Tony Tursi
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Anthony (Tony) Tursi (February 16, 1901 - April 22, 1989) was an Italian-American organized crime figure who ran nightclubs in San Juan, Puerto Rico during the 1950's and 1970's.
Tursi was best known for owning "La Riviera", the most famous adult entertainment center in San Juan. A popular attraction for locals, expatriates, and tourists, La Riveria was constantly being raided by the police. In the 1970's, societal changes marked the decline of his club. Tursi would say "I’m going broke because people are now getting for free what we used to charge for!". Tursi repeatedly rejected suggestions to turn La Riviera into a gay disco as he found the idea personally offensive. Mr. Tursi finally agreed to sell his nightclub to the government, which promptly demolished it.
Tursi also took interest in civic affairs. In 1968, Tursi unsuccessfully ran for mayor of San Juan. He also provided poor children with parties on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Three Kings Day.
Defendant Anthony Tursi was sentenced on February 20, 1976, pursuant to a plea bargain in which the government agreed to drop two of three charges against him; the government made no promise of any recommendation concerning sentencing. Anthony Tursi's son, Philip, was a codefendant and was also sentenced pursuant to a plea bargain. The government agreed to recommend that Philip be sentenced as a youthful adult offender, 18 U.S.C. §§ 5005 et seq., and to recommend a sentence of one year's probation. Both defendants pleaded guilty to knowing possession of 2,400 stolen blank Eastern Airlines tickets, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 659. The district court fined Anthony Tursi $5,000 and sentenced him to five years' imprisonment, to be served consecutively to a sentence of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Philip Tursi was fined $5,000 and sentenced to imprisonment of one year and one day; he was not sentenced as a youthful adult offender.
He was released on November 30, 1979. Tursi then retired to Nevada, where he died on April 22, 1989.
