How does one join the mafia? Is it like a masonic society if your asked to join? It makes you wonder sometimes.

You have to be a white male of Italian blood. Usually 100% Italian but sometimes guys who are part Italian get in. Earners are more valued today then shooters. You have to be vouched for by another member and ultimately go through the formal blood and fire induction ceremony. Usually a guy has been involved in the criminal life for years, and is well known by the family, before he has the opportunity to become "made."

but im talking about an outsider that wants attention from the mafia so he can be them?

No

Seriously....?? Read some books, you need to be an known, an earner and an associate on the books for years before you are even considered for membership.

How do you make your bones today? It seems like the modern mafia is far less violent, that murder is far more dangerous with all the forensics and the rats- so how do modern members make their bones? How do they make sure that an associate isn't FBI without having them actually commit murder?

before being made you are with them for years, they know you very well, often you are also related to some of them by blood
the bosses of the town where you was born know you
in italy to be made you have to be southern italian

Bring them a million dollars that you made with an Internet scam. It's not a bad start.

But all kidding aside, being an earner today trumps your abilty to pull the trigger (although ideally they'd prefer you to be capable of both).

I really like this website. Very informative and I hope to help out the best I can. To answer you're question botz. To join the Mob, your father must be Italian. Most of them have to be able to understand and work the streets, where all of the cash is earned. High leveled members are usually the first to be aware of the money earners on the street. You are also asked by the criminal underworld to precede and join.

Supposedly, in New York at least, the rule was changed back to 100% Italian around the late 1990's/early 2000's. But I think well-connected guys, who are only partial Italian, still get in.

To be honest, as the old bosses have passed away, more cowards are brought into The Mob. They are more careless now and change the rules whenever they like. Some people are now made even though their dad might not be Italian. It's mostly about making money now, which counts. The Mafia tradition actually doesn't mean anything today. Some agree, some disagree.

@Andrew DiDonato

Thank you man, but I don't what everybody is not getting is when I mean outsider for example let me put it this way could a guy be in the mob if he is an orphan but has an italian last name of course but himself is a criminal but has no relative mafia background cause he is an orphan or foster kid growing up not knowing who his parents are. Would a mobster recruit this type of person? And how would an outsider like this background I just mentioned get a mobster to notice who he was?

In the old days they just recruited locally. Neighborhood tough guys. Street gangs were always a good farm system.

Andrew Campos isn't Italian, but he made too much money for them NOt to have him in the Gambino's. He is the only NY guy I can think of without an Italian surname.

Set up a Shy and Book business, pay a lot of money, kiss a lot off ass. Save a lot of cash for a good lawyer because you'll need it!

how you know campos is not italian?
maybe his surname is campo and was americanized in the past

That is kind of a funny question. I imagine here in Chicago it would be near impossible unless you were someone's kid... of if you ran an absolutely huge book or had a staggering amount of money out on the street. Something that would really make it worth it for them to "bring you in."

Who knows when the last "making" ceremony was, though.

An outsider gets known when he has been indicted, usually imprisoned and connects with other associates and made-men. They pass on the word to a captain or above him and say "yeah, this guy is tough, has been indicted 17 times for loansharking". Do you understand what I mean. Also, you don't need a mafia background, the rule WAS, your father HAD to be Italian to become a made-man or goodfella as you might call it. Some captains just rely on someones word, i mean, any guy could lie to a captain and say his father was Italian. He'd just need a good Brooklyn-Italian voice, and have an Italian surname too. Some other captains go a little bit further and strictly enforce and agree with the "Being made, your dad has to be Italian" rule. A few even asked to meet up with their father and asked the dad if he was Italian. As I said, the rules don't mean anything today.

lol.its andy. seen the old man lately?lol.

i don't think they make somebody if they're not sure he's italian, at least on the father's side and its not so difficult to know it
he would be friend with some made guy and he has enough time, years, to know if the family of the proposed member has italian descent, even if third or forth generations

Most guys who are or become made guys have family or friends associated the mob so they would know if they were Italian on their Dads side plus you have to prove yourself which takes a long time they would get to know your family and the when your up for membership not only does your mob family know other members of the other families check you out and if they were curious about you being Italian or not it wouldn't be that hard for them to find out

Even today, they're still pretty rare. Like half a dozen, at most, both past and present.



I don't think that's correct. I believe Campos does have some Italian blood. To my knowledge, nobody has ever been made who wasn't at least partially Italian. Particularly in New York, they wouldn't be accepted by the other families, who have to sign off it. There's also Gambino soldier Andrew Merola, who's given name is Andy Knapik; also having Italian blood on his mother's side.

Andy Catnip had to show his birth certificate!

I can think of Porter,Veasy,and Frank Salleme's son who's dad was himself only half ,

Would Frank Salleme' Jr bethe only known quarter Italian made guy?

John and Frank Salemme would also be 3/4 Irish, 1/4 Italian.


Frank "Cadillac Frank" Salemme - New England Boss (Part Italian/Part Irish)

John "Jackie" Salemme - New England Acting Boss (Part Italian/Part Irish)

Frank Salemme Jr. - New England Soldier (Part Italian/Part Irish)

John "Junior" Gotti - Gambino Acting Boss (Part Italian/Part Russian Jew)

James "Jimmy" Marcello - Chicago Acting Boss (Part Italian/Part Irish)

Charles "Chucky" Porter - Pittsburgh Underboss (Part English/Irish/Part Italian)

Albert "Kid Blast" Gallo - Genovese Captain (Part Italian/Part Irish)

Joseph "Crazy Joe" Gallo - Colombo Soldier (Part Italian/Part Irish)

Lawrence "Larry" Gallo - Colombo Soldier (Part Italian/Part Irish)

Greg DePalma - Gambino Captain (Part Italian/Part Jewish)

Andrew "Andy" Campos - Gambino Captain (Part Puerto Rican/Part Italian)

James "Jimmy" Martorano - New England Captain (Part Italian/Part Jewish)

Joseph "The Nodder" Sodano - Philadelphia Captain (Part Italian/Part Jewish)

Vincent (Filipelli) Philipps - Philadelphia Soldier (Part English/Irish/Part Italian)

Joseph "The Beach Bum" Massei - Detroit Captain (Part Italian/Part English)

John Veasey - Philadelphia Soldier (Part English/Irish/Part Italian)

Robert "Bobby the Tiger" La Puma - Detroit Soldier (Part Italian/Part Polish)

Andrew "Andy Knapik" Merola - Gambino soldier (Part German/Part Italian)

Nothing for nothing, how can someone be part Jewish? It's a religion! That's like saying he's half Catholic!

To be Jewish can be a religion and/or an ethnicity, if I'm not mistaken. But I'm not sure of the exact ethnic connection like with John Jr. being part Russian Jew.

Can the Mafia in USA really be that choosey anymore regarding how full-blooded a candidate is?

Jewish is also an ethnic designation... though many if not the overwhelming majority of Jews also have varied genetic lineage, as most of us do...