Crimes / Violence / Punishments Archives

Anthony "Tony Pro" Provenzano Carmine "Lilo/The Cigar" Galante Casino History Casino: Financings: Teamsters Pension Fund: James "Jimmy" R. Hoffa Crimes / Violence / Punishment: Drugs / Narcotics: Trafficking Gambling History Gaming History Hyatt Lake Tahoe / Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe (Incline Village, NV) Incline Village--Nevada It Really Happened Lake Tahoe--Nevada Nevada U.S. Penitentiary, Lewisburg (Lewisburg, Pa.) United States Vincent "Vinnie The Fat Man" Teresa

Law Enforcement on High Alert During Mob Boss’ Lake Tahoe Vacation

This is the second of a series of posts related to and leading up to the release on Dec. 6 of A Bold Gamble at Lake Tahoe: Crime and Corruption in a Casino’s Evolution by…

Accidents: Automobile Casino History Clara A. Rowan Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Hit and Runs Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada United States

In Las Vegas, Coloradan Becomes U.S.’ First Female Casino Owner

1931 Catalyzed by unexpected circumstances, Colorado-born Clara Antoinette Rowan (née Beggs) became the first woman to own a legal casino in the United States. Her husband, Thomas “Tom” George Rowan and his partner Leo Kind…

Casino History Connecticut Gambling History Gambling: Research Gaming History It Really Happened New Jersey United States

Teach Monkeys to Gamble, How Do They Then Behave?

Late 1970s, 2000s Fay and Jessica were young, capuchin monkeys living on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) campus, where two professors in the department of psychology intended to teach them how to gamble,…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishment: Duel Gambling History Games / Races: Thimblerig Gaming History Placerville (Hangtown)--California Quick Facts United States William "Lucky Bill" B. Thorington

Quick Fact – A Day in the Life

1851 Roving gambler William “Lucky Bill” B. Thorington’s stint in Hangtown (today Placerville, California) was brief because he literally thimblerigged a prominent local out of $1,500 to $2,000 (more than $39,000 to $52,000 today) and…

Allen Smiley Argyle Hotel (San Antonio, TX) Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Beverly Country Club (New Orleans, LA) California Casino History Colony Club (Gardena, CA) Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Falsely Claiming Citizenship Gambling History Gambling: Junkets Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History Garden of Allah (West Hollywood, CA) It Really Happened McNeil Island Corrections Center (WA) Meyer Lansky The Knickerbocker (New York, NY) Transamerica Wire Service

10 Intriguing Facts About Mobster/Gambler Allen Smiley

Allen Smiley “was one of the most powerful gangsters in [California],” wrote author Gerald Horne in Class Struggle in Hollywood, 1930-1950. He was Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel’s partner and best friend and subsequently, Johnny Rosselli’s* right-hand…

Casino History Circus Circus (Las Vegas, NV) Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Disruptions Events: Strikes / Protests Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Politicians / Politics: NV Governor Mike O'Callaghan United States

Protests Deliberately Disrupt Gambling in Las Vegas

1971 Actress Jane Fonda and renowned activists led about 900 people down the Las Vegas Strip on March 6, 1971, a Saturday, in protest of welfare cutbacks. “Today we launched a spring offensive and…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder Folsom State Prison (CA) Frank Bompensiero Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Bookmaking Gambling: Feuds Gaming History George "Les" Bruneman It Really Happened Jack Dragna Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratianno Johnny Rosselli Leonard "Leo/Lips" C. Moceri Nationwide (Wire Service) Politicians / Politics: CA Governor Edmond "Pat" G. Brown Politicians / Politics: CA Governor Gerald "Jerry" Brown Surf Club (Redondo Beach, CA) United States

Los Angeles Mafiosos Snuff Out Innocents’ Lives Over Gambling Beef

1937-1981 An innocent man was placed in law enforcement’s crosshairs in late 1930s Los Angeles for a heinous crime … the frame-up stuck. Caught Unawares While strolling on Southern California’s Redondo Beach Strand, or boardwalk,…

Did You Know? Gambling Gambling: Shills Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Shills Unlicensed

1961 In Nevada, where casino operators can employ shills to play in their clubs, it was established that a licensee may not act as a shill, gambling in their own establishment. Their spouse can’t either…

Casino History Clayton P. Gatterdam Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Misspot Dice England Europe Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Gambling: Junkets Games / Races: Craps Gaming History Incline Village Casino (Incline Village, NV) It Really Happened London--England Villa Casino (London, England)

Americans’ Crime and Punishment in England

1969 For a week in May, the leader of a group of U.S.-based gamblers rented the Villa Casino, which overlooked Hyde Park in West London, along with two craps tables, the latter for $2,500 (about…

Bank Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Town House (Reno, NV) United States

Crimes in Reno Casinos Raise Concern

1945-1946 In the Bank Club, a co-proprietor of a local gambling saloon, Andrew Jackson “Jack” Blackman, shot to death James Lannigan, a small-time thug, on October 30, 1944, an action for which he was acquitted. In…

Casino History Circus Circus (Las Vegas, NV) Defense Attorneys: Oscar Goodman Elliot Paul Price Gambling History Gambling: Race Wire Gambling: Work Card Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board It Really Happened James "Whitey" Bulger Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Politicians / Politics: NV Governor Mike O'Callaghan United States Winter Hill Gang

The Vegas Casino Work Card Battle

1970-1973 When federal agents arrested Elliot Paul Price, 51, during a massive multi-city raid in 1970 and charged him with illegally transmitting race wire information across state lines via telephone, two dominos fell: • He…

Casino History Circus Circus (Las Vegas, NV) Crimes / Violence / Punishments Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada United States

Pay Up Or Blow Up — Las Vegas

1972 In the mail on Monday, April 24, each of 21 Las Vegas hotel-casinos received an identical, typewritten letter that demanded they pay a total of $2 million (about $12 million today) or get blown…