John T. Scalish

John T. Scalish (September 18, 1912 – May 26, 1976) was an Ohio mobster who became the boss of the Cleveland crime family. Scalish was the brother-in-law of Philadelphia crime family boss Angelo Bruno and Cleveland mob associate Milton Rockman.

In 1944, Scalish succeeded the retiring Alfred Polizzi as head of the Cleveland family; Scalish would remain boss for the next 32 years. Under Scalish, the Cleveland family created new operations in the casinos of Las Vegas, Nevada, and in other rackets in California. In 1957, Scalish attended the infamous Cosa Nostra Apalachin Conference in Apalachin, New York that was raided by law enforcement.

On May 26, 1976 John Scalish died during heart surgery.

Further reading

• Davis, John H. Mafia Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the Gambino Crime Family. New York: HarperCollins, 1993. ISBN 978-0-06-016357-0
• Messick, Hank. Lansky. London: Robert Hale & Company, 1973. ISBN 978-0-7091-3966-9
• Moldea, Dan E. The Hoffa Wars. New York: Charter Books, 1978. ISBN 978-0-441-34010-1
• Neff, James. Mobbed Up: Jackie Presser's High-Wire Life in the Teamsters, the Mafia, and the FBI. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-87113-344-1
• Turner, William W. Hoover's FBI. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 1993. ISBN 978-1-56025-063-0

References

• Sifakis, Carl. The Mafia Encyclopedia. New York: Da Capo Press, 2005. ISBN 978-0-8160-5694-1

External links

• New York Times: F.B.I. Official Cites Depletion Of Crime Leaders in Cleveland
• The American Mafia: Crime Bosses of Cleveland