Charles “Lucky” Luciano
In 1906 Salvatore Luciano emigrated to the United States from Lecara Friddi, Sicily. He was just 9 years old at the time. Little did his family know he would later become one of the most notorious mobsters and smartest criminals in the world. He gained the name Lucky after he survived a brutal attack that he should have died from but luckily survived. This attack was most likely orchestrated by Rival Mob Boss Maranzana because Luciano wanted to take him out to end the gang war in New York because in his words “Violence is bad for business”. Lucky’s boss Masseria had become greedy and Lucky knew he wasn’t cut out to be greedy. It was at that point Lucky ordered a successful his on his boss making him the Boss of the modern Genovese Family.
After this, The Five Families were then formed including Luciano and Maranzana. Maranzana becomes even more greedy than Masseria ever was. Maranznana began to suspect that Lucky wanted him dead, so he put a price on his head. Lucchese alerted Lucky of the bounty so Lucky had four Jewish gangsters disguise themselves as Tax Collectors and FBI Agents, with the help of Lucchese they disarmed Maranzana’s guards, then stabbing and shooting Maranzan many times leaving him dead and making Lucky Luciano Capo di Tutti Capi (Boss of Bosses). After Maranzana’s death, Luciano reorganized the Cosa Nostra commission. Lucky abolished the Capo di Tutti Capi title from anyone, as this would create a target on him and give him too much power although he still secretly ran La Cosa Nostra.
During WWII the US government tapped his phones and helped the US get a better grab in Sicily because of Lucky’s connections and the fact that Sicily was run by the old world mobs still present there. He was threatened with deportation but was allowed to stay. Lucky was arrested in Italy and Frank Costello presumed control of Modern-day Genovese Family. Vincent Gigante did not like this and met Costello in the lobby of the Central Park apartment building. Gigante said “This is for you, Frank”, turned around and shot him in the head. He ran out quickly. The bullet merely grazed Costello’s head and he survived. He then retired with left the family to Genovese making it the Genovese Crime Family, Luciano was powerless.
On January 26, 1962, at the age of 64, Lucky Luciano had a massive heart attack at Naples International Airport and died. The eulogy at his funeral was delivered by his long-time accomplice and friend, Carlo Gambino. Luciano is now praised as one of the Top 20 most influential and important builders of the US in the twentieth century.
