Angelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno, who served as the boss of the family from 1959 until his killing in 1980.
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Founded by | Salvatore Sabella |
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Founding location | South Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Years active | 1911–present |
Territory | Various neighborhoods in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Delaware Valley, and South Jersey. Territory in Atlantic City, Delaware, Baltimore, Hazleton, Trenton, and North Jersey. |
Ethnicity | Men of Italian descent. Other ethnicities employed as "associates" |
Membership (est.) | 40 made members approx, 100 associates approx. |
Criminal activities | Extortion, bookmaking, loan-sharking, gambling and sports betting, racketeering, corruption, conspiracy, prostitution, drug trafficking, money laundering, and murder. |
Allies | Five Families, Patriarca crime family, DeCavalcante crime family, K&A Gang,Detroit Partnership,Warlocks Motorcycle Club, Philadelphia Greek Mob, the Italian-American 10th and Oregon Crew/Gang, Pagan's Motorcycle Club,Black Mafia / Junior Black Mafia |
Rivals | Hells Angels, various other gangs throughout Philadelphia area, including their allies, occasionally 10th and Oregon Crew/Gang and The Pagans. |
The Philadelphia crime family, (pronounced [filaˈdɛlfja]) also known as the Philadelphia Mafia, the Philly Mob/Mafia, the Bruno-Scarfo family, the South Philly Mob/Mafia, or the Philadelphia-South Jersey Mob/Mafia is an Italian American criminal organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed and based in South Philadelphia, the family primarily operates in various areas and neighborhoods throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area and Delaware Valley, Southeastern Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, especially South Jersey. The Philadelphia family is notorious for its violence, due in particular to its succession of violent bosses and multiple mob wars.
Under Angelo Bruno's reign (1959–1980) the family enjoyed an era of peace and prosperity. During this time, law enforcement and the media started calling the family the Bruno crime family. Bruno became known for his cool-headed and deliberate approach to handling business disputes and preferring traditional rackets such as bookmaking, labor racketeering, and loansharking. A complex dispute involving disgruntled subordinates and territory claims by the Genovese crime family of New York City led to Bruno's murder in 1980. Bruno's death kicked off a gradual decline in power for the crime family and a rise in Philadelphia Mafia violence.