Luciano, “Lucky”

American organized crime figure “Lucky” Luciano (1897–1962) was born Salvatore Lucania in Lercara Friddi, Sicily, near Palermo, and immigrated to the United States with his family in 1906. Lucania quickly became enmeshed with the criminal underworld of New York City's Lower East Side, notching his first arrest (for shoplifting) a year after his arrival. As he reached his teen years, Luciano graduated to shakedown antics and, through physical intimidation, assumed a position of leadership in the junior gangland of his neighborhood. As a ...