Joe Valachi: The Man Who Broke OmertàJoseph Valachi did something the Mafia considered unforgivable.He talked.Not in whispers behind closed doors. Not secretly to save himself during a quiet plea negotiation.…
Emanuel “Mendy” Weiss: The Quiet Butcher of Murder, Inc.Emanuel “Mendy” Weiss did not look frightening.That made him frightening.He appeared soft-spoken, almost forgettable at times—a stocky man with heavy features and…
Frankie Yale: The Elegant Butcher of BrooklynFrankie Yale looked like success. Tailored suits. Diamond rings. Perfect grooming. Expensive restaurants. Luxury cars gliding through Brooklyn streets while politicians, businessmen, boxers, and…
Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno: The Last Old-School Boss of East HarlemAnthony "Fat Tony" Salerno looked more like a neighborhood shopkeeper than one of the most powerful gangsters in America.He smiled…
Charles "Lucky" Luciano: The Man Who Organized the Underworld New York in the early twentieth century was a city built on appetite. Men wanted liquor, gambling, sex, protection, influence, and…
Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel: The Gangster Who Built Neon Dreams in the Desert Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel looked like a Hollywood leading man who had wandered into the underworld by accident. He…
Abner “Longie” Zwillman: The Phantom Boss of New Jersey Abner “Longie” Zwillman did not fit the Hollywood image of a gangster. He was not loud like Al Capone. Not theatrical…
Albert Anastasia: The Lord High Executioner of Murder Incorporated Albert Anastasia terrified other gangsters. That alone says something. The Mafia during the mid-twentieth century was filled with violent men—killers, extortionists,…
John Gotti: The Dapper Don Who Brought the Mafia Into the SpotlightJohn Gotti did not hide from attention.He chased it.While older Mafia bosses operated quietly through back rooms, social clubs,…
Abe Reles: The Canary Who Could Sing — and Fell Out a WindowAbe Reles knew where the bodies were buried.Not metaphorically.Literally.He helped put many of them there.During the blood-soaked rise…
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