What are the five main Mafia families?

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

The five major Italian American Mafia families in New York City are the BonannoColombo, Gambino, Genovese, and Lucchese. The families and their inner workings were publicly revealed in 1963, when a Mafia soldier testified at a congressional hearing. The heyday of the Five Families is confined to roughly four decades, from 1931, when Salvatore Maranzano formed the consortium, to 1970, when the United States passed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. While the families persist, they no longer hold the power they once did.