1961 in organized crime
Encyclopedia
See also:
1960 in organized crime
,
other events of 1961,
1962 in organized crime
and the
list of 'years in Organized Crime'
.
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1960 in organized crime
1960 in organized crime
See also:1959 in organized crime,other events of 1960,1961 in organized crime and thelist of 'years in Organized Crime'.-----Events:*April 7 – Johnny Dio is convicted of income tax evasion and later sentenced to four years imprisonment and a $5,000 fine....
,
other events of 1961,
1962 in organized crime
1962 in organized crime
See also:1961 in organized crime,other events of 1962,1963 in organized crime and thelist of 'years in Organized Crime'.-----Events:*Former leader of the Philadelphia crime family, Salvatore Sabella dies....
and the
list of 'years in Organized Crime'
Timeline of organized crime
This is a timeline of the history of organized crime.Note: Sources included are Carl Sifakis's The Mafia Encyclopedia, Herbert Asbury's The Gangs of New York and others. Online references also include Thomas P...
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Events
- October 8 - Albert Agueci, French Connection heroin smuggler for the Buffalo crime familyBuffalo crime familyThe Buffalo crime family, also known as the Magaddino crime family and The Arm, is an Italian American criminal organization based in Buffalo, United States. As part of the American Mafia the family operates throughout Western New York and Canada.The Buffalo crime family, gained power during the...
, is severely tortured and murdered. He threatened to inform on crime boss Stefano MagaddinoStefano MagaddinoStefano Magaddino was an Sicilian mafioso who became the boss of the Buffalo crime family in western New York. His underworld influence stretched from Ohio and Southern Ontario as far north as Montreal, Quebec...
because Magaddino did not provide bail money and assistance to his family. When his remains were found in a field near Rochester, N.Y. on November 23, he was naked, his hands were bound behind his back, his front teeth were knocked out and 30 lbs. of flesh were cut from his body, all while he was alive, a clear message from Don Stefano. His death would cause his brother Vito Agueci to label Albert's friend and heroin customer Joe ValachiJoe ValachiJoseph "Joe Cargo" Valachi , Italian American, also known as "Charles Chanbano" and "Anthony Sorge" was the first Mafia member to publicly acknowledge the existence of the Mafia. He is also the person who made Cosa Nostra a household name.-Career:Joseph Valachi was born in East Harlem, New York...
a government informant. Vito Aguecci's rumors are what prompted Vito Genovese to put a contract on Valachi and Valachi agreeing to become a government informant and be the first Cosa Nostra Rat. He testified in the 1963 Senate Hearings. - May 4 - A federal investigation reveals decades long corruption as a grand juryGrand juryA grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
finds evidence of Kansas City, MissouriKansas City, MissouriKansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
police officials cooperating with organized crime figures allowing criminal activity. - June 29 - After serving nearly a year, Frank CostelloFrank CostelloFrank Costello was an Italian New York City gangster who rose to the top of America's underworld, controlled a vast gambling empire across the United States and enjoyed political influence.Nicknamed the "Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one of the most powerful and influential Mafia...
is released from prison and retires to his gambling and legitimate business interests. - October 31 - Bernard McLaughlin, leader of the Charlestown MobCharlestown MobThe Charlestown Mob was an Irish Mob group in Charlestown, which figured prominently in the history of Boston for much of the 20th century....
, is killed by members of the Winter Hill GangWinter Hill GangThe Winter Hill Gang is a structured confederation of Boston, Massachusetts-area organized crime figures, predominantly Irish-American with a small Italian-American faction. It derives its name from the Winter Hill neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts north of Boston. Its members have...
(however other sources claim gunman of the Patriarca crime familyPatriarca crime familyThe Patriarca crime family, also known as the New England crime family and the Providence crime family, is an Italian-American organized crime syndicate based in New England, specifically Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts, and is part of the Italian-American Mafia or "La Cosa Nostra"...
responsible), an early victim of the BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
Irish MobIrish MobThe Irish Mob is one of the oldest organized crime groups in the United States, in existence since the early 19th century. Originating in Irish American street gangs of the 19th century — depicted in Herbert Asbury's 1928 book The Gangs of New York — the Irish Mob has appeared in most...
Wars which would continue throughout the decade. - November - Albert Testa, a counterfeiter and burglar as well as an associate of tortured and murdered Chicago Outfit member William "Action" Jackson, is murdered.
Arts and literature
- The Day of the OwlThe Day of the OwlThe Day of the Owl is a crime novel about the Mafia by Leonardo Sciascia, finished in 1960 and published in 1961.As the author wrote in his preface of the 1972 Italian edition, the novel was written at a time in which the existence of the Mafia itself was debated and denied...
(novel) by Leonardo SciasciaLeonardo SciasciaLeonardo Sciascia was an Italian writer, novelist, essayist, playwright and politician. Some of his works have been made into films, including Open Doors and Il giorno della civetta .- Biography :Sciascia was born in Racalmuto, Sicily... - Hoodlum PriestHoodlum Priest (film)Hoodlum Priest is a 1961 film by Irvin Kershner, based on the life of Father Charles Clark of St. Louis, who ministered to street gangs. It was entered into the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Don Murray - Father Charles Dismas Clark...
(film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054991/
Deaths
- November - Albert Testa, Chicago criminal involved in counterfeiting, burglary and an associate of Chicago Outfit member William "Action" Jackson
- November 23 - Albert Agueci, drug traffickerIllegal drug tradeThe illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
and Genovese crime familyGenovese crime familyThe Genovese crime family , is one of the "Five Families" that dominates organized crime activities in New York City, United States, within the nationwide criminal phenomenon known as the Mafia . The Genovese crime family has been nicknamed the "Ivy League" and "Rolls Royce" of organized crime...
member