Colombo Family
Joe Profaci, boss, and Joe Magliocco, underboss, were the only leaders of the five Families of New York to maintain their positions after the Castellammarese War. He was one of the original Commission members. Profaci (right) also established legal businesses that allowed him to live a lavish lifestyle without arousing suspicion from the IRS.

When Carlo Gambino, Tommy Lucchese, and Vito Genovese staged their coup, they began to support a revolt in Profaci's Family by the Gallo brothers, Albert, Larry, and Joe. They wanted the Gallos to get rid of Profaci and Bonanno. Profaci eventually died, and the new boss, Magliocco, was unable to hold his power over the Family.

After Magliocco's death in 1963, Gambino gave his support to one of Profaci's capos, Joe Colombo, who was soon made boss. Gambino expected to be able to control Gambino, and thus add to his own power. Colombo (left) started an Italian civil rights organization which met with success, and Colombo soon had visions of fame. He was often speaking in public and denying the existence of the mafia, once on the Dick Cavett TV show. The other bosses, particularly Gambino, did not like this publicity. Not to their displeasure, Colombo was shot by a lone black gunman at a rally.

Carmine "Junior" Persico (right) took over. In the mid-1980s, Persico received a 100 year sentence in the Commission trials and Vic Orena became acting boss. Orena was convicted of racketeering and murder in 1992. There was great dissention and, in fact, warfare between Persico supporters and Orena supporters. When the gunsmoke cleared, Persico's choice, Andy Russo, became boss, however he has now been sentenced to serve 57 months for jury tampering. Persico's son, Alphonse "Allie Boy" Persico is the current boss. At this time, however, he also is being brought up on federal charges.