Joe Masseria
Mafia boss who led the Genovese family and died in the Castellammarese War.
Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria was an Italian-American Mafia boss in New York City. Born in Sicily in 1886 to a family of tailors, he immigrated to the United States in 1902 and joined the Morello crime family, operating in Harlem and parts of Little Italy. By the early 1920s, he was vying for power against boss Salvatore D'Aquila, a conflict marked by violent attempts on Masseria’s life. In 1922, after surviving a shooting in which bullets pierced his straw hat, he gained a reputation as a man who could dodge bullets. His rival Umberto Valenti was murdered shortly afterward, reportedly by Masseria’s gunman Charles “Lucky” Luciano, and Masseria became known as “Joe the Boss.” He took over the Morello family and, after D’Aquila’s death in 1928, was selected as the new capo dei capi. As leader, he demanded monetary tributes from other gangs and was accused of orchestrating several murders. This aggression sparked the Castellammarese War in 1930 against Salvatore Maranzano’s faction. Masseria’s consigliere, Giuseppe Morello, was killed in August 1930. The war ended when Luciano, in a secret deal with Maranzano, lured Masseria to a Coney Island restaurant on April 15, 1931, where he was murdered by a group of gunmen. His death cleared the way for a reorganization of the Mafia into the Five Families.
- died
- April 15, 1931, in Coney Island, New York City
- nationality
- Italian-American
- known_for
- Boss of the Genovese crime family; central figure in the Castellammarese War; mu
Lore & Background
During the mid-1920s, Masseria expanded his bootlegging, extortion, loansharking, and illegal gambling rackets throughout New York. To operate and protect these rackets, he recruited many ambitious young mobsters, including future heavyweights Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Frank Costello, Joseph "Joey A" Adonis, Vito Genovese, and Albert Anastasia. Luciano soon became a top aide in Masseria's organization. By the late 1920s, Masseria's main rival was boss Salvatore Maranzano, who had come from Sicily to run the Castellammarese clan. Their rivalry escalated into the Castellammarese War. As the war turned against Masseria, Luciano, seeing an opportunity to switch allegiance, decided to eliminate him in 1931. In a secret deal with Maranzano, Luciano agreed to engineer Masseria's death in return for taking over his rackets and becoming Maranzano's second-in-command. Adonis had joined the Masseria faction, and when Masseria heard about Luciano's betrayal, he approached Adonis about killing Luciano. However, Adonis instead warned Luciano about the murder plot.
Reader's Guide
Masseria's significance lies in his role as a dominant Mafia boss during a turbulent period. He took over the Morello family after the murder of Umberto Valenti on August 11, 1922. On April 15, 1931, Masseria was killed at Nuova Villa Tammaro, a Coney Island restaurant, while playing cards with Luciano, who allegedly excused himself to use the bathroom, when four gunmen (Anastasia, Genovese, Adonis, and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel) shot Masseria to death, then escaping in a car driven by Ciro "The Artichoke King" Terranova. It was reported that Terranova was too nervous to drive, so Siegel took the driver's seat and drove the car out of the crime scene. With Maranzano's blessing, Luciano became his lieutenant and took over Masseria's gang, ending the Castellammarese War. Masseria's death marked the end of the war and a shift in Mafia power, leading to the reorganization of the Italian-American gangs into Five Families headed by Luciano, Joe Profaci, Tommy Gagliano, Vincent Mangano, and Maranzano himself.
Did You Know?
- Masseria was killed at Nuova Villa Tammaro, a Coney Island restaurant, while playing cards with Luciano, who excused himself to use the bathroom just before the shooting.
- The four gunmen who shot Masseria were Albert Anastasia, Vito Genovese, Joseph Adonis, and Benjamin 'Bugsy' Siegel.
- Ciro 'The Artichoke King' Terranova was supposed to drive the getaway car but was too nervous, so Siegel took the wheel.
- Masseria's murder was part of a secret deal between Luciano and rival boss Salvatore Maranzano to end the Castellammarese War.
- After Masseria's death, Luciano took over his gang and became Maranzano's second-in-command.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Joe Masseria?
Joe Masseria, nicknamed 'Joe the Boss,' was an Italian-American Mafia leader born in Sicily in 1886 who ran the New York-based Genovese crime family from 1922 until his death in 1931.
What was Joe Masseria's role in organized crime?
He served as the head of the Genovese family in New York City and was a dominant player in the Castellammarese War, a brutal power struggle over who would control the city's criminal operations.
How did Joe Masseria die?
Masseria was shot and killed on April 15, 1931, at a beachfront restaurant in Coney Island, New York City. The hit was carried out on the orders of his own lieutenant, Charles 'Lucky' Luciano, effectively ending the Castellammarese War.
What was the Castellammarese War?
It was a violent conflict in the late 1920s and early 1930s among rival Mafia factions in New York over control of the city's criminal operations. Masseria stood at the center of this war, and his assassination in 1931 brought it to a close.
Why is Joe Masseria important in Mafia history?
His murder by his own lieutenant marked the transition from old Sicilian-style Mafia leadership to the more modern, organized structure that Luciano and others would build. Masseria's death is widely regarded as the turning point that reshaped the American underworld.
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