Lucky Luciano: Biography of an Infamous Italian Gangster

Summary

Charles "Lucky" Luciano, originally born Salvatore Lucania, was a notorious Italian-American gangster who played a pivotal role in shaping the structure of organized crime in the United States. His rise to infamy began with his involvement in the Five Points gang, a prominent criminal group in New York City in the early 20th century. As Luciano climbed the criminal hierarchy, he became instrumental in forming the National Crime Syndicate, a coalition of mafia organizations across the U.S. This syndicate revolutionized organized crime by establishing a more centralized, corporate-like structure, reducing conflicts, and expanding illegal activities through cooperation among rival gangs.

One of Luciano’s defining moments was his involvement in the Castellammarese War, a bloody power struggle among Italian-American mafiosi. After orchestrating the assassination of Salvatore Maranzano, the last self-declared "boss of bosses," Luciano abolished the position altogether and established The Commission in 1931. The Commission was a governing body designed to mediate disputes and oversee the activities of various crime families, solidifying Luciano’s position as the architect of modern organized crime. He also founded what is known today as the Genovese crime family, which remains one of the most powerful Mafia families in the U.S.