In 1940, the Gagliano family, operating quietly as one of New York City’s original Five Families under the leadership of Tommy Gagliano.
Leadership and Secrecy
Low Profile: Tommy Gagliano was a reclusive boss who avoided public attention and rarely appeared in the news or police records.
Proxy Operations: “Tommaso Gagliano passed his orders to his soldiers through Gaetano Lucchese and other people in his close circle that he trusted.”, as noted in historical profiles.
Underboss Tommy Lucchese: Known as "Three-Finger Brown," Lucchese acted as the public face and dynamic operator of the family.
Business and Rackets
Labor and Industry: The syndicate exerted strong control over labor unions and trade associations within New York's garment and trucking sectors.
Wartime Rackets: The family profited from illicit schemes, including the black-market distribution of ration stamps, sugar, and meat as the decade progressed.
The Commission: Gagliano represented his organization on The Commission, the governing body of the American Mafia.
If you would like to know more, I can detail:
Tommy Lucchese's role in the garment district
The origins of the family from the Castellammarese War