The rise of Castro and the fall of the Havana Mob

When Fidel Castro, his brother Raul, Che Guevara and 79 other Cuban rebels piled into the 43-foot yacht Granma on…


Seventy years ago today, Bugsy Siegel’s storied Mob life came to an abrupt end

It is important to our Museum and to me as the resident historian that criminals and their criminal acts are…


Seventy years ago, Luciano’s Havana sojourn was cut short

Written February 2017 In 1946, Charles “Lucky” Luciano was persona non grata in America. Though he was granted a pardon…


Castro revolution had major effect on Las Vegas

This is the third of three blogs on the death of Fidel Castro. Part one looks at the harsh blow Castro dealt…


Mob involved in attempts to assassinate Castro

This is the second of three blogs on the death of Fidel Castro. Part one looks at the harsh blow…


Fidel Castro derailed Mob’s plans in Cuba

This is the first of three blogs on the death of Fidel Castro. Part two looks at Mob ties to…


Mojitos, daiquiris and beyond

In the early 20th century Cuban bartenders, known as cantineros, created a unique cocktail culture that hit its zenith in…


The Havana conference

Mob meetings are tricky events to organize. Travel logistics aside, the conflicting personalities, territorial beefs, and ever-present threat of law…


The Havana Mob during the 1950s

Havana, Cuba, served as a virtual haven for organized crime in the 1950s. After former Cuban President Fulgencio Batista staged…