In another era, it would have been considered one of those if-you're-indicted, you're-invited soirees.
The VIP list for the Las Vegas Mob Experience gala Tuesday was dotted with names from the days when casinos served as ATMs for organized crime.
Not since the Tropicana's opening night April 4, 1957, have so many prominent underworld names gathered under its roof.
More than 1,500 were invited for this mob scene, including relatives representing the who's who of infamous hoodlums.
Introductions were rife with the potential of awkward moments.
Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel's daughter Milicent was there. So was Cynthia Duncan, the step-granddaughter of Meyer Lansky, the Mafia's financial mastermind who reportedly ordered the hit on Bugsy.
Carl Manno, meet Nick Micek.
Manno is the grandson of Chicago crime boss Sam Giancana. Micek is a descendant of Chicago's Aiuppa crime family. Investigators believe Joe Aiuppa had Giancana knocked off.
Also on the guest list: Nancy and Vincent Spilotro, the wife and son of former Las Vegas hitman Tony Spilotro, who, in turn, was taken out by fellow mobsters.
On hand to represent another mob generation: Frank Vincent and Tony Sirico, who starred in "The Sopranos."
Fans of Martin Scorsese's "Casino" will recognize Vincent as one of bat-wielding hitmen who whacked Joe Pesci's character, which was based on Spilotro.
Also among the eclectic gala crowd: longtime New York Post mob reporter Jack D. Fox, Associated Press special correspondent Linda Deutsch, who has covered many of the most notorious U.S. trials over 40 years, and Edie Lederer, AP's chief U.N. correspondent , who was in town celebrating her birthday
You Might Also Like :
0 comments:
Post a Comment