We love to post about Mafia lore, rituals, formalities—the things that supposedly separate The Mob from ordinary criminals, and create “discipline,” “invincibility,” etc. But much of it is myth. Here’s a brief summary of seven of the most common American Mafia myths—and the (often disappointing) realities:
MYTH: Only Sicilians can be “made” into the Mafia. REALITY: Early American Mafia families were almost like clans whose membership was restricted to men who came from the same villages in Sicily, and were most likely related by blood or marriage. But by the Twenties, the Mafia was enrolling non-Sicilians (like Joe Valachi, who was a Neapolitan) because they needed more hands to do their dirty work. Charlie Luciano welcomed non-Sicilians into membership, and even allowed non-Italians like Meyer Lansky and Dutch Schultz to sit with the Commission (though they weren’t members)—he valued money-making ability over place of origin. Luciano’s successors, Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, were from Naples and Calabria, respectively. The most notable recent non-Sicilian Don was John Gotti, whose grandparents were from Naples. Joe (“Donnie Brasco”) Pistone, in his book, “The Way of the Wiseguy,” says the only requirement now is that a Made Man have an Italian father. Sammy (Da Bull) Gravano, in “Underboss,” summarized it neatly: “I guess the public could say mob guys were racist because they strictly deal with Italians. But I think they’re the most unracist people in the world. They’re just greedy. The only color they care about is green, the color of money.”
MYTH: Joe Valachi was the first Mafioso to break omerta. REALITY: Valachi was the first to break omerta on television. Mob guys have always given information to law enforcement, usually to “build capital” with the cops so they can avoid arrest and continue to operate their rackets without interference. They rat out fellow Mafiosi who are rivals for promotion or competitors for choice rackets. Charlie Luciano as a young man allegedly squealed on a partner in a drug deal to avoid arrest.
MYTH: The Mafia doesn’t deal drugs. REALITY: The Mob has been dealing drugs since Day One because, as the Don of Cleveland said in GF, the profits are too big to resist. Joe Valachi and Vito Genovese were in the Atlanta Federal pen together on drug raps. Carmine Galante, future head of the Bonanno family, went away for more than 10 years for drugs. Luciano brokered a meeting of the Bonanno and Magaddino families in Sicily in 1957 to set up a heroin pipeline between Sicily and North America. The famous Apalachin, NY, meeting later that year was called, in part, to bless the traffic in drugs. Even Dons like Carlo Gambino and Paul Castellano, who “officially” banned drug dealing, never looked too closely at where the money came from that was kicked upstairs to them.
MYTH: Mafiosi are made in formal ceremonies in which the guy holds a burning saint’s card, pricks his finger, makes a vow of loyalty to the Don, etc. REALITY: This description came from Joe Valachi, who was made in the Twenties. But not all Mafiosi are made in formal ceremonies, nor is being “straightened out” a requirement for success. Fat Vinnie Teresa, in his book, “My Life in the Mafia,” says that the Boston Mob never formally inducted anyone—“they just called you to the Office one day and tapped you on the shoulder.” John Gotti functioned as a powerful crew chief in the Gambino family for six years before being made. Jimmy Burke (“Jimmy Conway” in “Goodfellas”) was a crew chief in the Lucchese family even though he could never be made because he had two Irish parents.
MYTH: The Don will “take care” of a guy’s family while he’s in jail, as long as he doesn’t break omerta. REALITY: Some Dons do, most don’t. Reason: greed—money is supposed to flow upward to the Don, not downward from the Don. Gotti’s wife and children had to go on welfare when he went to prison for the first time; the second time, his brothers, not his boss, took care of his family. Carlo Gambino and his capos did pay Roy Cohn, one of New York’s most powerful lawyers, to knock Gotti’s murder charge in the McBratney killing to manslaughter--but it was in their interest to have Gotti face only a four-year sentence rather than life in prison. Fat Vinnie and other Mob rats claimed that a major reason they turned was that their bosses abandoned them after they went away.
MYTH: The Mafia built Las Vegas. REALITY: Jewish gangsters—Bugsy Siegel, Moe Dalitz, Moe Sedway, Gus Greenbaum, Longie Zwillman, Meyer Lansky, Morris Landsberg—built Las Vegas. The only Mafia guy who took a major role in Vegas’s early days was Frank Costello.
MYTH: Al Capone put the American Mafia on the map, and was the most powerful Mafia Don in history. REALITY: Capone was never in the Mafia, nor was his “Outfit” a Mafia family. The first Mafia families in America were the Matrangas and Provenzanos in New Orleans in the 1880’s. Don Vito Cascio Ferro, a Sicilian “man of respect,” visited New York around 1902 and helped to form the Five Families. He later returned to Palermo, leaving behind a burgeoning American Mafia while Capone was still in grade school.

Thanks Turnbull.
It's very good!
BTW: You can see Sicilians are better than Napolitano's.
Napolitanos:
Capone=Got his self in jail, cause he draw to much attention. Almost Died in prison(i know he died in Florida but i thought was was sent to home for his bad medical health.)
Gotti= also goes to jail of that reason. Dies in Jail
Valachi= turns informer. Otherwise: died in jail.
Vito Genovese= Was very violent (there are also many very violent Sicilians). Died in jail.

Turnbull,as always your knowledge amazes me!!

Got sick of answering the same questions over and over again huh? I'm sure I'll refer back to this post many times.

Outstanding post Turnbull. Bravo.

If memory serves me correctly (which is always a lottery to me), Luciano's ratting was unorthodox but seen as acceptible becuase it was against someone who wasn't a wiseguy. A fine example of bending mob rules.

I always thought the Don advocating drugs but not near schools in the Godfather was from Boston?

I think it was New Jersey that was most famed for not holding the traditional "made" ceremonies.

Luciano's victim may have been an "unmade" guy. But, our mythological "man of honor" would never cooperate with the police under any circumstances.
Actually, Turi, in the novel it's the Don of Detroit who makes the speech about profits being too big to resist, and keeping it away from kids. The Don of Boston (Dominic Panza) was not held in respect by his fellow Dons because he couldn't keep peace in his town. I always had the impression that the guy who made the speech in the film was the Don of Cleveland, but I'm probably wrong.
Even though I live in New Jersey, I don't know if they use formal induction ceremonies or not--I'm still waiting for my invitation.