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The Mafia groups that have been hurt the most by turncoats and prosecutions are the Colombo and Bonanno families, each with about 100 members. These groups have historically been "the weakest, most violent, most reckless and easiest to catch," and they may be looking to merge, says Joseph Coffey, a top investigator with the New York State organized crime task force. The combination would probably amount to a hostile takeover, since two Colombo factions are said to be on the brink of a major gangland war. When the Colombos aren't bickering, they're active in businesses ranging from loan- sharking to air freight and liquor distribution. Meanwhile in the Bonanno clan, reputed boss Joseph Massina, 48, is serving a 10-year sentence for racketeering. His brother-in-law is reportedly trying to keep alive the gang's main trade, nationwide drug trafficking, despite a supposed Mafia narcotics ban.
The Lucchese family (members: 125) suffered three leadership changes this year alone. One boss was jailed, while another, Alphonse D'Arco, fearing an internal assassination, has been singing to the feds. An underboss is on the lam, and a 450-lb. caporegime who survived 12 bullet wounds in a rubout attempt last summer has become a government witness. Like the Colombos, the family is now split into two factions. Before Gravano's defection last week, the Gambinos were rumored to be considering a takeover of the floundering Luccheses, whose talents include garbage hauling and stolen-car rings.
The 300-member Genovese family remains the richest, most powerful and least damaged crime group. Experts believe Vincent (Chin) Gigante is still the boss, even though last March a court found him mentally unfit to stand trial. Gigante suffered a blow in October when his talented underboss, Venero (Benny Eggs) Mangano, was convicted of extortion in the window-replacement industry. And federal racket busters have weakened the family's hold on such labor unions as the Teamsters and Longshoremen. But the Genovese gang remains a sturdy symbol of the Mafia's grip on society. As investigator Coffey puts it, "The Mob will never be finished as long as there's a dollar to be made." They'll just be talking about it more.