What Was the Mafia Commission?
Quick Answer
The Mafia Commission was the governing body of American organised crime, established by Lucky Luciano in 1931. It consisted of the bosses of the major crime families and resolved disputes, authorised major decisions and prevented destructive inter-family wars. The last known meeting was in 1985. In 1986 the Commission Case RICO prosecution convicted all five New York family bosses simultaneously, with each receiving a 100-year sentence.
Lucky Luciano created the Commission because he understood something the men he replaced never grasped: that the title of Boss of Bosses was itself destabilising. It created a target, invited constant challenges, and guaranteed the kind of bloody power struggles that had just consumed the entire New York underworld in the Castellammarese War. A governing body of equal bosses was more durable, more legitimate in the eyes of all the families, and better suited to the businesslike approach to organised crime that Luciano’s generation preferred.
How the Commission Worked
The Commission originally consisted of the bosses of the five New York families plus the boss of the Chicago Outfit. Over time other senior bosses were added or consulted on matters affecting their territories. Each boss had one vote on matters brought before the Commission.
The Commission’s jurisdiction covered decisions that affected multiple families or that required collective authority to be legitimate — authorising the killing of bosses, resolving territorial disputes, approving new member initiations during periods when all families needed to agree, and handling relations between the American Mafia and its Sicilian counterparts.
Meetings were held every five years in theory, more frequently in practice when major issues required resolution. The Commission never maintained formal written records — everything was conducted through personal meetings and word of mouth.
The Commission’s First Major Test — Dutch Schultz
The Commission’s authority was tested almost immediately. In 1935 Dutch Schultz appeared before it demanding authorisation to kill New York Special Prosecutor Thomas Dewey, who was building a racketeering case against him. The Commission refused — unanimously concluding that killing a prominent prosecutor would bring down catastrophic government attention on all their operations. Schultz ignored the decision and announced he would proceed anyway. The Commission then authorised his murder, which was carried out by Murder Incorporated at the Palace Chop House in Newark.
The Commission Chairmen
| Period | Chairman |
|---|---|
| 1931 to 1936 | Lucky Luciano |
| 1936 to 1951 | Vincent Mangano |
| 1951 to 1957 | Split between conservative and liberal factions |
| 1957 to 1959 | Vito Genovese, Tommy Lucchese, Carlo Gambino |
| 1959 to 1976 | Carlo Gambino |
| 1976 to 1985 | Paul Castellano |
| 1986 to 1992 (unofficial) | John Gotti |
| 1992 to 1997 (unofficial) | Vincent Gigante |
The 1986 Commission Case — RICO Destroys the Commission
The Commission’s downfall came through the RICO Act. US Attorney Rudy Giuliani used FBI wiretap evidence — including recordings from bugs planted inside Mafia social clubs and cars — to prove the Commission’s existence and charge its members as part of a single criminal enterprise. The case simultaneously prosecuted the bosses of all five New York families. All were convicted. All received 100-year sentences. It was the most devastating legal blow ever dealt to American organised crime.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Mafia Commission?
The governing body of the American Mafia, established by Lucky Luciano in 1931. It resolved inter-family disputes, authorised major decisions, and prevented the kind of destructive power struggles that had preceded its creation.
When was the Commission created?
1931, by Lucky Luciano following the end of the Castellammarese War. Luciano abolished the title of Boss of Bosses and replaced it with a collective governing body of equal bosses.
What was the Commission Case?
A 1986 RICO prosecution led by Rudy Giuliani that simultaneously convicted all five New York family bosses using FBI wiretap evidence. All received 100-year sentences — the most significant legal blow in Mafia history.
Does the Commission still exist?
Nominally, but it has not met formally in decades. The last known meeting was 1985. The RICO prosecutions of the 1980s and 1990s made regular meetings effectively impossible.