Carmine Tramunti

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Carmine Tramunti

Carmine "Gribbs" Tramunti (October 1, 1910 - October 15, 1978) was the head of the Lucchese crime family for seven years between 1967 and 1974.

Tramunti took over from Tommy Lucchese, who died of natural causes in 1967. Being only 57 years old at the time and in good health served as boss until his incareration in 1974. On his departure from jail Anthony Carallo took control of the family.

Tramunti was believed to be little more than a figurehead during his time in charge of the family, as it is widely held that Carlo Gambino, head of the Gambino crime family and by now the most powerful mob boss in New York, was pulling the strings - Tramunti remained acquiesent due to Gambino's involvement in getting him elected upon Lucchese's death.

Tramunti controlled a large part of the numbers racket in Harlem, and ran one of the major floating craps games in New York, the so-called "Harlem Game". He had been tried and acquitted in a multi-million dollar stock swindle in 1971 and by 1973 was also under investigation by the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office. Ultimately he was convicted for financing a huge heroin smuggling operation and sentenced to 15 years in jail, where he would spend the rest of his life (the operation, the infamous French Connection case, led to the break up of the Lucchese family crew headed by Vincent Papa). Tramunti always denied the charges against him, stating "I may be a mobster and may have done bad things but I am not a drug dealer".

Corallo took over as head of the family upon Tramunti's incarceration.

Tramunti was arrested and imprisoned shortly after his retirement. In 1978, he died of natural causes in prison.