The mean streets of New York are rattled once again following the death of Joseph Gambino, the 84 year old son of top Mafia boss Carlo. Carlo was referred to as the “Boss of All Bosses” amongst the Mafia world, and his son Joseph was a partner in the Mafia run Garment District, which controlled trucking businesses in the Manhattan district, imposing a 7% tax rate on Gambino trucked items which earned them millions of dollars. His older brother Thomas was heading the scam, where both took a plea deal in 1992 and pay a $12 million fine to avoid incarceration. It was estimated the duo earned roughly $70 million and profited $22 million from the scam.

The real hurt was the loss of control of the Garment District which was ran by the infamous family since the 1950’s, ending the line of inheritance.

The Gambino crime family have never been short of drama, or boring for that matter. It began in the early 1900’s in New York headed by Salvatore D’Aquila, and was part of the “Five Families” under “The Commission”, a governing board for organised crime families created by Charlie Luciano. After several 'changeovers’, Carlo Gambino came to power in 1957 following the assassination of the boss at the time, Albert Anastasia, where it was widely speculated that it was Gambino that orchestrated the shooting in the barbershop. Upon Gambino’s death, he appointed his brother in law Paul Castellano as he predecessor, whose murder in 1985 was then later organised by John Gotti, another up and comer mobster.

Somehow Carlo Gambino avoided being linked to criminal activities, avoided jail and successfully ran the family until 1976. This arguably makes him one of the most successful crime bosses.

Following the years on from this, there has been no shortage of assassinations and hits on the Gambino crime gang. In 2015, Gambino crime boss Francesco “Franki Boy” Calli was shot dead in front of his Staten Island home and was the first killing since Castellano’s murder in 1985. This was considered a “disrespectful” murder by the NYPD, as it took place in front of his home.Cali was appointed the boss of the Gambino’s in 2015 given his upbringing in Sicily, and his distinctively low profile in comparison to John Gotti.

So the burning question remains, who is now controlling the Gambino’s? The speculation exists, with various Mafia historians and law enforcement experts believing it could be Lorenzo Mannino, a Gambino capo and a member of the gang’s Sicilian faction. “Mannino is a Brooklyn crew boss who is Sicilian and was heavy in to drug (trade) with Franky Boy,” said Mafia historian Scott Burnstein.

However, there are other rumours that it could be John Gotti’s brother Gene, who was released from prison after 29 years following drug related charges. Others suggest that the Family has now disintegrated, given the current competition and heightened media attention. The New York drug trade is now controlled by Dominican gangs that can ship drugs by land and not sea, with lower prices to that of Mexican cartels according to James Hunt, a formerly part of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The drug trade appear to not be so niche these days according to Hunt, stating ”if you want to get in to that game, your playing with Asians, Russians, Albanians, Colombians. There’s only so many pieces to that pie.”

It appears if you want to be ahead of the game, the boys will have to get crafty and innovative to control the next best thing in the streets.

Gambino Mafia Gang Loses Another Aged 84