1959 in organized crime

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1 Events
2 Arts and literature
3 Births
4 Deaths

[edit] Events

January 1 - Syndicate casinos are seized by Fidel Castro government after Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista flees the country following the Cuban Revolution. Suffering a major financial setback, Meyer Lansky returns to Miami, Florida and begins looking into the possible relocation of syndicate casinos in the Bahamas and Caribbean.
February 26 - New Jersey mobster Abner Zwillman is found dead in his home after apparently hanging himself with a plastic closeline. An investigated ruled suicide as the cause of death as Zwillman was facing federal investigation into his coin operated machine business and tax evasion.
April 17 - Vito Genovese, boss of the Genovese crime family is convicted of drug trafficking and is sentenced to 15 years. Vincent Gigante, Genovese's driver and bodyguard to 7 years and Bonanno Crime Family lieutenant Natale Joseph Evola is also imprisoned. Thomas Eboli, Jerry Catena, Michele Miranda, Anthony Strollo and Phil Lombardo are placed on a "committee" to run the Genovese crime family operations following Genovese's imprisonment.
September 25 - After being called away from a Lexington Avenue restaurant, Anthony Carfano and his companion, Janice Drake are found dead in an abandoned car in Queens. A police investigation ruled both had been shot in the back of the head, possibly by a gunmen hidden in the back seat.
December 18 - Paul Castellano is convicted of obstructing a government investigation and sentenced to five years imprisonment, although he is released after seven months.