The Untouchable Vito Genovese: Wartime Schemes and Mafia Dreams
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…
William Gallagher: A Brief and Controversial Legacy in Nevada’s Gaming History
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…
Mickey Cohen and Billy Graham: A Friendship Tested by Faith
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…
John Factor / Jake the Barber
I’ve Been Kidnapped… How Inconvenient
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,…
Kidnapped by Al Capone: The Unbelievable Tale of Fats Waller and a Gangster’s Birthday Bash
Kidnapped by Al Capone: The Unbelievable Tale of Fats Waller and a Gangster's Birthday Bash Thomas Wright "Fats" Waller was no stranger to the spotlight. Born on May 21, 1904,…
The Dark Tale of the Regina Pacis Robbery and the Shadows of Joe Profaci
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.…
Albert Anastasia
A Doorbell to Doom: Anastasia’s Wrath and the Disappearance of the Ferris
A Doorbell to Doom: Anastasia’s Wrath and the Disappearance of the FerrisThe Tax Trial That Put Anastasia Under the MicroscopeOn a grim autumn day in October 1954, the shadow of…
La Stella Restaurant
102-11 Queens Blvd. in Forest HillsSeptember 22, 1966What'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…
Nuova Villa Tammaro Restaurant
Murder at the Nuovoa Villa Tammaro Restaurant: The Hit on “Joe the Boss” Masseria
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,…
