Seven mafia families in NYC? Question for the forum

[sdeitche]

In wrapping up my Purple Gang book, I'm going through some testimony from Nicky Barnes about Matthew Madonna. There was a curious exchange between Nicky Barnes and NJ State Police investigator Justin Dintino during hearings in 1985.

Mr. Dintino: Your main supplier, Madonna, was he connected to any of the seven Mafia families New York City?
The Witness: I think so.

Here Dintino references the seven Mafia families of NY. I was initially taken back for a minute but then wondered if, being from NJ, he was simply confusing the seven families that operate in the Garden State and misspoke.

Or could he have also been including the NY branch of Decavalcante and maybe the Bufalinos (I had read that Russel had an interest in the garment industry in the City)?

any thoughts?

[B.]

He's obviously not referring to this, but the Newark family may have also had a presence in NYC early on. In a summary of Nick Gentile's info about the Newark family conflict(s), they referred to Gaspare D'Amico's family as a "New Jersey-New York" family, though maybe they meant the general area. However, JD found info that Gaspare D'Amico had strong connections to Brooklyn -- whether that was simply friendship to his paesani in the Profaci family or something more we can't be sure.

[PolackTony]

In wrapping up my Purple Gang book, I'm going through some testimony from Nicky Barnes about Matthew Madonna. There was a curious exchange between Nicky Barnes and NJ State Police investigator Justin Dintino during hearings in 1985.

Mr. Dintino: Your main supplier, Madonna, was he connected to any of the seven Mafia families New York City?
The Witness: I think so.

Here Dintino references the seven Mafia families of NY. I was initially taken back for a minute but then wondered if, being from NJ, he was simply confusing the seven families that operate in the Garden State and misspoke.

Or could he have also been including the NY branch of Decavalcante and maybe the Bufalinos (I had read that Russel had an interest in the garment industry in the City)?

any thoughts?

Maybe “New York City” in this case was referring to not just the five boros but the larger metro area. In that case the 7th family could’ve been the Philly North Jersey crew, I suppose.

[HairyKnuckles]

Could be that he included Buffalo and Utica.

[eboli]

In wrapping up my Purple Gang book, I'm going through some testimony from Nicky Barnes about Matthew Madonna. There was a curious exchange between Nicky Barnes and NJ State Police investigator Justin Dintino during hearings in 1985.

Mr. Dintino: Your main supplier, Madonna, was he connected to any of the seven Mafia families New York City?
The Witness: I think so.

Here Dintino references the seven Mafia families of NY. I was initially taken back for a minute but then wondered if, being from NJ, he was simply confusing the seven families that operate in the Garden State and misspoke.

Or could he have also been including the NY branch of Decavalcante and maybe the Bufalinos (I had read that Russel had an interest in the garment industry in the City)?

any thoughts?

Back in the 1960s Senator John J. Hughes and his joint legislative committee were tasked with investigating organized crime - its 'causes, control and effect on society.' During their investigations they identified 108 Cosa Nostra members from the state's 'seven families' operating in New York State. These were the Five Families; Buffalo; and the DeCavalcantes, who apparently had some operations in the city and upstate. Dintino was an investigator on that committee. Here's an excerpt mentioning the seven families.

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[sdeitche]

Thanks for the input.

[Adam]

Could it not just be he misspoke?

[B.]

Joe Sabella was a Buffalo member in the Utica crew, but born in Brooklyn and lived on Staten Island, never lived elsewhere. He was a first cousin of the Falcone brothers which is how he became a Buffalo member. I'd be surprised if they knew about him let alone used him as justification for a "7th family" in NYC.

[newera_212]

I know we're talking about a reference to 7 families made in 1985 - but before Valachi, were any 'regimes' or large crews within one of the 5 known families mistaken to be a separate family in and of themselves?

[Grouchy Sinatra]

Maybe “New York City” in this case was referring to not just the five boros but the larger metro area. In that case the 7th family could’ve been the Philly North Jersey crew, I suppose.

What I was thinking.

Could have misspoke and meant 5 families, or referring to the 7 families operating in the entire New York region. Bruno/Scarfo (Newark), DeCav, + the 5 families.