The Men Who Ruled New York’s Mafia | American Godfathers: The Five Families

For decades, the Five Families thrived behind a wall of secrecy known as Omertà, the Mafia's sacred code of silence. But in 1963, one man changed everything. When Genovese soldier Joseph Valachi broke Omertà and testified before the U.S. Senate, he exposed the inner workings of Cosa Nostra to the world for the first time. Suddenly, the Mafia's secret rituals, hierarchy, murders, and leadership structure were no longer hidden. This episode follows the turning points that transformed organized crime in America: Valachi's historic testimony, Vito Genovese's rise to power, Joe Bonanno's narcotics empire, Joe Colombo's media campaign, the assassination of Crazy Joe Gallo, John Gotti's celebrity lifestyle, and the growing pressure from federal investigators. Discover how publicity, greed, narcotics trafficking, informants, and internal rivalries weakened the Five Families from within and ultimately changed the future of organized crime in New York City. Featuring: Joseph Valachi Vito Ge