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When was the height of the Mafia? #860427
09/18/15 01:35 PM 09/18/15 01:35 PM
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 70
D
Don_Alfonso Offline OP
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Don_Alfonso  Offline OP
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Around what decade would you say the American Italian Mafia hit the peak of its power and influence? I would say the 1960s myself, but the Gambinos were huge until Gotti - Castellano was doing business even as far as the Middle East and there were 25 or so Capos and around 500 soldiers when he was killed.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860429
09/18/15 01:46 PM 09/18/15 01:46 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 2,734
Larry's Bar
Giacomo_Vacari Offline
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Giacomo_Vacari  Offline
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Posts: 2,734
Larry's Bar
The 1950s. A lot of people would say the 1960s, but in the 50s there was no spot light on them till after Appalachian in 1957.

"I have this Nightmare. I'm on 5th avenue watching the St. Patrick's Day parade and I have a coronary and nine thousand cops march happily over my body." Chief Sidney Green
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860431
09/18/15 02:14 PM 09/18/15 02:14 PM
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,062
J
JCrusher Offline
Underboss
JCrusher  Offline
J
Underboss
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 3,062
It really wasnt until the the early 80s that the mob started to weaken. Even in the 60s and 70s they were just as powerful
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860453
09/18/15 06:53 PM 09/18/15 06:53 PM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 8,534
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IvyLeague Offline
IvyLeague  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 8,534
If we're talking nationally, the 50s were the peak.

Mods should mind their own business and leave poster's profile signatures alone.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860460
09/18/15 07:28 PM 09/18/15 07:28 PM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 3,568
Sonny_Black Offline
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Sonny_Black  Offline
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Technically the 1930s-50s, but it's not like the mob was that much, if at all, weakened in the 60s. I think general attrition is something that started in the 70s and at first only affected the smaller families.

"It was between the brothers Kay -- I had nothing to do with it."
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860466
09/18/15 09:07 PM 09/18/15 09:07 PM
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,434
CT
M
mightyhealthy Offline
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mightyhealthy  Offline
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Underboss
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CT
I'd say the average member is about 5'9".

Oh wow, that was a Moe Tilden type joke. I sincerely apologize.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860468
09/18/15 09:12 PM 09/18/15 09:12 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 5,094
Moe_Tilden Offline
ForeverBotheringIranians
Moe_Tilden  Offline
ForeverBotheringIranians

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 5,094
My jokes aren't that bad.

I invoke my right under the 5th amendment of the United States constitution and decline to answer the question.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Moe_Tilden] #860469
09/18/15 09:24 PM 09/18/15 09:24 PM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 19,513
AZ
Turnbull Offline
Turnbull  Offline

Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 19,513
AZ
The Fifties. The FBI was still ignoring the Mob, drugs were still a relatively minor source of income, and the Mob's penetration of unions was at its peak, and they were increasingly into legitimate industries like garbage and construction. Even Apalachin didn't have a major negative impact.

Ntra la porta tua lu sangu � sparsu,
E nun me mporta si ce muoru accisu...
E s'iddu muoru e vaju mparadisu
Si nun ce truovo a ttia, mancu ce trasu.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860473
09/18/15 10:15 PM 09/18/15 10:15 PM
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 220
BennyB Offline
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BennyB  Offline
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During Costello's time as boss
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Turnbull] #860477
09/19/15 02:41 AM 09/19/15 02:41 AM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 8,534
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IvyLeague Offline
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Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 8,534
Originally Posted By: Turnbull
The Fifties. The FBI was still ignoring the Mob, drugs were still a relatively minor source of income, and the Mob's penetration of unions was at its peak, and they were increasingly into legitimate industries like garbage and construction. Even Apalachin didn't have a major negative impact.


I would add their political influence was at it's peak. You also had involvement in casinos in Las Vegas and Cuba. And they had that window where the Irish and Jewish groups had mostly fallen off but newer groups hadn't really come on the scene yet.

Mods should mind their own business and leave poster's profile signatures alone.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860487
09/19/15 05:05 AM 09/19/15 05:05 AM
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 277
PA/FL
oldschool3 Offline
Capo
oldschool3  Offline
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PA/FL
I agree with the above, except to add the 60's and 70's to that era, as law and other criminal groups still had not reared their heads...only from the 80's onward was there any true scrutiny/pressure placed on LCN.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: oldschool3] #860520
09/19/15 02:52 PM 09/19/15 02:52 PM
Joined: Aug 2008
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IvyLeague Offline
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Originally Posted By: oldschool3
I agree with the above, except to add the 60's and 70's to that era, as law and other criminal groups still had not reared their heads...only from the 80's onward was there any true scrutiny/pressure placed on LCN.


I agree the mob was still very powerful in the 60s and 70s. The decline was gradual, not immediate once it became 1960. Just that the peak was in the 50s. You did start to see attrition in the 70s even before law enforcement started hitting the mob significantly in the 80s.

Mods should mind their own business and leave poster's profile signatures alone.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860622
09/20/15 12:57 PM 09/20/15 12:57 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,350
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azguy Offline
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azguy  Offline
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For money, 1965-1985

"In onore della Famiglia la Famiglia e' aperta"
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860623
09/20/15 01:03 PM 09/20/15 01:03 PM
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pmac Offline
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75-85 alot of the new blood brought in there new schemes. Mass killings them years to .
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860625
09/20/15 01:21 PM 09/20/15 01:21 PM
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Posts: 1,776
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Dwalin2011 Offline
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Dwalin2011  Offline
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I think the 30s-40s were even better for them than the 50s because there weren't even heavy sentences for drugs, in the 30s they usually got off with 2-3 years I think.

Willie Marfeo to Henry Tameleo:

1) "You people want a loaf of bread and you throw the crumbs back. Well, fuck you. I ain't closing down."

2) "Get out of here, old man. Go tell Raymond to go shit in his hat. We're not giving you anything."
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860626
09/20/15 01:43 PM 09/20/15 01:43 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 7,237
naples,italy
furio_from_naples Offline
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naples,italy
I think the peak was reached in the 50s, the slow decline began in 1963 when the witness of Valachi, Hoover could no longer say that the Mafia didn't exist, also in the 60s and 70s the different ethnic groups that had remained under the heel of the Italians,like the blacks and the Hispanics started to come out from the ghettos and to compete with the Mafia in the 70s the Irish with Danny Greene in cleveland and Bulger in Boston create serious damage and almost defeated the Mafia.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Dwalin2011] #860627
09/20/15 02:14 PM 09/20/15 02:14 PM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 8,534
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IvyLeague Offline
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Originally Posted By: Dwalin2011
I think the 30s-40s were even better for them than the 50s because there weren't even heavy sentences for drugs, in the 30s they usually got off with 2-3 years I think.


Except the 30s and 40s were still a building time for them, especially with their involvement in the unions. Also narcotics.

Mods should mind their own business and leave poster's profile signatures alone.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860769
09/21/15 06:41 PM 09/21/15 06:41 PM
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 277
PA/FL
oldschool3 Offline
Capo
oldschool3  Offline
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PA/FL
Despite the lack of law enforcement interest in the 30-40's, LCN had not even imagined its degree of power until the 50-70's.
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: Don_Alfonso] #860796
09/21/15 11:50 PM 09/21/15 11:50 PM
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,047
Philly Burbs
mikeyballs211 Offline
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mikeyballs211  Offline
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Philly Burbs
Yea I would have to say the 50s were their peak bc of vegas, cuba not to mention all the politicaL influence and they actually controlled entire industries.

Id also add that the 60s were close 2nd along w the 40s..I think if u believe the mob had kennedy whacked which I do (not trying to sidetrack thread about jfk just an opinion)..but if they whacked jfk they were so powerful that they were able to actually do it and get away with it..pretty hard to argue when it was at its peak when if u believe it they had the most powerful man in the world executed

Last edited by mikeyballs211; 09/21/15 11:52 PM.
"No, no, you aint alrite Spyder you got alotta fuckin problems"
Re: When was the height of the Mafia? [Re: mikeyballs211] #860810
09/22/15 01:36 AM 09/22/15 01:36 AM
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 999
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mulberry Offline
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Underboss
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Originally Posted By: mikeyballs211
Yea I would have to say the 50s were their peak bc of vegas, cuba not to mention all the politicaL influence and they actually controlled entire industries.

Id also add that the 60s were close 2nd along w the 40s..I think if u believe the mob had kennedy whacked which I do (not trying to sidetrack thread about jfk just an opinion)..but if they whacked jfk they were so powerful that they were able to actually do it and get away with it..pretty hard to argue when it was at its peak when if u believe it they had the most powerful man in the world executed


If the mob whacked JFK they did not do it by themselves. Rogue agents in one or more agencies took part and covered it up.

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