The Mafia Commission, the governing body comprised of the bosses from each of New York's five crime families, has not met in twenty-five years according to testimony last week from ex-Bonanno boss Joseph Massino at the racketeering trial against the Bonanno's reputed current boss Vincent Basciano as reported by John Marzulli for the Daily News:
Massino said in Brooklyn Federal Court that the last meeting of all five heads was just before former Gambino boss Paul Castellano was whacked outside Sparks steakhouse in midtown. "There ain't no commission," Massino said. "The last commission we had I was at in 1985 in November. When Paul Castellano got killed in December of 1985, there was never another commission meeting there." At the time of his death, Castellano was on trial with fellow crime bosses in the so-called Commission Case. The mob heads were all convicted of racketeering and sentenced to life in prison. But Castellano's slaying apparently sent a chilling message to aspiring bosses and they ended the get-togethers.
The boys still communicate, just not so formally.
