Salvatore
Maranzano was
born in Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily in 1868. He arrived in the
United States after the First World War where
he became involved in bootlegging. By the late 1920s Maranzano had
become one of the important gang leaders in New York.
Maranzano was involved in bootlegging, prostitution and drug smuggling.
In an attempt to hold on to his lucrative trade, in 1930 he declared
war on his main rival, Joe Masseria.
Over the next few months over sixty men were killed during this gang
war.
Joe Masseria was murdered on 15th April,
1931 by Albert Anastasia, Bugsy
Siegel and Lucky Luciano, on 15th
April, 1931. Six months later, on 10th September, gangsters hired
by Luciano, walked into Maranzano's Park Lane office and killed him.
With Maranzano and Masseria dead, Luciano was now the most important
gang leader in New York.
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