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During WWII, Lucky Luciano, a Mafia boss serving time in prison, provided information and assistance to the US Office of Naval Intelligence for the invasion of Sicily. In return, he was transferred to a facility closer to New York City and later granted clemency by Governor Thomas Dewey.
During World War II, the United States Office of Naval Intelligence reportedly made Mafia boss Salvatore C. Luciano an offer he couldn’t refuse. The war was in full swing and the Allies were planning the invasion of Sicily in 1943. Luciano, known as “Lucky” Luciano and considered the father of organized crime in the United States, was persuaded to provide information and assistance, including the recruitment of Sicilian collaborators who could produce detailed maps and photos of the Sicilian coast. In return, Luciano – who was serving 30 to 50 years in prison – was transferred to a facility much closer to New York City.
Supporting the Allied War Effort:
In the summer of 1945, Luciano asked the state of New York for clemency, citing its help. At first, the US Navy didn’t confirm that he had helped the war effort, but the truth was eventually revealed.
In 1946, on the recommendation of the state board of parole, New York Governor Thomas Dewey commuted the sentence and Luciano was deported to Italy.
Mafia boss Vito Genovese has offered his services as an interpreter and adviser to US forces in Naples. Furthermore, Luciano’s partner Albert Anastasia allegedly guaranteed that there would be no dockers’ strikes during the war.
