1966 in organized crime
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See also: 1965 in organized crime, other events of 1966, 1967 in organized crime and the list of 'years in Organized Crime'.
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[edit] Events
- Shortly after his release from federal prison, Chicago Outfit leader Sam Giancana is forced to leave the United States as he is faced with additional federal charges. Coming out of retirement, Tony Accardo returns to the organization to assume leadership of the crime syndicate. he places Sam "Teets" Battaglia as Boss of the Outfit and Fiore "Fifi" Buccieri as Underboss.
- Joseph Notaro, a high ranking lieutenant in the Bonanno crime family, dies.
- Frederick P. Ackerman, a lawyer and associate of Sam DeStefano, agrees to become a government informant and enters the Witness Protection Program.
- Charles LeCicero, a member of the Colombo crime family, is murdered.
- New Jersey loan shark Harold "Kayo" Konigsburg in sent to prison.
- March -
- In a prelude to the Coonan-Spillane Wars, a local gangster associated with Mickey Spillane is abducted from a Tenth Avenue bar in Hell's Kitchen and taken to Queens where he is murdered in a back alley by a small group led by Jimmy and Jackie Coonan.
- Eddie Sullivan, a veteran gunman now allied with Coonan's faction, is taken by Spillane gunmen and beaten in the back of the White House bar.
- While visiting illegal gambling operations between 11th and 12th Avenue, Mickey Spillane is ambused by Jimmy Coonan who fires a machine gun from a nearby rooftop. Although Spillane and his seven or eight escorts are pinned down, Coonan flees the scene where he runs out of ammunition.
- April 1 - Jackie Coonan shoots and kills a local bartender in Queens, and imprisoned in Sing Sing Prison.
- April 4 - During a drunken altercation with two men at an East Side bar, who gangster Eddie Sullivan became convinced were hitmen recently hired by Micky Spillane, were taken to a vacant lot near Cavalry Cemetery in Queen and shot. One of the men who survived the attack, and later testified against Coonan and the others. All four members were indited including Sullivan was given a life sentence and Coonan, accepting a plea bargain, was sentenced to 5-10 years for felonious assault.
- May - Joseph Bonanno unexpectedly returns to New York where he assumes control from his son, who had since been at war with Gaspar DiGregorio for the leadership of the crime family. the "Troutman St. Ambush" of Bill Bonanno by DiGregorio Faction shooters has braught Joe Bonanno back to N.Y. to rally his troops and supporters against DiGregorio and his Commission supporters. With the sudden return of Bonanno, DiGregorio looses both the support of his remaining gunmen and The Commission withdraws its support due to his inability to lead the Family. Paul Sciacca and Frank Mari are selected by the Commission to replace DiGregorio as Boss and Underboss. The Banana War shootings now come more rapidly.
- May 17 - Joseph Bonanno, after being in hiding for 19 months, officially surrenders to federal authorities at the U.S. Courthouse in Foley Square.
- May 23 - Chicago labor racketeer Benjamin Stein is arrested and imprisoned for 18 months.
- September 22 - A police raid by the NYPD at the Lastella Restaurant in Queens reveals a meeting between New York and New Orleans including Carlo Gambino, Tommy Eboli, Joe Colombo, Joey N. Gallo , Mike Miranda , Aniello Dellacroce ,Dominic Alongi and Anthony Cirillo from N.Y., Carlos Marcello , Joe Marcello , Anthony Carolla and Frank Gagliano from New Orleans, with Santo Trafficante Jr. from Tampa. The meeting, later known as "Little Apalachin", appeared to be discussing the leadership succession of the Lucchese crime family from Thomas Lucchese (who had been hospitalized for over a year) and the division of New Orleans Family rackets. Anthony Carolla the son of former Boss Silver Dollar Sam Carolla wanted more of the Family spoils and a guarantee of his succession from Carlos Marcello eventually when Marcello retires.
[edit] Arts and literature
[edit] Births
- January 26 - Luis Fernando Arellano FĂ©lix, Mexican drug lord and Tijuana Cartel member
[edit] Deaths
- Charles LeCicero, Colombo crime family member
- Joseph Notaro, Bonanno crime family lieutenant