Frank Costello

by ezzat amier

      Frank "the Prime Minister" Costello (born Francesco Castiglia; January 26, 1891 February 18, 1973) was an American gangster and crime boss. Costello rose to the top of the United States underworld, controlled a vast gambling empire across the United States, and enjoyed political influence.

Nicknamed "The Prime Minister of the Underworld," he became one of the most powerful and influential mob bosses in American history, eventually leading the Luciano crime family (later called the Genovese crime family), one of the Five Families that operates in New York City.  In 1895, he boarded a ship to the United States with his mother and his brother Edward in order to join their father, who had moved to New York's East Harlem several years earlier and opened a small neighborhood Italian grocery store.

      While Costello was still a boy, his brother introduced him to gang activities. By age 13, Costello had become a member of a local gang and started using the name Frankie. Costello continued to commit petty crimes, and went to jail for assault and robbery in 1908, 1912 and 1917. In 1918, Costello married Lauretta Giegerman, a Jewish woman who was the sister of a close friend. That same year, Costello served ten months in jail for carrying a concealed weapon. After his release, Costello decided to avoid street rackets and use his brain to make money as a criminal. Forgoing the use of violence as a road to success and wealth, Costello claimed that he never again carried a gun. He would not return to jail for 37 years.

       In 1931, after the Masseria and Maranzano murders, Luciano became the leader of the new Luciano crime family, with Genovese as underboss and Costello as consigliore. Costello quickly became one of the biggest earners for the Luciano family and began to carve his own niche in the underworld. Costello controlled the slot machine and bookmaking operations for the Luciano family with associate Philip "Dandy Phil" Kastel. Costello placed approximately 25,000 slot machines in the bars, restaurants, cafes, drug stores, gas stations, and bus stops throughout New York. However, in 1934, New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia confiscated thousands of Costello's slot machines, loaded them on a barge, and dumped them into the river. Costello's next move was to accept Louisiana governor Huey Long's proposal to put slot machines throughout Louisiana for 10% of the take. Costello placed Kastel as the overseer of the Louisiana slot operation. Kastel had the assistance of New Orleans Mafioso Carlos "Little Man" Marcello, who knew every place in New Orleans that could take one of Costello's "one-arm bandits". Costello brought in millions of dollars in profit from slot machines and bookmaking to the Luciano Family. In fact, Costello and Frank Erickson, the overseer of Costello's bookmaking operations, are credited with starting the layoff and odds systems used by bookies and gamblers all across North America.

       In 1936, Luciano was convicted of running a prostitution ring and was sentenced to 30 to 50 years in state prison. Luciano attempted to rule the crime family from prison with the help of Costello and Lansky, but found it too difficult. Luciano finally named Genovese as acting boss. However, in 1937, Genovese was indicted for a 1934 murder and fled to Italy to avoid prosecution. Luciano then appointed Costello as acting boss.