1959 in organized crime
1958 in organized crime, other events of 1959, 1960 in organized crime and the list of 'years in Organized Crime'.
See also:
Events
- January 1 - Syndicate casinos are seized by Fidel Castro government after Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista flees the country following the Cuban Revolution. Suffering a major financial setback, Meyer Lansky returns to Miami, Florida and begins looking into the possible relocation of syndicate casinos in the Bahamas and Caribbean.
- February 26 - New Jersey mobster Abner Zwillman 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 family is convicted of drug trafficking and is sentenced to 15 years. Vincent Gigante, Genovese's driver and bodyguard to 7 years and Bonanno Crime Family lieutenant Natale Joseph Evola is also imprisoned. Thomas Eboli, Jerry Catena, Michele Miranda, Anthony Strollo and Phil Lombardo are placed on a "committee" to run the Genovese crime family operations following Genovese's imprisonment.
- June 9 - During his appearance for questioning before the McClellan Committee, Chicago mobster Sam Giancana refuses to answer the questions while repeatedly citing the Fifth Amendment, often punctuating his responses with a terse chuckle, to which a clearly frustrated chief counsel Robert F. Kennedy retorts, "I thought only little girls giggled, Mr. Giancana."[1]
- September 25 - After being called away from a Lexington Avenue restaurant, Anthony Carfano and his companion, Janice Drake are found dead in an abandoned car in Queens. 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 Castellano is convicted of obstructing a government investigation and sentenced to five years imprisonment, although he is released after seven months.
Births
- November 14 - Vincent Basciano "Vinny Gorgeous", Bonanno crime family boss
Deaths
- September 25 - Anthony Carfano "Little Augie Pisano", Genovese crime family underboss
- September 25 - Janice Drake, murder victim
- November 4 - Frank Abbatemarco, Colombo crime family capo
References
- "Sam Giancana Quizzed on Vice Payoffs" by William Moore, the Chicago Daily Tribune, June 10, 1959.
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