Retired Intelligence Detective Gary Jenkins brings you the best in mob history with his unique perception of the mafia. The Lucchese family, sometimes referred to as the “Brogada,” was involved in a wide array of criminal activities such as extortion, loan sharking, and gambling. As a cunning and violent leader, Lucchese aligned himself with Vito Genovese during Genovese’s bid to become the boss of bosses. However, Lucchese later allied with Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello, Meyer Lansky, and Carlo Gambino. He played a pivotal role in orchestrating a narcotics conviction against Genovese, which ultimately led to Genovese’s downfall and marked the beginning of the Mafia’s decline.

Interestingly, connections between families exist even within the criminal underworld. An example of this is seen in the feudal world where Thomas Gambino, Carlos Gambino’s son, married Frances Lucchesi, the daughter of Three Fingers Brown. It is these intricate webs of relationships that add further complexity to the fabric of organized crime.

Despite his involvement in nefarious activities, Lucchese garnered a level of respect within the community due to his charitable donations to local organizations. He passed away in New York City in 1969, leaving behind a notorious and influential legacy as one of the most dominant mobsters of the 20th century. While not as widely recognized as figures like Lucky Luciano or Frank Costello, Lucchese operated behind the scenes, exerting significant influence.

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Transcript

[0:28] Tommy Brown or Tom Lucchese earned his nickname Three Fingers after losing parts of two fingers

[0:34] on his right hand in an industrial accident when he was working at a cement plant when he was a kid.

[1:11] Tommy Lucchese hired guys to wash store windows in East Harlem and set up a little business when he was young.

[1:35] After Gaetano Reina was assassinated in nineteen thirty brown and a group of other in a loyalist form their own crime family which would become known as the crazy crime family now he came up with lucky luciano course and during the castle maria’s a war he tipped off lucky luciano that salvatore marzano was plotting to kill Lucky Luciano then acted quickly and he sent some Jewish gangsters who were dressed up in suits and ties and had briefcases and they claimed to be IRS agents and they went into Maranzano’s office and Maranzano just welcomed them in and they murdered him right there. And this act would really set up Luciano as the boss. Tommy Gagliano took over the Riena family and they would name Tommy Lucchese as underboss. Now during these years, Luciano formed the commission and he kept peace so everybody was was making money and Tommy Gagliano was a quiet boss and Bill Bonanno and Stefano Maggadino and Vino Genovese and Carlo Gambino kind of took the center stage.

[2:38] Gagliano preferred to have Tommy Lucchese carry it all the public actions for him during this time.

[3:58] Or William Cammisano, but he took on the name of William Cummings because he had businesses. He had like a meat business. He didn’t want to be known as Cammisano because Cammisano was named by the 50s, especially after the war, where it really was linked with the mafia as much as Civella was in Kansas City. Tommy Lucchese was known for his intelligence, his cunning, but a willingness to use violence to get what he wanted. He sided with Vito Genovese during his attempt to take over as the boss of bosses, if you remember. But the Appalachian Convention happened, and they tried to kill Frank Costello. They used Vincente Chin Gigante to do that, and it didn’t work so much. Well, pretty soon Genovese is out. It embarrassed him so much that Lucchese then formed an alliance with Luciano, who was in Sicily at the time, and Frank Costello and Mayer Lansky and Carlo Gambino. And he was actually really instrumental in setting up Genovese for a narcotics conviction, which he went to, you know, Atlanta down there. They paid some Puerto Rican guy to testify that Genovese had invested money into a big narcotics deal, and they had a case on this guy anyhow. And so, you know, the rest is history. And what’s interesting about that is when Genovese goes to Atlanta, one of his really low-level guys, Joseph Valachi was down there and Valachi was paranoid and Genovese was not very friendly and.

[5:27] In Valachi’s mind, he interpreted Genovese’s lack of recognition and friendliness to him as Genovese was going to have him killed. Now, that’s how bad Genovese was.

[6:30] Now, interesting things in this world, kind of like this feudal world, to cement relations with another family. Carlos Gambino’s son, Thomas Gambino, married Frances Lucchesi, Three Fingers’ daughter. He grows old and does his thing the rest of the years, but despite all his criminal activities, Lucchese Brown, Three-Fingered Brown, was a real respected figure in the community, in the regular community, because he was known for his charitable donations to local organizations in New York and in the area. He’ll die of natural causes August 15, 1969, in New York City. But today, you know, he’s really remembered as one of the most notorious and influential mobsters of the 20th century. You know, he didn’t have the name recognition of Lucky Luciano or Frank Costello. He’s more of a guy behind the scenes, but he was really influential. So thanks a lot, guys. Don’t forget, I like to ride motorcycles, so watch out for motorcycles when you’re out there. If you have a problem with PTSD, go to the VA website and get get that hotline number.