Anthony Brancato

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Anthony Brancato (d. August 6, 1951) was a Kansas City criminal and freelance gunman to various Mafia and syndicate organizations.

1 Early career
2 Brancato & Trombino: The "Two Tonys"
3 Final days
4 References

[edit] Early career

Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brancato was involved in armed robbery and drug dealing before moving to California. Arriving during the early stages of feuding mobsters Jack Dragna and Mickey Cohen, Bancato was able to find freelance work in southern California's underworld soon compiling a criminal record including illegal gambling, narcotics, bootlegging as well as a suspect in a number of gangland slayings specifically Bugsy Siegel, Cohen gunman Hooky Rothman and the attempted murder of Mickey Cohen himself in July 1949. He was also questioned by police in Fresno in connection with the drug related death of Abe Davidson.

[edit] Brancato & Trombino: The "Two Tonys"

Brancato, along with fellow Kansas City native Anthony Trombino, would team frequently over the years with a combined total of 46 arrests on charges ranging from robbery, rape and assault among other crimes. On May 28, 1951, the "Two Tonys", as the were called, robbed the sports book with two others at the syndicate controlled casino Fabulous Flamingo in Las Vegas, Nevada, escaping with $3,500 in cash.

Neglecting to wear a mask during the robbery, Brancato was identified and, due to his long criminal career, officially placed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list on June 27, 1951.

With his lawyer present, Brancato surrendered to federal agents in San Francisco two days following the announcement. After posting a $10,000 bail, Brancato was rearrested before leaving the building on a Nevada warrant charging him as a fugitive from justice. However, he was now out of money and was unable to post bail.

Brancato's case soon became a minor cause celebre among law students of constitutional law, accusing state and federal authorities of violating Brancato's civil rights. Released without bond on a writ of habeas corpus, Brancato traveled south to Los Angeles to rendevouz with Trombino.

[edit] Final days

Both in desperate need of cash for various legal bills, Brancato and Trombino conned gambler Sam Lazes out of $3,000 after posing as collectors for a local syndicate gambler. In addition to the Flamingo robbery, local mobsters arranged to have the two men killed and, after being approached by Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratiano on the pretense of assisting in a Hollywood bank robbery, both Brancato and Trombino were found shot to death in the front seat of a car on Hollywood Boulevard on August 6, 1951.

The full details of Brancato's death would remain unsolved until Fratiano entered the Witness Protection Program, upon becoming a government informant, over 20 years later.