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Meyer Lansky is born
Meyer Lansky (born Meier Suchowlański) July 4, 1902, in Grodno, Grodno Governorate, Russian Empire. -
Lansky's Father Sets out to Immigrate to America
He works hard, saves money and is able to bring his family by 1911. -
Benjamin Suchowlansky Dies in Palestine
Leaving a lifelong impression on his grandson Meyer, Benjamin and his wife are Zionists. They manage to immigrate to, then, Palestine. He is buried on the Mount of Olives. To Benjamin will Meyer attribute his personal courage and savvyiness. -
Lansky and his family immigrate to the United States
In 1911, Lansky emigrated to the United States through the port of Odessa[12] with his mother and brother Jacob, and joined his father, who had immigrated in 1909, and settled on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York. Meyer is credited by immigration officials as being eight-years-old, and the boy told them that he was born on July 4th! (There are no birth certificates to corroborate this; it is accepted to be truth, oddly.) -
Becomes friends with Benjamin Siegel
From Lacy: "Benny was the youngest and wildest boy who lied around Grand Street & who became friends with Meyer in the years between 1914-1920." Meyer was 12 at the time, Benjamin was 8. Picture attached is stylized. It should be remembered that Lansky always laid low. By the late 40s, Bugsy was well-known as mobster. -
Lansky Leaves School to Work as an Apprentice Machinist and Car Mechanic
Lacy: "A few weeks before is 17 birthday, I started at 10 cents an hour, 52 hours a week...wanted to study engineering, Circumstances didn't permit. He works with another young man called John Barrett - who will later join him in crime. Oddly, he will almost be killed by Lansky and Siegel over a theft of furs the three were selling on the black market! Barrett survives, but at the resultant court hearing refuses to accuse Meyer and Benjamin for their attempt at their life. -
Twice Arrested and Find for Disorderly Conduct in Lower East Side, NY
Lacey: "Docket 9208 described Meyer Lansky of 484 Gand Street, male, 17, white orn in Russia, arrested for felonious assault (case dismissed). Lansky was working as a shtarke in a gambling house. Less than a month later on 11/15/18, he was arrested for disorderly acting as the muscle for a union during a labour manifestation. He was found guilty and fined two dollars." -
Volstead Act Passed, Meyer Enters his Crime Career
In January, the Volstead act, passed by Congress three months before, goes into effect. Meyer Lansky, sussing out a huge opportunity leaves the machine shop and never looks back. He will thence never work in a legit trade or profession. For More, Click Here.. -
Meyer Lansky Meets Arnold Rothstein
The same man who notoriously threw the 1919 White Sox World Series, meets an awed Lansky at a Bar Mitzvah of a mutual friend's son. "The meeting was a bigger deal for Lansky, as his association with Rothstein is what would bring him into the big leagues of organized crime." Rothstein, who came from an affluent NYC family becomes a mentor to Lansky. Addicted to gambling, he is murdered at a gambling table in 1928. Source:NY1920.com -
Starts Dating Anne Citron, the future Mrs. Lansky
Lacy: operating their bootlegging garage on Cannon street as partners...they joined forces for their romantice ventures as well. the started goring out wit tw Lower East Side girls Anne Citron and Esther Krakower, (Chapter 4, Lansky the Thinking Man's Gangster). -
Thinking Outside the Box: Lansky and Luciano Discuss Smuggling Cuban Rum
As early as '28 Meyer had Cuba in his mind. The dollar's buying power to buy rum and smuggle into Long Island, Florida mainly, is a great opportunity. Proving lucrative, their efforts will be diverted between late 1928-31: the Castellammare War. It proves decisive in setting up a syndicate of over 100 families, nationwide, Lucky recognized as "capo di capi." Lansky as full associate and unnamed, unheralded, co-leader. -
Meyer is Arrested for Attempted Murder
Meyer and associate Samuel Levine, along w/ Italian Joseph Benzole were arrested for the attempted murder of John Barrett, an old acquaintance of Meyer's from the machine shop. Now in racketeer with Meyer, John was accused of stealing furs from his friends. He was taken on a car ride with Bugsy, Levine and Lansky. Shots were fired but John got away. Later in Court in the arraignment, Barrett recanted. His friends went free and John got away with a warning from Lansky. Meyer's mugshot attached. -
Meyer's Mentor and Senior Associate Arnold Rothstein Dies
Working with the famous swindler and racketeer, whose piece de resistance, was throwing the 1919 World Series, Rothstein is killed in a gambling dispute. He's important to Meyer by introducing the franchise business model to the young, would-be boss. Meyer is 26 when his admired mentor is killed. Daily News Article Here -
Lansky & Siegel Marry
Benjamin decides to marry Esther Krakower, one of the East-Side Ladies the pair met the year before, when Lansky told him he and Anne were getting hitched. They were each others' best men! Lansky's marriage would last until 1946; oddly, Ben Siegel's would divorce Esther that same year. -
Meyer and Luciano host the Atlantic City Conference
The Atlantic City Conference held between 13–16 May 1929[1] was a historic summit of leaders of organized crime in the United States. It is considered by most crime historians to be the earliest organized crime summit held in the US. The conference had a major impact on the future direction of the criminal underworld and it held more importance and significance than the (Havana Conference)[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_City_Conference#cite_note-1] of 1946 -
"Buddy," Lansky's First Child is Born
Nine months and a few weeks after his wedding to Anne, Bernard Irving "Buddy" Lansky was born. At aged three, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, though the alert little boy had inherited his father's quick mind, according Lansky biographers Lacy and Sandra Lansky, his daughter. He would live until 1989, 6 years after his father died. (Pic taken at Cuba's Hotel Nacional's Interior fountain. ) -
Salvatore Maranzano killed by Murder Inc., Lansky & Seigel (?)
Within six months of having murdered Joe Masseria, the last of the "Moustache Petes," or the old Sicilians who ran the NY mob along Old World models of vendetta killings and Italian chauvinism, is dead. According to Lacy, "mob lore has it that that they were Jewish hitmen organized by Lansky and Siegel. -
Lansky's Second Child, Paul, is Born
Paul was born in Sept. of '32, a healthy son that will eventually become a West Point Grad Class of '54. The he joined the airforce, becoming a captain but resigning his commission in 1963. Thereafter, Paul would have a successful career as a civil engineer in Tocoma, Washington. -
Lansky and the Mob Buy Cuban Strongman, Batista
Meyer Lansky and other associates, including Lucky Luciano, dream up of a scheme to set up gambling operations in Cuba. They pick Batista as their insider, and give him anywhere between 3 million to 5 million, with promises of yearly payments. Original Investment by Lucky and Meyer is 500,000. Source: Havana Nocturne pp. 15-16 For more click here -
Anticipating End of Prohibition, Goes Legit for the First Time in Molasses
"Just ten days before prohibition ends he became a partner in the losaksa Corp., in , a company formed to supply dehydrated, powdered molasses to the about-to-be-born distilling industry," (Lacy, Chap. 5). This bespeaks of Meyer's business acumen, knowing how and when to invest his money. [See NYT Article(https://www.nytimes.com/1933/12/23/archives/cleveland-firm-leases-in-jersey-molaska-products-corp-takes-part-of.html) -
Repeal of the Volstead Act, 18 Amendment, Prohibition of Alcohol Ends
Congress passed the Blaine Act, a proposed constitutional amendment to repeal the Eighteenth Amendment to end prohibition, in February 1933. On December 5, 1933, Utah became the 36th state to ratify the Twenty-first Amendment, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment. This represents huge losses of revenue for Meyer and Lucky and the Syndicate. They shift to gambling in FL and later the Caribbean. -
Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia Becomes Mayor, NYC Crackdowns, Reforms
Winning on a promise to clean the city Mayor LaGuardia begins a long-term reform of NYC, cracking down on illegal gambling, administrative graft, corrupt policemen, and finally breaks the long-standing Tammany Hall's chokehold on the city's development. Misappropriations of city and borough budgets will become a thing of the past - until the 70s, anyway. For Lansky & Luciano, these events ramp up their visions for Cuba, their sights on Havana. -
Lansky Formally Expands his Gambling Business Offshore to Cuba
From Havana Nocturne p.19: Meyer confounded a new corporation, Cuba National out of Miami...with Costello, Zwillman on the company's board...later merged with National Cuba Hotel Corp..eventually becoming the Hilton Hotel chain. -
Cleaning up the "Oriental Park " preeminent horse race track, Havana
"Invited to Havana for a series of high-level consulting postions to clean up what had become unspeakably corrupt gaming conditions at Oriental Park ." (Lowinger & Fox, Tropicana Nights, Harcourt Books, 2005). -
Cuban American Realty Company Flourishing
By 1937 the Mob is operating in Cuba under a front company named "Cuban American Realty Company." It began to establish or co-opt and run hotels & casinos at The Hotel Sevilla, Biltmore, Gran Casino Nacional, Summer Casina, Chateau Madrid, Sans Souci, Oriental Park Race Track, La Concha Hotel, Havana Biltmore Country Club and other venues. Only the WWII intervened, slowing the mob's aggressive expansion in Cuba, (Cirules, p.22). -
Sandra Lansky, Meyer's daughter is born
Having written 4 books in 18 different publications, Sandra became an author writing mainly about her life as a mobster's daughter. She lives in Tampa, presently. For more on her life, click here. -
Max Lansky, Meyer's dad dies
According to Lacy: "the gap between father and son never closed, Max Lansky was to die in 1939 when Meyer was 37 years old. (Curiously, Meyer was to experience an irreparable divide, a full break from his son Paul, twenty years later, when the latter graduated from West Point in 1954.) -
Navy Approaches Lansky
In April of 1942, the US Navy Approaches Lansky for his help in cleaning the docks of all spies. In return, he proposes that Lucky Luciano be let out of Sing Sting (Tsing Tsing) and exiled, adding that his connections in Sicily and Palermo will aid in the coming invasions of the continent. -
Roosevelt Sends Lansky as his Intermediary to Batista
During his 1944 reelection campaign, Roosevelt is worried that Batista has swung too far to the Left. Marxist ideas are widely discussed and valued at U. of H. and in the newspapers. Cuban Communist Party's membership is increasing. Fearing a leak to the press, Roos. sends Lansky as emissary to Batista to confirm he will step down as Cuban president, as Grau is favored to win 9see: Cirules, E., The Mafia in Havana, p. 25). -
Lansky helps with Project Underworld
Lansky continues facilitating Project Underworld, an effort by the U.S. government to recruit mafiosos to counter Axis spies and sabotage. Lansky facilitated the cooperation of Charles "Lucky" Luciano, in prison for compulsory prostitution, in exchange for a commuted sentence and exile to Italy.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Lansky Sends a Wires Luciano About the Havana Conference
Luciano left Sicily for Naples, as planned, to hear from Lansky. Several weeks later he received the following encoded message: "December, Hotel Nacional." This caused confusion. Did this mean to come to Havana in December for a conference at the Nacional, or to sit tight in Naples for a decision to be made in December, according to Cirules in The Mafia in Havana, p. 34-35. Luciano left Naples on 19 of Sept. for Barcelona > Lisbon > Rio (9/27) > Camagüey (9/29). -
480 Employees of the Hotel Nacional Go On Strike
Knowing that the Conference was only weeks away, workers of the Hotel Nacional went on strike, demanding a 30% wage increase. President Prío called hotel management and workers' reps to the palace to settle. Workers settled for a 25% increase except chefs, who held out for 30- and got it! Ten days before the hundreds of guests started to arrive, the workers went back to work. -
Havana Conference Convenes
Through the auspices of the Cuban Autentico Party headed by Pres. Grau San Martin, the Hotel Nacional was closed to the public, exclusive to some 500 mob bosses and sub-bosses, families, bodyguards, and over 100 of their lawyers. Lucky Luciano & Meyer Lansky convinced the Mob Syndicate to invest in an engaged campaign to build hotels and run casinos in Havana. Other issues addressed to maintain the peace amongst the families. See Cockayne's "The Cuba Joint Venture". -
Period: to
The Havana Conference, 1946
Meyer Lanksy, Lucky Luciano, Vito Genovese, Albert Anastasia, Frank Costello (Luciano's stand in boss) Doc Statcher (Lansky's friend who had bribed Batista in 1933) and others met to discuss turning gambling in the Caribbean. This occurred with the support of some Autentico politicians. Facing U.S. pressure to cut off medical supplies, Luciano would be forced to leave Cuba in March.
Source: Read Lansky's invitation letter to Mobster guests. -
Visits Batista in Florida, Repeatedly in 1947
During the standoff b/w Cuba and US over Luciano's removal, [Cerules says on p.51](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lWdU7Qrln8mdTm9dWWZ0XSgqHtB9G62P/view?usp=sharing] "Lansky was maneuvering behind the scenes making trips to Daytona Beach...He returned with two ideas. General Batista sent a telegram to Luciano, suggested leaving, waiting for better times," and Cerules surmises both men hinted at Batista returning to Cuba. This is perfectly plausible in Batista's latter hint to Luciano. -
Lansky divorces wife, Anne
Estranged for her husband's chosen line of work, they had a no-contest divorce.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Meyer Aids in Lucky Luciano Arrest (2/23/1947); Deported from Cuba on 3/29/1947
Grau rebuffed US requests to have Luciano deported, citing Cuba's purview. When US threatened an embargo of medical supplies, he caved. Cerules claims "all evidence claims Lansky cooperated with Cuban authorities to carry out his arrest and transfer. See Mafia in Havana, p.47. -
Lansky has childhood friend killed
Ben Siegel, who had started the Flamingo hotel-casino in Nevada with help from his childhood friend Lansky, is assassinated. This decision had been taken at the Havana conference, ballooning costs had investors mad and untrustworthy.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Prio Pledges to Allow Batista Back in Cuban Politics, Lansky behind the Scenes
Cerules' in Chapter 4 of The Mafia in Cuba," makes a good argument that Lansky and Cuban Gangsters Barletto and Battisti have been working surreptitiously to urge Batista to run for president. On September 4, 1947 Prio announces that he and the Autentico Party welcome Batista's return to politics- this is a 180 from Grau's statements, three years before. Carlos Hevia, founder of the Autentico Party pictured, right of Ex-President Grau. -
Lansky falls in love and remarries in Cuba, Batista attends
In a whirlwind courtship fast after his divorce, Lansky and a manicurist and divorcée named Thelma “Teddy” Schwartz fell for each other. They flew down to Cuba and married in Vedado. Batista attends the wedding
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Meyer Installs brother Jake Lansky as Manager of the Casino Nacional
Jake will be renowned for clean management of the Casino at the Hotel Nacional. A stickler, he will never cave to high-ranking Cuban officials trying to curry favors. Famously denies credit to Cuban politicians and generals at the Casino. After running a series of underground casinos in Hallandale, FL for his brother, he is invited to come to Havana and do the same. Later arrested by the Castro Bros. in 1959 along with Meyer for 25 days, then released. -
"Clause K" feeds Lansky's Plans to expand mob investments in Havana
Under the guise of developing & upkeep of schools, "Clause K" -see Erlich, p. -budgeted with government investments at 3.4 million pesos a month, will finance the mob's (Lansky's) expansion into hotels and casinos. The new Prío administration and autentico cronies will receive huge kickbacks and a cut on interests on these loans (Cerules, p. 61). This will be superceded by Batista after his coup with the Cuban Tourism Board. -
Lansky interviewed by Narcotics agents, Cuba comes up
The FBI took an interest in Lansky's association with Luciano due to Luciano taking a trip to Italy. In the interview they asked him about Cuba, a subject he was very tight-lipped about, more so than on others, despite the fact that he had managed the Oriental Park Racetrack and the Hotel Nacional casinos. But his relationship with Batista was not fully realized, so he stayed quiet.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Lansky Moves Back to Havana Until 1959, The Revolution
Cerules, p.111:
"Since 1940, his visits in the Cuba capital had been to direct his affairs or carry out inspections, on trips lasting only a few days. Lansky favored for directing or coordinating his Cuban interests from NYC, Miami or Vegas. The only exception was a few months in 1946 and 1947." Lansky must have anticipated Batista's rise to power, one way or another. -
Lansky Appears before the Kefauver Committee
This was a Senatorial committee organized to investigate interstate mob crime. The committee shut down Lansky's illegal gambling operations in Broward, but afterward, called him to testify. He does so on 9/19/1950. See excerpt from Meyer Lansky, Thinking Man's Gangster. They used the subject of Cuba to loosen his tongue. The committee did not know his dealings with Batista. -
Lansky makes his triumphant return to Havana
Date uncertain, but following Batista's coup and facing legal troubles in the U.S, Lansky returns to Cuba as Batista's “adviser on gambling reform” in order to clean up and modernize casinos, which were scaring tourists by cheating people. He ends the leasing of tables, ends "razzle-dazzle", blackjack dealers now had to deal from a box not from their hand, pit bosses and floor managers were made to do their job.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Attempts to Bribe President Prío to leave office
In 1952, Lansky offered then-President Carlos Prío Socarrás a bribe of US$250,000 to step down so Batista could return to power. -
Batista Contacts Lansky After Entering the Cuban Presidential Race
Former president Fulgencio Batista was in the presidential race, and he understood the value of casino gambling to Cuba. Once of his first moves was to encourage M.L., befriended in Prohibition days, to return to Havana ad clean up the Casino Nacional in the eponymous hotel (Lowinger & Fox, p150). -
Lansky arrested - but not indicted - due to Kefauver commission
Meyer Lansky posted $10,000 bail after surrendering to the state's investigators of gambling and possible political payoffs in Saratoga Springs.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Lansky takes over Hotel Nacional
International Hotels, Inc., a subsidiary of Pan American, the principal air carrier from the United States to Havana, announced that they would be refurbishing the hotel, complete with a luxurious new complex of rooms, a restaurant, and a cabaret. Lansky become director, and brought experienced acquaintances in hospitality and gambling, including his younger brother to run gambling.
Sources disagree if this happened in 1953 or 1955.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Lansky pushes out scammers and mobsters in Cuba
Following an exposé on gambling in Cuba published in the Saturday Evening Post titled “Suckers in Paradise: How Americans Lose Their Shirts in Caribbean Gambling Joints" - Batista sent military police to arrest 13 U.S. born, mob affiliated card dealers and deport them. Lansky now reigned supreme without having to ruffle any feathers.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Lansky pleads guilty in New York
Pleased with his work in Cuba, Lansky pled guilty to gambling charges in upstate New York. He was fined twenty-five hundred dollars and sentenced to three months in jail. The judge offered him a few days to put his affairs in order before going into prison, but he declined the offer. He wanted to do his time and have it out of the way by the time the new tourist season in Cuba rolled around.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Lansky facilitates purchase of Sans Souci nightclub
Cuban mobster Santo Trafficante purchased a controlling interest in the Sans Souci nightclub from the Pittsburgh-based duo of Sammy Mannarino and his brother, Kelly. This major transaction was most likely brokered by Lansky and perhaps even President Batista. This was part of the cleanup of shady practices that Lansky was executing.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Lansky continues his role as gambling adviser
Benefitting from the post WW2 tourism boom, income from gambling begins to increase under the watchful eye of Lansky and his professionalization of the casinos.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Formation of BANDES for Legalizing the Mob's Business in Cuba
One of the many govt. institutions to legalize the business affairs of the Mob. BANDES (Banco de Desarrollo Económico y Social) aimed to "facilitate short, medium, and long-range operations, carry out a policy of economic and social development and diversification of production...discounting and rediscounting public and private securities". In simpler terms: money laundering the mob's profit and politicos' take- besides accepting favours. -
Lansky receives a boost from Batista
Hotel Law 2074 is passed, all new businesses providing tourist accommodations, including hotels, will be tax exempt. Any hotel with more than $1 million dollars in new investment or nightclubs valued over $200,000 were entitled to apply for a casino license.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Hotel Law #2074 Opens the Building and Tourism Frenzy in Havana
In 1955, President Batista enacted Hotel Law 2074, offering tax incentives, government loans and casino licenses to anyone wishing to build hotels in excess of $1,000,000 or nightclubs for $200,000 in Havana. This bill brought Meyer Lansky and his "associates" in the mafia flooding to the city to take advantage. -
Meyer prepares to build The Riviera
The hotel would be called the Riviera and it would be the most lavish facility of its kind, with 21 floors, 440 rooms, 2 dining rooms, a casino, cabaret, swimming pool, cabaña club, park, gardens, and 2,600 square meters of arcade space for commercial use.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Construction Begins for the Riviera Hotel, Havana
Owned by Meyer Lansky through the shell company he founded in Cuba, Hoteleros Tropical, S.A. The Riviera becomes the top luxury hotel in Havana, first with air-conditioned rooms. Opens 10 Dec. 1957 -
Meyer Sets Up His Own Front Company in Cuba
Compañía Hotelera La Rivera de Cuba will be a front company handling millions of dollars a month for the next three years to be distributed to Cuban proteges and Batista. To Lansky, he is now rooted and his own man in Cuba. Considers full Cuban Citizenry as Cuba and the United States observed dual citizenry rights. La Riviera Hotel and Casino, Capri, and considerable renovations at the Hotel Nacional & Casino will be funded in large part by Lansky's company. -
Tourist season provides to be the most popular yet
Lansky's reforms pay fruition, and Cuba becomes a mecca for all sorts of tropical revelry. New record in revenues.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Anastasia Upsets the Apple Cart with his trip to Cuba
In order to undercut Lansky, Albert Anastasia, New York based mobster, goes to Havana in September. He owned parts of Oriental Park Racetrack, the Sans Souci casino, and the Tropicana nightclub. Lansky did not want competition. Anastasia learned that his piece of the Hilton Hotel and casino was to be divided among no fewer than fifteen owners, including Cuba’s hotel workers’ union, the Sindicato Gastronómico.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Albert Anastasia whacked
The hit is carried out by Joe Stassi, a mob operator in Havana, in a barbershop in New York. Although it has never been pinned on him, the obvious mastermind was Lansky. He laid low after the hit.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
"Mafia War of 1957," Lansky and the Havana Crew
from Cerules, The Mafia in Havana, p. 115:
During the tit-for-tat murders b/w the Genovese and the pro-Lansky/Lucky/Costello crew, the following were managing the mob's interests in Havana: Joe Stasi, Santo Trafficante, and Lansky as chief of the empire in Cuba. "In general, all the Mafia families were subordinate to that structure" (Cerules, p.115, see picture on flag for quote). As per TJ English the crew would meet weekly, Lansky officiating. This would continue until the end of 1958. -
Lansky Betrays the Appalachian Meeting Mobsters to the FBI?
There is no way to corroborate it, but English, Lacy, Cerules (and common knowledge)- especially those in the Genovese family- assume that the Appalachian Meeting's debacle in 1947 was brought about by Lansky's blowing the whistle on the pro-Genovese clan and those rebeling from the syndicate in place since the Atlantic conference of 1929. Fifty-eight mobsters were arrested by New York Police and FBI, including Genovese himself. Click Here for More -
Lansky's Riviera Hotel Opens
It was the largest and most glamorous facility of its kind in Havana so far. Located off the Malecón, on the Vedado side of the Almendares River. Though everyone knew it was his, he had frontmen, two hoteliers called the Smith brothers.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
NYPD books Lansky on vagrancy
In connection with the Anastasia murder, they picked him up within hours of getting out of Idlewild airport. They questioned him for 3 hours and he said absolutely refused to cooperate.
Source: Little Man read full book here -
Meyer beats vagrancy charge
Manhattan arrest court determined the vagrancy charge was clearly bogus, born out of "social undesirability".
Source: Little Man read full book here -
Lansky and Batista meet
Date is approximated. Early 1958 Batista meets Lansky at Batista's estate. Lansky met with the president in his library office- leaves annoyed, “This guy every time wants more and more.” $1.28 million delivered to Batista came out of that meeting.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Lansky visits Dominican Republic
He had been on a tour of the Caribbean due to the revolution. He had put all his chips on Batista, but with his forces crumbling, it seemed wise to diversify the portfolio.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Construction of The Monte Carlo begins
It was supposed to breathtaking: a massive, all-encompassing resort complex with a marina, interior canals and berths for yachts, a landing pad for helicopters and hydroplanes, and a golf course, along with the usual casino, nightclub, piano lounge, restaurant, etc. A company called La Compañía Hotelera de Monte Carlo was to run it, Frank Sinatra had a stake.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Lansky spends New Year partying
The official word at the hotel was that Mr. Lansky’s ulcers were bothering him; he would be spending most of the evening in his room on the twentieth floor. According to Lansky’s driver, Armando Jaime, this was a ruse. Even though Teddy, his wife, was in town, Lansky had chosen to spend New Year’s Eve with his mistress, Carmen.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Yetta Lansky, Meyer's mother dies
The same woman who fearlessly traversed a third of the the Russian Empire to get to St. Petersburg, thence to America, dies in Hollywood, FL, seen to be the best doctors and medical care. Meyer was a dutiful son and had his children visit his mother regularly. -
Lansky leaves Cuba
He had stuck around a few days to see what Cuba was turning into, as well as tying up lose ends. He was scheduled to testify before another senatorial committee and kept in touch with the FBI about his whereabouts. He would be back within a month to continue trying to oversee casinos, but it became clear he couldn't deal with the rebels, and with dwindling profits and rebels in the counting rooms, he believed Castro was a Marxist.
Source: Havana Nocturne -
Meyer Lansky Indicted in 1971
This from the Associated Press:
MIAMI, March 24 (AP)—Meyer Lansky, reputed financial wizard of the underworld, was indicted by a Federal grand jury for contempt today for refusing to testify about the operations of a Las Vegas casino. Article in the New York Times, March 25 1971 -
Lansky Passes Away
After a protracted battle with cancer, he died at 82. Meyer Lansky’s entire estate amounted to fifty-seven thousand dollars cash, he was flat broke.
Source: Little Man read full book here
New York Times obit.