Lucky Luciano: The Godfather Who Shaped America's Dark Underworld

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the man who would eventually achieve legendary status in the realm of organized crime began his life in humble
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surroundings far from the bustle of American cities born as Salvatore
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Lucania in the late 19th century this individual grew up in a small Sicilian
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village near Palmo where mining was the lifeblood of many inhabitants eventually
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he crossed the Atlantic with his family settling in the crowded chaotic conditions of New York's Lower East Side
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during this era the city was a melting pot of cultures Italian Irish Jewish and
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more despite hardships he soon proved that he had both the ambition and the cunning to climb the ranks of the
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underworld indeed future headlines would come to refer to him in English as Charles Lucky Luchiano
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long before he earned that nickname though he was a fiery youth who clashed frequently with his father a
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hard-working Sicilian laborer who had hoped for a more legitimate path for his son the squalid reality of cramped
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tenement living however contributed to pushing many new immigrants toward questionable methods of earning money
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underground the lure of var cash it was just too powerful for countless
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youngsters this vibrant and often cutthroat environment gave birth to pickpockets
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street hustlers and a variety of minor gangs composed of teenagers who drifted
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daily between petty theft gambling rackets and extortion schemes salvatoreé
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who disliked being called S or Sally eventually changed his name to Charles
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and Lucania gradually morphed into Luchiano aided in part by American
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newspapers that frequently misspelled or altered foreign names though still a
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teenager he began his journey among the small packs of Lower East Side street
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criminals he even led a youth gang that offered protection to other children for
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a fee this was his first real foray into illicit business rather than retreat
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from confrontation he seized on intimidation and swagger to stake his
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territory one day he encountered a scrappy Jewish kid who refused to pay
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his 5 cents per week protection demand that youngster happened to be Myansky
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and although they nearly came to blows the two ended up forging a lifelong
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friendship their bond would be a hallmark of many real mafia stories for
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decades to come his father aware of his son's truency and criminal behavior
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insisted on discipline but even sending him to a secure school could not contain
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the ambitious boy by his mid- teens he was juggling a legitimate job in a hat
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factory with illegally run street ventures the paycheck from factory work
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was never enough to sate his growing appetite for more money which he found
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through gambling narcotics distribution and eventually the wave of bootlegging
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that hit New York during prohibition this era sometimes described as one of
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the greatest catalysts for the expansion of underworld secrets offered enormous potential for fortunes to be made fast
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and often violently by the late 19s he had become acquainted with a variety of
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notorious figures people like Al Capone who also hailed from New York before
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heading off to Chicago and a number of other future legends in the wide tapestry of organized crime eventually
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the young man joined forces with his old friend Maya Lansky along with associates
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such as Bugsy Seagull Veto Genevvesi and Frank Costello these relationships would
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anchor his ventures for many years to come he might have remained a small-time hood
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yet fate and legislation intervened the enactment of national prohibition in the
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early 1920s abruptly created an enormous black market for alcohol this vacuum
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gave the Italian Irish and Jewish gangs in major cities a golden opportunity to
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streamline and professionalize their operations the fortunes to be made by
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moving illicit liquor were staggering dwarfing what they had previously earned
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from street level crimes and so began this epic saga of the notorious kingpins
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who would shape America's underworld in Manhattan Charles found mentors in two
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powerful underworld entities first the influential Joe the boss
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Maseria and second Arnold Rothstein often referred to as the brain rothstein
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was very different from the typical gangster stereotype coming from a more
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comfortable background he used intelligence and math-based systems to control gambling rings and was rumored
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though never definitively proven to have orchestrated a major sports scandal this
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so-called gambler extraordinaire taught Charles and Meer a key principle if you
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want to be a real power broker in the city you need to project the image of a polished respectable businessman not
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just a street thug that philosophy would guide them as they wore expensive suits
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lived in luxury hotels under aliases and tried to maintain distance from
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day-to-day violence still for all the polish they were picking up the
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underworld was never safe from rivalries betrayals and close calls charles not
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content to simply supply alcohol also kept a hand in narcotics in the early
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1920s he had a brush with disaster when he realized that his contact at a local
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pool hall was an undercover policeman facing the possibility of a lengthy
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prison term he managed to remain tight-lipped about specific individuals
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while providing the location of a substantial stash of drugs which turned
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out to be his own inventory this move allowed him to walk free and
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demonstrated that he was already capable of absorbing financial losses and rebounds evidence that his ventures were
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profitable enough to weather major hits by the later part of the
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1920s Charles Lucky Luchiano as he came to be called after surviving a vicious
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beating and near fatal attack had emerged as a principal figure in Joe
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Maseria's organization he Lansky and various associates were raking in large sums of
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money through bootlegging and narcotics his alliance with Maseria helped him
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survive the cut-throat environment of crime families battling for control of
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the lucrative rackets that emerged during prohibition but while this was happening the broader New York
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underworld was on the verge of violent upheaval a rival kingpin named
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Salvatoreé Marano arrived from Sicily presenting a direct threat to Maseria's
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dominance the friction between the two men erupted into what later came to be
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known as the Castellamares War both a dark history and a turning point in the
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evolution of the infamous syndicates on America's east coast in the midst of
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that conflict Charles faced one of his most harrowing experiences in 1929 he was abducted
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brutally assaulted and left for dead many believed Maranzano's side was
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behind the near fatal incident and Charles carried scars especially a droopy eye for the rest of his life
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although he survived that brush with death there was little doubt that he was deeply entangled in a struggle that
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would only escalate the rivalry between Maranzano and Maseria was deep maranzano
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often described as a complex figure who actually knew Latin and once considered
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a religious vocation intended to take over New York's organized crime network
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as violence between the two camps royiled Charles recognized that Maranzano's faction was steadily
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overpowering Maseras in a desperate bid to save themselves and maintain their
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position Charles and his key allies orchestrated a betrayal they lured Joe
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the boss Maseria to a restaurant one day in 1931 claiming that he simply needed to
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use the bathroom charles stepped away from their card game while loyal assassins crept in and ended Maseria's
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life with that single act the lengthy Castella Marie's war concluded having
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eliminated one powerful rival Charles then found himself briefly under the
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command of the newly victorious Maranzano but friction quickly developed
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again maranzano hoped to formalize a structure among all the Italian-American
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outfits establishing the famed five families to partition territory and
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responsibilities unfortunately he also insisted that he be recognized as the capo dutyicappy or
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boss of bosses this heavy-handed demand along with a clear anti-Jewish stance
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that alienated men like Lansky set the stage for more blood to be spilled
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before Marenzano could eliminate Charles and his loyalists Charles struck first
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with the help of his Jewish allies he arranged for disguised hitmen to enter
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Maranzano's office under the pretense of being government agents in a swift
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ruthless attack Maranzano was stabbed and then shot thus toppling the boss of
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bosses within mere months of his victory the aftermath of that killing reshaped
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the Italian-American mafia into a more collaborative structure instead of
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claiming sole authority as Maranzano had done Charles advocated for a
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decentralized syndicate their newly formed commission would include the leaders of the five families and
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representatives from Chicago and parts of the Great Lakes region this
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council-like arrangement minimized turf wars and allowed for expansion into
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multiple criminal enterprises charles not only championed this cooperative approach but also
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demonstrated his willingness to partner with non-Italian groups particularly Jewish gangsters forging a multithnic
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underworld network that thrived on bootlegging gambling narcotics and labor
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raketeering many have named this period one of the greatest expansions of the underworld secrets that turned local
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gangs into a national powerhouse although he was in effect the central
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figure in these alliances Charles chose not to crown himself with an official
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boss of bosses designation instead he presided quietly ensuring that each
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crime family was free to operate in its zone while collaborating on broad
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strategic matters this flexible system proved remarkably stable and paved the
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way for decades of control over various illicit ventures a reason many label him
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the most influential modernizer of the mafia however his climb to power did not
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mean he was safe from legal scrutiny by the mid 1930s a new wave of
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reform-minded politicians and prosecutors began to pressure the entire underworld among them special prosecutor
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Thomas E dwey rapidly rose in prominence setting his sights on bringing down the
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multinational web of organized crime that Charles had constructed before Dwey
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fully homeed in on him Charles found himself involved whether directly or indirectly in the tensions surrounding
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the infamous Dutch Schultz a German Jewish gangster also operating in New
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York as law enforcement closed in Schultz planned to assassinate
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prosecutor Dwey charles and other heads recognized that killing a high-profile
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legal figure would bring down unprecedented heat on their affairs possibly uniting all levels of
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government in a massive crackdown consequently they moved first
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eliminating Schulz to avert that catastrophe yet this maneuver did not
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discourage DUI from pushing forward in his mission to topple the mafia's most
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powerful figures in 1936 Dwiey's systematic raids on brothel
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and vice dens across Manhattan and Brooklyn yielded an opportunity to
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prosecute Charles on charges that at first glance seemed unremarkable for
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such a storied gangster pandering and profiting from prostitution
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for better or for worse the prosecutor treated this modest charge as an opening to paint Charles as the nation's leading
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figure in organized crime the subsequent trial became an all-out offensive
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against the entire scope of Charles's involvement in bootlegging gambling
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narcotics and beyond even when tangible evidence was lacking
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nevertheless a skillful approach by the prosecution convinced a jury that
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Charles who took the stand was lying about nearly everything except the minor
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admission that he had been involved in some bootlegging in the end the
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presiding judge handed down what amounted to a near-life sentence 3 to
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five decades behind bars this outcome shocked Charles his attorneys and his
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closest confidants such as Lansky who believed the verdict was driven more by
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politics than by evidence some noted that while New York's criminal organizations certainly
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held a stake in prostitution it was never a primary revenue source
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especially during prohibition when illicit alcohol was by far the more lucrative focus therefore sentencing
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Charles to such a lengthy term for a relatively minor offense from the perspective of the entire underworld
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came across as politically motivated regardless the new reality saw Charles
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locked away primarily in Danamora the Siberia of upstate prisons though even
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there he managed to maintain a degree of influence by negotiating with guards and
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prisoners alike gloomy conditions aside he surreptitiously kept in contact with
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his allies but controlling the streets of Manhattan from such a distance wasn't
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easy still fate was not finished intertwining Charles's life with global
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events when the Second World War began the United States eventually joined the
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conflict and needed to secure its port operations and supply lines especially in strategic locations
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like New York Harbor fears arose about possible sabotage or foreign
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infiltration american authorities approached the mafia hoping to gain their help policing the docks this
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initiative sometimes referred to as Operation Underworld sought to turn the
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Underworld's local power into an asset through Myalansky and several others
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deals were brokered to ensure that in exchange for assisting the government with security on the waterfront Charles
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might see his sentence commuted and so instead of languishing in prison for
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decades he was rewarded for facilitating crucial contacts particularly among
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Sicilian mafiosi when Allied forces prepared to invade Italy by the war's
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end in 1945 the arrangement bore fruit for him early in 1946 authorities
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commuted his sentence but with one non-negotiable condition deportation to
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Italy with a final parting meal aboard a ship Charles waved goodbye to the
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country that had been both his greatest market and harshest jailer arriving in
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Naples in the late 1940s he quickly discovered that he had no real desire to
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stay in Italy indefinitely instead his mind turned to Cuba an
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island where illicit casinos lacks official oversight and proximity to the
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American mainland created a nearperfect domain for infamous syndicates to
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flourish indeed throughout the early to mid 1940s various crime figures had
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established networks there turning Havana into a glamorous and corrupt
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playground in the latter part of 1946 Charles snuck into Cuba traveling
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through Latin America to cover his tracks upon arriving he organized a high-profile conference at the famed
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Hotel National this gathering convened top figures in
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both the Italian and Jewish underworld realms to discuss how best to manage
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gambling narcotics labor rackets and new expansions out west in places like Las
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Vegas the Flamingo Hotel project spearheaded by Bugsy Seagull was a
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particular concern due to cost overruns tension escalated when it became obvious that Seagull had taken liberties with
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the funds despite efforts to salvage the situation the majority decided that Seagull was too much of a liability
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resulting in his murder several months later in California the discussions also
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touched upon internal politics regarding the uneasy dynamic between Frank
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Costello and Veto Genevvesi who both vied for senior status within the New
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York families however Charles's paradiscal retreat in Havana didn't last
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rumors about his presence rippled through the press capturing the attention of American officials the
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threat of restricting certain supplies to Cuba pressured the local government
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into acting as a result Cuban authorities detained Charles in early
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1947 and placed him on a ship back to Italy although he paid for an upgraded
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cabin he reportedly passed much of the voyage fratonizing with fellow travelers
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in cheaper quarters he arrived once again in Naples to face a future of
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forced residence in a homeland he barely remembered back in Italy his life took
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on a quieter rhythm though he still faced constant surveillance by the authorities there even so he found
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glimpses of personal happiness when he met a dancer named Igia a younger woman
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whose companionship he described as the truest love he had ever known settling
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in Rome for a while they eventually migrated to Naples hoping to escape police harassment yet the romance was
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cut short by tragedy when she died of cancer at a young age leaving Charles
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devastated friends recalled that he sobbed openly at her funeral uncharacteristic for a
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man whose demeanor by that point had grown guarded and stoic from then on he
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lived a relatively lonely life though rumors always persisted of him dabbling
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in fixed horse races and illicit dealings even if he was no longer orchestrating major operations overseas
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all the while across the Atlantic his longtime colleagues engaged in a series
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of internal power plays with Genevves resentful of Costello's hold on the
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leadership it was only a matter of time before violence erupted again costello
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survived an assassination attempt in the late 1950s but ultimately decided to
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retire rather than enter a protracted turf war genevves assumed control which
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ironically aligned the Luchiano family under someone Charles reportedly
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disliked before long Genevves got ins sns snared in a narcotic sting and ended
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up in prison gossip and speculation hinted that Charles from afar might have
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helped orchestrate Genev's downfall by leaking or facilitating information to
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American authorities no conclusive proof emerged but the timing led many to believe that some old
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scores were being settled across oceans as the 1950s turned into the
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1960s life in Italy grew increasingly isolated for the aging gangster money
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flows from Cuba dried up following the island's revolution and much of his
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earlier revenue from America was not as forthcoming once new powers rose
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stateside more painfully men who had once been subordinate to him arrived in
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Italy flaunting large bankrolls living in lavish residences and overshadowing
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him financially in a bid to secure his finances Charles agreed to explore the
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possibility of a film project in collaboration with a producer named
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Martin Gosh with gangster themed films gaining traction in Hollywood it seemed
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plausible that a movie chronicling Charles's unsolved mysteries and dark history might also capture the public's
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imagination he never lived to see that project completed one day in the early
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1960s he went to Naples's airport to greet Gosh presumably to finalize
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details about the script as they walked together Charles suddenly collapsed a
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heart attack claimed his life almost instantly cutting short the plan to
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immortalize his story on film the news traveled quickly bringing an outpouring
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of fascination curiosity and media attention from around the globe despite
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official investigations into his potential involvement in long-standing narcotics operations nothing further
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could be pinned on him now that he was gone his funeral took place in Naples
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attended by roughly a few hundred mourners as cameras flashed and
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reporters scrambled for a glimpse of the ceremony tensions erupted into scuffles
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eventually family members made arrangements to transport the body to the United States allowing his burial in
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Queens there thousands came to pay respects or simply to witness the end of
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a fabled chapter in true crime law historians and journalists continued to
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debate whether Charles truly intended to retire quietly or if he always harbored
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ambitions of reasserting control in New York from afar in the 1960s so-called
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mafia turncoats began providing law enforcement with details on the
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structure of organized crime in the United States naming Charles Luchiano as
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the architect behind the commission system that coordinated various families nationwide
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by the 1980s federal authorities significantly escalated pressure against
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the mafia through new legal tools and successful convictions gradually
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dismantling many of the powerful networks Lucky had helped establish
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decades earlier nevertheless many consider him the key
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figure who guided the mafia from fractious street gang warfare into a
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sophisticated multifaceted syndicate with national influence his ambitions
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alliances and willingness to adopt an almost corporate strategy set a template
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for how crime families would operate for generations the creation of the five families the
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forging of multithnic partnerships and the establishment of the commission
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effectively made him a pioneering figure in the underworld he was indeed a
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notorious kingpin who rose from the poverty of Sicily and the tenementss of
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Manhattan to shape policies that reached from the east coast to the sands of Nevada and the tropical shores of Havana
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it is undeniable that Charles's legacy stands at the intersection of criminal
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innovation and real mafia stories that continue to captivate the public's
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imagination his life encompassed so many elements typically associated with gangster folklore flamboyant lifestyle
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cunning deals brutal betrayals prison romance exile and conspiratorial
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alliances with law enforcement during wartime and perhaps the ultimate irony
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is that the luck associated with his famous moniker was earned through endless gambles many of which could
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easily have cost him his life long before he exited this world in his early
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60s some might argue it was nerve not luck that defined him though his father
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once toiled in the sulfurous mines outside Palmo the son rose to become one
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of the central architects of a powerful criminal empire the Lower East Side
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environment with its cramped housing and swirling languages was the perfect
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crucible for forging the alliances that would shape underworld secrets for years
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none can deny that had prohibition never been enacted Charles might have remained
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a lesser thug instead of ascending to such dizzying heights in America's dark
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history of criminal empires the many trials and tribulations he endured from
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savage beatings to lengthy imprisonment cemented a reputation for resilience
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rivalries in the mafia were often lethal but this man displayed a remarkable
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aptitude for navigating them whether orchestrating betrayals to topple the boss forging new structures that
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balanced rival factions or brokering deals from prison to aid the government in wartime he had a knack for turning
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adversity into advantage his emphasis on forging peaceful cooperation among
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different families after years of bloodshed might even seem like an odd moral code in a world permeated by
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violence observers who reflect upon his saga often point to the unstoppable
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momentum that prohibition granted the underworld they also stress that when
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the wet era ended the crime families quickly pivoted to other income streams
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like narcotics gambling and control over labor unions another realm in which
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Charles's influence lingered even in prison he remained a figure whose name
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carried weight and on the outside his lieutenants continued to show him difference at least until more ambitious
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colleagues saw an opening to seize power for themselves his bold creation of a
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council-based approach to organized crime effectively a board of directors with each major region or family holding
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a seat became an enduring legacy making it far simpler for the underworld to
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expand without endless feuding although later decades saw fresh disputes that
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commission framework persisted as a guiding authority for the activities of multiple syndicates many law enforcement
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experts credit it as a reason the mafia held on to such influence for many years
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since concentrated leadership minus constant internal war allowed them to
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build vast wealth throughout his life and postuously Charles Lucky Luchiano
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divided opinions some saw him as a brilliant strategist who harnessed the
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unsolved mysteries of complex times forging alliances and structures never
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before witnessed others believed he was merely a ruthless criminal who found
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ways to spin illusions about fairness or equilibrium he reaped millions from the
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suffering and vices of countless ordinary citizens while maneuvering to
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maintain an advantage over rivals in either case the magnitude of his role in
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shaping midentth century organized crime is hard to deny his story intersects
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with a sweeping panorama the chaos of Lower East Side immigrant life the
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gangsterladen saloons of prohibition the flourishing illicit industries that
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thrived on Americans thirst for liquor and gambling and even the logistic
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demands of a global conflict in the 1940s the tentacles of his empire
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reached from local back alleys to international shipping routes whether he was orchestrating deals in a luxury
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hotel suite or ordering hits from prison his power echoed through every layer of
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underworld existence when considering the pantheon of gangster icons names
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like Al Capone Maya Lansky and Veto Genevvesi Charles stands as a figure who
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managed for a crucial window of time to draw them all into a single coordinated
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enterprise through cunning alliances with Jewish mobsters and respect for the
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complexities of multifamily relationships he laid down protocols
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that other dons would either follow or challenge this capacity to unify then
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pivot smoothly without losing sight of prophets propelled him into a realm of
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real mafia stories that continue to fascinate historians and the public
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alike as decades go by the intricacies of his life often prompt scholars to
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examine just how deeply a single individual can influence entire spheres
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of illegal enterprise is it luck or is it the force of will that shapes
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underworld destinies when his final day came in an airport towered over by the
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robust city of Naples the drama of his existence seemed almost cinematic indeed
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it was more than a mere mortal's passing it marked the symbolic end of an age
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when one man could so dramatically transform the shadowy eb and flow of
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crime families in hindsight his deportation ensured he would never again
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hold center stage in the day-to-day workings of American organized crime yet
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he still maintained enough sway that figures like Genevies stayed mindful of
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what might happen should Charles choose to retaliate those years in enforced
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exile revealed a man who was torn between longing for the land of opportunity that had cast him out and
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the karma if more watchful rhythms of life in Italy the wealth he once
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commanded had diminished but the legend surrounding his name only grew countless
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books movies and references across popular culture kept alive his memory as
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a prime example of the dark history behind modern America his burial first
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in Naples and then in New York also revealed a degree of spectacle that
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accompanied him beyond the grave even in death intrigue followed in the form of
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scuffles between aggressive reporters and mourers a last echo of the mania his
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name triggered many suspected that the press's zeal was also fueled by the
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ongoing speculation about what secrets he might have taken to his coffin the
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depth of complicity with law enforcement during the war the full truth behind betrayals and the extent of his hidden
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finances meanwhile the infiltration of the American underworld by new families
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along with infiltration by law enforcement signaled that the era he had helped create was undergoing monumental
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shifts by the 1950s and 1960s the attention turned to personalities like
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Costello Genevves Carlo Gambino and others who jostled for or consolidated
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power in the vacuum left by Charles's exile and eventual death this
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transitional period in the underworld story line showcase that no matter how
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formidable a kingpin seems criminal empires exist in a constant state of
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fluidity ever evolving battlefields for control for all these reasons it is
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unsurprising that major publications once included Charles Lucky Luchiano
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among pivotal figures who built the 20th century although that classification
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might cause outrage among those who see him only as a criminal in a purely
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historical sense his impact stands on par with entrepreneurs who developed
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cultural dynasties instead of building corporate franchises he perfected systems that
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harnessed gambling parlors waterfront rackets narcotics rings and political
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corruption instead of marketing to mainstream consumers he tapped vice greed and
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secrecy to fulfill an insatiable market's demand for illegal pleasures as
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years turn into decades the question sometimes asked in academic circles is
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whether the structure he masterminded was fated to fail due to the unstoppable
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pressures of federal investigations or if it might have continued indefinitely
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in a calmer environment the Great Depression and the nation's shift from
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speak easys to legitimate bars after repeal showed how thoroughly the
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underworld could adapt but ironically the biggest threat to Charles's world
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was not economic changes so much as law enforcement's tenacity political
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ambition and the unpredictable rivalries within the mafia's own families charles
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left behind a complicated legacy of genius and ruthlessness the commission
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that he initiated stood for unity in an underworld of betrayal yet it was no
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utopia it had its own code of violence and retribution at any moment a lapse in
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unity or a personal feud could trigger bloodshed despite the veneer of order
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however one cannot deny the lasting resonance of that structure decades later criminals across multiple
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continents would still site or emulate its concepts demonstrating how thoroughly Charles and his peers rewrote
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the manual for infamous syndicates in some if one explores the underworld
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secrets of the early to mid 20th century Charles Lucky Luciano's fingerprints are
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everywhere from the battered streets of early 20th century Manhattan to the neon
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drenched casinos of Las Vegas from the covert war measures in World War II to
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the official committees investigating organized crime his reach was profound
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he is depicted in countless true crime narratives as the central protagonist an
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individual whose cunning shaped the mosaic of mob families such as the
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paradox of the man once known as Salvator Lucania he was both the product
38:08
of tenement poverty and the architect of a sprawling criminal empire that spanned
38:14
multiple borders he orchestrated the downfall of enemies but also established
38:20
a blueprint for power sharing to avoid continual gang warfare he spent time in
38:27
some of America's most infamous prisons but leveraged global conflict to walk
38:32
free even in Italy far from the city of his youth he could not escape the
38:38
watchful eyes of authorities yet he found moments of personal love and
38:43
heartbreak reflecting on his entire saga it becomes
38:48
clear that Charles Lucky Luchiano embodies the essence of real mafia
38:54
stories a brazen resolve an ability to outmaneuver law enforcement at times and
39:00
a willingness to unleash lethal force against anyone standing in his way was
39:06
he lucky or was it sheer willpower and intellect that propelled him to the summit of organized crime power perhaps
39:15
it was a unique cocktail of both although some might argue about whether he is the single most important
39:21
character in the Italian-American mafia's entire story his emergence as a
39:27
founding father of the five families and his role in creating the commission
39:32
cannot be denied nor can the direct and indirect influence he had on how these
39:38
crime families spread their operations both within and beyond the borders of
39:43
the United States be overlooked truly this is the stuff of unsolved mysteries
39:51
and dark history that continues to captivate historians authors and film
39:56
directors he may have hoped that through a film project he would clarify or control his
40:02
own narrative but fate intervened at the Naples airport that final day leaving
40:08
unanswered questions about how fully he might have revealed the knowledge he had earned through decades of life in the
40:16
shadows ultimately the empire moved on new bosses rose and tasks were delegated
40:24
to the next generation yet within the pantheon of notorious kingpins Charles
40:29
Lucky Luchiano stands as a towering figure someone who orchestrated grand
40:36
transformations brokered unthinkable alliances and influenced the path of
40:41
dark history in the United States from behind the scenes and although time and
40:47
law enforcement have drastically shifted the landscape his name endures in the
40:52
annals of true crime echoing across every new retelling of those tumultuous
40:58
early 20th century years when cunning criminals turned prohibition into gold
41:04
and forever changed America's underworld old

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