Some have claimed the title for the head of the Gambino crime family, as purportedly the most powerful of the Five Families, which have included Carlo Gambino and his successors Paul Castellano, and John Gotti. Since then, while media sources have often sought to award the title of 'boss of all bosses' to the most powerful boss, the Mafia has not itself recognized the position to exist.Īmong other bosses media sources have presumed to hold the title include Luciano himself, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. The Commission consisted of the bosses of the Five Families in New York City, the Buffalo crime family and the Chicago Outfit. The Commission would consist of a ' board of directors' to oversee all Mafia activities in the United States and serve to mediate conflicts between families. Instead, Luciano established the Commission to lead the Mafia, with a goal of quietly maintaining his own power over all the families, while preventing future gang wars the bosses approved the idea of the Commission.

Although there would have been few objections had Luciano declared himself capo di tutti i capi, he abolished the title, believing the position created trouble between the families and made himself a target for another ambitious challenger. This provoked a rebellious reaction which led to him being murdered in September 1931, on the orders of Lucky Luciano. When Maranzano won the Castellammarese War, he set himself up as boss of all bosses, created the Five Families and ordered every Mafia family to pay him tribute. Bosses Joe Masseria (1928–1931) and Salvatore Maranzano (1931) used the title as part of their efforts to centralize control of the Mafia under themselves.

The title was applied by mobsters to Giuseppe Morello around 1900, according to Nick Gentile. Frank Costello testifying before the Kefauver Committee.

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