A Wartime Opportunist When Charlie “Lucky” Luciano was locked away in 1937, his underling Vito Genovese knew the heat was on. New York’s relentless prosecutor Thomas Dewey had a knack for putting high-ranking gangsters behind bars. And Genovese? He had a corpse in his past—Ferdinand Boccia, gunned down on his orders. Worse yet, there was […]
The Untouchable Vito Genovese: Wartime Schemes and Mafia Dreams Read More »
William Gallagher: A Brief and Controversial Legacy in Nevada’s Gaming History The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) was established to ensure the integrity of Nevada’s gaming industry, safeguarding the public interest through licensing, regulation, and enforcement. It was a vital component of the state’s efforts to legitimize gambling as a respectable industry. Yet, beneath its
William Gallagher: A Brief and Controversial Legacy in Nevada’s Gaming History Read More »
In a tale as unexpected as it was fascinating, the infamous Los Angeles racketeer Mickey Cohen and the renowned evangelist Billy Graham formed an unlikely friendship. At the heart of their relationship lay a question that gripped both the media and the faithful: Would Cohen, a man steeped in the shadowy world of organized crime,
Mickey Cohen and Billy Graham: A Friendship Tested by Faith Read More »
Few figures in the annals of criminal history have embodied the cunning audacity and moral bankruptcy of John Factor, infamously known as “Jake the Barber.” While his brother, Max Factor, achieved fame as a cosmetics mogul, Jake carved out a legacy as a master swindler who left ruin and devastation in his wake. For over
I’ve Been Kidnapped: How Inconvenient Read More »
Thomas Wright “Fats” Waller was no stranger to the spotlight. Born on May 21, 1904, in Harlem, New York, Waller became a towering figure in the jazz and swing eras, known for his electrifying performances and pioneering work in the Harlem stride piano style. His compositions, including “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and “Honeysuckle Rose,” are timeless classics,
On January 10, 1952, an event steeped in grandeur and divine reverence unfolded in Rome. Pope Pius XII blessed two gold crowns encrusted with 500 diamonds and other precious stones. These opulent symbols of faith, destined for the Regina Pacis Votive Shrine in Brooklyn, were not merely artifacts; they were beacons of hope and devotion
The Dark Tale of the Regina Pacis Robbery and the Shadows of Joe Profaci Read More »
On a grim autumn night in October 1954, the shadow of judgment loomed over Albert Anastasia as the Newark courtroom pulsed with tension. Presided over by the stern Honorable Alfred E. Modarelli, the trial began, cloaked in the dry technicalities of tax law. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frederick B. Lacey delivered a mechanical dissection of finances—gross
A Doorbell to Doom: Anastasia’s Wrath and the Disappearance of the Ferris Read More »
102-11 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills September 22, 1966 What’s the big f’in deal, huh? Families go out for a fancy dinner every damn night, and that’s the perfect opportunity to handle some business, you know what I’m sayin’? Discussing our D&D – differences and smoothing out any friggin’ difficulties. And now the cops got
La Stella Restaurant Read More »
So here’s how it went down, see? April 15, 1931, a sunny afternoon in Coney Island. Giuseppe “Joe the Boss” Masseria, big shot from Sicily, walks into his favorite joint, Nuova Villa Tammaro, for some cards and seafood. This guy started climbing the mob ladder soon as he hit New York in 1902. By the
Murder at the Nuovoa Villa Tammaro Restaurant: The Hit on “Joe the Boss” Masseria Read More »
The Rise and Fall of Little Augie Pisano: Unveiling the Unfold Chronicles of Organized Crime In the shadowy annals of organized crime during the mid-20th century, the name Anthony Carfano, or “Little Augie Pisano,” looms large as a symbol of power, ambition, and the tumultuous underbelly of the Luciano crime family. This comprehensive exploration seeks
ST. VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE: MY AL CAPONE INSPIRATION – THANK YOU, MR. DE NIRO He owns the telephone from Capone’s Miami Beach home – the one that supposedly received the call from Chicago before and after the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in 1929. He owns one of the bricks from the infamous wall.* He owns a couple
ST. VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE: MY AL CAPONE INSPIRATION – THANK YOU MR. DE NIRO Read More »
ROSE MARIE: AT HOME WITH “UNCLE AL” A CHILD SINGING STAR, ROSE MARIE MET THE CHICAGO CRIME BOSS AL CAPONE IN 1931 Even hardened gangsters have a soft spot for adorable little girls. Rose Marie found that to be true with the notorious Al Capone, whom she remembers as “Uncle Al.” Most people remember Rose
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DEAN O’BANION, BUGS MORAN AND THE ST. VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE Movies have a peculiar way of inspiring people to do things they’ve never considered before. Author Rose Keefe explained how a movie started her on a path of becoming a renowned expert of 1920s crime and its colorful players. What inspired you to write
DEAN O’BANION, BUGS MORAN AND THE ST. VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE Read More »
THE ACTUAL TOMMY GUNS USED IN THE ST. VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRECOMMISSION TRIAL LIFTED THE LID ON THE NEW YORK MAFIA Hours after the Massacre in the Clark Street garage, Major Fred Silloway’s statement that he would “have the killers that night’ hit local and national newspapers. But as hours turned into days, and days
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ROSE MARIE, WHO PERFORMED AT THE FLAMINGO OPENING IN 1946, REMEMBERS IT WELL SINGER COMPLAINED TO BUGSY SIEGEL BEFORE KNOWING WHO HE RELALY WAS Rose Marie’s trademark raspy voice has more energy than a casino full of lucky gamblers, and she’s not shy about sharing personal stories of Bugsy Siegel, Virginia Hill, the “guys”
ROSE MARIE, WHO PERFORMED AT THE FLAMINGO OPENING IN 1946, REMEMBERS IT WELL Read More »
The power of the Presidential pardon is as allusive as the goose that laid the golden egg, but substantially more valuable. The Constitution’s Article II grants the President the “power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States.” But over the past 225 years, a number of pardons have certainly raised eyebrows,
How ’bout a Pardon, Mr. President? Read More »
CARMINE PERSICO’S SELF-DEFENSE PROVIDED LAUGHS BUT NO LEGAL ADVANTAGE FOR HIM OR OTHER DEFENDANTS The Commission trial continued through November and into December of 1986. The eight men on trial included New York’s top Mafia bosses and a few of their key underlings. The Manhattan courtroom was always standing room only. Arriving early in order
THE 10-WEEK-LONG COMMISSION TRIAL PLAYED TO FULL COURTROOMS Read More »
THE COMMISSION TRIAL LIFTED THE LID ON THE NEW YORK MAFIA THIRTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, THE FBI AND FEDERAL PROSECUTORS AIMED TO TAKE DOWN LEADERS OF THE FIVE FAMILIES In the annals of Mafia courtroom dramas, one case tends to stand above the rest, The United States v. Salerno, otherwise known as the Commission trial. This 1986
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