FIVE OF THE WEALTHIEST MOBSTERS MIGHT SURPRISE YOU
I seem to get this question on all the time. Who was the most powerful gangster or mob boss ever. It's a difficult question because the parameters are so wide. Do we base it on longevity? Political power? Wealth? Staying off the radar? Which one would you go by? I have a tendency to like those who have been able to stay on the streets, out of jail, and help everyone prosper. Sadly their are very few who were able to attain that status, but when researching this article, I know the five I wanted to pick, and only on of them would spent his life in prison, for being the "boss of a family," according to the FBI when in fact he wasn't. That's a gripe I will share for another day, but here we go. These are the five wealthiest mob guys to ever have lived. While the dollar amounts are staggering, also taking into consideration inflation and the time periods they were active.
#5 MEYER LANKSY- $500 MILLION
The Godfather of shylocking and Vegas and Gambling rackets, he came up in a time with Lucky Luciano and so many others. He was called the "mob's accountant," for a reason. He made them all incredibly wealthy with his schemes and money making ability. He had power where others didn't. He was able to call for murders of made members of the Mafia, when he was Jewish. He had money maker Benny Seigel whacked without hesitation and had know Benny his entire childhood. If not for his money making abilities the mob would have no use for Lansky. Lansky's abilities took him far and wide and was the genius behind the Cuban casinos.#4 RUSSELL BUFALINO- $900 MILLION
In contract, Russell had massive power. Not just political, but also had his hand in some of history's most notorious events. John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Hoffa, CIA plot to kill Castro, just to name three. Russell was a diplomat of the mob's bygone era, and was able to delegate and had the respect of the entire commission(including a seat on the commission.) He was able to settle disputes and stay off the radar for the majority of his life. Russell just didn't run rackets, but he was able to legitimize his profits into the steel and coal business. He was powerful, and acted as a liaison in many regards with the Government when dealing with the mafia on covert operations.
Al Capone is well known throughout the world. Call him the John Gotti of the 20's, He was ruthless, smart and deadly. Under Johnny Torrio, he learned the rackets, and was able to take it to the Irish gangs in Chicago to ultimately take over. While his political power was not necessarily strong, he relied on police payoffs to keep the heat away but he couldn't stay out of sight and refused to infiltrate himself and eventually would be arrested for tax evasion, and die from complications of syphilis. He will always be known in the press as the first AMERICAN GANGSTER, but what many people don't discuss is that Al Capone was very much controlled by New York.
#4 CARLO GAMBINO- $1.5 BILLION
He wasn't just boss and namesake of the Gambino Crime Family. He was deadly, off the radar, and an incredible earner before he clipped Anastasia to take over. Carlo Gambino was a man with insane initiative and didn't hesitate dispatching whomever got in his way. He was respected and feared. It was through his intelligence the Gambino's took over construction rackets, the entire eastern seaboard and the garment district without much hesitation. He maintained a quiet life, while delegating to his underlings and only spent one day in jail in his entire life. He would die at home watching his beloved New York Yankee's, without a care in the world.
Anthony Salerno was perhaps one of the brightest of this bunch. Not only did he control every single piece of the racket business in Harlem, but it was actually one hell of a move. While whites and other Italians were moving the hell out of Harlem, he realized that the market was potentially greater for him financially. He could have moved from Harlem, but he refused. He would end up running all the numbers(multi-million dollar racket alone) as well as loan shark, gambling, extortion and construction. He not only cornered every single market in his area, but expanded into Manhattan taking over massive construction rackets, which he would share with other mob families. Tony Salerno had a literal piece of everything going on in New York it seems. He ultimately took the fall for his boss Vincent Gigante as Salerno was charged in the Commission Trial. Salerno wasn't the boss, and the FBI realized it shortly after his indictment but weren't about to utter a peep because they didn't want to lose the case. Never hesitating Tony didn't utter a word, and took his 100 year sentence like a man.
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