Tommy Lucchese
Encyclopedia
Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese (December 1, 1899 – July 13, 1967), also known as "Tom Brown" or "Three-Finger Brown", was an American mobster
who became the Boss
of the Lucchese crime family
in New York City
. Lucchese's surname has been misspelled as "Luchese" or "Luckese" and is pronounced Lou-kay-zee.
, Sicily
The surname "Lucchese" suggest a family origin from the Northern Italian city of Lucca. Lucchese's parents were Guiseppe and Maria Lucchese. In early 1910, the Lucchese family immigrated to the United States, settling in Manhattan
's Italian neighborhood of East Harlem
. Lucchese's father Giuseppe worked hauling cement. Lucchese worked in a machine shop until 1915, when an industrial accident amputated his right thumb and forefinger. Lucchese and Salvatore "Charles Luciano" Lucania
were childhood friends. In later years, the two friends formed the 107th Street gang, which operated under the protection of Bronx-East Harlem family boss Gaetano "Tom" Reina
. The gang stole wallets, burglarized stores, and engaged in other hustles. By the age of eighteen, Lucchese had started a window washing company in East Harlem; anyone refusing to buy window washing would have their windows broken.
In 1920, Lucchese was arrested in Riverhead, Long Island
on auto theft charges. During his booking, a police officer compared of Lucchese's deformed hand with that of Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown
, a popular Major League Baseball
pitcher
. The cop nicknamed Lucchese "Three Finger Brown", an alias that Lucchese always disliked. In January 1921, Lucchese was convicted of auto theft, he was sentenced on March 27, 1922 to three years and nine months in prison. Lucchese served thirteen months at Sing Sing Correctional Facility before he was paroled. It would be Lucchese's first and only conviction.
The Reina gang started during World War I and was located in the Bronx. The group was led by Gaetano Reina and it soon became a strong criminal organization with in New York City. Gaetano "Tom" Reina controlled a monopoly over the ice distribution in the Bronx and upper Manhattan. Tommy Lucchese, Gaetano Gagliano
, and Stefano "Steve" Rondelli were all top Lieutenants for Gaetano "Tom" Reina. Tommy Lucchese ran his own gang/crew in East Harlem called the 107st crew.
The Young Turks, or Broadway Mob
, was a group of young Italian and Jewish men involved in bootlegging, robbery, illegal gambling, and thefts in the 1920s. The members of the Young Turks were Charlie "Lucky" Luciano
, Frank Costello
, Tommy Lucchese, Vito Genovese
, Albert Anastasia
, Frank Scalice
, Joseph Adonis, Carlo Gambino
, Meyer Lansky
, and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. The group was led by Luciano, who was partnered with Jewish gangster Arnold Rothstein
. The group was called the "Young Turks" by the old Italian Mafia bosses because they were ambitious, impatient and worked with anyone, Jewish or Italian. The old-style Mafia men were called the "Mustache Petes" and would not work with anyone who was not Italian. This group of young men would make the decision to end the Castellammarese war.
. At this time, Lucchese and Gaetano Gagliano
were both part of the Reina gang, which was aligned with Masseria. However, Reina decided to secretly change his allegiance to Maranzano because Masseria was demanding a large share of Reina’s ice distribution business. Gagliano then told Masseria about Reina’s betrayal in hopes of becoming the new boss of the Reina gang. On February 26, 1930, Masseria gunman Vito Genovese
shot and killed Reina outside his mistress' apartment. Masseria then made his ally Joseph Pinzolo
boss of the gang, ignoring Gagliano
Angry about being used, Gagliano and Lucchese formed a splinter group within the gang with Stefano "Steve" Rondelli, Dominick "The Gap" Petrilli, and Joseph Valachi. Their group was aided by a general hatred of Pinzolo within the gang. On September 9, 1930, Pinzolo was lured to an Manhattan office leased by Lucchese. Pinzolo was then shot and killed by either Girolamo Santucci or Dominick Petrilli
. Luckily for the conspirators, Masseria attributed the Pinzolo killing to Maranzano. Masseria then appointed Gagliano as the new gang boss.
As the Castellammarese War continued into 1931, the tide began to turn against Masseria. Charles "Lucky" Luciano, one of Masseria's top lieutenants, began secret negotiations with Maranzano. Now that Gagliano and Lucchese controlled the Reina gang, Luciano persuaded them to secretly switch sides to Maranzano. Maranzano, Gagliano, and Lucchese planned to destroy Masseria. On November 5, 1930, the Masseria-allied "Manfredi Family" (later called the Gambino Family) boss Alfred "Al Mineo" Manfredi
and underboss Steve Ferrigno
were murdered in the Bronx by Gagliano and Maranzano gunmen. At this point, Maranzano believed that Lucchese and Gagliano were now his men, but in actuality their loyalty was only to Luciano. Lucchese became one of Luciano's favored hitmen and was alleged to have participated in at least 30 murders.
On April 15, 1931, with the connivance of Luciano, a hit squad of Vito Genovese
, Albert Anastasia, Joseph "Joey A" Adonis and Bugsy Siegel shot and killed Masseria at a Coney Island
restaurant. With Masseria's death, the Castellammarese War was over and Maranzano was the victor.
of New York City, with Gagliano as its boss and Lucchese as the underboss.
In September 1931, Lucchese participated in Maranzano's murder. Soon after Masseria's death, Maranzano grew suspicious of Charlie Luciano's growing power and arranged his murder. However, Luciano discovered the plot and moved to kill Maranzano first. On September 10, 1931, Lucchese went to see Maranzano at his office to discuss a matter on behalf of his boss, Gaetano Gagliano
. Lucchese's real purpose was there to point out Maranzano to a group of Jewish hitmen dressed as policemen and federal Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) agents, who then killed him.
After Maranzano's death, Luciano created a national Mafia Commission
to rule the new Cosa Nostra families and adjudicate disputes. As family boss, Gagliano received a commission seat. However, despite its democratic trappings, Luciano held the real power in the Commission.
, who was one of the members of the Mafia commission. The New York City underworld was organized and peaceful because of Charlie Luciano but he was soon arrested in 1936 and then deported in 1946. Gagliano would keep his family during a tough time, being out numbered in the Commission by the Bonanno family
, Magaddino family
, Profaci family
and the Mangano family
alliance. The Gagliano family
during WWII was involved in black market sugar, gasoline rations, stamps and meat. In 1946, Lucchese attended the mob Havana Conference
in Cuba
as Galiano's representative.
On January 25, 1943, Lucchese became a naturalized United States citizen in Newark, New Jersey
.
. Lucchese appointed mobsters Stafano LaSalle as underboss and Vincenzo Rao
as consigliere. That same year, Lucchese formed an alliance with Luciano crime family underboss Vito Genovese
and Anastasia crime family underboss Carlo Gambino
with the long term goal of gaining control of the Commission.
Lucchese became one of the most well-respected Cosa Nostra bosses of the Post-War era. He maintained close relationships with New York City politicians, including Mayors William O'Dwyer
and Vincent Impellitteri. Lucchese concentrated on the core Cosa Nostra values of making money, keeping a low public profile, and avoiding criminal prosecution. The Lucchese family kept control over Manhattan's Garment District
and the related trucking industry, taking control of key union officials and trade associations.
slightly wounded Costello. by the assassination attempt, Costello soon retired, leaving Genovese as boss. On October 25, 1957, Profaci crime family gunman Joe Gallo
and his crew murdered Anastasia in a hotel barbershop; Carlo Gambino became the new family boss.
On November 17, 1952, U.S. Attorney General James P. McGranery
initiated denaturalization proceedings against Lucchese. In its filing, the government claimed that Lucchese did not reveal his entire arrest record when applying for citizenship in the 1930's.
In 1957, Genovese called a national mob meeting to legitimize his control of the Luciano family. The meeting was held at rural home of mobster Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara
in Apalachin, New York
. On November 14, 1957, the New York State Police raided the meeting and arrested 61 fleeing gangster. Lucchese had not yet arrived in Apalachin and therefore avoided arrest. However, his consigliere Vincenzo Rao
, Gambino, Genovese and other mob leaders were detained. Genovese's humiliation motivated the new alliance of Luciano, Costello, Lansky, Gambino and Lucchese to set up Genovese's later elimination. Two years later, with the help of the alliance, Genovese was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia
on narcotics trafficking charges. He was sent to prison for 15 years. Genovese died in prison in 1969 . With the alliance backing him, Gambino now controlled the Commission.
On April 8, 1958, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1952 denaturalization ruling against Lucchese on a legal technicality
. However, the next day, U.S. Attorney General William P. Rogers
started a new case against Lucchese.
married Tommy Lucchese's daughter
Frances. Over 1,000 guests attended the wedding. Carlo Gambino presented Lucchese with a $30,000 gift. In return, Lucchese gave Gambino a part of his rackets at Idewilde Airport (now called John F. Kennedy Airport, or "JFK Airport). Lucchese exercised control over airport management security, and all the airport unions. As a team, Lucchese and Gambino now controlled the airport, the Commission, and most organized crime in New York City.
, before he opened the scandal to the public.
. Both Gambino and Lucchese saw the war as a way to take over rackets that were under control of the Profaci family, because the Profaci's were too involved in their war. On June 6, 1962 Boss Joe Profaci died of cancer and his underboss Joseph Magliocco
became the new boss and kept fighting the war against the Gallo crew. Magliocco had support of most of the Profaci family and support from other family boss Joe Bonanno of the Bonanno Family.
The war finally came to an end in 1963 when Gallo crew capo Joseph Gallo
was arrested. Joe Magliocco and Joe Bonanno decided they needed revenge on Lucchese, Gambino, Magaddino for the Gallo war and the Bonanno war. They decided they needed to have them killed so Magliocco ordered capo Joe Colombo to kill all three Bosses (Tommy Lucchese, Carlo Gambino, and Stefano Magaddino). Joe Colombo
went to the Mafia Commission instead and talked about the plot to murder them. Magliocco showed up to the Commission and was stripped of his Boss title and forced into retirement. Joe Colombo became the new boss of the Profaci Family , now the Colombo Family. Joe Bonanno decided to go into hiding and his last ally, Joe Magliocco, died of high blood pressure. Even Bonanno's ally from Tampa Florida, Boss Santo Trafficante, was against him.
The Commission then stripped Joe Bonanno of his Boss title and put in capo, Gaspar DiGregorio
, as the new boss. Upset by the Commissions decision Joe Bonanno started a war; it was later called the Banana war (1962–1967). The war continued for years and in October 1964 Joe Bonanno was kidnapped by Buffalo crime family members Peter and Antonino Magaddino. Buffalo boss Stefano Magaddino
(who was also a cousin to Bonanno) asked him to retire and end the war. Joe Bonanno refused and continued the war and began to see victory when he suffered a heart attack and would finally retire. The Commission had won and put in another capo, Paul Sciacca
, as the new boss of the Bonanno Family.
as Boss/Capo of the entire Jersey Crew
. In 1955, Accardi was deported and he chose Anthony "Ham" Delasco to run the faction. The New Jersey Elizabeth family
began war with its own Newark faction. The war continued into the 1960s, and when Simone "Sam the Plumber" DeCavalcante
became the boss he was able to ended the fighting. Lucchese replaced his New Jersey capo Delasco who had died with Joseph Abate
and his protege Anthony "Tumac" Accetturo
.
at his home in the Lido Beach area of Long Island
. The funeral service was held at the Catholic Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Church in Ridgewood, Queens
. Lucchese was buried at Calvary Cemetery
in Queens, New York. Over 1,000 mourners, including politicians, judges, policemen, racketeers, drug pushers, pimp
s, and hitmen, attended the ceremony. Undercover policemen photographed the attendees.
Lucchese's first choice as a successor had been Antonio "Tony Ducks" Corallo
, but Corallo was in prison when Lucchese died. Lucchese's second choice, Ettore Coco
, was also in legal trouble and served a short time as boss. Another possible candidate was consigliere Vincenzo Rao
, but he too was dealing with criminal charges. The Commission finally selected capo Carmine Tramunti
as temporary acting boss until Corallo was released from prison.
in the 1981 television miniseries The Gangster Chronicles, released later that year as the film Gangster Wars
.
http://www.qchron.com/qboro/i_have_often_walked/tommy-lucchese-the-quiet-don-in-malba/article_35483f16-cd56-5fe1-be03-340aa3ccfc45.html
American Mafia
The American Mafia , is an Italian-American criminal society. Much like the Sicilian Mafia, the American Mafia has no formal name and is a secret criminal society. Its members usually refer to it as Cosa Nostra or by its English translation "our thing"...
who became the Boss
Crime boss
A crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has absolute or near-absolute control over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the...
of the Lucchese crime family
Lucchese crime family
The Lucchese crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Lucchese's surname has been misspelled as "Luchese" or "Luckese" and is pronounced Lou-kay-zee.
Early life
Gaetano Lucchese was born on December 1, 1899 in PalermoPalermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
The surname "Lucchese" suggest a family origin from the Northern Italian city of Lucca. Lucchese's parents were Guiseppe and Maria Lucchese. In early 1910, the Lucchese family immigrated to the United States, settling in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Italian neighborhood of East Harlem
Italian Harlem
Italian Harlem was the name that was given to East Harlem in the New York City borough of Manhattan, when it was largely inhabited by an Italian American population....
. Lucchese's father Giuseppe worked hauling cement. Lucchese worked in a machine shop until 1915, when an industrial accident amputated his right thumb and forefinger. Lucchese and Salvatore "Charles Luciano" Lucania
Lucky Luciano
Charlie "Lucky" Luciano was an Italian mobster born in Sicily. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for splitting New York City into five different Mafia crime families and the establishment of the first commission...
were childhood friends. In later years, the two friends formed the 107th Street gang, which operated under the protection of Bronx-East Harlem family boss Gaetano "Tom" Reina
Gaetano Reina
Gaetano "Tommy" Reina was the first Boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City.-Early years:Gaetano Reina was born in September 1889 in Corleone, Sicily to Giacomo Reina and Carmela Runmore. In the early 1900s the Reina family moved to New York City and settled on 107th Street in East Harlem...
. The gang stole wallets, burglarized stores, and engaged in other hustles. By the age of eighteen, Lucchese had started a window washing company in East Harlem; anyone refusing to buy window washing would have their windows broken.
In 1920, Lucchese was arrested in Riverhead, Long Island
Riverhead (town), New York
The town of Riverhead is in Suffolk County, New York, on the north shore of Long Island. The population was 33,506 at the 2010 census. The name signifies that the mouth of the Peconic River is in this town...
on auto theft charges. During his booking, a police officer compared of Lucchese's deformed hand with that of Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown
Mordecai Brown
Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown , nicknamed "Three Finger" or "Miner", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher at the turn of the 20th century. Due to a farm-machinery accident in his youth, Brown lost parts of two fingers on his right hand and eventually acquired his nickname as a result...
, a popular Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. The cop nicknamed Lucchese "Three Finger Brown", an alias that Lucchese always disliked. In January 1921, Lucchese was convicted of auto theft, he was sentenced on March 27, 1922 to three years and nine months in prison. Lucchese served thirteen months at Sing Sing Correctional Facility before he was paroled. It would be Lucchese's first and only conviction.
Prohibition
After Lucchese was released from prison he continued to work for Reina, he began working for Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria.The Reina gang started during World War I and was located in the Bronx. The group was led by Gaetano Reina and it soon became a strong criminal organization with in New York City. Gaetano "Tom" Reina controlled a monopoly over the ice distribution in the Bronx and upper Manhattan. Tommy Lucchese, Gaetano Gagliano
Tommy Gagliano
Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano was an American gangster who founded the Lucchese crime family, one of the powerful "Five Families" of New York City, and served as its low-profile Boss for over two decades...
, and Stefano "Steve" Rondelli were all top Lieutenants for Gaetano "Tom" Reina. Tommy Lucchese ran his own gang/crew in East Harlem called the 107st crew.
The Young Turks, or Broadway Mob
Broadway Mob
The Broadway Mob was a New York bootlegging gang during Prohibition. Although headed by Joe Adonis, the gangs day-to-day operations were handled by Charles "Lucky" Luciano and Frank Costello as well as financially backed by Arnold Rothstein...
, was a group of young Italian and Jewish men involved in bootlegging, robbery, illegal gambling, and thefts in the 1920s. The members of the Young Turks were Charlie "Lucky" Luciano
Lucky Luciano
Charlie "Lucky" Luciano was an Italian mobster born in Sicily. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for splitting New York City into five different Mafia crime families and the establishment of the first commission...
, Frank Costello
Frank Costello
Frank Costello was an Italian New York City gangster who rose to the top of America's underworld, controlled a vast gambling empire across the United States and enjoyed political influence.Nicknamed the "Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one of the most powerful and influential Mafia...
, Tommy Lucchese, Vito Genovese
Vito Genovese
Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
, Albert Anastasia
Albert Anastasia
Albert Anastasia was boss of what is now called the Gambino crime family, one of New York City's Five Families, from 1951-1957. He also ran a gang of contract killers called Murder Inc. which enforced the decisions of the Commission, the ruling council of the American Mafia...
, Frank Scalice
Frank Scalice
Francesco "Frank" Scalice also known as Don Cheech and Wacky, was an Italian-American mobster active in New York City, who led the future Gambino crime family from 1930 to 1931, and was underboss from 1951 to 1957.-Boss:Scalice was born in Palermo, Sicily in 1893, and later emigrated to the US,...
, Joseph Adonis, Carlo Gambino
Carlo Gambino
"Don" Carlo Gambino, was a Sicilian mafioso who became Boss of the Gambino crime family, that still bears his name today. After the 1957 Apalachin Convention he unexpectedly seized control of the Commission of the American Mafia. Gambino was known for being low-key and secretive...
, 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 Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. The group was led by Luciano, who was partnered with Jewish gangster Arnold Rothstein
Arnold Rothstein
Arnold Rothstein , nicknamed "The Brain", was a New York businessman and gambler who became a famous kingpin of the Jewish mafia. Rothstein was also widely reputed to have been behind baseball's Black Sox Scandal, in which the 1919 World Series was fixed...
. The group was called the "Young Turks" by the old Italian Mafia bosses because they were ambitious, impatient and worked with anyone, Jewish or Italian. The old-style Mafia men were called the "Mustache Petes" and would not work with anyone who was not Italian. This group of young men would make the decision to end the Castellammarese war.
Castellammarese war
In 1930, the Castellammarese War was being fought between two rival crime bosses in New York, Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria and Salvatore MaranzanoSalvatore Maranzano
Salvatore Maranzano was an organized crime figure from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss in the United States. He instigated the Castellammarese War to seize control of the American Mafia operations, and briefly became the Mafia's "Boss of Bosses"...
. At this time, Lucchese and Gaetano Gagliano
Tommy Gagliano
Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano was an American gangster who founded the Lucchese crime family, one of the powerful "Five Families" of New York City, and served as its low-profile Boss for over two decades...
were both part of the Reina gang, which was aligned with Masseria. However, Reina decided to secretly change his allegiance to Maranzano because Masseria was demanding a large share of Reina’s ice distribution business. Gagliano then told Masseria about Reina’s betrayal in hopes of becoming the new boss of the Reina gang. On February 26, 1930, Masseria gunman Vito Genovese
Vito Genovese
Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
shot and killed Reina outside his mistress' apartment. Masseria then made his ally Joseph Pinzolo
Joseph Pinzolo
Bonaventura "Joseph/Fat Joe" Pinzolo was the head of the Lucchese crime family in New York City for a brief period during 1930....
boss of the gang, ignoring Gagliano
Angry about being used, Gagliano and Lucchese formed a splinter group within the gang with Stefano "Steve" Rondelli, Dominick "The Gap" Petrilli, and Joseph Valachi. Their group was aided by a general hatred of Pinzolo within the gang. On September 9, 1930, Pinzolo was lured to an Manhattan office leased by Lucchese. Pinzolo was then shot and killed by either Girolamo Santucci or Dominick Petrilli
Dominick Petrilli
Dominick "The Gap" Petrilli was a New York mobster in the Lucchese crime family. He was an early associate of mobster/government witness Joe Valachi....
. Luckily for the conspirators, Masseria attributed the Pinzolo killing to Maranzano. Masseria then appointed Gagliano as the new gang boss.
As the Castellammarese War continued into 1931, the tide began to turn against Masseria. Charles "Lucky" Luciano, one of Masseria's top lieutenants, began secret negotiations with Maranzano. Now that Gagliano and Lucchese controlled the Reina gang, Luciano persuaded them to secretly switch sides to Maranzano. Maranzano, Gagliano, and Lucchese planned to destroy Masseria. On November 5, 1930, the Masseria-allied "Manfredi Family" (later called the Gambino Family) boss Alfred "Al Mineo" Manfredi
Alfred Mineo
Alfredo "Al Mineo" Manfredi was a Brooklyn based New York mobster, who headed a strong American Mafia crime family during the Castellammarese War. Mineo's organization would eventually become the present-day Gambino crime family....
and underboss Steve Ferrigno
Steve Ferrigno
Stefano "Steve" Ferrigno was a New York mobster of Sicilian origin who led an important Italian criminal gang in the 1920s. Ferrigno was assassinated along with Alfred Mineo during the so-called Castellammarese War....
were murdered in the Bronx by Gagliano and Maranzano gunmen. At this point, Maranzano believed that Lucchese and Gagliano were now his men, but in actuality their loyalty was only to Luciano. Lucchese became one of Luciano's favored hitmen and was alleged to have participated in at least 30 murders.
On April 15, 1931, with the connivance of Luciano, a hit squad of Vito Genovese
Vito Genovese
Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
, Albert Anastasia, Joseph "Joey A" Adonis and Bugsy Siegel shot and killed Masseria at a Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
restaurant. With Masseria's death, the Castellammarese War was over and Maranzano was the victor.
Mob reorganization
After Masseria's murder, Maranzano restructured the Sicilian and Italian gangs in the United States into a group of crime families modeled after the Mafia families of Sicily. The former Reina gang became one of the five crime familiesFive Families
The Five Families are the five original Italian-American Mafia crime families which have dominated organized crime in America since 1931. The Five Families in New York remain as the powerhouse of the Italian Mafia in the United States.-History:...
of New York City, with Gagliano as its boss and Lucchese as the underboss.
In September 1931, Lucchese participated in Maranzano's murder. Soon after Masseria's death, Maranzano grew suspicious of Charlie Luciano's growing power and arranged his murder. However, Luciano discovered the plot and moved to kill Maranzano first. On September 10, 1931, Lucchese went to see Maranzano at his office to discuss a matter on behalf of his boss, Gaetano Gagliano
Tommy Gagliano
Gaetano "Tommy" Gagliano was an American gangster who founded the Lucchese crime family, one of the powerful "Five Families" of New York City, and served as its low-profile Boss for over two decades...
. Lucchese's real purpose was there to point out Maranzano to a group of Jewish hitmen dressed as policemen and federal Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service is the revenue service of the United States federal government. The agency is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, and is under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue...
(IRS) agents, who then killed him.
After Maranzano's death, Luciano created a national Mafia Commission
The Commission (mafia)
The Commission is the governing body of the American Mafia. Formed in 1931, the Commission replaced the "Boss of all Bosses" title, with a ruling committee, consisting of the New York Five Families bosses and the boss of the Chicago Outfit...
to rule the new Cosa Nostra families and adjudicate disputes. As family boss, Gagliano received a commission seat. However, despite its democratic trappings, Luciano held the real power in the Commission.
Underboss to Gagliano
Tommy Lucchese was underboss for Gaetano GaglianoGaetano Gagliano
Gaetano Gagliano is the name of:* Tommy Gagliano , real name Gaetano Gagliano, American gangster* Gaetano Gagliano , Canadian printer and businessman...
, who was one of the members of the Mafia commission. The New York City underworld was organized and peaceful because of Charlie Luciano but he was soon arrested in 1936 and then deported in 1946. Gagliano would keep his family during a tough time, being out numbered in the Commission by the Bonanno family
Bonanno crime family
The Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
, Magaddino family
Buffalo crime family
The Buffalo crime family, also known as the Magaddino crime family and The Arm, is an Italian American criminal organization based in Buffalo, United States. As part of the American Mafia the family operates throughout Western New York and Canada.The Buffalo crime family, gained power during the...
, Profaci family
Colombo crime family
The Colombo crime family is the youngest of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
and the Mangano family
Gambino crime family
The Gambino crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The group is named after Carlo Gambino, boss of the family at the time of the McClellan hearings in 1963...
alliance. The Gagliano family
Lucchese crime family
The Lucchese crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
during WWII was involved in black market sugar, gasoline rations, stamps and meat. In 1946, Lucchese attended the mob Havana Conference
Havana Conference
The Havana Conference of 1946 was an historic meeting of United States Mafia and Cosa Nostra leaders in Havana, Cuba. Supposedly arranged by Charles "Lucky" Luciano, the conference was held to discuss important mob policies, rules, and business interests. The Havana Conference was attended by...
in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
as Galiano's representative.
On January 25, 1943, Lucchese became a naturalized United States citizen in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
.
Boss of the family (1951−1967)
In 1951, Gagliano died of natural causes. Lucchese, Gagliano's underboss for 22 years, took control of what was now the Lucchese crime familyLucchese crime family
The Lucchese crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The family originated in the early 1920s with Gaetano "Tommy" Reina serving as boss up until his murder...
. Lucchese appointed mobsters Stafano LaSalle as underboss and Vincenzo Rao
Vincenzo Rao
Vincenzo John Rao also known as Vincent or Vinny, was a New York City mobster who served as consigliere in the Lucchese crime family.-East Harlem:...
as consigliere. That same year, Lucchese formed an alliance with Luciano crime family underboss Vito Genovese
Vito Genovese
Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
and Anastasia crime family underboss Carlo Gambino
Carlo Gambino
"Don" Carlo Gambino, was a Sicilian mafioso who became Boss of the Gambino crime family, that still bears his name today. After the 1957 Apalachin Convention he unexpectedly seized control of the Commission of the American Mafia. Gambino was known for being low-key and secretive...
with the long term goal of gaining control of the Commission.
Lucchese became one of the most well-respected Cosa Nostra bosses of the Post-War era. He maintained close relationships with New York City politicians, including Mayors William O'Dwyer
William O'Dwyer
William O'Dwyer was the 100th Mayor of New York City, holding that office from 1946 to 1950.-Biography:O'Dwyer was born in County Mayo, Ireland and migrated to the United States in 1910, after abandoning studies for the priesthood...
and Vincent Impellitteri. Lucchese concentrated on the core Cosa Nostra values of making money, keeping a low public profile, and avoiding criminal prosecution. The Lucchese family kept control over Manhattan's Garment District
Garment District, Manhattan
The Garment District, also known as the Garment Center, the Fashion District, or the Fashion Center, is a neighborhood located in the Manhattan borough of New York City. The dense concentration of fashion-related uses give the neighborhood, which is generally considered to span between Fifth Avenue...
and the related trucking industry, taking control of key union officials and trade associations.
Alliance with Gambino and Genovese
In 1957, Lucchese and his allies decided to attack the bosses of the Luciano and Anastasia crime families to gain Commission control. On May 3, 1957, gunman Vincent GiganteVincent Gigante
Vincent Gigante was a short lived professional light heavyweight boxer who was known as "The Chin" Gigante. He fought 25 matches and lost four, boxing 121 rounds. On February 19, 1945, he fought Pete Petrello in Madison Square Garden and won by a knock out in the second round. During his successful...
slightly wounded Costello. by the assassination attempt, Costello soon retired, leaving Genovese as boss. On October 25, 1957, Profaci crime family gunman Joe Gallo
Joe Gallo
Joseph Gallo , also known as "Crazy Joey" and "Joe the Blond", was a celebrated New York City gangster for the Profaci crime family, later known as the Colombo crime family...
and his crew murdered Anastasia in a hotel barbershop; Carlo Gambino became the new family boss.
On November 17, 1952, U.S. Attorney General James P. McGranery
James P. McGranery
James Patrick McGranery was an American lawyer and politician.-Biography:Born in Philadelphia, he served in World War I as an observation balloon pilot with the United States Army Air Service, and as an adjutant in the One Hundred and Eleventh Infantry...
initiated denaturalization proceedings against Lucchese. In its filing, the government claimed that Lucchese did not reveal his entire arrest record when applying for citizenship in the 1930's.
In 1957, Genovese called a national mob meeting to legitimize his control of the Luciano family. The meeting was held at rural home of mobster Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara
Joseph Barbara (mobster)
Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara was a New York state mobster who became the boss of the Bufalino crime family. Barbara is most notable for hosting the abortive Apalachin Conference in 1957...
in Apalachin, New York
Apalachin, New York
Apalachin is a census-designated place within the Town of Owego in Tioga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,126 in the 2000 census. It is named after the Apalachin Creek. Apalachin means From where the messenger returned in the Lenape.Apalachin is in the southeast part of the...
. On November 14, 1957, the New York State Police raided the meeting and arrested 61 fleeing gangster. Lucchese had not yet arrived in Apalachin and therefore avoided arrest. However, his consigliere Vincenzo Rao
Vincenzo Rao
Vincenzo John Rao also known as Vincent or Vinny, was a New York City mobster who served as consigliere in the Lucchese crime family.-East Harlem:...
, Gambino, Genovese and other mob leaders were detained. Genovese's humiliation motivated the new alliance of Luciano, Costello, Lansky, Gambino and Lucchese to set up Genovese's later elimination. Two years later, with the help of the alliance, Genovese was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
on narcotics trafficking charges. He was sent to prison for 15 years. Genovese died in prison in 1969 . With the alliance backing him, Gambino now controlled the Commission.
On April 8, 1958, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1952 denaturalization ruling against Lucchese on a legal technicality
Legal technicality
The term legal technicality is a casual or colloquial phrase referring to a technical aspect of law. The phrase is not a term of art in the law; it has no exact meaning, nor does it have a legal definition. It implies that that strict adherence to the letter of the law has prevented the spirit of...
. However, the next day, U.S. Attorney General William P. Rogers
William P. Rogers
William Pierce Rogers was an American politician, who served as a Cabinet officer in the administrations of two U.S. Presidents in the third quarter of the 20th century.-Early Life :...
started a new case against Lucchese.
Lucchese and Gambino
In 1962, Carlo Gambino's oldest son Thomas GambinoThomas Gambino
Thomas "Tommy" Gambino is a New York mobster and a longtime Caporegime of the Gambino crime family who successfully controlled lucrative trucking rackets in the New York City Garment District.-Early life:...
married Tommy Lucchese's daughter
Frances. Over 1,000 guests attended the wedding. Carlo Gambino presented Lucchese with a $30,000 gift. In return, Lucchese gave Gambino a part of his rackets at Idewilde Airport (now called John F. Kennedy Airport, or "JFK Airport). Lucchese exercised control over airport management security, and all the airport unions. As a team, Lucchese and Gambino now controlled the airport, the Commission, and most organized crime in New York City.
107th street crew
Lucchese had his 107th street crew become involved in large scale heroin smuggling with the crew's capo Giovanni Ormento. The scheme was worth millions of dollars in heroin and led to a major NYPD corruption scandal. This scandal involved corrupt NYPD officers allowing access to NYPD evidence rooms containing hundreds of kilograms of heroin, which were then stolen. The heroin was worth more than $70 million. The heroin was then replaced with baking flour; this was all happening around the time of SerpicoSerpico
Serpico is a 1973 American crime film directed by Sidney Lumet. It is based on the true story of New York City policeman Frank Serpico, who went undercover to expose the corruption of his fellow officers, after being pushed to the brink at first by their distrust and later by the threats and...
, before he opened the scandal to the public.
War with Bonanno and Profaci
In 1962 Lucchese and Gambino began to back the Gallo crew from the Profaci Family in the war against their boss Joe ProfaciJoe Profaci
Giuseppe "Joe" Profaci was a New York La Cosa Nostra boss who was the founder of what is today known as the Colombo crime family. Established in 1928, this was the last of the Five Families to be organized. He was the family's boss for over three decades.-Family ties:Profaci's sons were Frank...
. Both Gambino and Lucchese saw the war as a way to take over rackets that were under control of the Profaci family, because the Profaci's were too involved in their war. On June 6, 1962 Boss Joe Profaci died of cancer and his underboss Joseph Magliocco
Joseph Magliocco
Joseph Magliocco, also known as "Joe Malayak" was a New York mobster and the boss of the Profaci crime family from 1962 to 1963...
became the new boss and kept fighting the war against the Gallo crew. Magliocco had support of most of the Profaci family and support from other family boss Joe Bonanno of the Bonanno Family.
The war finally came to an end in 1963 when Gallo crew capo Joseph Gallo
Joseph Gallo
Joseph Gallo may refer to:*Joseph Edward Gallo, cheese producer, brother of winemakers Ernest and Julio Gallo*Joseph N. Gallo, American gangster, consigliere of the Gambino crime family...
was arrested. Joe Magliocco and Joe Bonanno decided they needed revenge on Lucchese, Gambino, Magaddino for the Gallo war and the Bonanno war. They decided they needed to have them killed so Magliocco ordered capo Joe Colombo to kill all three Bosses (Tommy Lucchese, Carlo Gambino, and Stefano Magaddino). Joe Colombo
Joe Colombo
Joe Colombo may refer to:* Joseph Colombo , American gangster, boss of the Colombo crime family* Joe Cesare Colombo , Italian industrial designer...
went to the Mafia Commission instead and talked about the plot to murder them. Magliocco showed up to the Commission and was stripped of his Boss title and forced into retirement. Joe Colombo became the new boss of the Profaci Family , now the Colombo Family. Joe Bonanno decided to go into hiding and his last ally, Joe Magliocco, died of high blood pressure. Even Bonanno's ally from Tampa Florida, Boss Santo Trafficante, was against him.
The Commission then stripped Joe Bonanno of his Boss title and put in capo, Gaspar DiGregorio
Gaspar DiGregorio
Gaspar or Gaspare DiGregorio was a New York mobster and a high-ranking member of the Bonanno crime family who was a key figure in the so-called "Banana War"....
, as the new boss. Upset by the Commissions decision Joe Bonanno started a war; it was later called the Banana war (1962–1967). The war continued for years and in October 1964 Joe Bonanno was kidnapped by Buffalo crime family members Peter and Antonino Magaddino. Buffalo boss Stefano Magaddino
Stefano Magaddino
Stefano Magaddino was an Sicilian mafioso who became the boss of the Buffalo crime family in western New York. His underworld influence stretched from Ohio and Southern Ontario as far north as Montreal, Quebec...
(who was also a cousin to Bonanno) asked him to retire and end the war. Joe Bonanno refused and continued the war and began to see victory when he suffered a heart attack and would finally retire. The Commission had won and put in another capo, Paul Sciacca
Paul Sciacca
Paul Sciacca was a New York City mobster who became boss of the Bonanno crime family.-Bonanno family war:In 1964, a rivalry in the Bonanno crime family started when boss Joseph Bonanno promoted his son Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno to the position of consigliere over senior capo Gaspar DiGregorio...
, as the new boss of the Bonanno Family.
The Jersey Crew
Tommy Lucchese became the boss of the Gagliano family in 1951, and promoted Settimo AccardiSettimo Accardi
Settimo "Big Sam" Accardi was a New Jersey mobster who served as capo in the Lucchese crime family's Jersey crew...
as Boss/Capo of the entire Jersey Crew
The Jersey Crew
The Jersey Crew is a powerful faction of the Lucchese crime family, that operates and controls illegal activities like drug trafficking, labor racketeering, loansharking, extortion, illegal gambling, money laundering, and murder, in the Northern New Jersey area....
. In 1955, Accardi was deported and he chose Anthony "Ham" Delasco to run the faction. The New Jersey Elizabeth family
DeCavalcante crime family
The DeCavalcante crime family is an organized crime family that controls organized crime activities in Elizabeth, New Jersey and surrounding areas in the state, despite operating on the other side of the Hudson River in New York, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the American Mafia...
began war with its own Newark faction. The war continued into the 1960s, and when Simone "Sam the Plumber" DeCavalcante
Sam DeCavalcante
Simone Rizzo "Sam" DeCavalcante , known as "Sam the Plumber", was a member of the New Jersey Mafia. Claiming descent from the Italian royal family, DeCavalcante was nicknamed "The Count"...
became the boss he was able to ended the fighting. Lucchese replaced his New Jersey capo Delasco who had died with Joseph Abate
Joseph Abate
Joseph F. Abate , also known as "Joey", was a New Jersey mobster involved in extortion, loansharking and illegal gambling as a caporegime for the Lucchese crime family's New Jersey faction.-Criminal career:...
and his protege Anthony "Tumac" Accetturo
Anthony Accetturo
Anthony "Tumac" Accetturo is a former caporegime and leader of the New Jersey faction of the Lucchese crime family The Jersey Crew.-Biography:...
.
Death and burial
On July 13, 1967, Tommy Lucchese died of a brain tumorBrain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
at his home in the Lido Beach area of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. The funeral service was held at the Catholic Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal
Miraculous Medal
The Miraculous Medal, also known as the Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is a medal created by Saint Catherine Labouré following a vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary...
Church in Ridgewood, Queens
Ridgewood, Queens
Ridgewood is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens. It borders the neighborhoods of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale, as well as the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bushwick. Historically, the neighborhood straddled the Queens-Brooklyn boundary. The neighborhood is part of Queens...
. Lucchese was buried at Calvary Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery, Queens
The Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery in Queens has the largest number of interments of any cemetery in the United States.The offices of Calvary Cemetery are located at 49-02 Laurel Hill Blvd. in Woodside in the New York City borough of Queens, New York. The cemetery is managed by the Trustees of...
in Queens, New York. Over 1,000 mourners, including politicians, judges, policemen, racketeers, drug pushers, pimp
Pimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
s, and hitmen, attended the ceremony. Undercover policemen photographed the attendees.
Lucchese's first choice as a successor had been Antonio "Tony Ducks" Corallo
Anthony Corallo
Anthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo was a New York City mobster and boss of the Lucchese crime family.-Early life:...
, but Corallo was in prison when Lucchese died. Lucchese's second choice, Ettore Coco
Ettore Coco
Ettore "Eddie" Coco was a New York City mobster who served as acting boss of the Lucchese crime family in 1967.-Boxing promoter:...
, was also in legal trouble and served a short time as boss. Another possible candidate was consigliere Vincenzo Rao
Vincenzo Rao
Vincenzo John Rao also known as Vincent or Vinny, was a New York City mobster who served as consigliere in the Lucchese crime family.-East Harlem:...
, but he too was dealing with criminal charges. The Commission finally selected capo Carmine Tramunti
Carmine Tramunti
Carmine "Mr. Gribbs" Tramunti was a New York mobster who was the boss of the Lucchese crime family. Tramunti helped build the massive French Connection heroin smuggling ring.-Operating in Harlem:...
as temporary acting boss until Corallo was released from prison.
Relatives
- Maria Lucchese - Tommy Lucchese's mother.
- Giuseppe Lucchese - Tommy Lucchese's father.
- Joseph "Joe Brown" Lucchese - the younger brother of Tommy Lucchese. Joseph worked at a horse track and was a capoCaporegimeA caporegime or capodecina, usually shortened to just a capo, is a term used in the Mafia for a high ranking made member of a crime family who heads a "crew" of soldiers and has major social status and influence in the organization...
in the Lucchese family. Joseph worked closely with Aniello "Neil" Migliore running Queens-based illegal gambling operations. Joseph died during the early 1970s.
- Robert Lucchese - the son of Tommy Lucchese. Robert attended the United States Military AcademyUnited States Military AcademyThe United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point and served as a Lieutenant in the US Air Force. Robert and Thomas Gambino controlled trucking firms in the Manhattan Garment DistrictGarment DistrictGarment District has several uses including:*Garment District, Manhattan - in New York City*Garment District - in Cambridge, Massachusetts*Los Angeles Garment District, also known as the Fashion District*Garment District...
.
- Thomas F. GambinoThomas GambinoThomas "Tommy" Gambino is a New York mobster and a longtime Caporegime of the Gambino crime family who successfully controlled lucrative trucking rackets in the New York City Garment District.-Early life:...
- the son of Carlo Gambino and the husband of Tommy Lucchese's daughter Frances. Thomas Gambino was a capo in the Gambino family. Gambino and Robert Lucchese controlled many trucking firms in the Garment District.
- Joseph "Joe Palisades" Rosato - the husband of Lucchese's sister Rose. Rosato was involved in the Garment District rackets. In 1963, government witness Joseph Valachi identified Rosato as a Lucchese capo in public hearings.
In popular culture
Lucchese was portrayed by Jon PolitoJon Polito
Jon Polito is an American actor and voice artist, who is known for working with the Coen Brothers, most notably in the major supporting role of Italian gangster Johnny Caspar in Miller's Crossing. He also appeared in the first two seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street and on the first season of...
in the 1981 television miniseries The Gangster Chronicles, released later that year as the film Gangster Wars
Gangster Wars
-Synopsis:The film tells the story of three teenagers, based on real life gangsters Charles "Lucky" Luciano , Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel and Michael Lasker , growing up in New York's ghettos during the early 1900s to their rise though organized crime.-Adaptation:This movie is based on...
.
Sources
- The Bureau of Narcotics, Sam Giancana, The United States Treasury Department. Mafia: The Government's Secret File on Organized Crime. Skyhorse Publishing, 2009.
- Harrell, G. T. For Members Only: The Story of the Mob's Secret Judge. Arthur House Publishing, 2009.
- Volkman, Ernest. Gangbusters: The Destruction of America's Last Great Mafia Dynasty. New York, Avon Books, 1998.
Other references
- Davis, John H. Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. ISBN 0-06-016357-7
- Kwitny, Jonathan. Vicious Circles: The Mafia in the Marketplace. New York: W.W. Norton, 1979. ISBN 0-393-01188-7
- Moldea, Dan E. The Hoffa Wars. New York: Charter Books, 1978. ISBN 0-441-34010-5
- Ragano, Frank and Raab, Selwyn. Mob Lawyer. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1994. ISBN 0-684-19568-2
- Raab, Selwyn. Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires. New York: St. Martin Press, 2005. ISBN 0-312-30094-8
- "United States of America, Plaintiff-appellant, v. Gaetano Lucchese" United States Court of Appeals Second Circuit. - 247 F.2d 123. (Argued March 15, 1957 - Decided June 17, 1957). Justia.com
- A Death in the Family by Thom L. Jones. Real deal mafia.com
External links
http://www.qchron.com/qboro/i_have_often_walked/tommy-lucchese-the-quiet-don-in-malba/article_35483f16-cd56-5fe1-be03-340aa3ccfc45.html