In this episode series, history buff and mob aficionado Jacob Stoops provides a high-level 101-style overview of the origins of the American mob dating back to its beginnings. We discuss the Castellammarese War, organizational structures, family positions and ranks, as well as basic rules and regulations.

In this episode, history buff and mob aficionado Jacob Stoops provides a high-level 101-style overview of the origins of the American mob dating back to its beginnings.

In our first mobster biography, we profile Gaetano “Tommy” Gagliano, the original boss of what the U.S. Federal authorities would later designate as the Lucchese crime family, one of the “Five Families” of New York City and probably the lowest-profile boss in the history of America Cosa Nostra.