The Rise of the Lucania Organization

Salvatore Lucania would prove to be the man that organized crime in the United States was waiting for. He would bring the organizations into the 20th century and provide an outline of cooperative business practices that would take organized crime to heights that many could have never imagined. His background from the streets of New York followed much the same pattern as many of his contemporaries. He found that money to be made on the streets offered more of a future than sitting in school where he was achieving little success. Shakedowns and collection of protection money from the people of his area provided his introduction to a life of crime. His truancy from school provided him with another type of classroom where he came in contact with others that were entering into the same profession. He learned from those with more experience, but saw beyond petty scams to realize that organization was the key to making real money in this new world of crime that he had entered. From the beginning he placed emphasis on collecting of all money gained through various activities and dividing the profits among all members of his gang. His work brought him into contact with other gangs and criminal groups and he was constantly searching for new activities to gain money and individuals that had expertise that he could use. In many cases this led to alliances with rival gangs and associations with individuals who had knowledge, skills, and connections that he saw as aiding his plan to expand his businesses. He did make an error that led to prison, when he was caught running drugs for one of the local organized crime groups. While in prison his education at the feet of those with more experience in crime continued and he gained the nickname "Charlie" from many of his fellow inmates. Upon his release he made the decision that if he was to take the chances he would rather have control of the planning and execution of projects. Control and independence was important and from his prison lessons he began to seek individuals who could provide the skills he needed to succeed in the life he had chosen.

Lucania collected the support of organization members that displayed a diverse ethnic background. Realizing that talent, loyalty, and intelligence were more important for success than ethnic beliefs, he drew what he felt was the best from other gangs. He began with joining forces with Francesco Castiglia (Frank Costello) who displayed an ability to set up deals and carry out the diplomatic needs of his group. He then turned to one of the Jewish gangs and enlisted the skills of Meyer Lansky and Ben Siegel to head the enforcement department of his new organization. Moving up from robbery and the protection rackets Lucania's group began to move into the area of gambling where the profits were higher and the risks less. To put the odds even more into his favor under the advise of Lansky and Costello, he began to put money into what was termed "the buy money bank" to pay off police and other local officials. This would become an area of expertise for Costello who would make connections allowing for increasing mob influence in areas of government and legitimate business. Lansky would serve the organization by looking for potential areas for the group to expand. Siegel would play out the role of enforcing the rule of the organization by providing the muscle needed for expansion. The organization was growing and turning a high profits and was coming to the attention of the old line Mafia Families. From time to time the group would carry out work for these families allowing Lucania, who had the proper ethnic background to work with them, to extend his connections with this faction of New York crime. The attention to detail and organization was paying off for the Lucania group and the Mafia families began to notice the level of success and looking for ways to bring at least Lucania into their fold.