1959 in organized crime
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See also:
1958 in organized crime
,
other events of 1959,
1960 in organized crime
and the
list of 'years in Organized Crime'
.
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1958 in organized crime
1958 in organized crime
See also:1957 in organized crime,other events of 1958,1959 in organized crime and thelist of 'years in Organized Crime'.-----Events:*Somewhere in 1958 the Sicilian Mafia composed its first Sicilian Mafia Commission. It was formed among Mafia families in the province of Palermo, which had the...
,
other events of 1959,
1960 in organized crime
1960 in organized crime
See also:1959 in organized crime,other events of 1960,1961 in organized crime and thelist of 'years in Organized Crime'.-----Events:*April 7 – Johnny Dio is convicted of income tax evasion and later sentenced to four years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine....
and the
list of 'years in Organized Crime'
Timeline of organized crime
This is a timeline of the history of organized crime.Note: Sources included are Carl Sifakis's The Mafia Encyclopedia, Herbert Asbury's The Gangs of New York and others. Online references also include Thomas P...
.
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Events
- January 1 - Syndicate casinos are seized by Fidel CastroFidel CastroFidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
government after Cuban dictator Fulgencio BatistaFulgencio BatistaFulgencio Batista y Zaldívar was the United States-aligned Cuban President, dictator and military leader who served as the leader of Cuba from 1933 to 1944 and from 1952 to 1959, before being overthrown as a result of the Cuban Revolution....
flees the country following the Cuban RevolutionCuban RevolutionThe Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
. Suffering a major financial setback, Meyer Lansky returns to Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
and begins looking into the possible relocation of syndicate casinos in the Bahamas and Caribbean. - February 26 - New Jersey mobster Abner ZwillmanAbner ZwillmanAbner "Longie" Zwillman , known as the "Al Capone of New Jersey," was an early Prohibition gangster, founding member of the "Big Seven" Ruling Commission and a member of the National Crime Syndicate, who was also associated with Murder Incorporated.-Biography:According to the Social Security Death...
is found dead in his home after apparently hanging himself with a plastic clothesline. An investigated ruled suicide as the cause of death as Zwillman was facing federal investigation into his coin operated machine business and tax evasion. - April 17 - Vito Genovese, boss of the Genovese crime familyGenovese crime familyThe Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
is convicted of drug trafficking and is sentenced to 15 years. Vincent GiganteVincent GiganteVincent Gigante was a short lived professional light heavyweight boxer who was known as "The Chin" Gigante. He fought 25 matches and lost four, boxing 121 rounds. On February 19, 1945, he fought Pete Petrello in Madison Square Garden and won by a knock out in the second round. During his successful...
, Genovese's driver and bodyguard to 7 years and Bonanno Crime FamilyBonanno crime familyThe Bonanno crime family is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia ....
lieutenant Natale Joseph Evola is also imprisoned. Thomas EboliThomas EboliThomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli was a New York City mobster who eventually became the acting boss of the Genovese crime family.-Early life:...
, Jerry Catena, Michele MirandaMichele MirandaMichele "Big Mike" Miranda was a longtime member and eventual consigliere of the Genovese crime family and one of the most powerful New York gangsters in the 1950s and 1960s.-Early years:...
, Anthony StrolloAnthony StrolloAnthony C. Strollo , aka "Tony Bender", was a New York mobster who served as a high ranking member of the Genovese crime family.-Early years:...
and Phil Lombardo are placed on a "committee" to run the Genovese crime familyGenovese crime familyThe Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
operations following Genovese's imprisonment. - September 25 - After being called away from a Lexington Avenue restaurant, Anthony CarfanoAnthony CarfanoAnthony Carfano , also known as "Little Augie Pisano", was a New York gangster who became a caporegime, or group leader, in the Luciano crime family under mob bosses Charles "Lucky" Luciano and Frank Costello....
and his companion, Janice Drake are found dead in an abandoned car in QueensQueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
. A police investigation ruled both had been shot in the back of the head, possibly by a gunman hidden in the back seat. - December 18 - Paul CastellanoPaul CastellanoConstantino Paul "Big Paul" Castellano , also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Paulie" , was an American Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, at the time, the nation's largest Mafia family...
is convicted of obstructing a government investigation and sentenced to five years imprisonment, although he is released after seven months.
Deaths
- September 25 - Anthony CarfanoAnthony CarfanoAnthony Carfano , also known as "Little Augie Pisano", was a New York gangster who became a caporegime, or group leader, in the Luciano crime family under mob bosses Charles "Lucky" Luciano and Frank Costello....
"Little Augie Pisano", Genovese crime family Underboss - September 25 - Janice Drake, murder victim