In 1940, the Mangano crime family was one of the original "Five Families" of the New York Mafia, led by boss Vincent "The Executioner" Mangano. [1, 2, 3]
Leadership and Structure
Boss Vincent Mangano: He ran the organization with an iron fist after taking control around 1931 following the Castellammarese War.
Underboss Albert Anastasia: Anastasia served as his nominal underboss, though he also operated the violent enforcement group Murder, Inc.
Consigliere Philip Mangano: Vincent's brother served as a top advisor and key aide within the hierarchy.
Criminal Operations
Waterfront Control: The family held a powerful monopoly over the Brooklyn waterfront, dominating operations along the docks.
Labor Racketeering: Vincent Mangano infiltrated the International Longshoremen's Association, using union control to extort shipping companies.
Tributes and Rackets: The crew extorted ship captains, ran illegal gambling, and operated loansharking networks across their territory.
Internal Tensions
Underworld Friction: In 1940, hidden friction already existed between Vincent Mangano and Albert Anastasia.
Autonomy Disputes: Mangano deeply resented Anastasia's independent ties to powerful Cosa Nostra leaders like Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello, a rivalry that eventually erupted into violence a decade later.