James Lanza
James Lanza | |
---|---|
Born | Mariano Vincenzo Proetto October 23, 1902 Castelbuono, Sicily, Italy |
Died | February 14, 2006 San Mateo, California, U.S. | (aged 103)
Other names | "Jimmy the Hat" |
Parent(s) | Francesco Proetto ("Frank Lanza") and Caterina Albanese |
James "Jimmy the Hat" Lanza (October 23, 1902 – February 14, 2006) was a Sicilian-American mobster and boss of the San Francisco crime family. He was the son of the first known boss of the San Francisco crime family and took over in 1961.[1] It is now probably extinct. He was first noticed when Life magazine published his photo in the late 1960s, identifying him as boss of the San Francisco crime family.
Early life
James Lanza was born Mariano Vincenzo Proetto on October 23, 1902, in Castelbuono, Sicily, to Francesco Proetto and Caterina Albanese. In 1905, the family immigrated to New York City, where Francesco adopted the alias "Frank Lanza" and joined a local street gang. In 1920, the family moved to San Francisco where Frank became the leader of the city's mafia family.[2]
Criminal career
Underboss
During the 1940s and 1950s, James Lanza was
Boss
After Michael Abati was indicted and deported back to Italy, Lanza was named boss in 1961, making his underboss, Gaspare "Bill" Sciortino. Lanza soon became the most powerful and successful boss the family ever had, he started making gambling operations, contract hits, and more. Lanza became well connected throughout the country with other mob figures, as well in Las Vegas by his friend William "Bones" Remmer. Remmer was Lanza's link to Las Vegas and started their own casino skim. He became close friends with Joseph Civello, the boss of the
Death
Lanza died peacefully of
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-59257-305-9. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ ISBN 978-1440842160. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
- ISBN 978-0-06-136385-6. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ a b "San Francisco, CA". AmericanMafia.com.
- ^ "Mob Meeting at Apalachin: The Big Barbecue". GangsterInc. November 24, 2010.
- ISBN 978-1440842160. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
- ISSN 0024-3019. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
- ISSN 0024-3019. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ISBN 978-0-8160-6989-7. Retrieved 27 July 2012.