Colombo - Tell Me A Story
The Colombo crime family is the most recent of the "Five Families" that controls organized crime activity in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia (or Cosa Nostra). The family formerly known as the "Profaci Family" was founded by Joseph "The Olive Oil King" Profaci in 1928 and has since experienced three separate family wars. The first war took place in the late 1950s when Crazy Joe Gallo began to rebel against his boss, Joe Profaci, for taking too much tribute. The war lost momentum in the early 1960s when Crazy Joe was arrested and Boss Joe Profaci died of cancer. The family reunited under Joseph "Joe C." Colombo under his command. After a few years, the second family war began immediately after Crazy Joe was released from prison and ordered Colombo shot in 1971. Colombo supporters, led by Carmine Persico, won the war when he assassinated Crazy Joe Gallo in a Little Italy restaurant in 1972.
After two decades of peace, the third and bloodiest war broke out in 1991 when Victor Orena undermined the imprisoned chief Carmine Persico. The family then split into two separate factions, one loyal to Chief Persico and the other to Orena. The Persico faction attacked soldiers and capos who supported Orena, and vice versa. in 1993, the war was finally over after the death of twelve family members and the imprisonment of Orena. Since then, the family has been repeatedly beset by persecutions, denunciations, and convictions for the third war. Recently, the family turned to a Massachusetts resident, Ralph DeLeo, to lead the family for Persico.
Michael Franzese
Historical tour of the Colombo Crime Family:
Chief (official and provisional) * 1928-1962 - Joseph Profaci (died of natural causes) * 1962-1963 - Joseph Magliocco (forced to resign by the Mafia Commission) * 1964-1971 - Joseph Colombo (died in a vegetative state after an assassination attempt) o Acting - 1971 - Joseph Yacovelli (returned to consigliere) o Acting - 1971-1973 - Vincenzo "Vinny" Aloi (semi-retired in 2008) * 1973-present - Carmine "Junior" Persico (Boss) ("The Snake") (incarcerated 1973 to 1979, 1981 to 1984, 1985 to present) o Acting - 1973 - Joseph "Joey" Brancato o Acting - 1974-1979 - Thomas DiBella o Acting - 1981-1982 - Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico (brother of Carmine Persico, who is serving a life sentence) o Acting - 1983-1984 - Gennaro "Jerry Lang" Langella (in prison until 2052) o Acting - 1986-1987- Alphonse "Little Allie Boy" Persico (son of Carmine Persico, who is serving a life sentence) o Acting - 1987 - Anthony "Scappy" Scarpati o Acting - 1987-1988 - three-man panel of judges: Vittorio "Vic" Orena, Joseph Russo, Benedetto "Benny" Aloi (disbanded in 1988) o Acting - 1988-1992 - Vittorio "Vic" Orena (serving a life sentence) o Acting - 1992-1993 - Joseph Scopo (acting chief) o Acting - 1993-1994 - Board of three: Theodore "Teddy" Persico, Joseph Baudanza, Joseph Tomasello (disbanded 1994) o Acting - 1994-1996 - Andrew "Andy Mush" Russo o Acting - 1996-2000 - Alphonse "Little Allie Boy" Persico o Acting - 2000-2003 - Joel "Joe Waverly" Cacace (in prison, awaiting trial for Dols' murder) o Acting - 2003-2006 - Alphonse "Little Allie Boy" Persico (serving a life sentence) o Acting - 2006-present - Andrew "Andy Mush" Russo
Street Bosses * 1991-1994 - Joseph "Joe T" Tomasello * 2003-2008 - Thomas "Tommy Shots" Gioeli (incarcerated in 2008) * Acting 2008-2009 - Benjamin Castellazzo (sentenced to life in 2009) * 2008-2010 - Ralph F. DeLeo (operating out of New England)
Underboss * 1927-1962 - Joseph "Joe Malyak" Magliocco (promoted to boss) * 1962-1963 - Salvatore "Sally the Sheik" Mussachio * 1963-1967 - John "Sonny" Franzese * 1967-1971 - Charles "Charlie Lemon" Mineo * 1971-1973 - Sebastian "Buster" Aloi * 1973-1977 - Anthony "Abbie Shots" Abbattemarco * 1977-1981 - Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico (brother of Carmine Persico; promoted to acting boss) * 1981-1994 - Gennaro "Jerry Lang" Langella (promoted to acting boss) o Acting -1986-1993 - Joseph "Joey" Scopo * 1994-1999 - Joel Cacace (promoted to consigliere) o Acting - 1993-1999 - Benedetto "Benny" Aloi * 1999 - William "Wild Bill" Cutolo (assassinated in 1999) * 1999-2004 - John DeRoss (serving a life sentence) o Acting - 2001-2003 - Thomas Gioeli (promoted to deputy chief) * 2004-present - John "Sonny" Franzese (free, awaiting trial on racketeering charges in 2010) o Acting - 2009-present - Theodore "Teddy" Persico Jr.
