One of the Gambino crime family leaders Carlo Gambino led the Gambino crime family between 1957 and 1976. (more) Gambino crime family Written by Michele Metych Michele Metych is a Media Editorial Specialist at Encyclopædia Britannica. Michele Metych Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Jan. 26, 2026 •History Gambino crime family, New York City-based organized crime syndicate with roots dating back to late 19th-century Sicily. It is one of the American Mafia’s Five Families—the Gambino, Bonanno, Lucchese, Genovese, and Colombo organizations—which have historically dominated organized crime in New York City and are collectively called Cosa Nostra (Italian: “Our Thing”). The head of each Mafia family, called the don or boss, exercised ultimate authority over the organization. The Gambino family was one of the...

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