Gambino Crime Family

The Gambino crime family is an organized crime syndicate based in New York City, commonly thought of as part of the Italian Mafia.

1. Base of operations: New York, New York
2. Active: 1931 to present
3. Ethnicity: Sicilian, Sicilian-American, Italian, Italian-American
4. Former heads: Carlo Gambino, Frank Castellano, John Gotti
5. Prominent figures: Sammy Gravano, Peter Gotti, Frank DeCicco
6. Trafficked in drugs when other families would notCrime library: The Gambino Crime Family and the Castellammarese War

The Gambino crime family received its name from Carlo Gambino, a mobster who ascended to the post after engineering the murder of his superior, Albert Anastasia, in 1957. Unlike other crime families that scorned drug trafficking, Gambino helped pioneer his organization's entry into the lucrative business in the late 1950s. The Gambino family also became active in scores of legitimate businesses which were used as "fronts" for illegal activities, and the family infiltrated the Teamsters Union and the trash disposal business in all five boroughs of New York City.Crime library: The Gambino Crime Family and the Castellammarese War

In the 1970s, Carlo Gambino's health began to fail and he was replaced by Frank Castellano. Castellano was an unpopular head of the family, and in 1985, he was assassinated by a rival faction of the family, headed by John Gotti, outside Sparks Steak House in Manhattan. Gotti became the new boss of the Gambino crime family.Crime library: The Gambino Crime Family and the Castellammarese War

While Gotti's takeover of the family was welcomed by many in the organization, he was recorded plotting crimes via wiretaps, and in 1992, he was sentenced to life in prison. Gotti continued to rule his family from prison, but by the time of his death in 2002, the family was a shell of its former self.Crime library: The Gambino Crime Family and the Castellammarese War

• The Gambinos are of the infamous "5 Families" of the New York Mafia. The others are:

1. The Luccheses:
   • Founded in 1931 by Gaetano GaglianoAskMen.com: The 5 Families of New York
   • Alleged Boss: Victor AmusoNew York Magazine: New York's Mob Families (January 10, 2005)
2. The Bonannos
   • Basis for the crime syndicate in Donnie BrascoAskMen.com: The 5 Families of New York
   • Alleged Boss: Joseph MassinoNew York Magazine: New York's Mob Families (January 10, 2005)
3. The Colombos
   • Formed in 1928AskMen.com: The 5 Families of New York
   • Formerly known as the Profaci Family
   • Alleged Boss: Carmine Junior PersicoNew York Magazine: New York's Mob Families (January 10, 2005)
4. The Genoveses
   • Known as the "Ivy League of Organized Crime"AskMen.com: The 5 Families of New York
   • First official Boss was Lucky LucianoTruTV.com: The Genovese Family
   • Alleged Boss: Vincent GiganteNew York Magazine: New York's Mob Families (January 10, 2005)