By most accounts; The Joe Profaci and Joe Bonnano alliance was very powerful. No other boss; especially Thomas Lucchese and Carlo Gambino dared make a move on them while they ran their families together.

What was the issue that Carlo Gambino/Thomas Lucchese had with Profaci and Joe Bonnano?

Where did the hate stem from?

Are you familiar with the Mafia Bloodlines website? The guy who writes those articles delves really deep into the origins of the Mafia and puts many shadowy players under a microscope. I reckon that if there was anyone who could answer your question, it would be him. You ask some of the most thought-provoking questions on this forum, I just think that most of us aren't qualified to answer.

The guy I'm referring to is on the Black Hand Forum, username is simply "B."

It goes back to when Luciano was sent to Prison. This left Bonanno, Mangano, Magaddino, and Profaci has a powerful faction. Profaci went after Newark family, which Luchese had a deal with that family. Luchese and Bonanno didn't have a problem til the 1950s.

@Liggio. I appreciate the kind words; I try to keep some good topics going on.


I'm not familiar with the mafia bloodlines website but I will check it out.

@Giacomo_Vacari

Thanks for the response; What was the Newark family that you are talking about? Thomas Lucchese had issues with them?

Weren't Mangano; Profaci and Joe Bonanno in control of the commission for a few decades? Those 3 were friends also. I'm surprised Profaci and Bonanno didn't avenge their old friend Mangano when he went missing. Any idea why?

Don't forget from the earliest days there was also ties to Detroit Family through Castellammare del Golfo.

@Hollander

I forgot about that.

Profaci/Bonanno was a deadly combination together. I think their underrated..

Everyone talks about the Carlo Gambino/Thomas Lucchese alliance alot but IMO; I think Profaci/Bonanno was more powerful...

They had more connections in the "old country".

What is everyone opinion?

Not issues with Newark, he had an issue with Joe Profaci who cost a few of Lucchese men to lose business, Lucchese was able to get some value as he took in Sam and Benny into his family via transferring membership, but Profaci still never made it right with Lucchese. Then there is Detroit where both were jocking for favors, but Joe had more pull. Profaci was also a greedy boss where Lucchese didn't demand so much nor did he starve his own men. Then there is also the story of Profaci keeping guys from getting made in his family who should have and preventing associates from being released to other families to get made.

So Joe Profaci and Thomas Lucchese had issues steaming from the 1930's and 1940's also?

How did Joe Profaci cost Tom Lucchese to lose business? Never heard of this.

Who is Sam and Benny?

Was thre jealousy on Lucchese's part that Joe Profaci and Joe Bonanno were originals and had ran their family for over 30 years?

Settimo Accardi, and Benjamin Pizzolato.

Bookmaking, gambling, trucking industry, New Jersey garment facilities to name the top ones that Profaci cost Lucchese, it just got worse. Then Profaci gave those garment businesses to Bonanno, this right before Paul future Bonanno boss entered the scene. Tommy was more angry at Profaci than Bonanno at the time.

Not jealousy. Lucchese was underboss at the time, but he had more power among the family than Gagliano, so he was never jealous of those two being bosses at the time. It was their actions that angered him.

He actually got along with Joe Bonanno real well until the mid 1950s when Joe was causing problems with Dragna out in Los Angeles for a few months, getting big in the garment industry in New Jersey, New York by out bidding him, and not allowing him the next ones in return. Than when Bonanno became chairman Joe made some questionable moves and did not confer with other bosses in those areas, such as Chicago, Milwaukee, and Los Angeles. The nail in the coffin was when Bonanno tried to have Los Angeles Boss Frank Desimone killed that is a fact with alot of sources backing it up. Bonanno being in on the plot to kill both Gambino and Lucchese holds no water. Gambino was also not sending the messages to Bonanno to come in for meetings to get to the bottom of the matter. This angered Tommy so much that he pretty much let Magaddino and Gambino call the shots on the matter, until Gaspare failed too often in the Bonannos that he appointed Paul with the backing of the other bosses who showed more success until Joe Bonanno returned to New York. By that time Lucchese passed away in 1967, and Bonanno was nearly out maneuvering everyone u
ntil he had the stroke.

As I said it was a series of decisions they made over the years as bosses.