January Mob Calendar of Events
January opens the mob calendar with some of its most significant dates. Al Capone was born on January 17 and died on January 25 — both in the same month. Lucky Luciano died in Naples. Roy DeMeo’s body was found in a car boot in Brooklyn. Meyer Lansky died in Miami. January is a month of endings for the greats of organised crime. Click any date below to read the full account.
Key dates this month: January 10 — Roy DeMeo found dead | January 15 — Meyer Lansky dies | January 17 — Al Capone born | January 25 — Al Capone dies | January 26 — Lucky Luciano dies
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January in Mob History — Key Events
January 17, 1899 was the birthday of Al Capone — the most famous gangster in American history. Born in Brooklyn to Italian immigrant parents, Capone would go on to build the most powerful criminal organisation in America during Prohibition, accumulating a personal fortune estimated at $100 million at its peak. The same month that saw his birth also saw his death: on January 25, 1947, Capone died at his Miami Beach estate from a stroke, a broken man whose mind had been ravaged by untreated syphilis.
January 10, 1983 was the day Roy DeMeo’s body was found in the boot of his own Cadillac in a Brooklyn parking lot — shot multiple times by members of his own crew on the orders of Paul Castellano. DeMeo had run the most prolific murder gang in American Mafia history. In the end, the organisation he served turned on him.
January 15, 1983 — just five days after DeMeo’s body was found — Meyer Lansky died quietly in Miami Beach from lung cancer, aged 80. The financial genius of the American Mafia, who had overseen the mob’s casino empire in Cuba and Las Vegas, died in his bed. Despite decades of investigation, the FBI never convicted him of a serious crime.
January 26, 1962 saw the death of Lucky Luciano — the founder of the modern American Mafia — of a heart attack at Naples airport. His last words were characteristically wry: he had been discussing a film about his life and reportedly said “Tell Georgie I want to get in the movies one way or another” moments before collapsing.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Al Capone born?
Al Capone was born on January 17, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York. He built the most powerful criminal organisation in America during Prohibition and died on January 25, 1947, in Miami — both his birth and death falling in January.
When did Lucky Luciano die?
Lucky Luciano died on January 26, 1962, of a heart attack at Naples airport, Italy. The founder of the modern American Mafia and architect of the Commission, he was 64 years old. His last words reportedly were: “Tell Georgie I want to get in the movies one way or another.”
When was Roy DeMeo found dead?
Roy DeMeo’s body was found on January 10, 1983, in the boot of his Cadillac in Brooklyn. He had been shot multiple times. His murder was ordered by Gambino boss Paul Castellano after DeMeo became too dangerous a liability for the family.
When did Meyer Lansky die?
Meyer Lansky died on January 15, 1983, in Miami Beach, from lung cancer aged 80. Despite decades of FBI investigation, the financial genius of the American Mafia was never convicted of a serious crime.
When was Frank Nitti born?
Frank Nitti — Al Capone’s feared enforcer — was born on January 27, 1886, in Angri, Italy. He ran the Chicago Outfit after Capone’s imprisonment and died by suicide on March 19, 1943, rather than face a federal prison sentence.
Further Reading — Mob History
Want to go deeper into the stories behind these dates? These are the essential books on organised crime history.
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