The Bufalino crime family , [ 5 ] also known as the Pittston crime family , [ 6 ] the Pittston—Scranton crime family , [ 7 ] the Scranton—Wilkes-Barre crime family , [ 6 ] the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family , [ 8 ] the Northeastern Pennsylvania Mafia , [ 9 ] [ 10 ] or the Scranton Mafia , [ 11 ] was an Italian-American Mafia crime family active in Northeastern Pennsylvania , primarily in the cities of Scranton , Wilkes-Barre , and Pittston. Based in Pennsylvania's Coal Region , the family's power originated in labor racketeering within the coal industry, as well as the garment industry in Pittston and New York City , where the Bufalino family colluded with the Five Families of New York.
Volpe took over as boss of the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family after La Torre abdicated the position. Under Volpe's leadership, the family took control of local bootlegging , counterfeiting, Italian lottery , and " black hand " extortion rackets.
Situated in the anthracite Coal Region of Pennsylvania, [ 14 ] the family infiltrated the area's coaling-mining companies as well as the United Mine Workers Union, the labor union that represented mine workers in contract negotiations with company management. After the death of boss John Sciandra in , the family elected Rosario Alberto "Russell" Bufalino to become the new boss of the crime family.
The meeting was preceded by the assassination of Albert Anastasia by a few weeks, as well as a smaller meeting at the New Jersey estate of Ruggiero Boiardo. The Apalachin meeting was attended by about Mafia heads from the U. A raid by New York State Police caught many heads of families or their deputies.
Many other family heads and their deputies were suspected of being present by law enforcement but evaded detection and capture. Russell Bufalino became a powerful Mafia boss. The Bufalino family formed working relationships with other Mafia families as well as non-traditional organized crime groups such as outlaw motorcycle gangs.
