The New York Mafia has undergone plenty of change over the last few decades but the Perisco families control of the Colombo crime family has remained.
Colombo family boss Carmine Persico has been able to maintain his grip on the Cosa Nostra family since he took control back in the 1970s even though he has spent much of his life behind bars. Loyal underlings and deep families ties have allowed Carmine to remain the official boss of the family for approx forty years but could the Persico era finally be coming to an end. Some of the NY Mafia families have enjoyed a bit of a resurgence over the last few years under new leaderships aided by a decrease in FBI scrutiny due to the fight against terrorism. But the Colombo family has seemingly been unable to take advantage of these developments and remains the weakest of the five families.
“Carmine Persico”
The future of the Colombo family may hinge on its ability to break away from the past and bring about an end to the reign of the Persico family. Carmine also known as “Junior” or “The Snake” was in his prime as a mafia boss when he was sentenced to 100 years behind bars after being convicted in the infamous Mafia Commission trail back in 1986. The then 56-year-old mobster had already been the boss of the family for about 14 years and was gaining in power and influence. When he went to prison he invoked his right to retain the title of boss in an effort to make sure he not only maintained control but that lucrative family profits continued to be kicked up to him. He needed someone on the streets he could trust so be immediately appointed his older brother Alphonse “Allie Boy” Persico to acting boss.
But Allie Boy’s reign would be a short one because he skipped bail on loansharking charges a year after being promoted. Carmine wanted to keep a blood relative atop the family but his son Alphonse “Little Allie Boy” Persico has been convicted in the Colombo Trial in 1986 so he named capo Victor “Little Vic” Orena as acting boss. Orena’s appointment was only intended to be a temporary one until Allie Boy was paroled and was able to take the reigns. But by 1990 Orena’s loyalty to Persico had deteriorated and he believed the family was missing out on lucrative opportunities under Persico. He decided to make a move to take control of the family using his ties to the powerful Gambino family and then boss John Gotti. But in an effort to avoid bloodshed the Commission refused to recognize him as the new boss.
Orena began to seek approval to take over from inside his own family but consigliere Carmine Sessa alerted Periso to the ongoing coup. Persico ordered a hit on Orena that was eventually botched leading to the start of the third bloody Colombo family war. By the time the war ended in the early 1990s at least 12 members had turned informant including high profile mobsters like Sessa mostly in an effort to save their own lives. When the dust had settled more than 58 members and associates including 42 from the Persico faction and 16 from the Orena faction were behind bars including Orena himself who was convicted on RICO charges and himself sentenced to 100 years. Carmine’s fight to keep control of the organized crime family almost led to it being dissolved by the Mafia commission.
Little Allie Boy eventually took over as boss after being paroled in 1995 and Carmine once again had the blood relative he wanted in control on the streets. But his reign ended after ordering the murder of then underboss William “Wild Bill” Cutolo because he had supported Orena during the war. Cutolo’s son would agree to wear a wire for the feds in an effort to seek revenge and collected enough evidence to send Little Allie Boy and underboss John “Jackie” DeRoss to prison for life on RICO charges. The family would go on to appoint several street bosses including Joel “Joe Waverly” Cacace, Thomas “Tommy Shots” Gioeli, Ralph F. DeLeo, and Andrew “Andy Mush” Russo over the years. But the family has been unable to recover from the damage done by Persico’s efforts to keep control and stay atop the power structure.
Many believe that the Persico family era needs to come to an end for the Colombo family to have any chance to recover and begin to rebuild. The recent conviction of Carmine’s son Michael Persico took yet another of those loyal to the longtime mafia boss off the streets signaling what may finally be the beginning of an end for the Persico’s. Carmine is now 83 years old and although he has recently petitioned to be released from prison it seems unlikely that he gets out while he is still alive. It is unclear as to how much influence he actually has on the day to day operations of the crime family today with so many of his family members and loyalist behind bars now but one thing seems clear the youngest of the New York Mafia families needs to turn the page at some point and that point may be sooner rather than later if it plans to survive.
Well I think most agree that the reign of Carmine has done more bad than good for the Colombo’s and they probably needed to break away years ago but they haven’t had the right people in place to get it done. But I think this makes a good point that the amount of those loyal to Carmine on the streets has to be at an all time low so it would make sense that his time officially or whatever as boss is def close to an end. Not sure we see the feds etc recognize anyone else as new official boss until after Carmine is dead and gone but it seems like its time for someone else to push aside the Persico influence and take things in a new direction but question remains do they have the talent with in the family to actually do it.
I’m not a Suck Up, but trust @Mafia @Bellamo and your opinion. Now, Persico has been able to keep his power not only b/c he won’t relenqish it but b/c many of his Cronies were still Active. My question is How many still remember him and REALLY want him? And, who amongst current “Commision”/other Families would “fight” someone “taking” Title from Persico? Especially since i don’t think a 4th War would be coming or tolerated. Sorry about so many questions,but know one of you can give opinion on one/all of them
I don’t think any one currently from the other families would make any kind of move or raise and real fuss over a qualified guy from the Colombo family making a move to take control. As you mentioned there can’t be all that many guys on the streets now that even remember Carmine much less would go to war over him keeping his stripes. I think question is does the Colombo family have that qualified person right now in its ranks that can take over and push the family into a new era.
I agree with John. I don’t think any other family cares at this point about Persico. They care about money. Also every bust these days seems to be multiple families working together. So this tells me family lines are not as hardly drawn anymore. It’s really about who you can earn with. As for commision, I don’t think it exist in the traditional sense any longer. I do believe top level guys meet and get other families approval on schemes, disputes etc. I don’t believe there is a boss of bosses or formal meetings anymore.
For me that seems to make the most sense and seems the way the mob has sort of transitioned to some extent of late. There is more money to be made working with other families than drawing lines and avoiding them altogether.
Whats this other dude on about with Merasco, Amato Crime Families??? Have you heard of this or is he just some Troll?
Merasco, Andrew Marasco is apparently running things in Ohio. Only connection I can make from that. Amato? No idea!
Yea hmmm I am not real sure where that came from or where he is going with it.
Good times !!!
Assuming troll
No troll. Their are no G’s of the NYC 5. The 5 are Colombo, Amato, Marasco, Bonanno, and Lucchese. New age dawning. Ages for people are 20 to 75. No ratting like what Lucchese’s had to deal with. Me and Andrew “Brain Freeze” Marasco just met. Since 2011 omerta. As far as Amato; against DeMeo crew. Baldassare “Baldo” Amato serving life. Frank Amato was murdered by the DeMeo crew. Marasco dislikes DeMeo; although same commission rules. He usually runs things out of in NYC. No more Gambino and Genovese crime families. Or Gotti. Period.
ahhhh ooooooooook. i really dont know what your talking about no more Gambino and Genovese famililes….
Dude, shut up.
With two of Carmine’s sons behind bars is it a possibility the third son Lawrence Persico might make a power grab for control of the family?
Have never really seen anything that would indicate that Lawrence had any kind of real sway with in the Colombo family or was ever that involved but when it comes to the Persico’s you never know.
So the big question would be “Is there a proper functioning Commission “? There has been several articles and discussions about the current state of The Commission. There have been claims made that there is no longer a Commission! I dont believe that The Commission just no longer exists. Even with the current state of LCN basically being a shell of its former status nationwide and several of the smaller Families defunct. There is still more than enough Wiseguys running amok that toes get stepped on and problems arise as they always have. I can’t see all these issues or business arrangements being ironed out by a bunch of random Sit Downs. It may be a less organized and structured Commission then in the past but I figure there has to be some type of Body in place to Oversee whats left of LCN in America. The flip side of that is this might just be the time for Regime change in The Columbos without having to worry about approval from The Commission. I wouldnt be surprised if whatever version of a Commission thats in place might not care or even want to be involved with who runs that Family. Especially if a new Boss was chosen that flies under the radar and brings it back to a more secretive operation like some of the other Families seem to be doing. Get a new Administration and go back to the old school ways, induct some new guys who are shrewd. Not a bunch of spoiled Italian Jersey Shore type clowns. Who knows maybe they’re just cursed, seens like they have always been fairly dysfunctional. There have been a lot of brutal heavy hitters in that Clan but seems like a constant state of internal chaos for them over the years. Maybe that idiot Shellackhead can take over once he is done with his reality TV Show. What a complete Embarrassment. Snitches on Family. Leaves Wit-Sec and goes on TV. No wonder juries don’t believe the Government Witnesses anymore…
I don’t think the Commission as it was before exist now but I wouldn’t be surprised of there was still meeting between some of the various leaders to settle certain beefs and or to make decisions pertaining to certain rackets. But I don’t think the leaders of the other families would put up a fight if someone made a move to unseat Carmine and take control they have enough problems of their own. Carmine’s grip on the family definitely isn’t what it once was and if the Colombo’s actually have anyone in the family that is capable of leading and moving the family ahead in a better and more organized direction than it has been in last 10-15 years then the rest of the NY families probably could care less and may even end up backing such a move.
There is a commission. The 5 of NYC have changed. They are Colombo, Amato, Marasco, Bonanno, and Lucchese. F.B.I. fail to recognize and have people post. I am a capo of Andrew Marasco’s. We met each other in 2004, 2007, and 2011.
Amato, Marasco (?)