Who Is Colombo Mafia Family From Netflix's 'Fear City: New York Vs. The Mafia?'
What you need to know about this family of organized criminals.
Youtube Another true crime documentary has hit Netflix, and this time, it's all about the Mafia. In Fear City: New York vs. The Mafia, the filmmakers explore everything there is to know about the Five Families, the most powerful organized crime groups in New York City and how they came to be.
Included in the Five Families is the Colombo family, which goes back to the '20s and may still even be active today.
Who Is Colombo Mafia Family From Netflix's Fear City: New York Vs. The Mafia?
The Colombo Mafia Family has ties to the Gambino Family.
The first head of the Colombo family, Joseph Colombo, was originally working with another group, the Profaci family, when he was ordered to kill the head of the Gambino family in 1963. Rather than carrying out the killing, Colombo took the opportunity to warn the Gambinos, and they ended up forcing the boss of the Profaci family to retire because of what he had done, making Colombo the boss and changing the group as they knew it.
The Colombo family has been accused and convicted of many crimes since the '20s.
Much like the other crime families, the Colombo family has been accused of crimes including drug trafficking, arms dealing, murder, tax evasion, and bribery — just to name a few. They may be the youngest of the Five Families, but they've certainly managed to catch up to the rest of them.
There have been wars and in-fighting inside the Colombo family.
The Colombo family is largely defined by its three wars, which happened when members revolted against other members, including the current boss: thought to be Andrew "Mush" Russo. Over time, it seems these wars have weakened the family, at times causing those involved to be permanently estranged from each other. The third war, in the early '90s, even ended with 12 of its members dead.
Carmine Persico, the Colombo family boss, died last year.
In March 2019, Carmine Persico, who was the boss of the Colombo family at the time, died after serving 33 years of a 139-year prison sentence for extorting millions of dollars from extortion company and for his involvement in the Colombo family crimes. He died from complications of diabetes and was reportedly involved in at least 20 murders.
The current boss of the Colombo family hasn't been confirmed.
Although it's been over a year since Persico's death, the new leader of the Colombo family is uncertain. Andrew "Mush" Russo is thought to be the current boss, and he was released early from prison in 2013 after serving time for racketeering.
It's hard to say how active they may be today.
Given the very nature of the Mafia itself, it's hard to track what the Colombo family is doing today — until more arrests eventually happen, of course. What they're up to now, though, is anyone's guess.
Nicole Pomarico is an entertainment and lifestyle writer whose work has appeared in Cosmo, Us Weekly, Refinery29, and more.