Lucchese Crime Family - Allied Criminal Groups

Allied Criminal Groups

• The Lucchese-Gambino-Genovese alliance (1953–1985) between Tommy Lucchese, Carlo Gambino and Vito Genovese began with a plot to take over the Mafia Commission by murdering family bosses Frank Costello and Albert Anastasia. At that time, Gambino was Anastasia's new underboss and Genovese was the underboss for Costello. The first target of the conspiracy was Costello. On May 2, 1957 gunmen attempted to kill Costello on a New York street. Costello survived the assassination attempt, but immediately decided to retire as boss in favor of Genovese. The conspirators' second target was Anastasia. On October 25, 1957, the Gallo brothers (from the Colombo family) murdered Anastasia in a Manhattan barber shop, allowing Gambino to become boss of Anastasia's family. After he assumed power, Gambino started conspiring with Lucchese to remove their former ally Genovese. After the disastrous 1957 Apalachin meeting of mob leaders in Upstate New York, Genovese lost a great deal of respect in the Commission. In 1959, with the assistance of Luciano, Costello, and Meyer Lansky, Genovese was arrested. Gambino and Lucchese assumed full control of the Mafia Commission. Under Gambino and Lucchese, the Commission pushed rival Bonanno boss Joseph Bonanno out of power, triggering an internal war in that family. In the 1960s, the Commission backed the Gallo brothers in their rebellion against Profaci family boss Joe Profaci. In 1962, Gambino's oldest son Thomas married Lucchese's daughter Frances, strengthening the Gambino-Lucchese alliance. Lucchese gave Gambino access into the rackets at the New York airports rackets he controlled and Garment District rackets, Gambino allowed Lucchese into some of their rackets. After Lucchese death in July 1967, Gambino used his power over the Commission to make Carmine Tramunti the boss of the Lucchese family. Gambino continued the alliance with Tramunti's successor, Anthony Corallo. After Gambino's death, the new Gambino boss Paul Castellano continued the alliance with Corallo. In 1985, the Gambino-Lucchese alliance finally dissolved after Gambino capo John Gotti ordered Gambino boss Paul Castellano's assassination without Commission approval.

• The Lucchese-Genovese alliance (1986–present) The new alliance started in 1986 with Amuso and Genovese boss Vincent Gigante teaming up against Gambino boss John Gotti. Gotti had ordered the murder of Gambino boss Paul Castellano who also led the Mafia Commission. The Castellano murder started between the Gambino family and the Genovese and Lucchese families. To avenge Castellano, the alliance ordered the killing of Gambino underboss Frank DeCicco. However, the alliance failed its attempts to kill Gotti. The Lucchese-Genovese alliance is still strong today, with the two families cooperating on deals around New York City. Joseph DiNapoli a member of the family's three man ruling panel has two brothers in the Genovese crime family; Vincent "Vinny" DiNapoli, a captain, and Louis DiNapoli, a soldier in Vincent's crew.

• The Lucchese-Gambino alliance (1999–present) The new alliance between the families started in 1999 when acting boss Steven Crea teamed up with several Gambino capos. The mobsters extorted millions of dollars from the construction industry in bid-rigging scams. In early 2002 Lucchese capo John Capra worked with Gambino acting boss Arnold Squitieri, acting underboss Anthony Megale and acting Capo Gregory DePalma. The group was involved in illegal gambling and extortion activities in Westchester County, New York. The members were arrested in 2005 leaving to reveal that DePalma had allowed FBI agent Joaquin Garcia (known as Jack Falcone) to work undercover with his crew since 2002. In late 2008 Gambino capo Andrew Merola teamed with Lucchese’s Jersey faction acting Boss Martin Taccetta in an illegal gambling ring, extorting money from labor unions and car dealerships. In 2008, Merola was indicted and Taccetta was sent back to prison in 2009.

• The Lucchese-Lepke alliance (1920s-1944) started with Tommy Lucchese and Louis "Lepke" Buchalter extorting payments from garment makers in New York's Garment District. During the 1930s, Lepke was one of the most powerful Jewish gangsters in New York City. With his allies Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel, Lepke fought for control over Jewish neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn and together formed Murder, Inc. Lepke would fall when his trusted Brownsville crew leader, Abe "Kid Twist" Reles, became a government witness and testified against Lepke in a murder trial. On March 4, 1944, Lepke was executed by electrocution. After Lepke's execution, Tommy Lucchese took over Lepke's rackets in the Garment District and Brownsville.