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The Commission (American Mafia)

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The Commission
Founded byCharles Luciano
Founding locationNew York City, U.S.
Years active1931–present
TerritoryNew York City, Chicago, and other Mafia-stronghold areas in the United States
EthnicitySicilians,Sicilian Americans,Italians,Italian Americanshold seats

The Commissionis the governing body of theAmerican Mafia,formed in 1931 byCharles "Lucky" Lucianofollowing theCastellammarese War.[1]The Commission replaced the title ofcapo di tutti i capi( "boss of all bosses" ), held bySalvatore Maranzanobefore his murder, with a ruling committee that consists of the bosses of theFive Familiesof New York City, as well as the bosses of theChicago Outfitand, at various times, the leaders of smaller families, such asBuffalo,Philadelphia,Detroit,and others. The purpose of the Commission was to oversee all Mafia activities in the United States and serve to mediate conflicts among families.

Throughout the history of the Commission, the body has been involved in several incidents including theApalachin meetingin 1957, a plot to kill several members of the Commission in 1963, and theMafia Commission Trialin 1985.

History[edit]

Pre-Commission[edit]

Pre-1931,capo dei capi(boss of bosses) was a term applied by mobsters toGiuseppe Morelloaround 1900, according toNick Gentile.[2]BossesJoe Masseria(1928–1931) andSalvatore Maranzano(1931) used the title as part of their efforts to centralize control of the Mafia under themselves. When Maranzano won theCastellammarese War,he set himself up as boss of all bosses, created theFive Families,and ordered every Mafia family to pay him tribute. This provoked a rebellious reaction which led to him being murdered in September 1931, on the orders ofLucky Luciano.[3]

The Commission's formation[edit]

Charles "Lucky" Luciano,the founder of the Commission

After Maranzano's murder in 1931, Luciano called a meeting inChicago.[4][1][5]Although there would have been few objections had Luciano declared himselfcapo di tutti i capi,he abolished the title, believing the position created trouble between the families and made himself a target for another ambitious challenger.[6]Luciano's goals with the Commission were to quietly maintain his own power over all the families, and to prevent futuregangwars; the bosses approved the idea of the Commission.[1]The Commission would consist of a "board of directors"to oversee all Mafia activities in the United States and serve to mediate conflicts between families.[1][7]

The Commission consisted of seven family bosses: the leaders of New York'sFive Families:Charlie "Lucky" Luciano,Vincent Mangano,Tommy Gagliano,Joseph Bonanno,andJoe Profaci;Chicago OutfitbossAl Capone;andBuffalo familybossStefano Magaddino.[1][7]Charlie Luciano was appointedchairmanof the Commission. The Commission agreed to hold meetings every five years or when they needed to discuss family problems.[1]

The power of the Commission[edit]

FBIchart of American Mafia bosses across the country in 1963

The Commission held the power of approving a new boss before he could take over officially. The New York Five Families also decided that the names of all new proposed members must be approved by the other families. After the new proposed member was approved by the other families, he could become amade man.[1]

The Commission allowed Jewish mobstersMeyer Lansky,Bugsy Siegel,Louis "Lepke" Buchalter,Dutch Schultz,andAbner "Longie" Zwillmanto work alongside them and participate in some meetings.[8]The group's first test came in 1935, when it orderedDutch Schultzto drop his plans to murderSpecial ProsecutorThomas E. Dewey.Luciano argued that a Dewey assassination would precipitate a massive law enforcement crackdown. An enraged Schultz said he would kill Dewey anyway and walked out of the meeting.[9]Murder, Inc.leaderAlbert Anastasiaapproached Luciano with information that Schultz had asked him to stake out Dewey's apartment building on Fifth Avenue. Upon hearing the news, the Commission held a discreet meeting to discuss the matter. After six hours of deliberations the Commission orderedLepke Buchalterto eliminate Schultz.[10][11]On October 23, 1935, before he could kill Dewey, Schultz was shot in a tavern inNewark,New Jersey, and succumbed to his injuries the following day.[12][13]

On May 13, 1936, Luciano'spanderingtrial began.[14]Dewey prosecuted the case thatEunice Carterbuilt against Luciano.[15]He accused Luciano of being part of a massive prostitution ring known as "the Combination".During the trial, Dewey exposed Luciano for lying on the witness stand through direct quizzing and records of telephone calls; Luciano also had no explanation for why hisfederal income taxrecords claimed he made only $22,000 a year, while he was obviously a wealthy man.[16][17]On June 7, Luciano was convicted on 62 counts of compulsory prostitution.[18]On June 18, he was sentenced to 30 to 50 years in state prison, along with Betillo and others.[19][20]

The Navy, the State of New York and Luciano reached a deal: in exchange for acommutationof his sentence, Luciano promised the complete assistance of his organization in providingintelligenceto the Navy. Anastasia, a Luciano ally who controlled the docks, allegedly promised no dockworker strikes during war. In preparation for the 1943 allied invasion ofSicily,Luciano allegedly provided the US military withSicilian Mafiacontacts. This collaboration between the Navy and the Mafia became known asOperation Underworld.[21]On January 3, 1946, as a presumed reward for his alleged wartime cooperation, Dewey reluctantly commuted Luciano's pandering sentence on condition that he did not resistdeportationto Italy.[22]Luciano accepted the deal, although he still maintained that he was a US citizen and not subject to deportation. On February 2, 1946, two federal immigration agents transported Luciano from Sing Sing prison toEllis Islandin New York Harbor for deportation proceedings.[23]On February 10, Luciano's ship sailed from Brooklyn harbor for Italy.[24]

In 1951, conservative faction leader Vincent Mangano went missing andAlbert Anastasiasided with "liberal-American faction" membersFrank CostelloandTommy Lucchese.The power of the Commission shifted from the "conservative-Sicilian faction" to the "liberal-American faction".[25]

In 1951,Vincent Manganodisappeared, and his brotherPhilip Manganowas found dead nearSheepshead Bay, Brooklyn,[26]allegedly on the orders of familyunderbossAlbert Anastasia.[27][28]

With Mangano gone,Frank Costellobecame the Commission leader for the "liberal faction", andJoseph Bonannobecame the leader of the "conservative faction". The liberal faction was supported by those who were also open with working with non-Italian organizations and drugs, namely byVito Genovese,Tommy LuccheseandCarlo Gambino(was opposed to drugs),[16]while the conservative faction were more reserved with an older Italian tradition of honor and loyalty, namely byJoe ProfaciandStefano Magaddino.[29][25]

After a 1956 Commission meeting, the crime families ofPhiladelphia,headed byAngelo Bruno,andDetroit,headed byJoseph Zerilli,were added, with smaller families being formally represented by a Commission family.[1]

Apalachin meeting[edit]

A year later, on November 14, 1957, theApalachin meetingwas called by Genovese at theUpstate New Yorkestate ofJoseph Barbarato discuss the future of Cosa Nostra.[30]However, the meeting was aborted when police investigated the destination of the many out-of-state attendees' vehicles and arrested many of the fleeing mafiosi.[31]About 100 mobsters attended the meeting, and over 60 of those were apprehended; all those apprehended were fined, up to $10,000 each, and given prison sentences ranging from three to five years; however, all the convictions were overturned on appeal in 1960.[32][33]In any case, Bonanno suffered a heart attack and was removed from testifying in the trial.[34][35]

Long-time FBI directorJ. Edgar Hooverhad denied the existence of a "National Crime Syndicate"and the need to address organized crime in the United States.[36][37]After the Apalachin Summit, Hoover could no longer deny the syndicate's existence and its influence on the North American underworld, as well as Cosa Nostra's overall control and influence of the Syndicate's many branches throughout North America and abroad.

After the Apalachin Meeting, Hoover created the "Top Hoodlum Program" and went after the syndicate's top bosses throughout the country.[38][39]

Commission plot[edit]

In 1963, Joe Bonanno made plans to assassinate several rivals on the Commission—bosses Tommy Lucchese, Carlo Gambino, and Stefano Magaddino, as well asFrank DeSimone.[40]Bonanno soughtProfaci crime familybossJoseph Magliocco's support, and Magliocco readily agreed due to his bitterness from being denied a seat on the Commission previously. Bonanno's audacious goal was to take over the Commission and make Magliocco his right-hand man.[41]

Magliocco was assigned the task of killing Lucchese and Gambino, and gave the contract to one of his top hit men,Joseph Colombo.However, the opportunistic Colombo revealed the plot to its targets. The other bosses realized that Magliocco could not have planned this himself. Remembering how close Bonanno was with Magliocco (and before him,Joe Profaci), as well as their close ties through marriages, the other bosses concluded Bonanno was the real mastermind.[41]

The Commission summoned Bonanno and Magliocco to explain themselves. In mid 1964, Bonanno fled toMontreal,leaving Magliocco to deal with the Commission.[42]Badly shaken and in failing health, Magliocco confessed his role in the plot. The Commission spared Magliocco's life, but forced him to retire as Profaci family boss and pay a $50,000 fine. As a reward for turning on his boss, Colombo took control of the Profaci family.[41]

Trial[edit]

As part of theMafia Commission Trial,on February 25, 1985, nine New York Mafia leaders were indicted for narcotics trafficking, loansharking, gambling, labor racketeering and extortion against construction companies under theRacketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.[43]On July 1, 1985, the original nine men, with the addition of two more New York Mafia leaders, pleaded not guilty to a second set of racketeering charges as part of the trial. Prosecutors aimed to strike at all the crime families at once using their involvement in the Commission.[44]On December 2, 1985, Dellacroce died of cancer.[45]Castellano was later murdered on December 16, 1985.[46]

According to Colombohitmanand FBI informantGregory Scarpa,Persico and Gambino bossJohn Gottibacked a plan to kill the lead prosecutor, and futureNew York mayor,Rudy Giulianiin late 1986, but it was rejected by the rest of the Commission.[47]

In the early 1980s, the Bonannos became the first New York family to be expelled from the Commission, due to the successful infiltration of FBI agent Joseph Pistone, also known asDonnie Brasco.Although Rastelli was one of the men initially indicted, the family's removal from the Commission actually allowed him to be excused from the Commission Trial, and he was later indicted on separate labor racketeering charges. Having previously lost their seat on the Commission, the Bonannos suffered less exposure than the other families in this case.[29][48]

Eight defendants were convicted of racketeering on November 19, 1986,[49]with the exception of Indelicato who was convicted of murder,[50]and were sentenced on January 13, 1987.[51][52]

In the early 1990s, as theColombo crime familywar raged, the Commission refused to allow any Colombo member to sit on the Commission[53]and considered dissolving the family.

Status[edit]

According toJoseph Massino,former boss of the Bonanno family, the last known Commission meeting held with all the bosses was in November 1985, just before the death ofPaul Castellanothat December.[54]However, a Commission meeting in 1988 was led byJohn Gottiand attended byVincent Giganteand new Lucchese bossVictor Amuso,the first Commission meeting since the Mafia Commission Trial.[55]According toSalvatore Vitale,a Commission meeting was held in early 2000 to restore the rule requiring both parents to be of Italian descent in order to become amade man.[16]The Commission is still reported to exist, though its current membership is composed of only the bosses of theFive Familiesand theChicago Outfit.

Instead of a meeting of bosses, underbosses or captains meet secretly to discuss business and govern.[56]

In October 2017, Domenico Violi of theLuppino crime familyinHamilton, Ontario,Canada was heard to have been namedunderbossof theBuffalo crime familyonwiretaps;this revealed the activity of The Commission as Violi's promotion was so unusual, being the first Canadian to hold the second-highest position in the American Mafia, that Buffalo crime family bossJoseph Todaro Jr.stated he consulted with The Commission for permission to promote him as Buffalo's new underboss.[57]

Historical leadership[edit]

Chairman of the Commission[edit]

There was no "ruler" of the Commission, but there was a nominatedChairmanorHead of the National Commission.[58]This was used as a substitute to the role ofcapo di tutti capi,as that had the connotations of the oldMustache Petesystem of one-man rule.

Families with Commission seats[edit]

Families represented by the Genovese family

Families represented by the Chicago Outfit

References[edit]

  1. ^abcdefghijklmnopqCapeci, Jerry.The complete idiot's guide to the Mafia"The Mafia's Commission" (pp. 31–46)
  2. ^Critchley,The Origin of Organized Crime in America: The New York City Mafia, 1891-1931,p.46
  3. ^"Lucky Luciano: Criminal Mastermind,"Time,Dec. 7, 1998
  4. ^Critchley,The Origin of Organized Crime in America: The New York City Mafia, 1891-1931,p. 232
  5. ^Humbert S. NelliThe business of crime: Italians and syndicate crime in the United States(pp. 206–208)
  6. ^David Wallace (2012).Capital of the World: A Portrait of New York City in the Roaring Twenties.Rowman & Littlefield.ISBN9780762768196.
  7. ^ab"The Commission's Origins".The New York Times.1986.Retrieved22 February2017.
  8. ^Russo, Gus.The Outfit: The Role of Chicago's Underworld in the Shaping of Modern Americapp. 32–33, 41 221
  9. ^Gribben, Mark."Murder, Inc.: Dutch gets his".Crime Library. Archived fromthe originalon 9 October 2008.Retrieved2 September2013.
  10. ^Gosch, Martin & Richard Hammer (2013).The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano: The Mafia Story in His Own Words.Enigma Books. pp. 223–224.ISBN9781936274581.
  11. ^Newark, p. 81
  12. ^"Schultz is shot, one aide killed, and 3 wounded"(PDF).The New York Times.October 24, 1935.Retrieved2 September2013.(subscription required)
  13. ^"Schultz's Murder Laid to Lepke Aide"(PDF).The New York Times.March 28, 1941.RetrievedJune 24,2012.
  14. ^Stolberg, p. 133
  15. ^"How Eunice Hunton Carter Took on the Mob, 'The Watcher' | All of It".WNYC.RetrievedJanuary 8,2019.
  16. ^abcRaab, Selwyn (2005).Five Families: The Rise, Decline and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires.St. Martin Press. p. 704.ISBN0-312-36181-5.
  17. ^Stolberg, p. 148
  18. ^"Lucania Convicted with 8 in Vice Ring on 62 Counts Each"(PDF).The New York Times.June 8, 1936.RetrievedJune 17,2012.
  19. ^"Luciano Trial Website".Archived fromthe originalon January 31, 2009.
  20. ^"Lucania Sentenced to 30 to 50 Years; Court Warns Ring"(PDF).The New York Times.June 19, 1936.RetrievedJune 17,2012.
  21. ^Newark, p. 137
  22. ^"Dewey Commutes Luciano Sentence"(PDF).The New York Times.January 4, 1946.RetrievedJune 16,2012.
  23. ^"Luciano Leaves Prison"(PDF).The New York Times.February 3, 1946.RetrievedJune 16,2012.
  24. ^"Pardoned Luciano on His Way to Italy"(PDF).The New York Times.February 11, 1946.RetrievedJune 16,2012.
  25. ^abBonannoA Man of Honorpp. 170–185
  26. ^"Aide of Joe Adonis is Found Shot Dead"(PDF).New York Times.April 20, 1951.Retrieved26 February2012.
  27. ^"showDoc.html".www.maryferrell.org.11 February 1965.Retrieved2018-10-28.
  28. ^Gage, Nicholas (October 16, 1976)."Carlo Gambino, a Mafia Leader, Dies in His Long Island Home at 74"(PDF).New York Times.Retrieved30 December2011.
  29. ^abcdefgDeStefano, Anthony M. (2008).King of the godfathers(Trade paperback ed. (updated). ed.). New York: Citadel Press/Kensington Publishing. p. 15.ISBN978-0-8065-2874-8.
  30. ^Bonanno, p. 217
  31. ^Raab, pp. 117-118
  32. ^Blumenthal, Ralph (July 31, 2002)."For Sale, a House WithAcreage.Connections Extra;Site of 1957 Gangland Raid Is Part of Auction on Saturday".The New York Times.Retrieved2 June2012.
  33. ^"20 Apalachin Convictions Ruled Invalid On Appeal".Toledo Blade.November 29, 1960.Retrieved28 May2012.
  34. ^Raab, pp. 119-120
  35. ^Bonanno, p. 222
  36. ^Feder, Sid (June 11, 1959)."Old Mafia Myth Turns Up Again In Move Against Apalachin Mob".The Victoria Advocate.Retrieved2 June2012.
  37. ^"New Anit-Mobster Weapons Sought".St. Petersburg Times.January 28, 1961.Retrieved28 May2012.
  38. ^Adams, Jack (March 8, 1959)."Hoodlums Run Into Black Days Since Federal Drive Started".The Tuscaloosa News.Associated Press. p. 11.Retrieved27 May2012.
  39. ^"Busted Hoodlum Conclave Made N.Y. Hamlet a 'Crime Shrine".Los Angeles Times.November 19, 2000.
  40. ^Staff (September 1, 1967)"The Mob: How Joe Bonanno Schemed to kill – and lost"Lifep.15-21
  41. ^abcBruno, Anthony."Colombo Crime Family: Trouble and More Trouble".TruTV Crime Library.Archived fromthe originalon 14 September 2008.Retrieved27 November2011.
  42. ^Schneider,Iced: The Story of Organized Crime in Canada,pp. 255
  43. ^Lubasch, Arnold H. (February 27, 1985)."U.s. Indictment Says 9 Governed New York Mafia".The New York Times.
  44. ^"11 Plead Not Guilty to Ruling Organized Crime in New York".The New York Times.July 2, 1985.RetrievedOctober 19,2011.
  45. ^Blumenthal, Ralph (December 4, 1985)."ANIELLO DELLACROCE DIES AGE 71; REPUTED CRIME-GROUP FIGURE".New York Times.Retrieved19 December2011.
  46. ^"FBI fears murder of Castellano may ignite war for mob control".The Day.(New London, Connecticut). Associated Press. December 17, 1985. p. A1.
  47. ^Sullivan, John (October 25, 2007)."Crime Bosses Considered Hit on Giuliani".The New York Times.RetrievedOctober 19,2011.
  48. ^"Fact file: Who is Joe Pistone – a.k.a. Donnie Brasco?".globalnews.ca. September 24, 2012.
  49. ^Lubasch, Arnold H (November 20, 1986)."U.S. Jury Convicts Eight as Members of Mob Commission".The New York Times.RetrievedOctober 13,2011.
  50. ^"JUDGE SENTENCES 8 MAFIA LEADERS TO PRISON TERMS".nyimes.com. January 14, 1987. Archived fromthe originalon March 6, 2016.
  51. ^Lubasch, Arnold H. (January 14, 1987)."Judge Sentences 8 Mafia Leaders to Prison Terms".The New York Times.RetrievedOctober 13,2011.
  52. ^Federal Government's Use of Trusteeships Under the RICO Statute.Vol. 4. United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Governmental Affairs. Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. 1989.
  53. ^abMcPhee, Michele (July 7, 2002)"Furgebbaboud the Old Mob; After Gotti, Mafia ordered to clean house"New York Daily News
  54. ^abMarzulli, John (2011-04-16)."Boss rat Joseph Massino admits to court that Mafia Commission hasn't met in 25 years".New York Daily News.Retrieved2013-07-17.
  55. ^Raab, pp. 407–409
  56. ^"After Gotti, Mafia ordered to clean house"New York Daily News.July 7, 2002
  57. ^"Shocking mob trial allegation: Hamilton crime figure was Underboss of Buffalo Mafia".National Post.2018-12-04.Retrieved2018-12-04.
  58. ^abcdeBonannoA Man of Honor(pp. 159–169)
  59. ^abGambino Is Called Heir to Genovese As 'Boss of Bosses'; Gambino Called 'Boss of Bosses' Of 6 Mafia Families in the Areaby Charles Grutzner (March 15, 1970) New York Times
  60. ^Books of The Times; A Don Pays the Price of Carelessnessby Christopher Lehmann-Haupt (May 23, 1991)The New York Times
  61. ^"With Gotti Away, the Genoveses Succeed the Leaderless Gambinos"by Selwyn Raab (September 3, 1995)The New York Times

Sources[edit]

  • Bernstein, Lee.The Greatest Menace: Organized Crime in Cold War America.Boston: UMass Press, 2002.ISBN1-55849-345-X
  • Bonanno, Bill.Bound by Honor: A Mafioso's Story.New York: St. Martin's Press, 1999.ISBN0-312-97147-8
  • Bonanno, Joseph.A Man of Honor: The Autobiography of Joseph Bonanno.New York: St. Martin's Press, 2003.ISBN0-312-97923-1
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