Gus Greenbaum
Encyclopedia
Gus Greenbaum was a member of the Chicago Outfit
and syndicate accountant for Las Vegas
casino operations.
An associate of Meyer Lansky
, Greenbaum joined his organization on New York
's Lower East Side
in the mid or late 1910s. During Prohibition
, Greenbaum began working with the Chicago Outfit
managing the southwest division of the Trans-America race wire service in 1928. Sent to Las Vegas shortly after World War II
, Greenbaum gained control over syndicate gambling operations, with Morris Rosen and Moe Sedway
. With Sedway, Greenbaum ran the El Cortez
in 1945 until he was asked by William R. Wilkerson
to manage casino operations for the Flamingo Hotel. In 1946, Bugsy Siegel
took over construction and creative control of the Flamingo until it was shut down in January 1947 due to mounting losses, the result of Siegel's skimming
.
After Siegel's murder in June 1947, Greenbaum brought the struggling casino out of debt within several months, controlling several other syndicate casinos and bookmaking operations in Arizona
within several years. Greenbaum planned to retire to Arizona and rejected offers to run the Riviera at the behest of Tony Accardo
, though after his sister-in-law was murdered, he accepted the job. As a syndicate leader in Las Vegas, Greenbaum would later order the deaths of Tony Brancato and Tony Trombino for robbing a syndicate hotel. Shortly after close friend and Chicago-enemy Willie Bioff's murder, Greenbaum's now worsened gambling, womanizing, and drug habits eventually caused him to begin skimming
from casino operations. His embezzlement was soon discovered by the Chicago syndicate
, and on December 3, 1958, Greenbaum and his wife were found in their Phoenix home with their heads neatly severed and placed in plastic bags.
His name was merged with Sedway's to inspire the name for the character "Moe Greene
" in The Godfather
.
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
and syndicate accountant for Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
casino operations.
An associate of Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky
Meyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
, Greenbaum joined his organization on New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
in the mid or late 1910s. During Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, Greenbaum began working with the Chicago Outfit
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
managing the southwest division of the Trans-America race wire service in 1928. Sent to Las Vegas shortly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Greenbaum gained control over syndicate gambling operations, with Morris Rosen and Moe Sedway
Moe Sedway
Moe Sedway was the faithful lieutenant of organized crime czar Meyer Lansky. Sedway had his own police record dating as far back as the early 1920s in New York. He began making trips to Las Vegas on Lansky's behalf in the early 1930s to franchise the syndicate's Trans-America race wire service...
. With Sedway, Greenbaum ran the El Cortez
El Cortez
The El Cortez, a hotel and casino is a relatively small downtown Las Vegas gaming venue a block from the Fremont Street Experience and Las Vegas Boulevard. The official marketing slogan has been "Where locals come to play" since the El Cortez has traditionally attracted Las Vegas residents weary of...
in 1945 until he was asked by William R. Wilkerson
William Wilkerson
William Richard Wilkerson was the founder of the Hollywood Reporter, Flamingo Hotel and owner of such nightclubs as Ciro's. He was also responsible for discovering actress Lana Turner across the street from Hollywood High School.-Early life:Born in Nashville, Tennessee on September 29, 1890...
to manage casino operations for the Flamingo Hotel. In 1946, Bugsy Siegel
Bugsy Siegel
Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was an American gangster who was involved with the Genovese crime family...
took over construction and creative control of the Flamingo until it was shut down in January 1947 due to mounting losses, the result of Siegel's skimming
Skimming (fraud)
A form of white-collar crime, skimming is a slang termhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/skim that refers to taking cash "off the top" of the daily receipts of a business and officially reporting a lower total.- Examples :* A skimming crime may be simple tax evasion: the owner of a business...
.
After Siegel's murder in June 1947, Greenbaum brought the struggling casino out of debt within several months, controlling several other syndicate casinos and bookmaking operations in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
within several years. Greenbaum planned to retire to Arizona and rejected offers to run the Riviera at the behest of Tony Accardo
Tony Accardo
Antonino Joseph Accardo , also known as "Joe Batters" or "Big Tuna", rose from small-time hoodlum to the position of day-to-day boss of the Chicago Outfit in 1947, to ultimately become the final Outfit authority in 1972, until his death...
, though after his sister-in-law was murdered, he accepted the job. As a syndicate leader in Las Vegas, Greenbaum would later order the deaths of Tony Brancato and Tony Trombino for robbing a syndicate hotel. Shortly after close friend and Chicago-enemy Willie Bioff's murder, Greenbaum's now worsened gambling, womanizing, and drug habits eventually caused him to begin skimming
Skimming (casinos)
"In May of 1963...the FBI turned over to the Justice Department a two-volume document called "The Skimming Report," which detailed the illegal siphoning off of gambling profits by Las Vegas casinos to avoid taxes." The report documented how pre-tax profits from casinos were being routed to various...
from casino operations. His embezzlement was soon discovered by the Chicago syndicate
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
, and on December 3, 1958, Greenbaum and his wife were found in their Phoenix home with their heads neatly severed and placed in plastic bags.
His name was merged with Sedway's to inspire the name for the character "Moe Greene
Moe Greene
Moe Greene is a fictional character appearing in Mario Puzo's 1969 novel The Godfather and the first installment of the The Godfather trilogy of films, in which he was portrayed by actor Alex Rocco...
" in The Godfather
The Godfather
The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
.
Further reading
- Fried, Albert. The Rise and Fall of the Jewish Gangster in America. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1980. ISBN 0-231-09683-6
External links
- The Greenbaum Murder by John William Tuohy
- HiddenMysteries Conspiracy Archive - The Rest of the Story: THE ARIZONA PROJECT
- Phoenix New Times article by Dewey Webb