I saw a poster on another thread (may have been IvyLeague, might be mistaken) say that there are nine viable, active families in the USA at the moment. I assume that's the Five Families, Chicago, Philadelphia, DeCavalcantes and New England. Around the Late 1950s there were around 25 active mafia families in the USA, so sixteen families have become extinct in the last sixty years.

My question is what happens when a family dies, how do the last men standing deal with it. Obviously some places wither and die naturally - New Orleans was essentially based on Carlos Marcello and when he died the family quickly receded, added to the lack of made men to follow in his wake. In other places a quick decapitation seems to destroy the structure - I think the Mahoning County busts in the mid 90s that dismantled the Pittsburgh wing of the Youngstown mob are a good example of that.

Whatever the circumstances though there are bound to be made men or wise guys left behind. Do they continue their rackets but as independents, do they get jobs in Wal-Mart, do they try and form a new administration? Are there examples of families deciding to call it a day after a big bust, I can imagine the meeting where no-one volunteers to step up and become new boss, awkward. I also remember a New Orleans cop quoted around the time that there was that 'assassin van' bust saying that there isn't a mob family in NO anymore but there might be a couple of old guys who almost pretend, sit in restaurants reminiscing about the old days and call each other boss and consigliere.

It also must be great for some bookies or pimps etc not to have to wet the mobs beak. I remember reading on of the books about Family Secrets and the testimony of Michael Calarico about Ronnie Jarrett. When the Calabrese crew were sent to prison initially in 1997 Calarico went to Nick Calabrese who told him he didn't need to pay street tax anymore but when Jarrett got out of jail he demanded his cut, culminating in a beating for Calarico. Subsequently Jarrett was murdered, although I don't think a definitive motive was found. Must be a few bookmakers in formerly mob heavy places like Cleveland, Detroit or Kansas City who delight in the (relative) death of LCN in their town,,or do they appreciate the protection from other criminals?

Anyone got any good stories about the aftermath of a mob takedown?

"Operation Buttondown, the code name for the FBI's campaign to crush the Mafia, reduced the number of families operating in the United States from 24 to only nine, FBI officials said. (CNN, 2004)


To answer your question, I think Pittsburgh is a good example. There are at most a few members still living. Maybe only one. We've seen recent cases, typically revolving gambling, that have involved people that could still be considered associates or relatives of deceased members. There's no functioning hierarchy left, and so not much in the way of coordinated activity you'd see directed by a viable family, but still a handful of guys here and there involved in the rackets.

It would probably be best to compare it to the sun going down. It doesn't suddenlygo from light to dark. Likewise, a family dying off is a gradual process. There's no meeting where the remaining members get together and decide to call it a day.

When the last boss die and all the made men are old, other criminals fill the void left by the italians and Ivy league is right: a family dying was a gradual process, the made men that had some guys with them continue as indipendent or if had much money the retired.

It becomes a rememberry. Athing of the past.

San Jose, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Tampa are good examples. Milwaukee is with Chicago, same with Rockford, they were independent, now they are with Chicago. 9 families? I still count Buffalo and Detroit with them to bring a total of 11. In a decade or two, we will most likely hear about a resurrection of the defunct and dying families. Who is to say it won't happen?

If Cleveland or Pittsburgh wanted to rekindle the Organization it would take a lot to do it.

Gambling and the Unions would be a way but the Drugs is the easy way but it would be targeted so quickly that it wouldn't get very far.

Getting sanctioned from New York and/or Italy it would take a lot of effort and a lot of money and tight lips. Very difficult at best. Some off shore gambling operation. It would take time

Doesn't make much sense to just pick whatever families you want or you get what we've seen before where people on the boards are insisting Kansas City, St Louis, Milwaukee, San Francisco and others are still around. Best to go with who would know - the feds. There's some discrepancy on Detroit, so that's arguable, but there's no basis for still including Buffalo in the list.

Those families you listed above as being "with Chicago" aren't around anymore. Besides, the Outfit has little presence outside Chicago and its suburbs now anyway. And we won't see any of these defunct families "resurrect." The closest thing to that was the New Orleans family in the early-mid 1990s or the Tampa family a little later in the decade. But both involved remnants of those families basically teaming up with one or more NY families.

Agree Ivy, but a lot of people seem to forget that many of these guys still have connections to Sicily and Italy. What I was getting at Ivy, is that a made man from Italy might set up shop with a few associates, gets busted and the media says the mob family is resurrected, when in fact it is just one guy with some guys around him. This is something to keep in mind.

LA are stiil active ?

No. Only a handful of members still living and half of them don't even live in in LA anymore.

So not even ny five families crews are out there ?

Tommaso Gambino the son of Sal, is thinked that run what left of the LA family and had ties with frank cali.

having a pissing much with a skunk is not needed ivy. and youre talking with a skunk. i wouldn't have even dignified his statement,

ivy youre too smart to reason with peoplke who are numb

Ivy, youre definitely a good poster, very driven by FBI cases and arrests (not that you need me to tell you that), but youre wrong about Buffalo not being inclusive, sorry its just not dead yet, still viable and still in a recruiting phase. No fanboy here, I just know, and Im not going into what I know, I posted a bunch about a month ago.

responding to this ivy only perpetuates fantasies. kill the topic, it's pointless to discuss.

I also agree with all those families being dead with the exception being Detroit which is somewhat still viable.As for the FBI ,They can't possibly know everything ! without informants they'd be up shits creek without a paddle ! They, The FBI and other LE groups are the same people who have said OC and the 5 families have been reduced to a street gang,have been killed off,have been dismantled a million times over the last 20 plus years. I wish I had a dollar for every time they said that !!

Ligambi went from being the leader of a street gang to the smartest boss philly ever had...lol

Are kidding me man?...A month ago you were claiming you knew all about Buffalo making guys in the last couple years, you need medication.

Yeaa, that doesn't hold much weight in the facts department. If someone came to you for information, you'd have to prove you know what you're talking about, you'd have to prove you and your information is reliable, and "i know what i know, and im not going into what i know", doesn't much work.

Right, so beyond any guys getting caught in any high profile cases, there is no proof a heirarchy exists in Buffalo? Sure, got it. Again, if you want read what I wrote about Buffalo over a month and take it at face value or think its crap, be my guest, either way I could care less.

Good thread, rooster is a troll though.

I certainly do not consider Detroit dead, however. They have a documented hierarchy, functioning capos and made members and associates...that is a family.

They almost have as many made guys as Chicago.

Buffalo though? I dont think so. Dont they have 10 made guys or less?

They probably died around the time Todaro Sr. stepped down imo

No,I reported on what I read online,in articles posted by media sources etc..Whether they were right or wrong I have no idea ? I also said I had been upstate and knew certain people and had been to certain places where people had said so and so was a made guy or connected to buffalo,utica,Rochester which I also don't know if that was true or not,Who knows ?? I'm not looking for arguments or fights, I enjoy the site and sharing info with everyone here !!

@Rooster, At that time I was new to the site and realize no matter what anyone says, It pretty much has to backed up by facts and proof !!

How am I a troll?..Im giving you my opinion just like you just gave your opinion about the family being dead after Todaro stepped down, which is questionable in itself. So because you disagree with someone whos from where the family exists you resort to name calling? This is an open forum, understand what that means and how everyone has the ability to agree or disagree without being attacked. Sounds like this forum is really your whole existence if thats a concept you cant accept.

They have more than 10 made guys as well, so that right there is you trying to lie your way through documented facts, focus Blackjack, I know youre belief in your own made up version supercedes well documented made guy status but you can do it buddy.

And for the record, Id be on all the other threads about the other families if I was truly some fanboy. I know nothing and dont think I know anything about any other family than Buffalo.

JAnthony!!! what's up buddy?

Do you know rooster from Crystal River?

Yes, for sure hes the guy who relocated from Mystic River right? After his Grandpa Paulie had that heart attack?