Luciano found the 1930’s to favor his fortune. After taking over the commission’s control, he enhanced is reach in bootlegging, labor rackets, loan sharking and illegal gambling. However, his reign was proved to be short lived after Thomas E. Dewey, the special prosecutor had him charged with prostitution and raided New York City brothels numbering about 80 to arrest hundreds of women. Most of the arrested women were provided with a plea, where they may be released without any prison time, if they testified against Luciano by which he was convicted and got imprisonment for 30 to 50 years. But when in prison, the uncovered evidence stated that he stood to profit from the ring, however, did not have any active role within this business. Many madams had come forward to acknowledge not knowing of Luciano’s involvement in this racket.
His prison days
It was from the prison that he ruled the Luciano Mafia family and had placed Vito Genovese, his second-in-command’ to take charge of the streets. But Vito after getting indicted on several murder charges had fled to Italy. Then Frank Costello, the consigliere of Luciano was placed as acting boss after the departure of Genovese.
The Second World War
With the United States being dragged into the Second World War, there was a change of fortune for Luciano in 1940. The mafia boss was said to be still in control of eastern sea board’s the export and import activities. Fearing German U Boats, the government had repeatedly approached him to seek assist in having the harbor secured against lighter sentence. Moreover, the government had the knowledge of Luciano having very strong ties within Italy and he can assist the Naval Intelligence to know about the threats. Luciano in 1946 had been released finally and deported to Italy, only to not set his foot on the States’ soil again.
His later activities
After leaving for Italy, he moved to Cuba to continue with his operations, where hotel and casino operations were being established by Meyer Lansky, his long time friend. Lansky had all the 5 bosses to attend a meet in Cuba to help Luciano to discuss some important issues. An important topic discussed was whether to murder Bugsy Siegel or not, who was head of developing a Las Vegas in casino and had taken money from the different mafia families in America against huge profits to be shared after success.