Few Mafia families have ever been as internally peaceful and successful as the Cosa Nostra ‘borgata’ that ruled over the City of Detroit, Michigan for upwards of a century now.
What would later become known as the Joseph Zerilli Family started out as a patchwork of rival criminal gangs in Detroit all competing for underworld supremacy both before and during the 1920s Prohibition era.
There were many killings of rival racketeers over a protracted time period. But by the time all the smoke had cleared one group headed by future boss Giuseppe (Joe Z) Zerilli and his lifelong partner and underboss Guglielmo (Black Bill) Tocco had risen above all others to control Motor City from that point forward.
Continue reading for a short history of the Zerilli Family of Detroit and view the Zerilli Family Leadership Chart.
