About the Gambino crime family
The city of New York is dominated by ‘Five Families’ of which Gambino crime family is one of them. Between the period of 1910 and 1957 saw this mafia family to be dominated under three bosses. This family had derived its name after the family boss ‘Carlo Gambino’ in 1963, during McClellan hearings. The operation of this group extended right from New York to California’s eastern seaboard. The illicit activities carried out by this group included construction and labor racketeering, loansharking, gambling, money laundering, extortion, prostitution, pier thefts, fencing, hijacking and fraud.
Its history
This mafia family was found after the 1931 Castellammarese War. It remained a minor player for majority of the quarter century in organized crime. Albert Anastasia, its underboss was among its prominent members and soon rose to become the Murder, Inc. Enforcement arm’s operating head. Even after the smash of Murder, Inc. during the late 1940s, he still remained in power and in 1951, he took over the family after murdering Vincent Mangano, the family founder.
Its rise
It was from the year 1957 that Gambino crime family had become powerful in America for a particular period of time, after Anastasia got assassinated. According to the experts, Carlo Gambino, the underboss of Anastasia, is said to have orchestrated the assassination for becoming its leader. For controlling Cuban gambling interests, Gambino made partnership with Meyer Lansky. Through 1976, the fortunes of the family increased, as Paul Castellano brother-in-law of Gambino was appointed as boss on his death. Presently, it is Frank Cali who heads this family.
Its origins
The mafia history of Gambino crime family could be traced to Manhattan’s D’Aquila gang. An influential emigrant who had come from Palermo, Sicily named Salvatore ‘Toto’ D’Aquila had joined East Harlem’s Morello gang, who were New York’s first Italian gang. However, with the arrest of Giuseppe Morello and Ignazio ‘Lupo-the-Wolf’, his second in command, the Morello family got weakened. It is then that D’Aquila influenced others to form his very own gang and created an influence network and connections to become New York’s powerful force.
By 1920s, Masseria took over the interest of the Morello family and amassed influence and power by the mid 1920s to rival D’Aquilas. But in late 1920s, both were said to be headed for showdown. Salvatore D’Aquila had been assassinated by Masseria on 10th October 1928, outside his home.
Federal authorities had prosecuted successfully the Gambino family from 2005-2008. Currently, the family boasts of having around 150-200 members and more than 1500 associates.