Hyman Lamer
Encyclopedia
Hyman "Hy" Lamer was a Jewish mobster and a close associate of Sam Giancana
. In the newspapers he was known as the "The Ivy League Mobster".
Lamer was the head of the Chicago Outfit
's slot machine
racket. After Eddie Vogel retired from the gambling machine business Lamer became the power behind the scenes.
When he testified in front of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management
in 1959, he invoked his Fifth Amendment
rights fifty times.
Lamer expanded the Outfit's gambling and smuggling operations to Latin America, moving the organization's Miami operation to Latin America headquartering in Panama
where money laundering
was more easily facilitated by local banks. These operations were conducted as a partnership between the Mafia and the CIA. By 1966 this partnership had developed into arms smuggling to the Middle East
for the Israeli Mossad
, all via Panama.
Hy Lamer had friends among world leaders and key players in the CIA and the U.S. military, and he was also well connected with the Las Vegas
bosses like the Teamsters
' Allen Dorfman
and media mogul Hank Greenspun
. One of Lamer's closest friends was Meyer Lansky
and the two shared in their passionate Zionism
and defense for the Jews' divine right to the land of Israel.
Sam Giancana
Salvatore Giancana , better known as Sam Giancana, was a Sicilian-American mobster and boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1957-1966...
. In the newspapers he was known as the "The Ivy League Mobster".
Lamer was the head of the Chicago Outfit
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
's slot machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
racket. After Eddie Vogel retired from the gambling machine business Lamer became the power behind the scenes.
When he testified in front of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management
United States Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management
The United States Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management was a select committee created by the United States Senate on January 30, 1957, and dissolved on March 31, 1960...
in 1959, he invoked his Fifth Amendment
Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, protects against abuse of government authority in a legal procedure. Its guarantees stem from English common law which traces back to the Magna Carta in 1215...
rights fifty times.
Lamer expanded the Outfit's gambling and smuggling operations to Latin America, moving the organization's Miami operation to Latin America headquartering in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
where money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
was more easily facilitated by local banks. These operations were conducted as a partnership between the Mafia and the CIA. By 1966 this partnership had developed into arms smuggling to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
for the Israeli Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
, all via Panama.
Hy Lamer had friends among world leaders and key players in the CIA and the U.S. military, and he was also well connected with the Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
bosses like the Teamsters
Teamsters
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters is a labor union in the United States and Canada. Formed in 1903 by the merger of several local and regional locals of teamsters, the union now represents a diverse membership of blue-collar and professional workers in both the public and private sectors....
' Allen Dorfman
Allen Dorfman
Allen Dorfman was an American attorney, and a leading official of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters . He was a close associate of longtime IBT President Jimmy Hoffa...
and media mogul Hank Greenspun
Hank Greenspun
Herman "Hank" Milton Greenspun was the longtime, and often controversial, publisher of the Las Vegas Sun newspaper. He purchased the Sun in 1949, and served as its editor and publisher until his death...
. One of Lamer's closest friends was Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
and the two shared in their passionate Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
and defense for the Jews' divine right to the land of Israel.