nearby Elizabeth, NJ, also has ties to the five New York families.[4]
In pop culture
- In The Godfather, five crime families control the Mafia of New York, but the families have different names. The Corleones, go to war with the other members of the Five Families, the Tattaglias, the Barzinis, the Cuneos, and the Straccis.
- In The Sopranos, the DiMeo Crime Family of New Jersey have close business connections with the Lupertazzi Crime Family of Brooklyn, one of the five families in New York. Members of the DeCavalcante family believed themselves to be the ones used for the DiMeo family.[5]
Five Families Media
Mugshot of Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonanno, who was boss from 1931 to 1968
Joseph Colombo's March 6, 1970 mugshot
John Gotti just after his arrest in 1990. Gotti was the boss of the Gambino Crime Family from 1985 to 2002.
Mugshot of "Liborio Salvatore Bellomo" who is believed to be the current boss of the Genovese crime family
Tommy Lucchese was boss from 1951 to 1967
References
- ↑ "Gotti Ally D'Amico Becomes New Gambino Boss; Denies It, Too". Archived from the original on 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
- ↑ Gang Land News: Persico
- ↑ Raab, Selwyn. Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. New York: St. Martin Press, 2005. ISBN 0-312-30094-8
- ↑ "Crime Family Dealt a Blow, Police Say". Archived from the original on 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
- ↑ "New Charges for Mob Family as U.S. Indictment Names 20", New York Times April 20, 2001