Five Families

The Five Families are the five major Italian-American Mafia crime families which have dominated organized crime in New York City since the 1930s. The Five Families, under the suggestion of Salvatore Maranzano and Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, were responsible for the establishment of The Commission, a council which demarcated territory between the previously warring factions and governs La Cosa Nostra activities in the United States. The Five Families in New York remain as the powerhouse of the Sicilian Mafia in the US. 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 [ [http://www.nlpc.org/view.asp?action=viewArticle&aid=1213 Gotti Ally D'Amico Becomes New Gambino Boss; Denies It, Too ] ]
*Colombo: Carmine "Junior" Persico [ [http://www.ganglandnews.com/persico.htm Gang Land News: Persico ] ] (Thomas Gioeli is the acting boss)
*Genovese: Daniel "Danny the Lion" Leo
*Lucchese: Vittorio "Vic" Amuso [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 ] (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 out of nearby Elizabeth, NJ, also has ties to the five New York families.

In pop culture

*In the 1972 mafia-centered novel and movie "The Godfather", five crime families dominate La Cosa Nostra of New York, but the families have different names from their real life counterparts above. The Corleones, from their compound on Long Island, go to war with the other members of the Five Families, the Tattaglias, the Barzinis, the Cuneos, and the Straccis.

*The game Godfather, from EA Games the families are listed above

*In the HBO series "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 inspiration for the DiMeo family. ["New Charges for Mob Family as U.S. Indictment Names 20", "New York Times" April 20, 2001] Due to its large size, the Lupertazzi crime family likely represents either the Gambino or Genovese crime families. Also, there have been references to four families other than the Lupertazzis: the Paglieri Family, the Mangano Family, the Tarese Family and the DeBenedetto family.

*The "Grand Theft Auto" video game series represents many of the Five Families in the game with the Leone, Sindacco, and Forelli families. In addition, "Grand Theft Auto IV" features a parody of the Five Families called "The Commission", consisting of the Ancelotti, Pavano, Messina, Gambetti and Lupisella families, with the smaller Pegorino family trying to become a sixth entity.

*In the episode Chair Model from "The Office", Kevin mentions the "Five Families" of the Scranton Business Park, referring to the heads of the five companies which operate out of the business park.

*The Daytime TV show "General Hospital" also refers to the Five Families with Michael "Sonny" Corinthos as the head of the Corinthos family.

References