Lucky Luciano

Charles Luciano (November 11, 1896 – January 26, 1962), better known as Lucky Luciano, was a legendary mobster with a long criminal history. Luciano is considered the father of the Modern Crime Syndicate and the mastermind of the massive postwar expansion of the international heroin trade.

Early Life

Luciano was born as Salvatore Lucania in the village of Lercara Friddi, located approximately 16 miles (26 km) east of Corleone, in Sicily. At the age of ten, his family moved to the United States. Luciano earned money in his younger years by getting kids to pay for his protection, and, in true Mafia style, whoever wouldn't pay him one or two cents a day for his service would get beaten up. There was one kid who refused to pay, and when Luciano tried to beat him up, the kid gave him a good fight: The kid's name was Meyer Lansky, another legendary mobster in the making, and one who would remain friends with Luciano for life.

Related Topics:
Lercara Friddi - Corleone - Sicily - United States - Mafia - Meyer Lansky

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By 1916, Luciano and his Five Points Gang, which included Lansky and Bugsy Siegel, were suspected by the police of being involved in many murders. New York City mafiosos started taking notice, and by 1920, Luciano was working for various gangsters as a bootlegger and meeting such legendary mafiosi as Frank Costello and Vito Genovese.

Related Topics:
1916 - Five Points Gang - Bugsy Siegel - New York City - 1920 - Frank Costello - Vito Genovese

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Many old time mafiosi recommended that Luciano stay away from Costello. Luciano ignored the advice and maintained his friendship with Costello who introduced him to mobsters, politicians and powerbrokers of other nationalities, such as William O'Dwyer, Dutch Schultz and Arnold Rothstein. Luciano also admired the way in which Costello was able to buy over city officials and policemen.

Related Topics:
William O'Dwyer - Dutch Schultz - Arnold Rothstein

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