Jean Lafitte

 

Pirate Jean Lafitte and his older brother Pierre ran a business of taking luxury goods which were stolen from pirated ships, and reselling them in New Orleans. Jean Lafitte managed to supply privateers who pirated goods from ships, and Pierre, managed to sell the luxury goods in New Orleans.

 

After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the government began to enforce the Embargo Act of 1807, which barred American ships from docking at any foreign port and imposed an embargo on goods imported into the US. This was problematic for New Orleans merchants, who had relied heavily on trade with Caribbean colonies of other nations.^[15] The Lafitte brothers began to look for another port from which they could smuggle goods to local merchants.

 

They established themselves on the small island of Barataria, in Barataria Bay. Barataria was far from the U.S. naval base, and ships could easily smuggle in goods without being noticed by customs officials. Workers would reload goods into smaller batches onto barges for transport through the bayous to New Orleans.

 

On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Britain. Britain maintained a powerful navy, while the United States had little naval power.^[30] To supplement their navy, the United States offered letters of marque to private armed vessels. New Orleans issued six such letters, primarily to smugglers who worked with Lafitte at Barataria. The smugglers often held letters of marque from multiple countries, authorizing them to capture booty from differing nations. They submitted booty from captured British ships to the American authorities at New Orleans, while booty from all other ships was often channeled for sale on the markets through Lafitte's operation.

 

Eventually, the Lafittes created their own fleet for piracy

Jean Lafitte fought with Andrew Jackson in the defense of New Orleans in the War of 1812.

 

Murder, Inc. (Murder, Incorporated) was an organized crime group, active from 1929 to 1941, that acted as the enforcement arm of the Italian-American Mafia, the Jewish Mob, and other closely connected criminal organizations in New York City and elsewhere. The group was composed of Jewish-American and Italian-American gangsters, and members were mainly recruited from poor and working-class Jewish and Italian neighborhoods in Manhattan (primarily the Lower East Side) and from the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Brownsville, East New York, and Ocean Hill. It was initially headed by Louis "Lepke" Buchalter and later by Albert "The Mad Hatter" Anastasia(g). Murder, Inc. was believed to be responsible for between 400 and 1,000 contract killings

 

Jewish Mobsters built Las Vegas Casinos

Casinos and Entertainment venues were created in what became Las Vegas to satisfy the 20,000 mostly male construction crews for the Boulder Dam circa 1930. (renamed the Hoover Dam).

Although ethnic organized crime figures had been involved in some of the operations at the hotels, the Mafia bosses never owned or controlled the hotels and clubs that remained monopolized by hard-bitten local Las Vegas families unwilling to cede ground to the crime bosses and proved strong enough to push back. This changed in post-war Las Vegas when Jewish gangster Bugsy Siegel, with help from friend and fellow mob boss Meyer Lansky, poured money through locally owned banks for cover of legitimacy and built The Flamingo in 1946. Siegel modeled his enterprises on the long-running gambling empire in Galveston, Texas, which had pioneered the high-class casino concepts that became mainstays on the Strip^[17]

The Flamingo initially lost money and Siegel died in a hail of gunfire in Beverly Hills, California in summer 1947. Additionally, local police and Clark County Sheriff deputies were notorious for their heavy-handed tactics toward mobsters who "grew too big for their pants." However, many mobsters saw the potential that gambling offered in Las Vegas. After gambling was legalized, the Bank of Las Vegas, led by E. Parry Thomas, became the first bank to lend money to the casinos, which Thomas regarded as the most important businesses in Las Vegas. At the same time, Allen Dorfman, a close associate of longtime IBT President Jimmy Hoffa and a known associate of the Chicago Outfit, took over the Teamsters Central States Pension Fund, which began lending money to Las Vegas casino owners and developers.^[18] They provided funding to build the Sahara, the Sands, the Riviera, the Fremont, and finally the Tropicana.^[19]

 

Hyman Abrams  1920s–1960s Lieutenant of Boston Mobster Charles Solomon during Prohibition. Later financed syndicate Las Vegas casinos with Meyer Lansky, Carl Cohen and Jack Entratter during the 1950s and 60s.

 

Evsei Agron  d. 1985 1970s–1980s Russian-born mobster who established and ran the Russian Mafia in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn until his murder in 1985.

 

Hyman Amberg 1902–1926 1919–1926 New York mobster and chief enforcer for his brothers Joseph and Louis "Pretty" Amberg. Hyman and another convict committed suicide following an unsuccessful escape attempt from Tombs Prison. 

 

Joseph Amberg 1892–1935 1919–1935 New York mobster who led one of the top gangs in Brooklyn during the 1920s and 30s with brothers Hyman and Louis Amberg. Amberg and an associate, Morris Kessler, were executed by Murder Inc. in his Brownsville auto garage.

 

Louis "Pretty" Amberg  1897–1935 1919–1935 He and brothers Hyman and Joseph Amberg led one of the top criminal gangs in Brooklyn during the 1920s and 30s. The last surviving brother, he was murdered a month after his brother Louis by members of Murder Inc.

 

 Moses Annenberg 1877–1942 1904–1936 Newspaperman and organized crime figure. Hired and directed criminal gangs on behalf of the Hearst Corporation during Chicago's "circulation wars" of 1910–1911, and later became owner of the National Racing Wire during the 1920s and 30s. Later used his wealth to purchase The Philadelphia Inquirer and found the Annenberg Foundation. Jailed for tax evasion in 1939.

 

 Marat Balagula b. 1943 1977–1986 Associate of the Lucchese crime family during the 1970s and 80s. Succeeded Evsei Agron as head of the Russian Mafia in 1985 but fled the country to avoid criminal charges a year later. He was extradited back to the US in 1989 and received a 18-year sentence in federal prison.

 

 David Berman  1903–1957 1916–1957 Associate member of the Genovese crime family who ran syndicate operations in Iowa and Minnesota from the 1920s to the 40s. Involve in syndicate casinos in Las Vegas during the 1940s and 50s, he and Moe Sedway took over The Flamingo after Bugsy Siegel's murder in 1947.

 

 Otto "Abbadabba" Berman 1889–1935 1920s–1930s Mob accountant and financial advisor for New York mobster Dutch Schultz

 

 Abe Bernstein 1892–1968 1910s–1960s Detroit mobster and leader of The Purple Gang. After the end of Prohibition, he ran syndicate gambling operations in Miami up until his death in 1968.

 

William Morris Bioff  1900–1955 1920s–1930s Chicago labor racketeer who extorted millions of dollars from Hollywood studios on behalf of the Chicago Outfit during the 1930s.

 

Charles Birger 1881–1928 1919–1928 Illinois bootlegger who feuded with the Shelton Brothers Gang throughout Prohibition.

 

Alex "Shondor" Birns 1907–1975 A major gangland figure in Cleveland throughout the 20th century. At one time considered Public Enemy No. 1, he controlled the city's underworld until his murder by Danny Greene in 1975.

 

Herbert Blitzstein  1934–1997 Loanshark and bookmaker for the Chicago Outfit during the 1950s and 60s. He was the top lieutenant of Anthony Spilotro when he and his crew were sent to Las Vegas.

 

Ike Bloom 1865–1930 An early organized crime figure in Chicago associated with "Big Jim" Colosimo. Owned some of the city's most popular nightclubs, such as Midnight Frolics and Kreiberg's, during Prohibition.

 

Isadore "Kid Cann" Blumenfeld 1900–1981 1900s–1980s Minneapolis mobster who ran the city's underworld from the 1920s until his conviction for violating the Mann Act in 1957. Later retired to Miami Beach where he and Meyer Lansky operated a real estate empire and were involved in syndicate operations in Miami and Havana up until his death in 1981.

 

Louis "Lepke" Buchalter 1897–1944 1910s–1940s New York labor racketeer who dominated the Lower East Side with Jacob Shapiro during the 1920s and 30s. Later headed Murder Inc. and was eventually sent to the electric chair at Sing Sing for his role in the organization. He is the only major mobster to be executed by the state.

 

Mickey Cohen 1914–1976 1923–1961 Major underworld figure in Los Angeles during the 1930s and 40s. Later helped Bugsy Siegel set up The Flamingo in Las Vegas and ran its sports book operation

 

Louis Cohen 1904–1939 1910s–1930s New York mobster who killed Nathan Kaplan on behalf of rival labor racketeers Jacob Orgen and Louis Buchalter in 1923.

 

Moe Dalitz 1899–1989 1920s–1960s Leader of the Mayfield Road Gang during Prohibition. He was later involved the development of syndicate gaming in Las Vegas during the 1940s and 50s.

 

Stanley Diamond 1922–1991 1960s–1970s Associate member of the Lucchese crime family associated with Henry Hill and Jimmy Burke during the 1970s.

 

Monk Eastman 1873–1920 1898–1920 Founder of the Eastman Gang, one of the last of New York's major street gangs, and dominated the city's underworld at the turn of the century

 

Monya Elson b. 1951 1970s–1990s Russian-born mobster who feuded with Boris Nayfeld over control of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn during the 1990s. One of Ukrainian mobster Semion Mogilevich's closest associates, he at one time controlled a criminal empire stretching from Russia to New York and Los Angeles.

 

Maxie Eisen 1910s–1920s Chicago labor racketeer allied with Dion O'Banion and the North Side Gang, and later for the Joe Saltis-Frank McErlane Gang during the 1920s

 

John Factor 1892–1984 1920s–1960s British-born Chicago gangster and con artist associated with the Chicago Outfit whose staged 1933 kidnapping resulted in the wrongful conviction of Roger Touhy. He later became a prominent businessman and casino owner in Las Vegas 1950s and 60s.

 

Ludwig "Tarzan" Fainberg b. 1958 1980–1999 Ukrainian-born New York mobster associated with the Russian Mafia in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn and South Florida during the 1990s. He was convicted on RICO charges for his involvement in arranging the sale a Russian submarine to a group of Colombian drug dealers in 1999.

 

 Benjamin "Dopey Benny" Fein 1889–1977? 1900–1941 New York mobster who dominated labor racketeering with Joseph Rosenzweig in the Lower East Side during the 1910s.

 

Irving Feinstein 1910–1939 1930s New York mobster involved in I

llegal gambling and labor racketeering with Louis "Lepke" Buchalter during the 1930s.

 

Abraham Friedman  1897–1939 1920s–1930s New York mobster and enforcer for labor racketeer Nathan Kaplan, and later Louis Buchalter and Jacob Shapiro during the 1920s and 30s.

 

Isadore Friedman d. 1939 1920s–1930s New York mobster associated with labor racketeer Louis Buchalter during the 1920s and 30s. Martin Goldstein No image
available 1905–1941 1920s–1930s Hitman and member of Murder Incorporated. Involved in the 1939 murder of Irving Feinstein and later executed with other members of Murder Inc. in 1941.

 

Waxey Gordon 1889–1952 1900s–1950s New York mobster who oversaw bootlegging operations for Arnold Rothstein during Prohibition. He was eventually imprisoned for tax evasion in 1933 and, again in 1951, for selling heroin.

 

Gus Greenbaum 1894–1958 1910s–1950s Member of the Chicago Outfit and ran syndicate casinos in Las Vegas during the 1940s and 50s.

 

Harry Greenberg d. 1939 1920s–1930s An associate and childhood friend of Bugsy Siegel, he later worked for Charlie "Lucky" Luciano and Meyer Lansky.

 

Max "Big Maxie" Greenberg 1883–1933 Detroit mobster and a member of Egan's Rats.

 

Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik 1886–1956 1910s–1950s Financial and legal advisor to the Chicago Outfit.

 

Hyman Holtz 1896–1939 1920s–1930s New York labor racketeer associated with Jacob Orgen and a later protege of Louis Buchalter. [3] Harry Horowitz aka Gyp the Blood 1889–1914 1900s–1910s Leader of the Lenox Avenue Gang.

 

"Kid Dropper" Nathan Kaplan No imageavailable 1895–1923 1910s–1920s A former member of the Five Points Gang, he and Johnny Spanish fought over control of labor racketeering during the labor slugger war.

 

Phillip Kastel1893–1962 1900s–1950s New York gambler associated with Arnold Rothstein and Frank Costello. He later ran gambling operations for the Genovese crime family in New Orleans.

 

Andrei Katz 1952–1975 1960s–1970s Romanian-born mobster associated with the Gambino crime family. Killed by the DeMeo crew in 1975 after agreeing to become a government informant.

 

Jacob Katzenberg 1888-? 1920s–1930s New York organized crime figure who supplied narcotics to mobsters throughout the United States during the 1920s and 30s.

 

Irving Kaye?-1977 1950s–1970s New York crew member of Longy Zwillman[16] and coin-op business partner of Gerardo Catena

 

Harry Keywell 1910–1997 1920s–1930s Detroit mobster and member of the Purple Gang. A suspect in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and later convicted of Collingwood Manor Massacre in 1931.

 

Philip Kovolick 1908–1971 1920s–1970s New York mobster associated with labor racketeer Louis "Lepke" Buchalter during the 1920s and 30s. He was a member of Murder Inc. until his conviction on narcotics charges in 1941.

 

Whitey Krakow d. 1941 1920s–1930s Hitman and member of Murder Incorporated. He was a suspect in the 1939 gangland slaying of Harry "Big Greenie" Greenberg.

 

Louis Kravits fl. 1933–1939 1930s New York labor racketeer and drug trafficker involved in a major heroin operation with Jack Lvovsky and Yasha Katzenberg during the early 1930s. Later testified against Lepke Buchalter at his trial.

 

Martin Krugman 1919–1979 1970s Bookmaker and associate of the Lucchese crime family during the 1970s. Disappeared and presumably killed following the Lufthansa heist in 1978.

 

Hyman Lamer fl. 1959–1974 1950s–1970s A close associate of Sam Giancana, he headed gambling and smuggling operations for the Chicago Outfit during the 1960s and 70s.

 

Abe Landau 1898–1935 1920s–1930s Lieutenant of New York mobster Dutch Schultz.

 

Meyer Lansky 1902–1983 1910s–1970s One of the major underworld figures of the 20th century. He was involved in the formation of the National Crime Syndicate and helped organize syndicate gambling operations in Cuba and Las Vegas.

 

Samuel "Red" Levine 1903–1972 1920s–1930s Hitman and member of Murder Incorporated. Involved in the 1931 murders of Abraham "Bo" Weinberg, Joe Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano.

 

Spanish Louie d. 1910 1900s Gunman/stick up artist at turn of century.

 

Vach "Cyclone Louie" Lewis d. 1908 1900s A former circus strongman and bodyguard of New York gang leader Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach. He and Zwerbach were gunned down by Louie the Lump at Coney Island in 1908. Joseph Linsey 1899–1994 1920s–1970s Lieutenant of Boston mobster Charles Solomon during Prohibition. After Solomon's death in 1933, he and other associates split Solomon's territory between themselves.

 

William Lipshitz 1910s–1920s Newsboy turned gangster, he murdered labor racketeer Benjamin Levinsky on behalf of Nathan Kaplan in 1922.

 

Seymour Magoon d. 1940 1920s–1930s Hitman and member of Murder Incorporated. Later became a state witness and corroborated Reles' testimony.

 

Harry Maione 1908–1942 1920s–1930s Hitman and member of Murder Incorporated. Participated in the murders of the Shapiro Brothers and George Rudnick.

 

Hyman "Pittsburgh Hymie" Martin 1903–1987 1920s–1930s Pittsburgh mobster associated with Moe Davis and Lou Rothkopf. Acquitted for the 1931 murder of Cleveland city councilman William E. Potter.

 

Samuel "Nails" Morton 1894–1923 1910s–1920s A former WWI war hero, Weiss was among Dion O'Bannion's top enforcers in the North Side Gang during the early 1920s.

 

Boris Nayfeld 1970s–1990s Russian-born mobster and heroin smuggler in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn during the 1970s and 80s. He and Monya Elson later waged a gang war over Brighton Beach.

 

Jacob "Little Augie" Orgen 1901–1927 1900s–1920s New York gangster involved in bootlegging and labor racketeering during Prohibition. He took control of the garment district from Nathan Kaplan at the end of the end of the third labor sluggers war. Killed by his former associates Lepke Buchalter and Jacob Shapiro in 1927.

 

Philip "Pinchy" Paul d. 1914 1900s–1910s New York labor racketeer who headed a coalition of independent gangs against Joseph Rosenzweig and Benjamin Fein during the first labor sluggers war.

 

Leonard Patrick 1913–2006 1920s–1990s One-time member of the Chicago Outfit involved in bookmaking and extortion with Gus Alex. Agreed to become a government witness in 1992. Joseph Reinfeld No image
available Early, major bootlegger in the northeast US; Established connections with the Bronfmans in Canada and brought Longy Zwillman into the bootlegging empire that Zwillman eventually took over. After Prohibition, went legitimate, establishing the largest wholesale liquor distributorship in NJ.

 

Abe "Kid Twist" Reles 1906–1941 1921–1940 One of the most feared hitmen of Murder Incorporated during the 1930s, he later became a government witness and was responsible for sending many of his former partners to the electric chair. Died under suspicious circumstances while in protective custody in 1941.

 

 

Harry Rosen 1920s–1950s Major bootlegger in Philadelphia during Prohibition. He was a member of the Big Seven and later involved in drug trafficking with Meyer Lansky during the 1930s.

 

Chris Rosenberg 1950–1979 1970s A member of the Gambino crime family's DeMeo crew during the 1970s. He was later killed by DeMeo to cover up the murder of Colombian drug cartel members.

 

Bernard Rosencrantz 1902–1935 1920s–1930s Bodyguard and chauffeur of New York mobster Dutch Schultz. [2][4] Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal 1929–2008 1960s–1980s One of the top sports handicappers in the United States during his lifetime. Secretly ran several syndicate casinos for the Chicago Outfit, most notably the Stardust, throughout the 1960s and 70s.

 

Joseph "Joe the Greaser" Rosenzweig 1891-? 1910s New York labor racketeer allied with "Dopey" Benny Fein during the first labor slugger war

 

Lou Rothkopf 1920s–1930s Longtime associate of Meyer Lansky, he was a member of the Bug and Meyer Mob during Prohibition. Later ran syndicate gambling operations in Cleveland with Moe Dalitz, Jack Licavoli, Maurice Kleinman and Thomas Jefferson McGinty.

 

Arnold "The Brain" Rothstein 1882–1928 1900s–1920s One of the first major underworld figures in New York during the early 20th century. Widely reputed to have been behind the Black Sox scandal of 1919.

 

Morris Rudensky 1898–1988 1920s Prominent cat burglar and safe-cracker

 

Harry "Doc Jasper" Sagansky 1898–1997 1920s–1990s Ran one of the largest bookmaking operations in Boston during the 1950s. At the time of his imprisonment in 1988, at age 91, he was the oldest organized crime figure to serve a federal prison sentence. Dutch Schultz 1902–1935 1910s–1930s Headed bootlegging and policy rackets in New York during the 1920s and 30s.

 

Moe Sedway 1894–1952 1920s–1950s Lieutenant of New York mobster Meyer Lansky. Later involved in running syndicate casinos in Las Vegas during the 1940s and 50s.

 

Irving, Meyer and William Shapiro 1904–1931 (Irving)
1908–1931 (Meyer)
1911–1934 (William) 1920s–1930s Rivals of Louis Buchalter and Jacob Shapiro during the late 1920s and 1930s. Irving and Meyer Shapiro were killed after initiating a gang war with Buchalter and Shapiro in 1931. William Shapiro was eventually murdered by Murder Inc. in 1934.

 

Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro 1899–1947 1910s–1940s He and Louis Buchalter controlled industrial labor racketeering in New York during the 1920s and 30s. Shapiro also helped establish Murder Incorporated. Died in prison in 1947.

 

 

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel 1906–1947 1910s–1940s New York mobster associated with Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello and Charles "Lucky" Luciano during Prohibition. Credited for the creation of syndicate casinos in Las Vegas during the 1940s.

 

Charles "King" Solomon 1884–1933 1900s–1930s He and Irish gangster Dan Carroll controlled bootlegging, narcotics and illegal gambling in Boston during Prohibition. Killed at the Cotton Club by rival mobsters in 1933.

 

Johnny Spanish 1891–1919 1900s–1910s A former member of the Five Points Gang, he and "Kid Dropper" Nathan Kaplan battled over New York's garment district during the Second Labor Sluggers War.

 

Joseph "Doc" Stacher 1902–1977 1920s–1960s An associate of Abner Zwillman and Meyer Lansky. Assisted Lansky in organizing the Atlantic City Conference and later in financing syndicate casinos in Las Vegas. Deported from the US in 1964 and later emigrated to Israel where he died years later.

 

Harry "Pittsburgh Phil" Strauss 1909–1941 1927–1941 Hitman and member of Murder Inc. credited with the murder of Irving Feinstein and at least five other gangland slayings. Sent to the electric chair at Sing Sing in 1941.

 

Albert "Tick–tock" Tannenbaum 1906–1976 1920s–1950s Enforcer and hitman for Lepke Buchalter during the 1920s and 30s. A member of Murder Inc., he was responsible for the 1939 murder of Harry Greenberg.

 

Benjamin Tannenbaum 1906–1941 1920s–1930s Mob accountant for New York labor racketeers Louis Buchalter and Jacob Shapiro during the 1920s and 30s. Murdered by members of Murder Inc. in 1941 while babysitting for a friend.

 

Abraham Telvi 1934–1956 1950s Hitman for New York labor racketeer Johnny Dio. Responsible for blinding crusading New York journalist Victor Riesel with acid in 1956.

 

Harry Tietlebaum 1889-? 1920s–1930s An associate of the Bug and Meyer Mob during Prohibition. Later part of a major heroin smuggling operation with Meyer Lansky and Harry "Nig" Rosen during the early 1930s.

 

Joseph Toplinsky 1879-? 1900s–1930s He, along with Jacob Levinsky and Charles Vitoffsky, led a criminal organization in New York's Lower East Side known as the Yiddish Black hand at the turn of the century. Abraham Weinberg 1897–1935? 1920s–1930s Hitman and chief lieutenant for New York mobster Dutch Schultz during Prohibition. Disappeared in 1935 and long presumed to have been killed by the mob.

 

George Weinberg 1901–1939 1920s–1930s Younger brother of Schultz' gunman Abraham Weinberg. After his brother's disappearance in 1935, he agreed to become a government witness but committed suicide while in police custody in 1939.

Emanuel Weiss 1906–1944 1920s–1930s An enforcer for New York labor racketeer Louis "Lepke" Buchalter during the 1920s. He was also a member of Murder Inc. up until his arrest in 1940.

 

Samuel Weiss 1904-? 1920s–1930s Hired gunman associated with New York labor racketeer Jacob Orgen during the third Labor Slugger War. Investigated for extortion by District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey during the late-1930s.

 

Jack "Big Jack" Zelig 1882–1912 1890s–1910s Turn of the century gangster and one-time leader of the Eastman Gang. Killed by Phil Davidson shortly before his testimony in the Charles Becker murder trial in 1912.

 

Jack Zuta 1888–1930 1910s–1920s Mob accountant and political "fixer" for the Chicago Outfit during Prohibition.

 

Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach d. 1908 1890s–1900s New York gangster and head of the Eastman Gang after the arrest of Monk Eastman in 1904. Engaging in a feud with the Five Points Gang, he and his bodyguard were gunned down by Louie the Lump at Coney Island in 1908.

 

Abner "Longy" Zwillman 1891–1959 1910s–1950s Prohibition gangster. Popularly known as the "Al Capone of New Jersey", he was a founding member of the "Big Seven" Ruling Commission. He was also associated with Murder Inc.

 

Bernie MadoffThe fraudster whose Ponzi scheme lost billions for investors.Jean Lafitte

 

Pirate Jean Lafitte and his older brother Pierre ran a business of taking luxury goods which were stolen from pirated ships, and reselling them in New Orleans. Jean Lafitte managed to supply privateers who pirated goods from ships, and Pierre, managed to sell the luxury goods in New Orleans.

 

After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the government began to enforce the Embargo Act of 1807, which barred American ships from docking at any foreign port and imposed an embargo on goods imported into the US. This was problematic for New Orleans merchants, who had relied heavily on trade with Caribbean colonies of other nations.^[15] The Lafitte brothers began to look for another port from which they could smuggle goods to local merchants.

 

They established themselves on the small island of Barataria, in Barataria Bay. Barataria was far from the U.S. naval base, and ships could easily smuggle in goods without being noticed by customs officials. Workers would reload goods into smaller batches onto barges for transport through the bayous to New Orleans.

 

On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Britain. Britain maintained a powerful navy, while the United States had little naval power.^[30] To supplement their navy, the United States offered letters of marque to private armed vessels. New Orleans issued six such letters, primarily to smugglers who worked with Lafitte at Barataria. The smugglers often held letters of marque from multiple countries, authorizing them to capture booty from differing nations. They submitted booty from captured British ships to the American authorities at New Orleans, while booty from all other ships was often channeled for sale on the markets through Lafitte's operation.

 

Eventually, the Lafittes created their own fleet for piracy

Jean Lafitte fought with Andrew Jackson in the defense of New Orleans in the War of 1812.

 

Murder, Inc. (Murder, Incorporated) was an organized crime group, active from 1929 to 1941, that acted as the enforcement arm of the Italian-American Mafia, the Jewish Mob, and other closely connected criminal organizations in New York City and elsewhere. The group was composed of Jewish-American and Italian-American gangsters, and members were mainly recruited from poor and working-class Jewish and Italian neighborhoods in Manhattan (primarily the Lower East Side) and from the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Brownsville, East New York, and Ocean Hill. It was initially headed by Louis "Lepke" Buchalter and later by Albert "The Mad Hatter" Anastasia(g). Murder, Inc. was believed to be responsible for between 400 and 1,000 contract killings

 

Jewish Mobsters built Las Vegas Casinos

Casinos and Entertainment venues were created in what became Las Vegas to satisfy the 20,000 mostly male construction crews for the Boulder Dam circa 1930. (renamed the Hoover Dam).

Although ethnic organized crime figures had been involved in some of the operations at the hotels, the Mafia bosses never owned or controlled the hotels and clubs that remained monopolized by hard-bitten local Las Vegas families unwilling to cede ground to the crime bosses and proved strong enough to push back. This changed in post-war Las Vegas when Jewish gangster Bugsy Siegel, with help from friend and fellow mob boss Meyer Lansky, poured money through locally owned banks for cover of legitimacy and built The Flamingo in 1946. Siegel modeled his enterprises on the long-running gambling empire in Galveston, Texas, which had pioneered the high-class casino concepts that became mainstays on the Strip^[17]

The Flamingo initially lost money and Siegel died in a hail of gunfire in Beverly Hills, California in summer 1947. Additionally, local police and Clark County Sheriff deputies were notorious for their heavy-handed tactics toward mobsters who "grew too big for their pants." However, many mobsters saw the potential that gambling offered in Las Vegas. After gambling was legalized, the Bank of Las Vegas, led by E. Parry Thomas, became the first bank to lend money to the casinos, which Thomas regarded as the most important businesses in Las Vegas. At the same time, Allen Dorfman, a close associate of longtime IBT President Jimmy Hoffa and a known associate of the Chicago Outfit, took over the Teamsters Central States Pension Fund, which began lending money to Las Vegas casino owners and developers.^[18] They provided funding to build the Sahara, the Sands, the Riviera, the Fremont, and finally the Tropicana.^[19]

 

Hyman Abrams  1920s–1960s Lieutenant of Boston Mobster Charles Solomon during Prohibition. Later financed syndicate Las Vegas casinos with Meyer Lansky, Carl Cohen and Jack Entratter during the 1950s and 60s.

 

Evsei Agron  d. 1985 1970s–1980s Russian-born mobster who established and ran the Russian Mafia in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn until his murder in 1985.

 

Hyman Amberg 1902–1926 1919–1926 New York mobster and chief enforcer for his brothers Joseph and Louis "Pretty" Amberg. Hyman and another convict committed suicide following an unsuccessful escape attempt from Tombs Prison. 

 

Joseph Amberg 1892–1935 1919–1935 New York mobster who led one of the top gangs in Brooklyn during the 1920s and 30s with brothers Hyman and Louis Amberg. Amberg and an associate, Morris Kessler, were executed by Murder Inc. in his Brownsville auto garage.

 

Louis "Pretty" Amberg  1897–1935 1919–1935 He and brothers Hyman and Joseph Amberg led one of the top criminal gangs in Brooklyn during the 1920s and 30s. The last surviving brother, he was murdered a month after his brother Louis by members of Murder Inc.

 

 Moses Annenberg 1877–1942 1904–1936 Newspaperman and organized crime figure. Hired and directed criminal gangs on behalf of the Hearst Corporation during Chicago's "circulation wars" of 1910–1911, and later became owner of the National Racing Wire during the 1920s and 30s. Later used his wealth to purchase The Philadelphia Inquirer and found the Annenberg Foundation. Jailed for tax evasion in 1939.

 

 Marat Balagula b. 1943 1977–1986 Associate of the Lucchese crime family during the 1970s and 80s. Succeeded Evsei Agron as head of the Russian Mafia in 1985 but fled the country to avoid criminal charges a year later. He was extradited back to the US in 1989 and received a 18-year sentence in federal prison.

 

 David Berman  1903–1957 1916–1957 Associate member of the Genovese crime family who ran syndicate operations in Iowa and Minnesota from the 1920s to the 40s. Involve in syndicate casinos in Las Vegas during the 1940s and 50s, he and Moe Sedway took over The Flamingo after Bugsy Siegel's murder in 1947.

 

 Otto "Abbadabba" Berman 1889–1935 1920s–1930s Mob accountant and financial advisor for New York mobster Dutch Schultz

 

 Abe Bernstein 1892–1968 1910s–1960s Detroit mobster and leader of The Purple Gang. After the end of Prohibition, he ran syndicate gambling operations in Miami up until his death in 1968.

 

William Morris Bioff  1900–1955 1920s–1930s Chicago labor racketeer who extorted millions of dollars from Hollywood studios on behalf of the Chicago Outfit during the 1930s.

 

Charles Birger 1881–1928 1919–1928 Illinois bootlegger who feuded with the Shelton Brothers Gang throughout Prohibition.

 

Alex "Shondor" Birns 1907–1975 A major gangland figure in Cleveland throughout the 20th century. At one time considered Public Enemy No. 1, he controlled the city's underworld until his murder by Danny Greene in 1975.

 

Herbert Blitzstein  1934–1997 Loanshark and bookmaker for the Chicago Outfit during the 1950s and 60s. He was the top lieutenant of Anthony Spilotro when he and his crew were sent to Las Vegas.

 

Ike Bloom 1865–1930 An early organized crime figure in Chicago associated with "Big Jim" Colosimo. Owned some of the city's most popular nightclubs, such as Midnight Frolics and Kreiberg's, during Prohibition.

 

Isadore "Kid Cann" Blumenfeld 1900–1981 1900s–1980s Minneapolis mobster who ran the city's underworld from the 1920s until his conviction for violating the Mann Act in 1957. Later retired to Miami Beach where he and Meyer Lansky operated a real estate empire and were involved in syndicate operations in Miami and Havana up until his death in 1981.

 

Louis "Lepke" Buchalter 1897–1944 1910s–1940s New York labor racketeer who dominated the Lower East Side with Jacob Shapiro during the 1920s and 30s. Later headed Murder Inc. and was eventually sent to the electric chair at Sing Sing for his role in the organization. He is the only major mobster to be executed by the state.

 

Mickey Cohen 1914–1976 1923–1961 Major underworld figure in Los Angeles during the 1930s and 40s. Later helped Bugsy Siegel set up The Flamingo in Las Vegas and ran its sports book operation

 

Louis Cohen 1904–1939 1910s–1930s New York mobster who killed Nathan Kaplan on behalf of rival labor racketeers Jacob Orgen and Louis Buchalter in 1923.

 

Moe Dalitz 1899–1989 1920s–1960s Leader of the Mayfield Road Gang during Prohibition. He was later involved the development of syndicate gaming in Las Vegas during the 1940s and 50s.

 

Stanley Diamond 1922–1991 1960s–1970s Associate member of the Lucchese crime family associated with Henry Hill and Jimmy Burke during the 1970s.

 

Monk Eastman 1873–1920 1898–1920 Founder of the Eastman Gang, one of the last of New York's major street gangs, and dominated the city's underworld at the turn of the century

 

Monya Elson b. 1951 1970s–1990s Russian-born mobster who feuded with Boris Nayfeld over control of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn during the 1990s. One of Ukrainian mobster Semion Mogilevich's closest associates, he at one time controlled a criminal empire stretching from Russia to New York and Los Angeles.

 

Maxie Eisen 1910s–1920s Chicago labor racketeer allied with Dion O'Banion and the North Side Gang, and later for the Joe Saltis-Frank McErlane Gang during the 1920s

 

John Factor 1892–1984 1920s–1960s British-born Chicago gangster and con artist associated with the Chicago Outfit whose staged 1933 kidnapping resulted in the wrongful conviction of Roger Touhy. He later became a prominent businessman and casino owner in Las Vegas 1950s and 60s.

 

Ludwig "Tarzan" Fainberg b. 1958 1980–1999 Ukrainian-born New York mobster associated with the Russian Mafia in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn and South Florida during the 1990s. He was convicted on RICO charges for his involvement in arranging the sale a Russian submarine to a group of Colombian drug dealers in 1999.

 

 Benjamin "Dopey Benny" Fein 1889–1977? 1900–1941 New York mobster who dominated labor racketeering with Joseph Rosenzweig in the Lower East Side during the 1910s.

 

Irving Feinstein 1910–1939 1930s New York mobster involved in I

llegal gambling and labor racketeering with Louis "Lepke" Buchalter during the 1930s.

 

Abraham Friedman  1897–1939 1920s–1930s New York mobster and enforcer for labor racketeer Nathan Kaplan, and later Louis Buchalter and Jacob Shapiro during the 1920s and 30s.

 

Isadore Friedman d. 1939 1920s–1930s New York mobster associated with labor racketeer Louis Buchalter during the 1920s and 30s. Martin Goldstein No image
available 1905–1941 1920s–1930s Hitman and member of Murder Incorporated. Involved in the 1939 murder of Irving Feinstein and later executed with other members of Murder Inc. in 1941.

 

Waxey Gordon 1889–1952 1900s–1950s New York mobster who oversaw bootlegging operations for Arnold Rothstein during Prohibition. He was eventually imprisoned for tax evasion in 1933 and, again in 1951, for selling heroin.

 

Gus Greenbaum 1894–1958 1910s–1950s Member of the Chicago Outfit and ran syndicate casinos in Las Vegas during the 1940s and 50s.

 

Harry Greenberg d. 1939 1920s–1930s An associate and childhood friend of Bugsy Siegel, he later worked for Charlie "Lucky" Luciano and Meyer Lansky.

 

Max "Big Maxie" Greenberg 1883–1933 Detroit mobster and a member of Egan's Rats.

 

Jake "Greasy Thumb" Guzik 1886–1956 1910s–1950s Financial and legal advisor to the Chicago Outfit.

 

Hyman Holtz 1896–1939 1920s–1930s New York labor racketeer associated with Jacob Orgen and a later protege of Louis Buchalter. [3] Harry Horowitz aka Gyp the Blood 1889–1914 1900s–1910s Leader of the Lenox Avenue Gang.

 

"Kid Dropper" Nathan Kaplan No imageavailable 1895–1923 1910s–1920s A former member of the Five Points Gang, he and Johnny Spanish fought over control of labor racketeering during the labor slugger war.

 

Phillip Kastel1893–1962 1900s–1950s New York gambler associated with Arnold Rothstein and Frank Costello. He later ran gambling operations for the Genovese crime family in New Orleans.

 

Andrei Katz 1952–1975 1960s–1970s Romanian-born mobster associated with the Gambino crime family. Killed by the DeMeo crew in 1975 after agreeing to become a government informant.

 

Jacob Katzenberg 1888-? 1920s–1930s New York organized crime figure who supplied narcotics to mobsters throughout the United States during the 1920s and 30s.

 

Irving Kaye?-1977 1950s–1970s New York crew member of Longy Zwillman[16] and coin-op business partner of Gerardo Catena

 

Harry Keywell 1910–1997 1920s–1930s Detroit mobster and member of the Purple Gang. A suspect in the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and later convicted of Collingwood Manor Massacre in 1931.

 

Philip Kovolick 1908–1971 1920s–1970s New York mobster associated with labor racketeer Louis "Lepke" Buchalter during the 1920s and 30s. He was a member of Murder Inc. until his conviction on narcotics charges in 1941.

 

Whitey Krakow d. 1941 1920s–1930s Hitman and member of Murder Incorporated. He was a suspect in the 1939 gangland slaying of Harry "Big Greenie" Greenberg.

 

Louis Kravits fl. 1933–1939 1930s New York labor racketeer and drug trafficker involved in a major heroin operation with Jack Lvovsky and Yasha Katzenberg during the early 1930s. Later testified against Lepke Buchalter at his trial.

 

Martin Krugman 1919–1979 1970s Bookmaker and associate of the Lucchese crime family during the 1970s. Disappeared and presumably killed following the Lufthansa heist in 1978.

 

Hyman Lamer fl. 1959–1974 1950s–1970s A close associate of Sam Giancana, he headed gambling and smuggling operations for the Chicago Outfit during the 1960s and 70s.

 

Abe Landau 1898–1935 1920s–1930s Lieutenant of New York mobster Dutch Schultz.

 

Meyer Lansky 1902–1983 1910s–1970s One of the major underworld figures of the 20th century. He was involved in the formation of the National Crime Syndicate and helped organize syndicate gambling operations in Cuba and Las Vegas.

 

Samuel "Red" Levine 1903–1972 1920s–1930s Hitman and member of Murder Incorporated. Involved in the 1931 murders of Abraham "Bo" Weinberg, Joe Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano.

 

Spanish Louie d. 1910 1900s Gunman/stick up artist at turn of century.

 

Vach "Cyclone Louie" Lewis d. 1908 1900s A former circus strongman and bodyguard of New York gang leader Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach. He and Zwerbach were gunned down by Louie the Lump at Coney Island in 1908. Joseph Linsey 1899–1994 1920s–1970s Lieutenant of Boston mobster Charles Solomon during Prohibition. After Solomon's death in 1933, he and other associates split Solomon's territory between themselves.

 

William Lipshitz 1910s–1920s Newsboy turned gangster, he murdered labor racketeer Benjamin Levinsky on behalf of Nathan Kaplan in 1922.

 

Seymour Magoon d. 1940 1920s–1930s Hitman and member of Murder Incorporated. Later became a state witness and corroborated Reles' testimony.

 

Harry Maione 1908–1942 1920s–1930s Hitman and member of Murder Incorporated. Participated in the murders of the Shapiro Brothers and George Rudnick.

 

Hyman "Pittsburgh Hymie" Martin 1903–1987 1920s–1930s Pittsburgh mobster associated with Moe Davis and Lou Rothkopf. Acquitted for the 1931 murder of Cleveland city councilman William E. Potter.

 

Samuel "Nails" Morton 1894–1923 1910s–1920s A former WWI war hero, Weiss was among Dion O'Bannion's top enforcers in the North Side Gang during the early 1920s.

 

Boris Nayfeld 1970s–1990s Russian-born mobster and heroin smuggler in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn during the 1970s and 80s. He and Monya Elson later waged a gang war over Brighton Beach.

 

Jacob "Little Augie" Orgen 1901–1927 1900s–1920s New York gangster involved in bootlegging and labor racketeering during Prohibition. He took control of the garment district from Nathan Kaplan at the end of the end of the third labor sluggers war. Killed by his former associates Lepke Buchalter and Jacob Shapiro in 1927.

 

Philip "Pinchy" Paul d. 1914 1900s–1910s New York labor racketeer who headed a coalition of independent gangs against Joseph Rosenzweig and Benjamin Fein during the first labor sluggers war.

 

Leonard Patrick 1913–2006 1920s–1990s One-time member of the Chicago Outfit involved in bookmaking and extortion with Gus Alex. Agreed to become a government witness in 1992. Joseph Reinfeld No image
available Early, major bootlegger in the northeast US; Established connections with the Bronfmans in Canada and brought Longy Zwillman into the bootlegging empire that Zwillman eventually took over. After Prohibition, went legitimate, establishing the largest wholesale liquor distributorship in NJ.

 

Abe "Kid Twist" Reles 1906–1941 1921–1940 One of the most feared hitmen of Murder Incorporated during the 1930s, he later became a government witness and was responsible for sending many of his former partners to the electric chair. Died under suspicious circumstances while in protective custody in 1941.

 

 

Harry Rosen 1920s–1950s Major bootlegger in Philadelphia during Prohibition. He was a member of the Big Seven and later involved in drug trafficking with Meyer Lansky during the 1930s.

 

Chris Rosenberg 1950–1979 1970s A member of the Gambino crime family's DeMeo crew during the 1970s. He was later killed by DeMeo to cover up the murder of Colombian drug cartel members.

 

Bernard Rosencrantz 1902–1935 1920s–1930s Bodyguard and chauffeur of New York mobster Dutch Schultz. [2][4] Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal 1929–2008 1960s–1980s One of the top sports handicappers in the United States during his lifetime. Secretly ran several syndicate casinos for the Chicago Outfit, most notably the Stardust, throughout the 1960s and 70s.

 

Joseph "Joe the Greaser" Rosenzweig 1891-? 1910s New York labor racketeer allied with "Dopey" Benny Fein during the first labor slugger war

 

Lou Rothkopf 1920s–1930s Longtime associate of Meyer Lansky, he was a member of the Bug and Meyer Mob during Prohibition. Later ran syndicate gambling operations in Cleveland with Moe Dalitz, Jack Licavoli, Maurice Kleinman and Thomas Jefferson McGinty.

 

Arnold "The Brain" Rothstein 1882–1928 1900s–1920s One of the first major underworld figures in New York during the early 20th century. Widely reputed to have been behind the Black Sox scandal of 1919.

 

Morris Rudensky 1898–1988 1920s Prominent cat burglar and safe-cracker

 

Harry "Doc Jasper" Sagansky 1898–1997 1920s–1990s Ran one of the largest bookmaking operations in Boston during the 1950s. At the time of his imprisonment in 1988, at age 91, he was the oldest organized crime figure to serve a federal prison sentence. Dutch Schultz 1902–1935 1910s–1930s Headed bootlegging and policy rackets in New York during the 1920s and 30s.

 

Moe Sedway 1894–1952 1920s–1950s Lieutenant of New York mobster Meyer Lansky. Later involved in running syndicate casinos in Las Vegas during the 1940s and 50s.

 

Irving, Meyer and William Shapiro 1904–1931 (Irving)
1908–1931 (Meyer)
1911–1934 (William) 1920s–1930s Rivals of Louis Buchalter and Jacob Shapiro during the late 1920s and 1930s. Irving and Meyer Shapiro were killed after initiating a gang war with Buchalter and Shapiro in 1931. William Shapiro was eventually murdered by Murder Inc. in 1934.

 

Jacob "Gurrah" Shapiro 1899–1947 1910s–1940s He and Louis Buchalter controlled industrial labor racketeering in New York during the 1920s and 30s. Shapiro also helped establish Murder Incorporated. Died in prison in 1947.

 

 

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel 1906–1947 1910s–1940s New York mobster associated with Meyer Lansky, Frank Costello and Charles "Lucky" Luciano during Prohibition. Credited for the creation of syndicate casinos in Las Vegas during the 1940s.

 

Charles "King" Solomon 1884–1933 1900s–1930s He and Irish gangster Dan Carroll controlled bootlegging, narcotics and illegal gambling in Boston during Prohibition. Killed at the Cotton Club by rival mobsters in 1933.

 

Johnny Spanish 1891–1919 1900s–1910s A former member of the Five Points Gang, he and "Kid Dropper" Nathan Kaplan battled over New York's garment district during the Second Labor Sluggers War.

 

Joseph "Doc" Stacher 1902–1977 1920s–1960s An associate of Abner Zwillman and Meyer Lansky. Assisted Lansky in organizing the Atlantic City Conference and later in financing syndicate casinos in Las Vegas. Deported from the US in 1964 and later emigrated to Israel where he died years later.

 

Harry "Pittsburgh Phil" Strauss 1909–1941 1927–1941 Hitman and member of Murder Inc. credited with the murder of Irving Feinstein and at least five other gangland slayings. Sent to the electric chair at Sing Sing in 1941.

 

Albert "Tick–tock" Tannenbaum 1906–1976 1920s–1950s Enforcer and hitman for Lepke Buchalter during the 1920s and 30s. A member of Murder Inc., he was responsible for the 1939 murder of Harry Greenberg.

 

Benjamin Tannenbaum 1906–1941 1920s–1930s Mob accountant for New York labor racketeers Louis Buchalter and Jacob Shapiro during the 1920s and 30s. Murdered by members of Murder Inc. in 1941 while babysitting for a friend.

 

Abraham Telvi 1934–1956 1950s Hitman for New York labor racketeer Johnny Dio. Responsible for blinding crusading New York journalist Victor Riesel with acid in 1956.

 

Harry Tietlebaum 1889-? 1920s–1930s An associate of the Bug and Meyer Mob during Prohibition. Later part of a major heroin smuggling operation with Meyer Lansky and Harry "Nig" Rosen during the early 1930s.

 

Joseph Toplinsky 1879-? 1900s–1930s He, along with Jacob Levinsky and Charles Vitoffsky, led a criminal organization in New York's Lower East Side known as the Yiddish Black hand at the turn of the century. Abraham Weinberg 1897–1935? 1920s–1930s Hitman and chief lieutenant for New York mobster Dutch Schultz during Prohibition. Disappeared in 1935 and long presumed to have been killed by the mob.

 

George Weinberg 1901–1939 1920s–1930s Younger brother of Schultz' gunman Abraham Weinberg. After his brother's disappearance in 1935, he agreed to become a government witness but committed suicide while in police custody in 1939.

Emanuel Weiss 1906–1944 1920s–1930s An enforcer for New York labor racketeer Louis "Lepke" Buchalter during the 1920s. He was also a member of Murder Inc. up until his arrest in 1940.

 

Samuel Weiss 1904-? 1920s–1930s Hired gunman associated with New York labor racketeer Jacob Orgen during the third Labor Slugger War. Investigated for extortion by District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey during the late-1930s.

 

Jack "Big Jack" Zelig 1882–1912 1890s–1910s Turn of the century gangster and one-time leader of the Eastman Gang. Killed by Phil Davidson shortly before his testimony in the Charles Becker murder trial in 1912.

 

Jack Zuta 1888–1930 1910s–1920s Mob accountant and political "fixer" for the Chicago Outfit during Prohibition.

 

Max "Kid Twist" Zwerbach d. 1908 1890s–1900s New York gangster and head of the Eastman Gang after the arrest of Monk Eastman in 1904. Engaging in a feud with the Five Points Gang, he and his bodyguard were gunned down by Louie the Lump at Coney Island in 1908.

 

Abner "Longy" Zwillman 1891–1959 1910s–1950s Prohibition gangster. Popularly known as the "Al Capone of New Jersey", he was a founding member of the "Big Seven" Ruling Commission. He was also associated with Murder Inc.

 

Bernie MadoffThe fraudster whose Ponzi scheme lost billions for investors.lease insert your text here.