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'{{short description|Italian-American mobster}} {{about||the 1973 film|Lucky Luciano (film)|the Mexican-American rapper|Lucky Luciano (rapper)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2011}} {{Infobox criminal |name = Charles "Lucky" Luciano |image = LuckyLucianoSmaller.jpeg |caption = |birth_name = Salvatore Lucania |birth_date = {{Birth date|1897|11|24}} |birth_place = [[Lercara Friddi]], [[Sicily]], Italy |death_date = {{Death date and age|1962|1|26|1897|11|24}} |death_place = [[Naples]], [[Campania]], Italy |resting_place = [[Saint John's Cemetery, Queens]], New York |charge = Heading prostitution racket, heavy drug trafficking |penalty = 30 to 50 year sentence, served 10 years |known_for = First head of the modern [[Genovese crime family]], establishing the [[Five Families]], head of the [[The Commission (mafia)|Commission]], creator of the [[The Commission (mafia)|Commission]], creator of the modern [[American mafia]], creator of the [[National crime syndicate]] |occupation = [[Crime lord]], [[mafia boss]], [[criminal mastermind]], [[Crime boss|kingpin]], [[Gangster]], [[Rum-running|Bootlegger]], [[Prostitution]], [[Drug kingpin]], [[Gambler]], [[Pimp]], [[Extortionist]], [[Racketeer]], [[businessman]] |signature = [[File:Lucky Luciano signature.svg|150px]] | spouse = Igea Lissoni | parents = Rosalia Capporelli and Antonio Lucania | children = }} '''Charles''' "'''Lucky'''" '''Luciano''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|l|uː|tʃ|i|ˈ|ɑː|n|oʊ}},<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/nls/about/organization/standards-guidelines/ijkl/#l|title=Say How: I, J, K, L|work=NLS Other Writings|date=February 2011|accessdate=August 19, 2012|publisher=[[National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped]]}}</ref> {{IPA-it|luˈtʃaːno|lang}}; born '''Salvatore Lucania'''<ref name="brit">[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/350578/Lucky-Luciano Lucky Luciano | American crime boss | Britannica.com]</ref> {{IPA-it|salvaˈtoːre luˈkaːnja|lang}}; November 24, 1897 – January 26, 1962) was an influential Italian-born [[gangster|mobster]], criminal mastermind, and [[crime lord]] who operated mainly in the United States. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for doing it to them. He was also the first official boss of the modern [[Genovese crime family]]. He was, along with his associates, instrumental in the development of the [[National Crime Syndicate]]. Luciano was tried and successfully convicted for [[forced prostitution|compulsory prostitution]] and running a prostitution racket in 1936 after years of investigation by [[District Attorney]] [[Thomas E. Dewey]]. He was given a thirty-year prison sentence, but during [[World War II]] an agreement was struck with the Department of the Navy through his associate [[Meyer Lansky]] in order to protect New York's harbors from [[Axis Powers|Axis]] [[U-boats]]. Dewey almost failed to keep his end of the bargain, and it took months to finally come up with a solution to release Luciano. He was deported to live his life freely outside the U.S. ==Early life== Salvatore Lucania was born on November 24, 1897, in [[Lercara Friddi]], [[Sicily]], [[Kingdom of Italy|Italy]].<ref>[https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-27328-18102-80?cc=1947613&wc=MM54-MJ2:n791939228 Birth Record]</ref><ref>Critchley, David ''The Origin of Organized Crime in America: The New York City Mafia, 1891–1931'' [https://books.google.com/books?id=0_wq1QreSSoC&pg=PA212&dq=Charlie+Luciano+Nov.+24,+1897&hl=en&ei=tO3OTdbLFsaugQe0ybHLDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CD0Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false pp. 212–213]</ref> Luciano's parents, Antonio and Rosalia Capporelli-Lucania, had four other children: Bartolomeo (born 1890), Giuseppe (born 1898), Filippa (born 1901), and Concetta. Luciano's father worked in a [[sulfur]] mine in Sicily.<ref name="luciano dies" /> His father was very ambitious and persistent in eventually moving to America. Luciano recounts in his semi-autobiography ''The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano: The Mafia Story in His Own Words'' that his father always had a new Palermo-based steamship company calendar each year and would save money for the boat trip by keeping a jar under his bed. He also mentions in the book that his father was too proud to ask for money so instead his mother was given money by Luciano's cousin in secret, named Rotolo who also lived in Lercara Friddi. In April 1906, when Luciano was nine years old, the family emigrated to the United States.<ref name="Biography.com">{{cite web | author=Biography.com (A&E Television Networks) | title = Lucky Luciano Biography | url = http://www.biography.com/articles/Lucky-Luciano-9388350 | accessdate =September 20, 2010}}</ref> They settled in [[New York City]] in the borough of [[Manhattan]] on its [[Lower East Side]], a popular destination for Italian immigrants.<ref>{{cite web | work=Projects by Students for Students | publisher=Oracle ThinkQuest Education Foundation | title=Immigration: The Journey to America: The Italians | url=http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/Italian.html | accessdate=September 20, 2010 | deadurl=yes | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927045001/http://library.thinkquest.org/20619/Italian.html | archivedate=September 27, 2011 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> At age 14, Luciano dropped out of school and started a job delivering hats, earning $7 per week. However, after winning $244 in a dice game, Luciano quit his job and went to earning money on the street.<ref name="luciano dies" /> That same year, Luciano's parents sent him to the [[truancy|Brooklyn Truant School]].<ref>Stolberg, p. 117</ref> As a teenager, Luciano started his own gang and was a member of the old [[Five Points Gang]]. Unlike other street gangs, whose business was petty crime, Luciano offered protection to [[Jew]]ish youngsters from [[Italian diaspora|Italian]] and [[Irish diaspora|Irish]] gangs for 10 cents per week. He was also learning the [[pimping]] trade in the years around [[World War I]]. Around this time, Luciano also met Meyer Lansky, his future business partner and close friend. It is not clear how Luciano earned the nickname "Lucky". It may have come from surviving a severe beating by three men in 1929, as well as a throat slashing. This was because Luciano refused to work for another mob boss.<ref name = "Biography.com" /> The nickname may also be attributed to his gambling luck, or to a simple mispronunciation of his last name.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.history.com/topics/crime/lucky-luciano|title=Charles “Lucky” Luciano|publisher=history.com|date=December 2, 2009}}</ref> From 1916 to 1936, Luciano was arrested 25 times on charges including assault, [[illegal gambling]], [[blackmail]] and [[robbery]], but spent no time in prison.<ref name="shallow parasite">{{cite news|title=Lucania is Called Shallow Parasite|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/04/18/93720524.pdf|accessdate=June 21, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 19, 1936}}</ref> It is also not clear how his surname came to be rendered "Luciano." This too may have been the result of persistent misspellings by newspapers, and he is not known to have used it. ==Prohibition and the early 1920s== On January 17, 1920, the [[Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution|Eighteenth Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution|U.S. Constitution]] took effect and [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]] lasted until the amendment was repealed in 1933. The amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. As there was still a substantial demand for alcohol, this provided criminals with an added source of income. By 1920, Luciano had met many future [[American Mafia|Mafia]] leaders, including [[Vito Genovese]] and [[Frank Costello]], his longtime friend and future business partner through the Five Points Gang. That same year, Lower Manhattan gang boss [[Joe Masseria]] recruited Luciano as one of his gunmen.<ref>Newark, p. 22</ref> Around that same time, Luciano and his close associates started working for gambler [[Arnold Rothstein|Arnold "The Brain" Rothstein]], who immediately saw the potential windfall from Prohibition and educated Luciano on running [[Rum-running|bootleg]] alcohol as a business.<ref name=Stolberg119>Stolberg, p. 119</ref> Luciano, Costello, and Genovese started their own bootlegging operation with financing from Rothstein.<ref name=Stolberg119 /> Rothstein served as a mentor for Luciano; among other things, Rothstein taught him how to move in high society. In 1923, Luciano was caught in a sting selling [[heroin]] to undercover agents. Although he saw no jail time, being outed as a drug peddler damaged his reputation among his high-class associates and customers. To salvage his reputation, Luciano bought 200 expensive seats to the [[Jack Dempsey]]–[[Luis Firpo]] [[boxing]] match in the [[The Bronx, New York|Bronx]] and distributed them to top gangsters and politicians. Rothstein then took Luciano on a shopping trip to [[Wanamaker's]] Department Store in Manhattan to buy expensive clothes for the fight. The strategy worked, and Luciano's reputation was saved.<ref name=" Pietruska page 202">{{cite book|last=Pietrusza|first=David|title=Rothstein The Life, Times, and Murder of the Criminal Genius Who Fixed the 1919 World Series.|publisher=Basic Books|location=New York|isbn=0465029396|page=202|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A_46aa7xG0YC&pg=PA201&dq=Luciano+Rothstein&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7HTnT7XzJPP26gH7x9HgDg&ved=0CEkQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Luciano%20Rothstein&f=false|edition=2nd}}</ref> By 1925, Luciano was grossing over $12 million a year. He had a net income of around $4 million each year after the costs of bribing politicians and police. Luciano and his partners ran the largest bootlegging operation in New York, one that also extended into [[Philadelphia]]. He imported [[Scotch whisky]] from Scotland, [[rum]] from the [[Caribbean]], and [[whisky]] from Canada. Luciano was also involved in illegal gambling. ==Rise to power and the late 1920s== Luciano soon became a top aide in Masseria's criminal organization. In contrast to Rothstein, Masseria was uneducated, with poor manners and limited managerial skills. By the late 1920s, Masseria's main rival was boss [[Salvatore Maranzano]], who had come from Sicily to run the [[Bonanno crime family|Castellammarese clan]]. Maranzano refused to pay commissions to Masseria. Their rivalry eventually escalated into the bloody [[Castellammarese War]] and ultimately resulted in the deaths of both Maranzano and Masseria. Masseria and Maranzano were so-called "[[Mustache Pete]]s": older, traditional Mafia bosses who had started their criminal careers in Italy. They believed in upholding the supposed "Old World Mafia" principles of "honor," "tradition," "respect," and "dignity." These bosses refused to work with non-Italians, and were skeptical of working with non-Sicilians. Some of the most conservative bosses worked with only those men with roots in their own Sicilian village. Luciano, in contrast, was willing to work with not only Italians, but also Jewish and Irish gangsters, as long as there was money to be made. Luciano was shocked to hear traditional Sicilian ''mafiosi'' lecture him about his dealings with close friend Costello, whom they called "the dirty [[Calabria]]n".<ref name=MafEnc>Sifakis</ref> Luciano soon began cultivating ties with other younger mobsters who had been born in Italy but began their criminal careers in the U.S. Known as the Young Turks, they chafed at their bosses' conservatism. Luciano wanted to use lessons he learned from Rothstein to turn their gang activities into criminal empires.<ref name="valachi">[[Peter Maas|Maas, Peter]]. ''The Valachi Papers''.</ref> As the war progressed, this group came to include future mob leaders such as Costello, Genovese, [[Albert Anastasia]], [[Joe Adonis]], [[Joe Bonanno]], [[Carlo Gambino]], [[Joe Profaci]], [[Tommy Gagliano]], and [[Tommy Lucchese]]. The Young Turks believed that their bosses' greed and conservatism were keeping them poor while the Irish and Jewish gangs got rich. Luciano's vision was to form a national crime syndicate in which the Italian, Jewish, and Irish gangs could pool their resources and turn organized crime into a lucrative business for all.<ref name=Saga>[http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/genovese1/1.html "Genovese family saga"]. ''Crime Library''.</ref> In October 1929, Luciano was forced into a [[limousine]] at gunpoint by three men, beaten and stabbed, and dumped on a beach on [[Staten Island]]. He somehow survived the ordeal but was forever marked with a scar and droopy eye. The identity of his abductors was never established. When picked up by the police after the beating, Luciano said that he had no idea who did it. However, in 1953, Luciano told an interviewer that it was the police who kidnapped and beat him in an attempt to find [[Legs Diamond|Jack "Legs" Diamond]].<ref>Feder & Joesten, pp. 67–69</ref> Another story was that Maranzano ordered the attack.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Eisenberg |first1=D. |last2=Dan |first2=U. |last3=Landau |first3=E. |year=1979 |title=Meyer Lansky: Mogul of the Mob |publisher=Paddington Press |location=New York |isbn=044822206X}}</ref> The most important consequence of this episode was the press coverage it engendered, introducing Luciano to the New York public. ===Power play=== [[File:Lucky Luciano mugshot 1931.jpg|thumb|1931 [[New York Police Department]] mugshot of Lucky Luciano]] In early 1931, Luciano decided to eliminate Masseria. The war had been going poorly for Masseria, and Luciano saw an opportunity to switch allegiance. In a secret deal with Maranzano, Luciano agreed to engineer Masseria's death in return for receiving Masseria's [[racket (crime)|racket]]s and becoming Maranzano's second-in-command.<ref name="five families book">{{cite book |title=The Five Families |publisher=MacMillan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5nAt6N8iQnYC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0 |accessdate =June 22, 2008|page={{Page needed|date=August 2012}}}}</ref> On April 15, Luciano invited Masseria and two other associates to lunch in a [[Coney Island]] restaurant. After finishing their meal, the mobsters decided to play cards. At that point, according to mob legend, Luciano went to the bathroom. Four gunmen – Genovese, Anastasia, Adonis and [[Bugsy Siegel|Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel]] – then walked into the dining room and shot and killed Masseria.<ref name=MafEnc /> With Maranzano's blessing, Luciano took over Masseria's gang and became Maranzano's lieutenant.<ref name="five families book"/> The Castellammarese War was over. With Masseria gone, Maranzano reorganized the Italian-American gangs in New York City into [[Five Families]] headed by Luciano, Profaci, Gagliano, [[Vincent Mangano]] and himself. Maranzano promised that all the families would be equal and free to make money. However, at a meeting of crime bosses in [[Upstate New York]], Maranzano declared himself ''[[capo di tutti capi]]'' ("boss of all bosses"). Maranzano also whittled down the rival families' rackets in favor of his own. Luciano appeared to accept these changes, but was merely biding his time before removing Maranzano.<ref name=MafEnc /> Although Maranzano was slightly more forward-thinking than Masseria, Luciano had come to believe that Maranzano was even more greedy and hidebound than Masseria had been.<ref name="five families book"/> By September 1931, Maranzano realized Luciano was a threat, and hired [[Vincent Coll|Vincent "Mad Dog" Coll]], an Irish gangster, to kill him. However, Lucchese alerted Luciano that he was marked for death. On September 10, Maranzano ordered Luciano and Genovese to come to his office at the [[Helmsley Building|230 Park Avenue]] in Manhattan. Convinced that Maranzano planned to murder them, Luciano decided to act first. He sent to Maranzano's office four Jewish gangsters whose faces were unknown to Maranzano's people. They had been secured with the aid of Lansky and Siegel.<ref name="Dec. 7, 1998">"Lucky Luciano: Criminal Mastermind," ''Time'', [http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989779,00.html Dec. 7, 1998]</ref> Disguised as government agents, two of the gangsters disarmed Maranzano's bodyguards. The other two, aided by Lucchese, who was there to point Maranzano out, stabbed the boss multiple times before shooting him.<ref name=Saga/><ref>"The Genovese Family," ''Crime Library'', [http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/genovese1/2.html ''Crime Library''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214043547/http://www.crimelibrary.com/gangsters_outlaws/family_epics/genovese1/2.html |date=December 14, 2007 }}</ref> This assassination was the first of what would later be fabled as the "Night of the Sicilian Vespers." Several days later, on September 13, the corpses of two other Maranzano allies, Samuel Monaco and Louis Russo, were retrieved from Newark Bay, showing evidence of [[torture]]. Meanwhile, Joseph Siragusa, leader of the [[Pittsburgh crime family]], was shot to death in his home. The October 15 disappearance of [[Joe Ardizonne]], head of the [[Los Angeles crime family|Los Angeles family]], would later be regarded as part of this alleged plan to quickly eliminate the old-world Sicilian bosses.<ref name="Dec. 7, 1998"/> However, the idea of an organized mass purge, directed by Luciano, has been debunked as a myth.<ref>''The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Mafia'', [https://books.google.com/books?id=o64XJkmUPr0C&pg=PA283&lpg=PA283&dq=night+of+the+sicilian+vespers&source=bl&ots=UNxXwhT69x&sig=YG9wk-3q0Zzfu_iBzollWG1_w14&hl=en&sa=X&ei=iTi6UuGZE5a-sQSZ9YLAAQ&ved=0CFwQ6AEwBjgU#v=onepage&q=night%20of%20the%20sicilian%20vespers&f=false p. 283]</ref> ==Reorganizing Cosa Nostra== With the death of Maranzano, Luciano became the dominant crime boss in the United States. He had reached the pinnacle of America's underworld, setting policies and directing activities along with the other Mafia bosses. His own crime family controlled lucrative criminal rackets in New York City such as illegal gambling, extortion, [[bookmaking]], [[loansharking]], and [[drug trafficking]]. Luciano became very influential in [[labor union]] activities and controlled the [[Manhattan Waterfront Greenway|Manhattan Waterfront]], garbage hauling, construction, [[Garment District, Manhattan|Garment District]] businesses, and trucking. Although there would have been few objections had Luciano declared himself ''capo di tutti capi,'' he abolished the title, believing the position created trouble between the families and made himself a target for another ambitious challenger. Instead, Luciano chose to quietly maintain control through the [[The Commission (mafia)|Commission]] by forging unofficial alliances with other bosses. However, Luciano did not discard all of Maranzano's changes. He believed that the ceremony of becoming a "[[made man]]", or an ''amico nostro'', in a crime family was a Sicilian anachronism. However, Genovese persuaded Luciano to keep the title, arguing that young people needed rituals to promote obedience to the family. Luciano remained committed to ''[[omertà]]'', the oath of silence, to protect the families from legal prosecution. In addition, he kept Maranzano's structure of five crime families in New York City.<ref name="five families book"/> Luciano elevated his most trusted Italian associates to high-level positions in what was now the Luciano crime family. Genovese became [[underboss]] and Costello ''[[consigliere]]''. Adonis, [[Michael "Trigger Mike" Coppola]], [[Anthony Strollo]], [[Willie Moretti]] and [[Anthony Carfano]] all served as ''[[caporegime]]s''. Because Lansky and Siegel were non-Italians, neither man could hold official positions within any Mafia family. However, Lansky was a top advisor to Luciano and Siegel a trusted associate. ==The Commission== Luciano set up the Commission to serve as the governing body for organized crime. Designed to settle all disputes and decide which families controlled which territories, the Commission has been called Luciano's greatest innovation.<ref name="five families book"/> Luciano's goals with the Commission were to quietly maintain his own power over all the families, and to prevent future [[Gang|gang war]]s. The Commission was originally composed of representatives of the Five Families of New York City, the [[Buffalo crime family]], and the [[Chicago Outfit]] of [[Al Capone]]; later, the crime families of Los Angeles, [[Philadelphia crime family|Philadelphia]], [[Detroit crime family|Detroit]], and [[Kansas City crime family|Kansas City]] families were added. The Commission also provided representation for the Irish and Jewish criminal organizations in New York. All Commission members were supposed to retain the same power, with decisions made by majority vote. In reality, Luciano and his allies controlled the Commission. The group's first test came in 1935, when it ordered [[Dutch Schultz]] to drop his plans to murder [[Special Prosecutor]] [[Thomas E. Dewey]]. Luciano argued that a Dewey assassination would precipitate a massive law enforcement crackdown; it has long been a hard and fast rule in the American underworld that police officers, federal agents and prosecutors are not to be harmed. A defiant Schultz told the Commission that he was going to kill Dewey (or his assistant David Asch) in the next three days. In response, the Commission quickly arranged Schultz's murder.<ref>Newark, p. 81</ref> On October 24, 1935, before he could kill Dewey or Asch, Schultz was murdered in a tavern in [[Newark, New Jersey|Newark]], [[New Jersey]].<ref name="schultz murder">{{cite news|title=Schultz's Murder Laid to Lepke Aide|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1941/03/28/85275904.pdf|accessdate=June 24, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 28, 1941}}</ref> ==Prosecution for pandering== During the early 1930s, Luciano's crime family started taking over small scale [[prostitution]] operations in New York City. In June 1935, [[New York (state)|New York]] [[Governor of New York|Governor]] [[Herbert H. Lehman]] appointed Dewey, a [[United States Attorney|U.S. Attorney]], as a special prosecutor to combat organized crime in the city.<ref name="dewey chosen">{{cite news|title=Dewey Chosen by Lehman to Head Racket Inquiry; Acceptance Held Certain|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1935/06/30/95507594.pdf|accessdate=June 24, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 30, 1935}}</ref> Dewey's assistant district attorney [[Eunice Carter]] led an investigation into prostitution racketeering that connected Luciano, the most powerful gangster in New York, to this prostitution network. Carter investigated the flow of money in the New York/New Jersey prostitution network, and she began to build a case of prostitution racketeering founded on evidence from interviews with prostitutes, and wiretaps<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.wnyc.org/story/how-eunice-hunton-carter-took-mob-watcher/|title=How Eunice Hunton Carter Took on the Mob, 'The Watcher' {{!}} All of It|website=WNYC|language=en|access-date=2019-01-08}}</ref>. On February 2, 1936, Dewey authorized Carter to raid 200 [[brothel]]s in Manhattan and [[Brooklyn]], earning him nationwide recognition as a major "gangbuster". Carter took measures to prevent police corruption from impeding the raids: she assigned 160 police officers outside of the vice squad to conduct the raids, and the officers were instructed to wait on street corners until they received their orders, minutes before the raids were to begin<ref>{{Cite book|title=Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America's Most Powerful Mobster|last=Carter|first=Stephen L.|publisher=Henry Holt and Co.|year=2018|isbn=1250121973|location=|pages=Prologue}}</ref>. Ten men and 100 women were arrested. However, unlike previous vice raids, the arrestees were not released, but taken to court, where a judge set bails of [[United States dollar|US$]]10,000, far beyond their means to pay.<ref name="vice raids">{{cite news|title=Vice Raids Smash '$12,000,000 Ring{{'-}}|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/02/03/88628675.pdf|accessdate=June 22, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 3, 1936}}</ref> Carter had built trust with a number of the arrested prostitutes and madams, some of whom reported being beaten and abused by the Mafia. She convinced many to testify rather than serve additional jail time<ref name=":0" />. By mid-March, several defendants had implicated Luciano.<ref>Stolberg, p. 127</ref> Three of these prostitutes implicated Luciano as the ringleader, who made collections. Luciano associate David Betillo was in charge of the prostitution ring in New York; any money that Luciano received was from Betillo. In late March 1936, Luciano received a tip that he was going to be arrested and fled to [[Hot Springs, Arkansas|Hot Springs]], [[Arkansas]]. Unfortunately for him, a New York detective in Hot Springs on a different assignment spotted Luciano and notified Dewey.<ref>Stolberg, p. 128</ref> On April 3, Luciano was arrested in Hot Springs on a criminal warrant from New York. The next day in New York, Dewey indicted Luciano and his accomplices on 60 counts of [[forced prostitution|compulsory prostitution]]. Luciano's lawyers in Arkansas then began a fierce legal battle against [[extradition]]. On April 6, someone offered a $50,000 [[bribe]] to [[Arkansas Attorney General]] Carl E. Bailey to facilitate Luciano's case. However, Bailey refused the bribe and immediately reported it. On April 17, after all of Luciano's legal options had been exhausted, Arkansas authorities handed him to three [[New York City Police Department|NYPD]] detectives for transport by train back to New York for trial.<ref name="given up">{{cite news|title=Luciano is Given Up and Is On Way Back|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/04/17/110047300.pdf|accessdate=June 21, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 17, 1946}}</ref> When the train reached [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]], [[Missouri]], the detectives and Luciano changed trains. During this switchover, they were guarded by 20 local policemen to prevent a mob rescue attempt. The men arrived in New York on April 18, and Luciano was sent to jail without [[bail]].<ref name="due today">{{cite news|title=Luciano Due Today, Heavily Guarded|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/04/18/93720524.pdf|accessdate=June 21, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 18, 1936}}</ref> On May 13, 1936, Luciano's [[Procuring_(prostitution)|pandering]] trial began.<ref>Stolberg, p. 133</ref> Dewey prosecuted the case that Carter built against Luciano<ref name=":0" />. He accused Luciano of being part of a massive prostitution ring known as "the Combination". During the trial, Dewey exposed Luciano for lying on the witness stand through direct quizzing and records of telephone calls; Luciano also had no explanation for why his [[federal income tax]] records claimed he made only $22,000 a year, while he was obviously a wealthy man.<ref name="five families book"/> Dewey ruthlessly pressed Luciano on his long arrest record and his relationships with well-known gangsters such as Masseria, [[Ciro Terranova]], and [[Louis Buchalter]].<ref>Stolberg, p. 148</ref> On June 7, Luciano was convicted on 62 counts of compulsory prostitution.<ref name="luciano convicted">{{cite news|title=Lucania Convicted with 8 in Vice Ring on 62 Counts Each|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/06/08/87947415.pdf|accessdate=June 17, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 8, 1936}}</ref> On July 18, he was sentenced to 30 to 50 years in state prison, along with Betillo and others.<ref name="l_trial">{{cite web | url = http://www.lucianotrial1936.com/codef.html | title = Luciano Trial Website | deadurl = yes | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090131202519/http://www.lucianotrial1936.com/codef.html | archivedate = January 31, 2009 | df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="luciano sentence">{{cite news|title=Lucania Sentenced to 30 to 50 Years; Court Warns Ring|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1936/06/19/93521980.pdf|accessdate=June 17, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 19, 1936}}</ref> Many observers have questioned whether there was enough evidence to support the charges against Luciano. Like nearly all crime families, the Luciano family almost certainly profited from prostitution and extorted money from [[madam]]s and brothel keepers. However, like most bosses, Luciano created layers of insulation between himself and criminal acts. It would have been significantly out of character for him to be directly involved in ''any'' criminal enterprise, let alone a prostitution ring. At least two of his contemporaries have denied that Luciano was ever part of "the Combination". In her memoirs, New York society madam [[Polly Adler]] wrote that if Luciano had been involved with "the Combination", she would have known about it. Bonanno, the last surviving contemporary of Luciano's who wasn't in prison, also denied that Luciano was directly involved in prostitution in his book, ''A Man of Honor''.<ref name="five families book"/> However, key witnesses at Luciano's trial testified that Luciano was involved with prostitution racketeering, and frequently discussed the sex industry business, once describing it as "the same as the A & P stores are, a large syndicate...the same as chain stores", and ordering an underling to "[g]o ahead and crack the joint" when a brothel fell behind in its kickbacks. One witness testified that Luciano, working out of his Waldorf-Astoria suite, personally hired him to collect from bookers and madams.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Murder, Inc., and the Moral Life: Gangsters and Gangbusters in La Guardia's New York|last=Whalen|first=Robert Weldon|publisher=Fordham University Press|year=2016|isbn=9780823271559|location=|pages=114}}</ref> ===Prison=== Luciano continued to run his crime family from prison, relaying his orders through acting boss Genovese. However, in 1937, Genovese fled to [[Naples]] to avoid an impending murder [[indictment]] in New York. Luciano appointed his ''consigliere'', Costello, as the new acting boss and the overseer of Luciano's interests. Luciano was first imprisoned at [[Sing Sing Correctional Facility]] in [[Ossining (town), New York|Ossining, New York]]. However, later in 1936, authorities moved him to [[Clinton Correctional Facility]] in [[Dannemora (village), New York|Dannemora]], a remote facility far away from New York City. At Clinton, Betillo prepared special dishes for Luciano in a kitchen set aside by authorities.<ref name="five families book"/> Luciano was assigned a job in the prison laundry.<ref name=Newark137>Newark, p. 137</ref> Luciano used his influence to help get the materials to build a church at the prison, which became famous for being one of the only freestanding churches in the New York State correctional system and also for the fact that on the church's altar are two of the original doors from the ''[[Victoria (ship)|Victoria]]'', the ship of [[Ferdinand Magellan]]. Luciano's legal appeals continued until October 10, 1938, when the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] refused to review his case.<ref name="bars review">{{cite news|title=Supreme Court Bars a Review to Luciano|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1938/10/11/96841319.pdf|accessdate=June 17, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 11, 1938}}</ref> At this point, Luciano stepped down as family boss, and Costello formally replaced him. ==World War II, freedom, and deportation== During [[World War II]], the US government struck a secret deal with the imprisoned Luciano. In 1942, the [[Office of Naval Intelligence]] was concerned about [[Germans|German]] and Italian agents entering the US through the New York waterfront. They also worried about [[sabotage]] in these facilities. Knowing that the Mafia controlled the waterfront, the [[United States Navy|US Navy]] contacted Lansky about a deal with Luciano. To facilitate negotiations, Luciano was transferred to [[Great Meadow Correctional Facility]] in [[Comstock, New York]], which was much closer to New York City.<ref name="Kelly 107">{{cite book|last=Kelly|first=Robert J.|title=The Upperworld and the Underworld: Case Studies of Racketeering and Business Infiltrations in the United States|series=Criminal Justice and Public Safety|year=1999|publisher=Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers|location=New York|isbn=0306459698|page=107|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X-d71WDyABcC&pg=PA107&dq=luciano+prison&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JkXjT7aPGITx0gH9sezXAw&ved=0CGIQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=luciano%20prison&f=false}}</ref> The Navy, the State of New York and Luciano reached a deal: in exchange for a [[commutation of sentence|commutation]] of his sentence, Luciano promised the complete assistance of his organization in providing [[Military intelligence|intelligence]] to the Navy. Anastasia, a Luciano ally who controlled the docks, allegedly promised no dockworker strikes during war. In preparation for the 1943 allied invasion of [[Sicily]], Luciano allegedly provided the US military with [[Sicilian Mafia]] contacts. This collaboration between the Navy and the Mafia became known as [[Operation Underworld]].<ref name="Newark137" /> The value of Luciano's contribution to the war effort is highly debated. In 1947, the naval officer in charge of Operation Underworld discounted the value of his wartime aid.<ref name="ordinary aid">{{cite news|title=Luciano War Aid Called Ordinary|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/02/27/88762167.pdf|accessdate=June 21, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 27, 1947}}</ref> A 1954 report ordered by now-Governor Dewey stated that Luciano provided many valuable services to Naval Intelligence.<ref name="secret report">{{cite news|last=Kihss|first=Peter|title=Secret Report Cites|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1977/10/09/121550991.pdf|accessdate=June 21, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 9, 1977}}</ref> The enemy threat to the docks, Luciano allegedly said, was manufactured by the sinking of the [[SS Normandie|SS ''Normandie'']] in New York harbor, supposedly directed by Anastasia's brother, [[Anthony Anastasio]].<ref>Bondanella, Peter E. [https://books.google.com/books?id=ube8O40i07wC&pg=PA200&lpg=PA200&dq=%22SS+Normandie%22+mafia+sabotage&source=web&ots=yHwqommenC&sig=kyTqc9ipb_s_SzibButnHAiZLu0&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result ''Hollywood Italians: Dagos, Palookas, Romeos, Wise Guys, and Sopranos'']. New York: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004, p. 200. {{ISBN|0-8264-1544-X}}</ref><ref name=dcdave>Gosch & Hammer, pp. 260, 268, cited in {{cite web |url=http://www.dcdave.com/article5/101110.htm |first=David |last=Martin |title=Luciano: SS ''Normandie'' Sunk as Cover for Dewey |date=2010-11-10 |accessdate=2013-04-21}}</ref> However, the official investigation of the ship sinking found no evidence of sabotage.<ref name=normandie>{{cite news|last=Trussell|first=C.P.|title=Carelessness Seen in Normandie Fire|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1942/04/16/88501800.pdf|accessdate=June 23, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 16, 1942}}</ref> On January 3, 1946, as a presumed reward for his alleged wartime cooperation, Dewey reluctantly commuted Luciano's pandering sentence on condition that he did not resist [[deportation]] to Italy.<ref name="dewey commutes">{{cite news|title=Dewey Commutes Luciano Sentence|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1946/01/04/93012913.pdf|accessdate=June 16, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 4, 1946}}</ref> Luciano accepted the deal, although he still maintained that he was a US citizen and not subject to deportation. On February 2, 1946, two federal immigration agents transported Luciano from Sing Sing prison to [[Ellis Island]] in New York Harbor for deportation proceedings.<ref name="leaves prison">{{cite news|title=Luciano Leaves Prison|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1946/02/03/91607758.pdf|accessdate=June 16, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 3, 1946}}</ref> On February 9, the night before his departure, Luciano shared a spaghetti dinner on his freighter with Anastasia and five other guests.<ref name="luciano deported US" /> On February 10, Luciano's ship sailed from Brooklyn harbor for Italy.<ref name="luciano deported US">{{cite news|title=Pardoned Luciano on His Way to Italy|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1946/02/11/93047003.pdf|accessdate=June 16, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 11, 1946}}</ref> This was the last time he would see the US. On February 28, after a 17-day voyage, Luciano's ship arrived in Naples. On arrival, Luciano told reporters he would probably reside in Sicily.<ref name="luciano naples">{{cite news|title=Luciano Reaches Naples|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1946/03/01/88333699.pdf|accessdate=June 16, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 1, 1946}}</ref> Luciano was deeply hurt about having to leave the US, a country he had considered his home ever since his arrival at age 9. During his exile, Luciano frequently encountered US soldiers and American tourists during train trips in Italy. Luciano enjoyed these meetings and gladly posed for photographs and signed autographs. ==The Havana Conference== {{Main|Havana Conference}} [[File:Charles Lucky Luciano (Excelsior Hotel, Rome).jpg|thumb|left|Lucky Luciano in 1948]] [[File:Maison Lucky Luciano2.JPG|thumb|left|Former residence of Lucky Luciano in [[Cuba]]]] In October 1946, Luciano secretly moved to [[Havana]], [[Cuba]]. Luciano first took a freighter from Naples to [[Caracas]], [[Venezuela]], then flew to [[Rio de Janeiro]], Brazil. He then flew to [[Mexico City]] and doubled back to Caracas, where he took a private plane to [[Camaguey, Cuba]], finally arriving on October 29. Luciano was then driven to Havana, where he moved into an estate in the [[Miramar, Havana|Miramar]] section of the city.<ref>English, p. 3</ref> His objective was to be closer to the US so that he could resume control over American Mafia operations and eventually return home.<ref>Sifakis, p. 215</ref> Lansky was already established as a major investor in Cuban gambling and hotel projects. In 1946, Lansky called a meeting of the heads of the major crime families in Havana that December, dubbed the [[Havana Conference]]. The ostensible reason was to see singer [[Frank Sinatra]] perform. However, the real reason was to discuss mob business with Luciano in attendance. The three topics under discussion were: the heroin trade, Cuban gambling, and what to do about Siegel and his floundering [[Flamingo Hotel]] project in [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]]. The Conference took place at the [[Hotel Nacional de Cuba]] and lasted a little more than a week. On December 20, during the conference, Luciano had a private meeting with Genovese in Luciano's hotel suite. The year before, Genovese had been returned from Italy to New York to face trial on his 1934 murder charge.<ref name="genovese guilt">{{cite news|title=Genovese Denies Guilt|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1945/06/03/305170302.pdf|accessdate=June 24, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 3, 1945}}</ref> However, in June 1946, the charges were dismissed and Genovese was free to return to mob business.<ref name="genovese freed">{{cite news|title=Genovese is Freed of Murder Charge|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1946/06/11/100998990.pdf|accessdate=June 24, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 11, 1946}}</ref> Unlike Costello, Luciano had never trusted Genovese. In the meeting, Genovese tried to convince Luciano to become a titular "boss of bosses" and let Genovese run everything. Luciano calmly rejected Genovese's suggestion:<blockquote> :There is no Boss of Bosses. I turned it down in front of everybody. If I ever change my mind, I will take the title. But it won't be up to you. Right now you work for me and I ain't in the mood to retire. Don't you ever let me hear this again, or I'll lose my temper.<ref>English, p. 28</ref></blockquote> Soon after the Conference began, the US government learned that Luciano was in Cuba. Luciano had been publicly fraternizing with Sinatra as well as visiting numerous [[nightclub]]s, so his presence was no secret in Havana.<ref>English, p. 49</ref> The US started putting pressure on the Cuban government to expel him. On February 21, 1947, U.S. Narcotics Commissioner [[Harry J. Anslinger]] notified the Cubans that the US would block all shipment of narcotic prescription drugs while Luciano was there.<ref name="valachi"/><ref name="narcotics cuba">{{cite news|title=U.S. Ends Narcotics Sales to Cuba While Luciano is There |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/02/22/104318641.pdf |accessdate=June 16, 2012 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 22, 1947}}</ref> Two days later, the Cuban government announced that Luciano was in custody and would be deported to Italy within 48 hours.<ref name="leave cuba">{{cite news|title=Luciano to Leave Cuba in 48 Hours|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/02/24/88760114.pdf|accessdate=June 16, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 23, 1947}}</ref> Luciano was placed on a Turkish freighter that was sailing to [[Genoa]]. ==Operating in Italy== After Luciano's secret trip to Cuba, he spent the rest of his life in Italy under tight police surveillance. When he arrived in Genoa on April 11, 1947, Italian police arrested him and sent him to a jail in [[Palermo]]. On May 11, a regional commission in Palermo warned Luciano to stay out of trouble and released him.<ref name="palermo jail">{{cite news|title=Luciano Released from Palermo Jail|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1947/05/15/88780735.pdf|accessdate=June 16, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 15, 1947}}</ref> In early July 1949, police in [[Rome]] arrested Luciano on suspicion of involvement in the shipping of narcotics to New York. On July 15, after a week in jail, police released Luciano without filing any charges. The authorities also permanently banned him from visiting Rome.<ref name="luciano rome">{{cite news|title=Luciano Freed; Barred from Rome|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1949/07/16/86775533.pdf|accessdate=June 17, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 16, 1949}}</ref> On June 9, 1951, he was questioned by Naples police on suspicion of illegally bringing $57,000 in cash and a new American car into Italy. After 20 hours of questioning, police released Luciano without any charges.<ref name="smuggling count">{{cite news|title=Luciano Questioned on Smuggling Count|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1951/06/10/84851544.pdf|accessdate=June 17, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 10, 1951}}</ref> In 1952, the Italian government revoked Luciano's passport after complaints from US and Canadian law enforcement officials.<ref name="loses passport">{{cite news|title=Luciano Loses Passport|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1952/07/17/84334123.pdf|accessdate=June 17, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 17, 1952}}</ref> On November 1, 1954, an Italian judicial commission in Naples applied strict limits on Luciano for two years. He was required to report to the police every Sunday, to stay home every night, and to not leave Naples without police permission. The commission cited Luciano's alleged involvement in the narcotics trade as the reason for these restrictions.<ref name="danger society">{{cite news|title=Luciano, 'Danger to Society', Is Ordered To Stay Home Nights in Naples for 2 Years|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1954/11/20/86791993.pdf|quote=Charles (Lucky) Luciano, former New York vice king, will have to stay home every night for the next two years.| accessdate=June 21, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 20, 1954}}</ref> ==Personal life== In 1929, Luciano met Gay Orlova, a featured dancer in one of [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]'s leading nightclubs, Hollywood.<ref name=gosch>Gosch & Hammer</ref> They were inseparable until he went to prison, but were never married.<ref name=gosch /> In early 1948, he met Igea Lissoni, a [[Milan]]ese [[ballerina]] 20 years his junior, whom he later described as the love of his life. In the summer, Lissoni moved in with him. Although some reports said the couple married in 1949, others state that they only exchanged rings.<ref name="luciano dies" /><ref>{{cite news |work=Time|title=City Boy |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,853865,00.html |date=July 25, 1949}}</ref> Luciano and Lissoni lived together in Luciano's house in Naples. He continued to have affairs with other women, causing many arguments between him and Lissoni. During these arguments, Luciano would sometimes physically strike her.<ref>Newark, p. 241</ref> In 1959, Lissoni died of [[breast cancer]]. Luciano never had children. He once provided his reasons for that: "I didn't want no son of mine to go through life as the son of Luciano, the gangster. That's one thing I still hate Dewey for, making me a gangster in the eyes of the world."<ref>Newark, p. 240</ref> ==American power struggle== By 1957, Genovese felt strong enough to move against Luciano and his acting boss, Costello. He was aided in this move by Anastasia family underboss Carlo Gambino. On May 2, 1957, following Genovese's orders, [[Vincent Gigante|Vincent "Chin" Gigante]] ambushed Costello in the lobby of his [[Central Park]] apartment building, [[The Majestic (New York City)|The Majestic]]. Gigante called out, "This is for you, Frank," and as Costello turned, shot him in the head. After firing his weapon, Gigante quickly left, thinking he had killed Costello. However, the bullet had just grazed Costello's head and he was not seriously injured. Although Costello refused to cooperate with the police, Gigante was arrested for [[attempted murder]]. Gigante was acquitted at trial, thanking Costello in the courtroom after the verdict. Costello was allowed to retire after conceding control of what is called today the [[Genovese crime family]] to Genovese. Luciano was powerless to stop it.<ref name="costello shot">{{cite news|title=Costello is Shot Entering Home: Gunman Escapes|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1957/05/03/317458602.pdf|accessdate=June 24, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=May 3, 1957}}</ref> On October 26, 1957, Genovese and Gambino arranged the murder of Anastasia, another Luciano ally.<ref name="anastasia slain">{{cite news|title=Anastasia Slain in a Hotel Here: Led Murder, Inc.|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1957/10/26/84978719.pdf|accessdate=June 24, 2012|quote=Death took The Executioner yesterday. Umberto (called Albert) Anastasia, master killer for Murder, Inc., a homicidal gangster troop that plagued the city from 1931 to 1940, was murdered by two gunmen.|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 26, 1957}}</ref> The following month, Genovese called a meeting of bosses in [[Apalachin, New York]] to approve his takeover of the Luciano family and to establish his national power. Instead, the [[Apalachin Meeting]] turned into a fiasco when law enforcement raided the meeting. Over 65 high-ranking mobsters were arrested and the Mafia was subjected to publicity and numerous [[grand jury]] summons.<ref name="65 hoodlums">{{cite news|title=65 Hoodlums Seized in a Raid and Run Out of Upstate Village|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1957/11/15/84782144.pdf|accessdate=June 24, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 15, 1957}}</ref> The enraged mobsters blamed Genovese for the disaster, opening a window of opportunity for Genovese's opponents. Costello, Luciano, and Gambino met in a hotel in Palermo to discuss their plan of action. In his own power move, Gambino had deserted Genovese. After their meeting, Luciano allegedly paid an American drug dealer $100,000 to falsely implicate Genovese in a drug deal.<ref>Sifakis, p. 23</ref> On April 4, 1959, Genovese was convicted in New York of [[conspiracy (crime)|conspiracy]] to violate federal narcotics laws.<ref name="genovese guilty">{{cite news|title=Genovese Guilty in Narcotics Plot|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1959/04/04/91418997.pdf|accessdate=June 25, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=April 4, 1959}}</ref> Sent to prison for 15 years, Genovese tried to run his crime family from prison until his death in 1969.<ref name="jersey mafia">{{cite news|last=Grutzner|first=Charles|title=Jersey Mafia Guided From Prison by Genovese|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1968/12/25/76924531.pdf|accessdate=June 25, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 25, 1968}}</ref> Meanwhile, Gambino now became the most powerful man in the Cosa Nostra. ==Death and legacy== On January 26, 1962, Luciano died of a [[heart attack]] at [[Naples Airport|Naples International Airport]]. He had gone to the airport to meet with American producer Martin Gosch about a film based on his life. To avoid antagonizing other Mafia members, Luciano had previously refused to authorize a film, but reportedly relented after Lissoni's death. After the meeting with Gosch, Luciano was stricken with a heart attack and died. He was unaware that Italian drug agents had followed him to the airport in anticipation of arresting him on [[drug smuggling]] charges.<ref name="luciano dies">{{cite news|title=Luciano Dies at 65. Was Facing Arrest in Naples|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1962/01/27/90129087.pdf|quote=Lucky Luciano died of an apparent heart attack at Capodichino airport today as United States and Italian authorities prepared to arrest him in a crackdown on an international narcotics ring.|accessdate=June 17, 2012|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 27, 1962}}</ref> Three days later, 300 people attended a funeral service for Luciano in Naples. His body was conveyed along the streets of Naples in a horse-drawn black [[hearse]].<ref name="service naples">{{cite news|title=300 Attend Rites for Lucky Luciano|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1962/01/30/90132724.pdf|accessdate=June 17, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 30, 1962}}</ref> With the permission of the US government, Luciano's relatives took his body back to New York for burial. He was buried in [[Saint John's Cemetery, Queens|St. John's Cemetery]] in [[Middle Village, Queens|Middle Village]], [[Queens, New York|Queens]]. More than 2,000 mourners attended his funeral. Gambino, Luciano's longtime friend, gave his [[eulogy]]. Gambino was the only other boss besides Luciano to have complete control of the Commission and virtually every Mafia family in the US. In popular culture, proponents of the Mafia and its history often debate as to who was better known between Luciano and his contemporary, Al Capone. The much-publicized exploits of Capone with the Chicago Outfit made him the more well-known mobster in American history, but he did not exert influence over other Mafia families as Luciano did in the creation and running of The Commission. In 1998, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' characterized Luciano as the "criminal mastermind" among the top 20 most influential builders and titans of the 20th century.<ref name="time">Buchanan, Edna. [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,989779-1,00.html "Criminal Mastermind: Lucky Luciano"]. ''Time''.</ref> ==In popular culture== {{in popular culture|date=December 2018}} '''Films''' *''[[Deported (film)|Deported]]'' (1950) – A story based about a character based on Luciano and played by [[Jeff Chandler]] *''[[The Valachi Papers]]'' (1972) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Angelo Infanti]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068341/ IMDb: The Valachi Papers (1972)]</ref> *''[[Lucky Luciano (film)|Lucky Luciano]]'' (1973) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Gian Maria Volontè]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071782/ IMDb: Lucky Luciano (1973)]</ref> *''[[Lepke (film)|Lepke]]'' (1975) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Vic Tayback]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073279/ IMDb: Lepke (1975)]</ref> *''[[Brass Target]]'' (1978) Luciano was portrayed by [[Lee Montague]] *''[[The Cotton Club (film)|The Cotton Club]]'' (1984) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Joe Dallesandro]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087089/fullcredits#cast IMDb: The Cotton Club (1984)]</ref> *''[[Mobsters (film)|Mobsters]]'' (1991) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Christian Slater]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102460/ IMDb: Mobsters (1991)]</ref> *''[[Bugsy]]'' (1991) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Bill Graham (promoter)|Bill Graham]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101516/ IMDb: Bugsy (1991)]</ref> *''[[Billy Bathgate (film)|Billy Bathgate]]'' (1991) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Stanley Tucci]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101453/ IMDb: Billy Bathgate (1991)]</ref> *''White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd'' (TV 1991) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Robert Davi]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103248/ IMDb: White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (TV 1991)]</ref> *''The Outfit'' (1993) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Billy Drago]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107763/ IMDb: The Outfit (1993)]</ref> *''[[Hoodlum (film)|Hoodlum]]'' (1997) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Andy García]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119311/ IMDb: Hoodlum (1997)]</ref> *''Bonanno: A Godfather's Story'' (TV 1999) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Vince Corazza]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0179804/ IMDb: Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (TV 1999)]</ref> *''[[Lansky (film)|Lansky]]'' (TV 1999) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Anthony LaPaglia]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0173974/ IMDb: Lansky (TV 1999)]</ref> *''The Real Untouchables'' (TV 2001) – Luciano was portrayed by David Viggiano<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0484318/ IMDb: The Real Untouchables (TV 2001)]</ref> '''TV series''' *''[[The Untouchables (1959 TV series)|The Untouchables]]'' (1959–1962) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Robert Carricart]]<ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052522/ IMDb: The Untouchables (TV Series 1959-1963)</ref> *''[[The Witness (TV series)|The Witness]]'' (1960–1961) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Telly Savalas]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053553/ IMDb: The Witness (TV Series 1960–1961)]</ref> *''[[The Gangster Chronicles]]'' (1981) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Michael Nouri]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081867/ IMDb: The Gangster Chronicles (TV Series 1981)]</ref> *''[[Boardwalk Empire]]'' (2010–2014) – Luciano was portrayed by [[Vincent Piazza]]<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0979432/ IMDb: Boardwalk Empire (TV Series 2010)]</ref> *''[[The Making of the Mob: New York]]'' (2015) – Luciano was portrayed by Rich Graff<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4484722/?ref_=rvi_tt IMDb: The Making of the Mob: New York (TV Series 2015)]</ref> '''Documentary series''' *''Mafia's Greatest Hits'' – Luciano features in the second episode of UK history TV channel [[Yesterday (TV channel)|Yesterday]]'s documentary series. '''Books''' *''Luciano's Luck'', [[Jack Higgins]] (1981). Fictional based on the Luciano's WWII supposed war efforts. *''The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano'', Martin A. Gosch and Richard Hammer (1975). Semi-Autobiographical, based on Luciano's entire lifespan as dictated by him.<ref>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/991912.The_Last_Testament_of_Lucky_Luciano</ref> *''[[Live by Night]]'', [[Dennis Lehane]] (2012). Luciano is a minor character appearing in the story of fictional gangster Joe Coughlin. He is further mentioned in the sequel "World Gone By". *Lucky Santangelo named after Lucky Luciano in the [[Santangelo novels|''Santangelo'' novels]] written by [[Jackie Collins]]. ==See also== *[[Black Hand (extortion)]] *[[Cesare Mori]] ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} ==Further reading== *{{cite book |last1=Gosch |first1=Martin A. |last2=Hammer |first2=Richard |title=The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano |location=Boston |publisher=Little Brown and Company |year=1974 |isbn=0-316-32140-0}} *{{cite book |last1=Gosch |first1=Martin A. |last2=Hammer |first2=Richard |title=The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano |location=New York |publisher=Enigma Books |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-936274-57-4}} [Paperback] *{{cite book |last=Raab |first=Selwyn |title=Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America's Most Powerful Mafia Empires |publisher=St. Martin's Press |year=2006 |isbn=0-312-36181-5}} *{{cite book |last=Klerks |first=Cat |title=Lucky Luciano: The Father of Organized Crime |publisher=Altitude Publishing, Ltd. |year=2005 |isbn=1-55265-102-9}} *{{cite book |last=Powell |first=Hickman |title=Lucky Luciano, his amazing trial and wild witnesses |publisher=Barricade Books, Incorporated |year=2000 |isbn=0-8065-0493-5}} *{{cite book |last1=Feder |first1=Sid |last2=Joesten |first2=Joachim |title=Luciano Story |publisher=Da Capo Press |year=1994 |isbn=0-306-80592-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LrEjuFoegeYC |accessdate=2013-04-21}} *{{cite book |last=Newark |first=Tim |title=Lucky Luciano: the real and the fake gangster |year=2010 |edition=1st |publisher=Thomas Dunne Books |location=New York |isbn=978-0-312-60182-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6pxrgKcgCIcC |accessdate=2013-04-21}} *{{cite book |last=Stolberg |first=Mary M. |title=Fighting organized crime: politics, justice, and the legacy of Thomas E. Dewey |year=1995 |publisher=Northeastern University Press |location=Boston |isbn=1-55553-245-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gl7BQ7rvz6EC |accessdate=2013-04-21}} *{{cite book |last=Sifakis |first=Carl |title=The Mafia Encyclopedia |year=2005 |publisher=Facts On File |location=New York, NY |isbn=0-8160-6989-1 |edition=3rd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jgCpxTpPCPcC |accessdate=2013-04-21}} *{{cite book |last=English |first=T. J. |title=Havana nocturne: how the mob owned Cuba – and then lost it to the revolution |year=2008 |publisher=Harper |location=New York |isbn=0061712744 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zywRjL4GcXUC |accessdate=2013-04-21}} ==External links== {{Commons category}} *[http://www.alldocumentaries.org/lucky-luciano/ Lucky Luciano Biography] *{{Find a Grave|651|Salvatore "Lucky Luciano" Lucania}} *[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104997782 'Havana' Revisited: An American Gangster in Cuba] ''NPR'', June 5, 2009 {{S-start}} {{s-other|[[American Mafia]]}} {{s-bef|before=Joseph Catania}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Genovese crime family]]<br />Underboss|years=1931}} {{s-aft|after=[[Vito Genovese]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Joe Masseria]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Genovese crime family]]<br />Boss|years=1931–1946}} {{s-aft|after=[[Frank Costello]]}} {{s-bef|before=[[Salvatore Maranzano]]|as=boss of bosses}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Capo di tutti capi]]<br />Chairman of the Commission|years=1931–1946}} {{s-aft|after=[[Vincent Mangano]]|as=chairman of the Commission}} {{s-end}} {{Genovese crime family}}{{American Mafia}}{{Prohibition}}{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Luciano, Lucky}} [[Category:1897 births]] [[Category:1962 deaths]] [[Category:People from Lercara Friddi]] [[Category:Italian emigrants to the United States]] [[Category:American mobsters of Sicilian descent]] [[Category:American mob bosses]] [[Category:Bosses of the Genovese crime family]] [[Category:Capo dei capi]] [[Category:Five Points Gang]] [[Category:Italian mob bosses]] [[Category:Italian Roman Catholics]] [[Category:People deported from the United States]] [[Category:Prohibition-era gangsters]] [[Category:Sing Sing]] [[Category:Stabbing survivors]] [[Category:Genovese crime family]] [[Category:Burials at St. John's Cemetery (Queens)]] [[Category:Stabbing attacks in the United States]]'