Lucky Luciano - Capo dei Capi (Boss of the Bosses)

Capo dei Capi is Italian for "boss of the bosses". Charles "Lucky" Luciano was born Salvatore Lucania in Sicily, Italy, on November 24, 1897. Luciano split New York City into five crime families, heading the Genovese crime family himself. He also initiated The Commission, which served as a governing body for organized crime nationwide. Luciano moved to Havana and was later deported to Italy, living out his final years in Naples.

In 1929, Luciano lived up his nickname "Lucky" by surviving a savage attack. He was abducted by a group of men, who beat and stabbed him. Left for dead on a beach in Staten Island, Luciano was discovered by a police officer and taken to the hospital. It was unclear who had ordered the attack, but some speculated that it was the police or top crime boss Masseria. Masseria was in a turf war with rival boss Salvatore Maranzano around this time. Luciano had worked for Masseria for years, but he later supported Marazano. He helped arrange for Masseria to meet a grisly end in April 1931.

With his rival vanquished, Luciano focused on improving how criminal gangs did business. He sought to create a national organized-crime network to quell any conflicts, manage disputes and establish guidelines between the different operations. In addition to the heads of the five families, he brought in other crime figures from across the country, including Chicago's Al Capone. This new entity, sometimes known as the Commission, took organized crime to a new level.

In the early 1930s, Luciano was enjoying the high life. He lived at New York's luxurious Waldorf Towers, part of the Waldorf Astoria hotel, under the name Charles Ross. Flush with cash, Luciano looked the part of a wealthy businessman, wearing custom-made suits and riding around in chauffeur-driven cars. But the good times were about to come to end, as Thomas E. Dewey was appointed to serve as a special prosecutor to look into organized crime in 1935.

While in prison, Luciano offered to help in the war effort during World War II by using his criminal connections in Italy to advance the Allies' cause. After the war, Luciano received parole and a deportation order. He went back to Italy briefly and then traveled to Cuba. There he met up with some of his old cohorts in crime, including Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegel.

In 1947, the Cuban government sent Luciano back to Italy, where he remained under close surveillance. He was not allowed to leave Naples, where he spent the remainder of his days. According to some reports, he still had his hands in narcotics trafficking. Luciano considered sharing the inside details of his life story over the years. In an odd twist of fate, he suffered a fatal heart attack at a Naples Airport in January 1962. Luciano had been there to meet with a film and television producer. capo di tutti capi (“boss of all the bosses”)

Music: Frank Sinatra - My Way of Life

[andym]

My great grandad decorated Luckys house when he was 16. He must have done a decent job because he lived until 102.

[wazzup]

It really was a fitting song for Charlie. Not just because he was good friends with Frank Sinatra but also because it perfectly encapsulates his life. Ever since he was a kid, he only knew one way to get ahead, and that was outside the law. No regrets and no excuses for his actions.

After all, "There's no such thing as good money or bad money. There's just money."

[hiphops]

Lucky And Meyer the Original Men Of Men 👊🏼🤛🏼 Honor and Respect in those early days, Badass 🇮🇹 RIP

[aramavetio]

Mafia LEGENDANDO " Lucky Luciano" ARMENIAN NEVER Forgot You AMEN...

[guilhermefernando]

This song is so good. Sinatra and Mafia is a good mix.

[adamwotton]

Capo buon compleanno. RIP Salvatore Lucania La cosa nostra never been the same

[L_EFC]

Lucky didn't want the title, but Albert Anastasia said whether he liked it or not, he will always be the capo di tutti capi as far as he was concerned, think it was said to piss off Vito Genovese.


RIP Lucky

[petercofrancesco]

To All Proud Sicilians, We are Proud AMERICANS Also ! Tu Familia !

[diegylisthracian]

Best regards from Turkey to boss of bosses 💐

[danevertt]

My grandfather told died around 1995, that a long long time ago he had a few associates approach my grand dad and his business partner, about opening a bar/restaurant in Buffalo NY, and said that Lucky was directly involved in the plans. I’m told he backed out because he knew what he was getting into but the business partner didn’t. I’ll need to ask my mom about more info about this.

[HECGIANNI]

Greatest mobster ever!! Nice video 👌🏽💪🏽

[alexjandroavetis]

No one is Today Lucky Luciano last Empirie is End give2nothing iam end.

[iordanisiordanis]

Capo di tutti capi for ever grande lucky luciano!!!

[lovealbaniaaa]

Respect ✊ from Albania 🇦🇱 for all mafias

[nacaozumbi]

I love you Lucky Lutyanu
Lá máfia ítalo siempre

[DONMAZ]

'' Did I ever kill anybody myself? That depends on how you look at it. If it means, did I ever pull the trigger and actually knock somebody off myself, then the answer is no. Nobody died from my gun. I managed to hurt a few people pretty bad, but no murder. On the other hand, if you look at it from the strict letter of the law, where an accessory or a guy who gives the orders to make a hit is just as guilty as the guy who pulls the trigger, then i guess i done my share" The Last testament of Lucky Luciano P 51

[adrianro]

This is the real mafia no the 50¢ or snopp dog shit

[daffy]

Great Capo, Bugsy Morán and Al Capone only could reach that level

[keithharrison]

The Boss Of Bosses Charles Lucky Luciano !

[ML-jbbi]

Hi, I'm Melody Luciano Norris. Charles was my uncle. I really loved what you did here to commemorate him. I noticed you have tons of pictures of him so I have a question for you. My great grandfather, Pasquale "Patsy" Pollino, had Uncle Charles at his wedding to my great grandmother Savaria "Sophie" Digruttolla serving as the best man. The marriage took place in 1919 in New Jersey. I'm guessing Newark as that is where they were living at the time. Grandpa Patsy later abandoned my grandma and the kids and went back to Sicily. In Sicily he was ordered to perform a hit on his cousin, which one I am unsure of. He refused to do it and a hit was instead put on him. This is where you come in. I don't know the day of the hit so I have no record of grandpa's death. I also have no photos of my grandpa. Lastly, I'm guessing my grandma destroyed the wedding photos when he abandoned her so I don't even have any wedding photos showing Uncle Charles, my grandpa and my grandma. Do you happen to have anything like this you would have access to? Any help is much appreciated! Thank you so much!!