Back to:- Gangsters & Villains - Graves out of LA

" Final Resting Place of Frank Costello"

 

Frank Costello (The Prime Minister)
1891 - 18th February 1973
Mob boss who became known as the prime minister because of the number of police, judges & politicians he paid off.
One of the few Mob bosses who died of natural causes.
St. Michael's Cemetery, Queens, New York.

Frank Costello, born Francesco Castiglia (1891 - February 18, 1973) was an Italian-American gangster who was one of the most powerful and influential Mafia bosses in American history. Nicknamed the "Prime Minister of the Mob," he eventually rose to become head of the Genovese crime family.

Immigration
Costello was born Francesco Castiglia in Lauropoli, Calabria, Italy, and in 1895 he boarded a ship to the United States of America alongside his mother and brother. Living in New York's East Harlem he became a member of a local gang by the age of 13, and started using the name of Frankie. He continued to commit petty crimes and spent time in jail while a teen and young adult, serving 10 months in 1915 after being found carrying a concealed weapon.

Crime business
After his release, he began dealing in the underworld, and teamed up with Lucky Luciano. Together, they prospered in such business areas as bootlegging during Prohibition in the U.S. (1919 to 1933), gambling and slot machines. Costello was considered by his fellow gangsters as an important link between the Mafia and politicians, judges, and the police, and he earned the respect of many of his gangmates, including Luciano, as a man who could pay off anyone. He had particularly strong links with Tammany Hall, a Democratic Party organization, and with "Big" Bill Dwyer. Costello was, supposedly, also responsible for having Abe "Kid Twist" Reles thrown out of the window when he became a witness against the mob.

In 1936, Luciano was sent to Dannemora prison, in upstate New York, almost at the border with Canada. He attempted to rule his crime family from jail but, being so far removed, had to name an acting boss. He chose Costello, with Vito Genovese as Underboss. The period in which Costello ran Luciano's Family was most profitable one, with rackets from coast to coast (slots in New Orleans with Carlos Marcello, gambling in Florida with Meyer Lansky, illegal race wires with Bugsy Siegel in L.A., national bookmaking with Tony Accardo) aside from running the family, and more political strength than any mobster in history. After Genovese fled to Italy in fear of a murder prosecution, Costello had the whole operation under his control, and he expanded the crime family's operations. The casinos in Las Vegas and Cuba happened under Costello's rule; he even owned buildings on Wall Street.

After Luciano was deported to Italy in 1946, Genovese wanted to return to the States. To this end Costello had the witnesses against Genovese poisoned while they were in protective custody. Upon his return, Genovese came to feel he should have been the boss all these years, but he had to move softly. Genovese was displeased at the way things had changed during Costello's period as boss; Costello had his soldiers' respect and the police on his payroll. Genovese also hated the fact Costello was good friends with Albert Anastasia. With Anastasia on his side, it was hard to challenge Costello, but things started to change with the Kefauver hearings. Mafia leaders from across the country were interviewed as part of these investigations, and Costello became the most well-known gangster of the time. The hearings were called by a Special Committee of the United States Senate chaired by Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee, which had been appointed to investigate "Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce."

By 1951, Costello was still too strong, so Genovese had to wait. Costello knew Genovese wanted to be Boss, but could not go to war to kill Genovese. A clean hit on Genovese was impossible: as underboss, Genovese commanded a loyal crew. War was inevitable, and if Costello went to war, the government would jail him. He spent the 1950s in and out of court and government crime hearings. He was first sentenced to 18 months of jail, accused of contempt of the Senate. He started serving that sentence in August, 1952, but was released after only 14 months, in October, 1953. In 1954, he was accused of tax evasion and sentenced to five years in jail, but served no time. In 1956, he was once again convicted, and this time went to prison. However, he won his appeal and was released the next year.

Assassination attempt
In 1957 a powerful figure in the family loyal to Costello, Joe Adonis, was deported. Albert Anastasia was brutal to members of his family, even slapping Carlo Gambino, at a dinner in front of Joe Bonanno (Bonanno talks about this in his first book). Genovese had found his ally. Also in 1957 Costello won his appeal and was released. Genovese had to strike now. An attempt was made on Costello's life soon after his release, when, one night, he was walking to the elevator in order to go up to his house, and was shot in the head by hitman Vincente "The Chin" Gigante, who supposedly warned him by shouting "Frank, this is for you!" before taking his shot. Costello turned around, and ducked when he realised what was happening. Because of that defensive reaction, he survived the attack. Gigante left him for dead and ran away, but the bullet had done little more than graze his head, passing through his right ear and slightly touching his neck. So many police came after Gigante that he later turned himself in; never in the history of the mafia has this happened. Genovese went on to appoint himself as boss, even though his attempt on Costello had failed.

Some time after that, Costello had had enough and made it clear to Genovese that he no longer wanted to be a boss and wanted to make peace. Genovese agreed to leave Costello alone. In return, Costello gave up all of his gambling connections and once again became a soldier for the organization. Eventually, Genovese made Costello agree to leave and forego any future involvement with organized crime. Genovese, still scared of the murderous Albert Anastasia, made an alliance with Carlo Gambino "Get Anastasia I'll back you to be boss". The former Murder, Inc. leader was shot down in the barbershop of the Park Sheraton Hotel on October 25, 1957. Costello later got his revenge by framing Genovese, Gigante, and others, including future Bonanno Family boss Carmine Galante, in a drug bust with the help of Luciano and Meyer Lansky. Genovese eventually died in prison.