Many reputed mobsters have called the Jersey Shore home. After pulling Gambino crime family captain Edward "Eddie" Lino for a routine traffic check, the detectives murdered him on the expressway in his Mercedes-Benz. The Lucchese family has history that dates before World War I to the Morello gang in East Harlem. ''The jury said never, never again should the Government waste the public's money this way,'' said Maria Noto, whose client, Daniel Ricciardi, 33 years old, was accused of selling cocaine. The government case alleged that Anthony (Tumac) Accetturo of Hollywood, Fla., controlled much of the states illegal gambling, loan-sharking, drug-dealing and illegal credit-card operations from self-imposed exile in Florida. In the early 1980s, Baratta was promoted to capo of the "Harlem Crew", controlling the Pleasant Avenue narcotics ring in East Harlem . Joseph DiPalermo (1907-1992) was a member of the Lucchese Crime Family. However, Luongo disappeared in 1986. The jurors had available to them more than 40,000 pages of transcripts and 850 exhibits. Before the French Connection trial, the seized heroin was stored in the NYPD property/evidence storage room pending trial. Furious over the failed hit on Chiodo, Amuso set up D'Arco to be killed at a Manhattan hotel. . One of the biggest secrets was that Casso had been paying two New York Police Department detectives, Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa, to provide Casso with sensitive police information and even perform to contract murders. He worked closely with Gambino family boss Carlo Gambino and earned a seat on the Commission. In 2006 both retired detectives were sentenced to life in prison. After brief prison stints, Lucchese went into the bootleg business with Luciano and Meyer Lansky in the 1920s. The Lucchese family had a stronghold in East Harlem, the Bronx and consisted of about 200 made members. In a double-barreled attack on the Lucchese crime family, Federal authorities have announced two indictments naming 13 defendants in racketeering charges that included a dozen murders,. Amuso has been boss for almost a quarter-century but it is unclear how much influence he had over the crime family's day-to-day affairs in later years. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. During prohibition after years of controlling the ice business in the Bronx, Gaetano became a powerful force. In 1974, after Tramunti's incarceration, Corallo finally took charge of the family. The arrested came after New Jersey law enforcement agencies revealed that through investigation Operation Heat the New Jersey faction controlled a $2.2 billion illegal gambling, money laundering and racketeering ring from New Jersey to Costa Rica. Madonna, the 84-year-old former acting boss of the Lucchese family, was convicted of racketeering conspiracy for ordering the hit over an unpaid gambling debt. During his criminal career he spent many years as Capo in the Morello Crime Family, but by the 1910's the Morello family began to fall into chaos, and the family became weaker. After Amuso ordered hits on Chiodo's wife and sister in violation of longstanding rules against women being harmed, Chiodo turned state's evidence and provided the entire windows operation that eventually controlled $150 million in window replacements, sold in New York City. Defense attorneys claimed the evidence proved no more than that the defendants regularly met for lunch. Tramunti faced a number of criminal charges during his time as acting boss and was eventually convicted of financing a large heroin smuggling operation, the infamous French Connection. For most of its history, the Lucchese family was reckoned as one of the most peaceful crime families in the nation. The Lucchese Family is one of the notorious five families of the Italian-American Mafia, each with its own territory, set up to control criminal activities in New York City. They worked together during the Castellammarese War when Masseria was fighting against Maranzano but when Masseria started demanding tributes, Reina considered changes sides to Maranzano. Steven Crea Jr. faced up to life imprisonment for. Any high ranking assassinations or contracts for assassination had to be voted on and approved by the commission before it could be carried out. The Lucchese crime family is an organized crime family based out of New York that is a part of the Mafia or Cosa Nostra. However, in September 1931 Luciano struck first. As Amuso also sanctioned the hit on Anthony Accetturo, who was on trial in 1990, he also cooperated with the government. Copyright var creditsyear = new Date();document.write(creditsyear.getFullYear()); The 20 defendants, described by law-enforcement officials as ''young, aggressive, intelligent and sophisticated,'' were accused of running a criminal enterprise here and in Florida that included the sale and distribution of cocaine, as well as credit-card fraud, gambling and loansharking from 1976 to 1985, when they were indicted. Amuso made Casso his underboss in 1989, allowing him to exert great influence over family decisions. Most recently the club was a boutique with lime green interior. ''They refused to believe convicted criminals,'' he said. . When Masseria learned of Reinas possible betrayal, he hired Vito Genovese to assassinate Reina. From 2003-2009, a three-man ruling panel consisting of Aniello "Neil" Migliore, Joseph DiNapoli and Matthew Madonna had been running the family. With boss-in-waiting Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo in prison, Tramunti was expected to hold power until Corallo's release. Carmine Tramunti (left) briefly took over the Lucchese crime family. The next boss was Tommy Lucchese, who turned the family around to become one of the most powerful families to sit on the Commission. Lucchese Family. Police seek help:Lakewood shooting: Police need your help. Amuso steadfastly refused all offers from the government to make a deal and become a government witness. - A member of the Lucchese Crime Family was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for planning and carrying out an aggravated assault on the husband of one of the former stars of the Bravo television show "The Real Housewives of New Jersey," Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced. Gagliano's Death Anthony "Bowat" Baratta (born July 3, 1938) is a made man and former capo in the family. Made men (full members) are men of Italian descent. The Lucchese family has history that dates before World War I to the Morello gang in East Harlem. ''Rest assured,'' Mr. Alito continued, ''we will continue our offensive against organized crime and narcotics trafficking, which victimizes the citizens of our nation and state.'' Amuso ordered a hit on acting boss Alphone DArco in 1991, which led him to become an informant, the first major family boss to do so. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. It has been reported that Steven Crea, former Lucchese underboss recently paroled from prison is the new boss of the family. Hector "Junior" Pagan Net Worth: $1 Million Dont get it twisted. In the early 1980s, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) finally managed to plant a bug in the Jaguar. Luciano kept the family structure as created by Maranzano, but removed the boss of bosses in favor of a ruling body, The Commission. Stealing cars:Organized crime ring stealing luxury cars in Monmouth County. List of Lucchese crime family mobsters. This is because Casso, along with the imprisoned Amuso and Genovese crime family boss Vincent Gigante, wanted their rival John Gotti out of the way. Joseph "Big Joey" Lubrano - a capo alleged to have ties across New York more strongly to the Bronx faction. When Lucchese died of natural causes in 1967, Carmine Tramunti controlled the family for a brief time; he was arrested in 1973. Several Jewish assassins provided by Luciano associate Meyer Lansky murdered Maranzano in his office. However, Corallo was convicted in the Mafia Commission Trial of the mid-1980s, paving the way for the bloody reign of Vic Amuso and Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso . They were sentenced to life imprisonment. Vittorio Amuso replaced Corallo as boss of the family in 1987. Anthony "Blue Eyes" Santorelli during the 1990s, he led. The Powerful Lucchese Family Home of Goodfellas, Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo - De Facto Boss of the Chicago Outfit, Giacomo Black Jack Tocco - Last of the Old School Detroit Partnership, Joseph Iacobacci - "Joe Loose" of the Cleveland Mob, John "Sonny" Franzese - A Colombo Family Legend. (*NY Newsday "THE HEROIN TRAIL" Investigative journalism Series), I love reading books and watching sci fi The alliance of Mangano, Bonanno, Buffalo crime family boss Stefano Magaddino, and Profaci used their power to control organized crime in America. Angry over the murder of Gambino boss Paul Castellano, Corallo and Gigante conspired to murder Gotti. They were at the height of their power at the beginnin. From the 1950s to the 1980s, the Lucchese crime family dominated the organized crime world through numerous crimes such as extortion, racketeering, bootlegging and gambling. In the second indictment obtained from investigation "Operation Open House" 12 more Lucchese mobsters were charged with bribery. Togetherthey formed a street gang that operated with the blessing of an East Harlem mob boss. Anthony Corallo then gained control of the family. Most of the wire-tap evidence, however, related only to conversations about gambling and not to other crimes. Aniello "Neil" Migliore was released from prison on May 14, 1997. The Genovese and Lucchese family teamed up and plotted John Gotti's murder. In December 1986, Luongo met Vic Amuso, Anthony . Maranzano outlined a peace plan to all the Sicilian and Italian Mafia leaders in the United States. Between 1986 and 1990, Eppolito and Caracappa participated in eight murders and received $375,000 from Casso in bribes and payments for murder 'contracts'. He previously covered the Pentagon, the White House and, from New York City, the financial industry. DeFede pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to five years in prison. On May 2, 1957 Costello survived an assassination attempt and immediately decided to retire as boss in favor of Genovese. He aligned his gang with Joseph Masseria, who at the time was the most powerful mafia boss in New York. He preferred to pass his orders to the family though Lucchese and a few other close allies. Anyone can read what you share. In 1978, Baratta was made into the family and operated with the Bronx faction. The alliance had Gambino underboss Frank DeCicco murdered but failed its attempts to kill Gotti. Corallo gave the contract to Amuso and Casso. The trial in New Jersey cost millions of dollars, including fees for some defendants' court-appointed lawyers, although the exact cost has yet to be determined. Corallo also enjoyed close ties to the Painters and Decorators Union', the Conduit Workers Union, and the United Textile Workers Union. Corallo was very secretive and soon became one of the most powerful members of the Commission. Gagliano kept such a low profile that virtually nothing is known about his activities from 1932 until he retired or died between 1951 and 1953. When Lucchese died in 1967, politicians, judges and criminals attended his funeral. He dodged convictions so many times; he earned the name Tony Ducks. Corallo didnt speak about business in public but on a car phone owned by his bodyguard and chauffer. He continued to operate as Gagliano did keeping a low profile. Jean Mikle: 732-643-4050, @jeanmikle, jmikle@gannettnj.com, Organized crime has a long history at the Jersey Shore, Anthony Comello, suspect in Frank Cali murder, in Toms River court with 'MAGA' on palm, Organized crime ring stealing luxury cars in Monmouth County, NYPD: 1 arrested in slaying of Frank Cali, reputed Gambino crime family boss. For years, this . On December 16, 1985, Gambino crime family boss Paul Castellano was murdered without Commission approval. Several members turned informant fearing for their lives bringing further pressure on the family. Maranzano won the war in 1931 after Masseria was murdered. Rocco Cagno was the star witness at his brother Ray's trial. In June 2013, the New York FBI office reduced the number of agents, focused on investigating the five crime families to thirty-six agents, divided into two squads. Then on October 25, 1957, the Gallo brothers (from the Colombo family) murdered Anastasia, allowing Gambino to become boss. When the Jersey faction of the Lucchese family refused to give 50% of their profits up to Amuso as tribute, he ordered the entire group killed. In some instances a Ruling panel (of capos) substituted the Street boss role. Other prosecutors suggested that the verdict might have not have been an acquittal had the jurors been given anonymity. At the same time, the Justice Department has been successful in prosecuting the heads of four of New York City's major Mafia families with the testimony of the organized crime groups' former associates. Caracappa and Eppolito are now seen as the main source of 'tension' between these three families during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Ricciardi turned government informant after his 1993 conviction in the Craparotta killing. Luciano now became the most powerful mobster in New York. When Lucchese became boss, he helped Vito Genovese and Carlo Gambino in their fights to take control of their families. Salvatore "Tutti" Lombardino was sentenced to more than 17 1/2 years in prison in 1994 after admitting to participatingin the 1993 slaying of reputed informant James V. "Jimmy" Randazzo in the parking lot of the Tinton Falls Holiday Inn. The Commission was built to resolve all families disputes. Abinanti reports to Tony Ducks [Corallo] on 116th Street [on] behalf of the Vario group." On morning of September 18, 1979 son Joseph Abinanti (28y), a Lucchese Associate, shot and seriously wounded while exiting his car in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. The actual date of "Tony Ducks" Corallo's takeover is in doubt. Chronicles of Events and Biographies Related to the American Mafia. In 1962, Gambino's oldest son Thomas married Lucchese's daughter Frances, strengthening the Gambino-Lucchese alliance. By Jesus Rangel, Special To the New York Times. During the late 1980s, the Lucchese family underwent a period of great turmoil. Amuso and Casso were sentenced to life in prison. Upset that Gotti assassinated previous Gambino boss Paul Castellano, Amuso and Casso ordered a hit on Gotti. Franzese has since then become a devoted Christian and created a foundation for helping youth. On September 21, 2001, Giampa was released from prison. The family originated in the early 1900s under the leadership of Salvatore D'Aquila. Tramunti was making millions each year and the FBI noticed. During the late 1980s the Lucchese Family went through a period of great turmoil. Some of the jurors waved back. Several cried, and one yelled, ''Good luck!'' That all changed when Corallo was sent to prison and placed Vittoria Vic Amuso in charge of the family. Since its inception and particularly during the Gagliano and Lucchese rule, the Lucchese family was known as one of the most peaceful of crime families. This case was hearsay built on innuendo, built on conjecture, built on speculation said defense attorney Brown. 'Increases Our Resolve'. Lucchese continued with Gagliano's policies, making the now Lucchese family one of the most profitable in New York. However, since he was imprisoned at the time, he named another longtime capo, Carmine Tramunti, as acting boss until Corallo's release. His cooperation led to the arrest of dozens of Mafia figures. In the wake of the arrest of Anthony Comello, accused of killing Gambino crime boss Frank Cali, we took a look atthe back stories of the men - labeled organized crime figures by authorities -pictured in the gallery above. Lombardo admitted to shootingIppolito twice with a .38-caliber revolver and then running over him with a car, fracturing his leg, in front of Ippolito's Ocean Avenue home in December 1997. They were in need of organization to lessen the deadly conflicts taking place on a weekly basis. He also reorganized the gangs of New York into Five Families that were headed by Maranzano, Joseph Profaci, Tommy Gagliano, Lucky Luciano, and Vincent Mangano. . In September 1930, Lucchese lured Pinzolo to a Manhattan office building, where Pinzolo was murdered. He was convicted on all charges in 1992 and sentenced to life in prison. The heists were of mainly trucks and airplanes. As a result, the court ordered no leniency for Casso at his sentencing, and he was sentenced to 13 consecutive terms of life in prison. The Lucchese crime family has left fingerprints all over popular culture for the past 20 years. Lucchese crime family boss Michael "Big Mike" DeSantis got to the top of the hill in an unusual way: A letter from his imprisoned-for-life predecessor Vic Amuso. Gribbs Tramunti was part of the leadership that smuggled the drug in. Historically, the five families are overseen by The Commission, which includes bosses from the five families and the heads of the Buffalo and Chicago mobs. ''Unfortunately, this won't deter the Government from pursuing this type of case again,'' Mr. Skoller said. Prisco had been serving a 12-year sentence for arson and conspiracy in East Jersey State Prison; he was paroled after McGreevey's office intervened in the case. Amuso remained boss from prison until 2012. Allegedly both Amuso and Anthony "Gaspipe " Casso were candidates for the job. Frank Gioia Jr. joined the powerful Lucchese Crime Family in 1991. He was released four years later after capture. Similar to the other four crime families of New York City they worked on controlling entire unions. When Amuso went to prison, he chose Joseph "Little Joe" DeFede to be his acting boss. In contrast, Casso quickly agreed to a deal on March 1, 1994 and started revealing family secrets. Federal prosecutors in the New York area have scored major victories in anti-mob trials against the Gambino, Columbo and Bonanno crime families in the last decade, and this trial was to be another milestone in the war against the mob. For one contract, Eppolito and Caracappa kidnapped mobster James Hydell, forced him into their car trunk, and delivered him to Casso for torture and murder. The familys chief criminal enterprises include drug trafficking, labor rackets, extortion, smuggling, loan-sharking, gun running and bookmaking. was a former capo. The Lucchese family is reported to have 100 made members making it the third smallest of the five families in New York. ''The jury saw through everything and did what justice required,'' said Stephen H. Skoller, who represented Anthony Accetturo, 49, of Hollywood, Fla. Mr. Accetturo was accused of being the leader of the organization in New Jersey. During a ceremony in a Queens, New York, basement, Gioia took the blood oath of omert, or silence, about criminal activity. Born in NYC in 1907, he is listed on every Family chart since the 1963 Valachi hearings. His record starts in 1925, and includes arrest's for Bootlegging, Dangerous Weapon, Homicide, Counterfeiting, and Narcotics. . Capra was released from prison on September 10, 2008. When Luciano was sent to prison for pandering in 1936, a rival alliance took control of the Commission. He was shot 12 times, but still survived. A February 2004 New York Post article stated that, the Lucchese family consisted of about 9 capos and 82 soldiers. Hit ten or more times in chest, neck and head. Furious with this betrayal, Gagliano and Tommy Lucchese secretly defected to Maranzano. The short time it took the jury to deliberate took both sides by surprise. The Lucchese borgata had the envied reputation of always being one of the most internally peaceful, well-run, and wealthiest of the Five Families. It lost a case, however, in March 1987 when a jury acquitted John Gotti, the man the authorities say is the head of the Gambino family. Joseph Bonanno (1905-2002) was the longtime head of one of the top five Italian Mafia crime syndicates or "families" in the United States. The crime family has extorted money from the unions in blackmail, strong-arming, violence and other matters to keep their control over the market. In late 1999, Amuso placed a contract on DeFede's life. The defense did not produce a single witness, contending that there was no need because the prosecutions case had broken down on cross-examination. He noted that the government has had much better luck with cases that rely more heavily on wire-tap evidence, which juries find far more believable. December 2001 Manhattan prosecutors charge 12 reputed Lucchese crime family members, including six from Westchester, with conspiracy, assault and racketeering. This assassination attempt sparked a long and confusing 'tension' between these three crime families with many deaths reported on all sides. The three plotted to take over the Mafia Commission by murdering family bosses Frank Costello and Albert Anastasia. Although in prison for life, Victor Amuso remains the official boss of the Lucchese crime family, with Steven Crea serving as the current acting boss. They originated in the early 1920s and beside the Castellammarese War, maintained a low profile under reign of mafia bosses Tommy Gagliano, and their name sake Tommy Three Finger Lucchese. He was convicted on January 13, 1987 and sentenced to 100 years in prison, where he died in 2000. Relied on Wiretaps The Government, relying heavily on wiretaps obtained from a restaurant in the Ironbound section of Newark known as the Hole-in-the-Wall, where the defendants were said to operate, also presented several convicted criminals as key witnesses. On February 26, 1930, gunman Vito Genovese murdered Reina outside his aunt's apartment. From 1931 to 1966, Bonanno reigned over the extremely powerful and corrupt Bonanno family as well as a criminal empire that stretched from Brooklyn to California. The Lucchese Crime Family are one of the five major crime families in the New York metropolitan area. Toms River resident Thomas Ricciardi was convicted of one of the most notorious murders in Jersey Shore history: the bludgeoning death of Vincent "Jimmy Sinatra" Craparotta Sr. Craparottawas beaten to death with golf clubs behind a Route 9 auto dealership in Toms River back in 1984; authorities contended he was killed in retribution for the failure of his nephews - who owned a company that made video poker machines - to pay tribute to the Lucchese crime family. Steven "Wonderboy" Crea's success with the labor and construction rackets convinced Amuso that DeFede had been previously skimming off these profits. Law enforcement eventually caught up with the two fugitives. Former East Hanover resident Martin Taccetta was initially convicted in the 1990s for his role in the 1984 Toms River slaying of Vincent Craparotta Sr. Taccetta's conviction was overturned and he was released from prison. On October 1, 2009, the Lucchese family was hit with two separate indictments charging 49 members and associates with bribery and racketeering. Now law enforcement is watching him closely to see what he does with it. After his release from the prison, the scared DeFede became a government witness and helped the government convict Daidone of murder and conspiracy. The jury had deliberated for 14 hours. The first members included the Luciano family boss Lucky Luciano, Mangano family boss Vincent Mangano, Gagliano family boss, Tommy Gagliano, Profaci boss, Joseph Profaci, Chicago Outfit boss, Al Capone, and Bonanno boss Joseph Bonanno. Hes given up his mob life podcast, but not his life of crime, the feds say. As the 12 jurors were escorted by Federal marshals to a waiting van, the defendants again applauded and cheered and thanked them. He was the first boss of a New York crime family, acting or otherwise, to become an informant. Always paranoid that someone might flip and turn government witness, Amuso and Casso began whacking anyone they deemed at risk of becoming a rat. COVID origins? Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa participated in eight murders from 1986 and 1990 receiving $375,000 in bribes and payments from Casso. The Lucchese family has taken over unions across United States. They are one of the "Five Families" and have a seat on the mafia's Commission. Amuso has continued to rule the family from prison. The familys territory includes the boroughs of Brooklyn, the Bronx and Manhattan. Amuso officially became boss in January 1987, when Corallo, Santoro and Furnari were sentenced to 100 years in prison. Not only was it all but certain that he, Santoro and Furnari would be convicted, but they faced sentences that, at their ages, would all but assure they would die in prison. Amuso didnt stop his murderous attempts on rivals. This scheme was responsible for distributing millions of dollars in heroin along the East Coast during the early seventies. Refused to Believe Criminals. Corallo's ultimate choice was Vittorio "Vic" Amuso. Amuso continued to run the family from prison. Lucchese Family membership chart 1980-2000's; Lucchese Family membership chart 1960-70's; Lucchese Family membership chart 1930-50's; Kansas City Family membership chart 1980-2000's; Kansas City Family membership chart 1950-70's; Kansas City Family membership chart 1920-50's; Genovese Family membership chart 1980-2000's Ironically, these hits caused several family members to actually turn informer. He was arrested and convicted in the famous Commission case of 1986. In the wake of the arrest of Anthony Comello, accused of killing Gambino crime boss Frank Cali, we took a look at the back stories of the . The ruthless duo established their presence with intimidation and violence. Defense attorneys complained that prosecutors alleged drug offenses but produced no drugs, and alleged loan-sharking, but produced no loan-sharking victims. Throughout the mid-1990s Amuso continued to control the family from prison. A gang war in 1930 led Lucchese to form an allegiance with Tomasso Gagliano. Aging Carmine Tramunti apparently continued to serve for a few years as a front for new boss Corallo (right). With the arrest of acting boss Louis Daidone in 2003, imprisoned boss Vic Amuso put a three-man ruling panel to run the family. In 2006, former underboss Anthony Gaspipe Casso still serving his life sentence provided information to the FBI that revealed two New York City police detectives acted as mafia hitmen in the 1980s and early 1990s. Amuso was arrested in 1991 and sentenced to life in prison. There would be 24 organizations (to be known as "families") throughout the country who would elect their own bosses. Although the Commission was technically a democratic institution, it was actually controlled by Luciano and his allies. Wednesday, May 31, 2017. . The Lucchese crime family is an organized crime family based out of New York that is a part of the Mafia or Cosa Nostra. The trial would become legendary as the Mafia Commission Trial. G. Robert Blakey, a Notre Dame law school professor and specialist in organized crime prosecutions, said the verdict is a setback but not a sign that the government is losing the war against organized crime. If the defendants did what they are alleged to have done theyll probably be indicted again and the government will get another crack at them, he said. As the trial wore on, Corallo realized that the entire Lucchese hierarchy was about to be decimated. Masseria soon became involved in the Castellammarese War, a vicious gang war with rival Sicilian boss Salvatore Maranzano. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. In 1994, Casso revealed that two respected New York City police detectives worked as hitmen and informants for Casso during the 1980s and early 1990s before their retirement. The founder of the Lucchese Crime Family was Gaetano Reina, who was born in 1889 in Corleone, Sicily. The French Connection, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1971, is loosely based on a drug scheme financed by Tramunti. Members and associates of the Lucchese organized crime familyone of the families traditionally associated with La Cosa Nostra (LCN)were recently sentenced to lengthy prison terms in New. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, power in the mob family had shifted to boss Vic Amuso and underboss Anthony Casso. Over the next few years the two men ordered the deaths of several men. With Luciano now the most powerful mobster in New York and the United States, he built on Maranzanos restructuring and formed a ruling body in place of the Boss of Bosses position. Other ethnicities are employed as "associates. The cases were those against Nicodemo Scarfo, alleged boss of a mob organization in Philadelphia, and against John Gotti, alleged head of a New York City crime family. It also operates in New Jersey and Florida. Still, he put in the work and did the time to get the title. They instituted one of the bloodiest reigns in Mafia history, ordering virtually anyone who crossed them to be murdered. One of the longest criminal trials in the United States ended abruptly today with the acquittal of 20 defendants accused of making up the entire membership of the Lucchese crime family in New Jersey.