Joe Bonanno was one of the founder members of the commission. He helped cultivate the American Mafia in to a national phenomenon. Along with Lucky Luciano, Tommy Lucchese, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese and others they put together an organization that would affect nearly every part of the American economy. After the murders of Joe Masseira and Salvatore Maranzano, the 2 top bosses in New York, Lucky Luciano would divide up the New York mobs into 5 families. Also Luciano and Joe Bonanno put in place a ruling commission where upon the head of each of the 5 families would have a seat and were able to discuss policies and problems in a more orderly fashion.

Joe Bonanno was only 26 years old when he became head of one of the 5 families. There he would find a ready-made family of around 300 men. Joe was close to the Profaci brothers who were head of another of the 5 families and would often invite each of the other to engaging family functions which goes a long way show the respect that would grow over the years as the three mob leaders knew having allies in this world isn't just an option, it's the only option. In the 1930's Joe Bonanno attended some of the most important meetings in the history of Cosa Nostra. Three meetings in New York, one in Chicago, and one in Atlantic City. These meetings were to arbitrate on a national level as mob leaders from all over the USA would attend and sow the roots of Cosa Nostra in America.

As time went by Bonanno became more and more sure of himself, he had many lucrative interests both throughout New York and was always looking for different ways to earn money and as the 50's began to roll by Joe would soon find another huge way to make plenty money. The commission had a series of meetings in the early 50's, one of which was held in a hotel in Palermo Sicily, where they would discuss a number of topics with the Sicilians. Top of the agenda though was how they would begin to dominate drugs trade. In the meantime Bonanno had already been setting his preliminary excursion into the drugs trade. Carmine Galante one of Bonanno`s more accomplished capos had been sent to Canada in order to make some important ties to the Canadian families who became an important link in the international drugs trade. In 1955 Canadian police acting on a tip-off seized 14 kilos of heroin hidden inside the cabin of a cargo ship from Bordeaux, France. This however would hardly make a dent in the amount of heroin sold on the streets of New York, as approximately 50 kilos a month would cross the border from Canada.



Joe Bonanno was a low-key boss he was very much a family man and kept out of the spotlight and let the other bosses soak up the media attention. But in the 1950's the Mafia began to attract attention for other reasons. It started when the Mangano brothers who were head of what became to be known as the Gambino family were murdered. One of the bodies was never found. Everyone suspected Albert Anastasia as he soon took over the huge family left behind by the Mangano brothers. Other bosses too were becoming power hungry as a plot was uncovered by the commission where upon Tommy Lucchese had began to plot against the other mob bosses Anastasia and Genovese. This sent Anastasia off the deep end and became increasingly paranoid killing members of his own family without correct provocation.

Soon Anastasia would become the next victim of power hungry underlings, but by now Anastasia had lost all sense of reason. Carlo Gambino took over the family left behind. During these times Joe Bonanno suffered a second heart attack, and decided to take a back seat by propelling his son Bill to underboss status along with Carmine Galante his other more experienced underboss. Unfortunately Joe was having serious problems within his own ranks due mostly to his loyalty to his son Bill. Joe also became power hungry and had a ridiculous plot to kill the whole commission and therefore take control of the whole New York Mafia. But Joe Columbo a capo in the old Profaci organization told Gambino about the insane plot. A furious Gambino demanded Bonanno to attend a meeting but Bonanno declined and therefore alienated himself from the commission, who had already suspended his seat on the commission. He also failed to attend other commission meetings which angered the syndicate even more.

In late 1964 when Joe was coming out of a restaurant he was abducted at the behest Stefano Maggadino boss of the Buffalo family who had an active position on the commission decreed that Joe had no longer any good reason to run his family and leadership must go no to his son Bill but to Gaspar DiGregorio, Before he was released he had to give his solemn word that he would no longer get involved with mob business particularly territory that belonged to the Buffalo Boss. Soon after he dropped from site. Meanwhile his son continued to have problems in the family. DiGregorio had sent for Bill to attend a sit-down where they could work out a peaceful resolution to the problem, but Bill and his men walked straight into a murder plot that nearly killed him, and so the banana war continued on. The commission was incensed by the actions of DiGregorio and came down hard on him by replacing him with Paul Sciacca but before Sciacca could get his head into the job, Joe Bonanno had returned and the war was definitely on.

The Bonanno loyalists hit the Cypress restaurant in Queens, they blew away three henchmen that swore allegiance to Sciacca. The year was 1966, and in September the commission convened with some of the top bosses at the time, Carlo Gambino, Santo Trafficante, Joe Columbo, Tommy Eboli, Mike Miranda, Carlos Marcello and several other major underworld leaders. They met at the La Stella Restaurant in Queens, and discussed whether or not Joe Bonanno should live or die, he had become a liability to the other commission members. No decision was made that night, the restaurant was raided by police. The next day the commissioners met again and all decreed that Joe Bonanno should die.

In 1968 Joe suffered yet another heart attack although this time only a mild one Joe had already seen the writing on the wall and sent back word that he was no longer able to take an active part in mob business and remained at his home in Tucson, Arizona. But many didn't believe Joe, and the murder plot went ahead. But this time Joe wasn't kidding when he said he won't be coming back, in particular after three bomb attempt's in which all had failed. The biggest threat came when one exploded on his very own patio. Bill also went into early retirement in San Jose, California. And so the once powerful mob family that Joe had once controlled had fallen on bad times. Sciacca proved he wasn't the man for the job and stepped down and Natale Evola would be the de facto don. The message from the commission was clear that no matter how long, or what prestige you enjoyed as a Mafia don, you defy the commission at the cost of your life. Joe was lucky that three assassination attempts had failed and went on to live until he was the grand old age of 97 whereapon he died from natural causes on May 11th 2002, in Tucson Arizona.

Although Joe left a family on the fringes of self-destruction in recent years the current Bonanno family have made a remarkable comeback under the leadership of Joe Massino, and at the moment are enjoying more success in being one of the most influential family`s in New York today.