EPISODE · Sep 7, 2026 · 25 MIN

Joe Masseria: From Brooklyn Bootlegger to Mafia Powerhouse

from A History of the American Mafia Podcast: Organized Crime, Mob Families, Bosses, Gangsters, Prohibition, Criminal Trials, and the Rise of La Cosa Nostra · host Podily & Josh Linsk

This episode traces how Joe Masseria, born in Sicily and raised on New York’s Lower East Side, built a bootlegging empire that forged early ties with established crews while establishing his own network. We examine his strategic use of protection rackets, his role in the Castellammarese War, the circumstances surrounding his 1931 assassination, and how these events paved the way for the Five Families and the creation of the Commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Sep 7, 2026

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Joe Masseria: From Brooklyn Bootlegger to Mafia Powerhouse

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This episode is 25 minutes long.

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This episode was published on September 7, 2026.

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