Tommy Lucchese
Tommy Lucchese, born Gaetano Lucchese in Palermo, Sicily, in 1899, immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of twelve, settling in East Harlem. As a young man, he became involved with the local gang scene and gained a reputation for his ruthless demeanor, partly due to a childhood accident that resulted in the loss of his right index finger. Despite a criminal career marked by a single conviction for automobile theft, Lucchese rose to prominence in organized crime, eventually becoming boss of the Lucchese crime family in the early 1930s, following the violent power struggles of the Castellammarese War.
Lucchese was known for his intelligence, charm, and political connections, which he leveraged to control significant areas of New York's garment district and manipulate unions. His involvement with prominent mob figures such as Lucky Luciano solidified his status in the criminal underworld. Although he was suspected in numerous murders, he was never convicted and maintained a low profile throughout much of his career. Lucchese's legacy includes his innovative approach to organized crime, focusing on legitimate business ventures and labor racketeering, which set a precedent for later criminal enterprises. He passed away from brain cancer in 1967, leaving behind a controversial yet impactful legacy in organized crime.
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Tommy Lucchese
Organized crime boss
- Born: December 1, 1889
- Birthplace: Palermo, Sicily, Italy
- Died: July 13, 1967
- Place of death: Lido Bach, Long Island, New York
Cause of notoriety: Lucchese rose to power following the 1930-1931 Castellammarese War and became head of one of the five Mafia crime families. In this role, he sought new “rackets” in Manhattan’s garment district and the trucking industry.
Active: 1921-July 13, 1967
Locale: Bronx, Manhattan, and Long Island, New York; and Scranton, Pennsylvania
Early Life
Gaetano Lucchese (loo-CHAY-zee) was born in Palermo, Sicily, Italy, and as a child who was small in stature, he learned to compensate for his size by demonstrating a combination of ruthless and aggressive behaviors. In 1910, at age twelve, Lucchese departed Italy for the United States with his parents. They resided in East Harlem, where young Lucchese joined the Ciro Terranova, 107 Street Gang. During that era, he came to appreciate the value of political connections; the ward politicians controlled the gangs to broaden their political base and influence during elections.
Lucchese lost his right index finger at age twenty in a Harlem machine shop accident and would eventually be known by the nickname Three Fingers Brown, even though four fingers remained intact. The nickname originated when a police officer, while booking Lucchese, noticed the missing index finger and was inspired by famous Chicago Cubs baseball player Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown.
Mafia Career
Lucchese’s only criminal conviction in his life was a three-year sentence for automobile theft in 1921. He was a model prisoner and was paroled after serving only eighteen months. After serving this jail time, Lucchese emerged as a man to be respected. He was resolute not to replicate his mistake of committing street crimes. Lucchese was capable, intelligent, and charming when necessary, a particularly valuable asset when engaging politicians. His tact, diplomacy, and political contacts served his legitimate businesses and criminal career well.
Lucchese became a suspect in numerous murders, including that of mobster Joe Pinzolo, although a grand jury failed to move the case forward to trial; he was suspected in approximately thirty other murders but was never convicted. Lucchese was arrested in the 1928 homicide of Louis Cerasulo; however, after several days the charges were dropped.
At the age of thirty-one, Lucchese became an underboss in the Gaetano “Tom” Reina family and developed a reputation for violence while playing the role. Reina was murdered in 1930, and Lucchese assumed the role of family capo, or boss. Lucchese played an important role during the so-called Castellammarese War in the early 1930’s, an internal Mafia power struggle between the factions supporting bosses Salvatore Maranzano and Joe Masseria. Lucchese survived the Castellammarese War because of his aptitude for political analysis and ability to anticipate potentially dangerous situations accurately. His close association with Lucky Luciano and his capability to switch alliances at critical moments were key to his success during this period. The successive killings of Masseria and Maranzano (Lucchese was present at his death) led to the arrangement whereby five Mafia “families” of equal stature were established, one of which was the Lucchese crime family.
Lucchese made every attempt to avoid the limelight during his career, but ironically became a well-known and notorious personality. In addition, he became one of the most politically influential and successful organized crime bosses in the United States. For a time, he controlled much of New York City’s garment district and took control of key union officials and trade associations. In 1952, he gained attention when he testified before the Kefauver Committee, a special Senate committee formed to learn about organized crime and ways in which to fight it. In the early 1960’s, the federal government attempted to convict him of tax evasion. However, Lucchese died before the government could convict him of the charges.
Lucchese’s death on July 13, 1967, from brain cancer occurred after months of medical treatment. Judges and politicians were among the thousands who came to pay their respects. Some mobsters did not attend the funeral because of ongoing Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) scrutiny; however, many Mafia members showed their respect by making financial contributions to the family. Mafia boss Carlo Gambino and his close associate Aniello “Neil” Dellacroce made personal appearances at the funeral.
Impact
Tommy Lucchese’s organized crime model consisted of political support, labor racketeering, and reinvesting in legitimate businesses in order to enhance sources of financial revenues. His emphasis on legitimate business and union activities served as the foundation for success in the modern era of organized crime. Mafia white-collar crime rapidly became a new frontier in the late twentieth century, and crimes similar to gasoline tax fraud seemed to offer lucrative opportunities and a strategic shift to enterprise crime.
The legacy of the Lucchese family remains questionable following several arrests of key figures during the 1990’s. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, law enforcement agencies have reorganized to meet external threats, thereby giving organized crime the opportunity to grow and find more lucrative pursuits. Organized crime opportunists and “chameleons” are always ready to reinvent, innovate, and maximize profits.
Bibliography
Abadinsky, Howard. Organized Crime. 7th ed. Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2006. The text is an in-depth analysis of organized crime from a historical and theoretical perspective.
Maas, Peter. The Valachi Papers. New York: HarperCollins Paperbacks, 2003. The original classic published in 1968, which serves as the foundation and major source for information about the Masseria and Maranzano organized crime conflict.
Raab, Selwyn. The Five Families: The Rise, Decline, and Resurgence of America’s Most Powerful Mafia Empires. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, St. Martin’s Press, 2005. The author discusses the history of the Sicilian Mafia in the United States.
Volkman, Ernest. Five Families: Gangbusters—The Destruction of America’s Last Great Mafia Dynasty. New York: Avon Books, 1998. The book describes law enforcement operations directed at the Lucchese family and other New York organized crime families.