MOST FEARED MAFIA

Summary

Albert Anastasia, known as the 'Lord High Executioner,' was a feared figure in Mafia history. Co-founder of the notorious 'Murder, Inc.,' he rose through the ranks to become an underboss, with a reputation for ruthlessness and unpredictability. From his early days as an immigrant to his violent end, Anastasia's life was marked by crime and power struggles within the mob. His involvement in the assassination of Joe the Boss Masseria and his eventual downfall at the hands of rivals like Carlo Gambino highlight the brutal reality of the Mafia during its peak.

Takeaways

• 😨 Albert Anastasia was a feared figure in the Mafia, known as the 'Lord High Executioner' for his ruthless and cold-blooded nature.
• 🔪 Anastasia co-founded 'Murder, Incorporated,' a notorious contract killing crew that was highly efficient and responsible for thousands of unsolved murders.
• 🇮🇹 Born in Calabria, Italy, Anastasia immigrated to the U.S. at 15, eventually becoming involved in the criminal underworld of New York City.
• 🚢 Anastasia and his brothers entered the U.S. as illegal immigrants, seeking opportunities in New York's tough labor market.
• 🏭 Initially working as a longshoreman, Anastasia's involvement in the mob began on the Brooklyn docks, a hub of mob-controlled activity.
• 🤺 His violent tendencies were evident early on, as seen in the murder of George Torino, which led to a death sentence later overturned due to witness disappearances.
• 🔝 Anastasia's rise in the Mafia was rapid, with close ties to influential bosses like Lucky Luciano, who he allegedly helped to overthrow the old order.
• 🗡 His role in the assassination of Joe the Boss Masseria during the Castellammarese War was pivotal, though it remained shrouded in mystery.
• 💀 Despite multiple murder charges, Anastasia evaded conviction due to the fear and influence he wielded, often causing witnesses to disappear or refuse to testify.
• 🛡️ Anastasia's leadership in 'Murder, Incorporated' earned him the nickname 'the Mad Hatter,' highlighting his notoriety and the group's deadly efficiency.
• ⚰️ His violent end in 1957, in a barber's chair, marked the culmination of a life filled with crime and bloodshed, with his murderers never identified.

Q & A

Who was Albert Anastasia, and why was he feared among the Mafia circles?

Albert Anastasia, also known as 'the Lord High Executioner,' was a co-founder of the infamous 'Murder, Incorporated.' He was a short-tempered, ruthless, and cold-blooded killer, feared even by top Mafia bosses due to his unpredictability and the dire consequences of crossing him.

What was the significance of the Castellammarese War in the context of Albert Anastasia's life?

The Castellammarese War was a bloody gang rivalry that took place in 1931. It is rumored that Albert Anastasia was among the four men who assassinated powerful mob boss Joe the Boss Masseria, which significantly impacted his reputation and standing within the Mafia.

What led to Albert Anastasia's arrest and subsequent death sentence in 1921?

Albert Anastasia was arrested and sentenced to death for killing George Torino, a fellow longshoreman, after an intense argument in 1921.

How did Albert Anastasia manage to avoid execution and what role did his lawyer play in this?

Albert Anastasia's lawyer managed to secure a retrial for him in 1922 due to a legal technicality. Mysteriously, four of the original prosecution witnesses disappeared, leading to Anastasia's release from custody.

What was the significance of Albert Anastasia changing his surname from Anastasio to Anastasia?

Anastasia changed his surname to avoid bringing shame to his family due to his criminal activities and the notoriety associated with his name.

How did Albert Anastasia's involvement with the longshoreman's union and the Mafia contribute to his rise in the criminal underworld?

Working as a longshoreman, Anastasia quickly got involved in illegal activities and joined the longshoreman's union. His involvement with the Mafia, particularly under Joe the Boss Masseria, and later Lucky Luciano, allowed him to rise through the ranks and become a prominent figure in organized crime.

What was the role of 'Murder, Incorporated' in the American Mafia, and how did Anastasia contribute to its notoriety?

'Murder, Incorporated' was an enforcement arm of the national crime syndicate, known for being highly efficient in carrying out contract killings. Anastasia, as its leader, was nicknamed 'the Mad Hatter' and 'the Lord High Executioner,' making the group one of the most notorious in Mafia history.

Why was Albert Anastasia's loyalty with Lucky Luciano rather than Joe the Boss Masseria, despite being under Masseria?

Anastasia's loyalty was with Lucky Luciano because Luciano was an upcoming boss with plans to overthrow the old order and establish a more inclusive Mafia that would partner with Irish and Jewish syndicates for larger-scale operations.

What was the significance of the disappearance of Vincent Mangano and his brother Philip, and how was Anastasia implicated in their deaths?

Vincent Mangano's disappearance and the discovery of his brother Philip's body in Jamaica Bay on April 19, 1951, were significant events that marked a power shift within the Mangano crime family. It was widely assumed that Anastasia was behind the killings, although no one was ever arrested for the crime.

How did Albert Anastasia's life end, and what is the significance of his death in Mafia history?

Albert Anastasia was assassinated on October 25, 1957, in the barber's chair at the Park Sheraton Hotel. His death marked a violent end to a life filled with crime and violence, and the image of his lifeless body became iconic in Mafia history.

Outlines

00:00

🔪 Albert Anastasia: The Lord High Executioner

Albert Anastasia, born Umberto Anastasio in Calabria, Italy, was a feared figure in the Mafia. He co-founded 'Murder Incorporated,' a notorious contract killing crew. After immigrating to New York illegally, Anastasia worked as a longshoreman and quickly became involved in the mob. His ruthless reputation grew after several violent incidents, including the murder of George Torino. Despite facing the death penalty for this crime, he was released due to witness disappearances during a retrial. Anastasia's association with mob bosses like Lucky Luciano led to his involvement in the Castellammarese War and the assassination of Joe 'The Boss' Masseria. His loyalty to Luciano and violent tendencies made him a prominent figure in the Mafia, eventually leading to his role as underboss of the Mangano crime family, which later became the Gambino Clan.

05:00

🗡 The Downfall of a Mafia Titan

Albert Anastasia's life was marked by a series of violent acts and legal evasions. Despite multiple murder charges, he managed to escape conviction due to the fear he instilled in witnesses. Anastasia's leadership in 'Murder Incorporated' solidified his status as a ruthless enforcer within the national crime syndicate. His influence grew as he became underboss of the Mangano family, a position he allegedly secured through the disappearance and murder of Vincent Mangano. However, Anastasia's reign was not without challenges. The government targeted him for tax evasion, and internal Mafia dynamics began to shift against him. His downfall came on October 25, 1957, when he was assassinated in a barber's chair, a death that mirrored the violence of his life. The identity of his killers remains unknown, and his story is a testament to the brutal era of Mafia dominance.

Keywords

💡Mafia

The Mafia, originating in Sicily, is a type of organized crime group known for its hierarchical structure and involvement in illegal activities. In the video, the Mafia is central to the narrative, with Albert Anastasia being a prominent and feared figure within its circles. His involvement in the Mafia is highlighted through his association with various notorious mob bosses and his role in Murder Incorporated.

💡Albert Anastasia

Albert Anastasia, also known as 'The Lord High Executioner,' is a key figure in the video. He was a real-life mobster known for his ruthless and violent nature. The video details his rise within the Mafia, his involvement in Murder Incorporated, and his eventual downfall, making him a central character in the story of the American Mafia.

💡Murder Incorporated

Murder Incorporated, also known as 'the Brownsville boys,' was a group of contract killers that operated within the Mafia. The video describes how Albert Anastasia became the head of this group, which was responsible for a significant number of unsolved murders. This concept is integral to understanding Anastasia's role and the extent of his criminal activities.

💡Castellamarese War

The Castellamarese War was a power struggle within the Mafia in the early 20th century. The video mentions this war as a backdrop to Anastasia's rise to power, particularly his alleged involvement in the assassination of Joe the Boss Masseria, a key event that helped shape the future of the Mafia.

💡Lucky Luciano

Lucky Luciano was a prominent mob boss during the era discussed in the video. He is mentioned as a significant figure who recognized Anastasia's potential and utilized his services, including in the assassination of Joe the Boss Masseria. Luciano's role is crucial in understanding the dynamics of power within the Mafia at the time.

💡Longshoremen's Union

The Longshoremen's Union is mentioned as the place where Anastasia started his criminal career. It was a union that represented dockworkers, and its control by the mob was a common occurrence. Anastasia's involvement with the union is an example of how the Mafia infiltrated and controlled labor organizations for their benefit.

💡Mob Boss

A mob boss is the leader of a Mafia family or group. The video discusses several mob bosses, including Joe the Boss Masseria and Vincent Mangano, whose interactions and conflicts with Anastasia are pivotal to the story. Understanding the role of a mob boss provides context to the power struggles and alliances within the Mafia.

💡Underboss

The underboss is the second-in-command within a Mafia family. Anastasia's position as underboss to Vincent Mangano and later to the Mangano crime family, which became the Gambino crime family, is highlighted in the video. This role signifies his high status and influence within the Mafia hierarchy.

💡Carlo Gambino

Carlo Gambino is mentioned as a rising figure within the Mafia who eventually played a role in Anastasia's downfall. His involvement in the plotting against Anastasia illustrates the shifting alliances and power struggles within the criminal underworld, which are central to the narrative of the video.

💡Vito Genovese

Vito Genovese is alluded to in the context of Anastasia's murder. As a powerful mob boss, his potential involvement in Anastasia's assassination is a significant part of the video's storyline, reflecting the complex web of relationships and betrayals within the Mafia.

Highlights

Albert Anastasia, known as the 'Lord High Executioner,' was one of the most feared figures in Mafia history.

Anastasia co-founded 'Murder Incorporated,' a notorious contract killing crew.

He was born Umberto Anastasio in Calabria, Italy, and immigrated to New York as an illegal immigrant at age 15.

Anastasia's family struggled financially, leading him to seek opportunities in the U.S.

He quickly became involved in illegal activities after finding work on the Brooklyn docks.

Anastasia's violent nature was evident early in his life, as he murdered a fellow longshoreman in 1921.

He was sentenced to death for murder but was released after a retrial due to witness disappearances.

Anastasia's time in Sing Sing prison solidified his criminal identity and connections within the Mafia.

He was involved in the assassination of mob boss Joe the Boss Masseria during the Castellamaris War.

Anastasia's loyalty was with Lucky Luciano, who he helped rise to power within the Mafia.

He was known for his unpredictability and the dire consequences of crossing him.

Anastasia was charged with multiple murders but often had charges dropped due to lack of witnesses.

He became the head of 'Murder Incorporated,' an enforcement arm of the national crime syndicate.

The group was responsible for an estimated thousands of murders, most of which were never solved.

Anastasia's rise to power included becoming the underboss of the Mangano crime family, later the Gambino Clan.

He was suspected of orchestrating the disappearance and murder of Vincent Mangano and his brother.

Anastasia was a prime target for the government, facing charges of tax evasion.

His downfall began with internal plotting from within the Genovese crime family and Carlo Gambino.

Anastasia was assassinated in 1957, with his killers never identified, marking the end of a violent Mafia era.

Transcripts

the history of the mafia is full of

terrifying Mobsters the likes of Lucky

luano Frank Castillo Carlo Gambino and

even Al Capone but none of them was as

dreaded among Mafia circles as Albert

the Lord High executioner Anastasia

Albert was the co-founder of the

infamous kill for hire crew murder

Incorporated he was a short-tempered

ruthless and coldblooded killer in his

days even top Mafia bosses would rather

not get on his bad side because he was

unpredictable and pissing him off could

result in dire consequences he was even

rumored to be among the group of four

men who in 1931 assassinated powerful

mob boss jpe Joe the Boss Masia in the

bloody gang rivalry that was known as

the castal lamaris war however the

mystery was never solved and no arrests

were made born Umberto Anastasio in

paralia Calabria Italy in

1902 his father bartomeo was a railway

worker who died after World War I life

for the family was tough as they

struggled to make ends meet also

Calabria Italy at the time presented

very few opportunities so the older

children agreed that they had to go

somewhere else in search of work in in

1919 at the age of 15 Anastasia and

three of his brothers took a job on an

Italian freighter ship headed to New

York when the ship docked at the

Brooklyn Waterfront the brothers Slipped

Away quietly entering New York City as

illegal immigrants in search of

opportunities

soon they found work as long shoremen on

the Brooklyn docks that were mostly

controlled by the mob Anastasia while

working as a long shoreman quickly got

involved in illegal activities and

became a member of the long shoreman's

union for more than a year Anastasia

kept a relatively low profile until he

had an argument with George Torino a

fellow long shoran in

1921 the argument was so intense that it

resulted in anatasia killing Torino for

the murder Anastasia was arrested and

sentenced to death to await his

execution Anastasia was sent to the

notorious Sing Sing prison in ausing New

York while in prison he changed his

surname from Anastasio which was Italian

to Anastasia to save his family from the

shame of having a criminal in the family

one year into his stay in prison in 1992

his lawyer managed to secure a retrial

which he won due to a legal technicality

mysteriously four of the original

prosecution witnesses disappeared and

Anastasia was released from custody

however some believe that Anastasia's

cool demeanor and his eagerness in

prison for violence attracted the

attention of Jimmy the shiv

Deano the Death House barber of sing

Singh DeStefano sent word to upand

cominging mob boss lucky luchano who

also picked interest in

Anastasia despite his narrow Escape from

Death Row Anastasia had picked up a

taste for illegal activities and

violence in prison on his release he

quickly Rose through the ranks to become

a prominent figure in the long

shoreman's Union but in 1923 he was back

in prison this time for illegal

possession of firearms when he returned

from prison he joined the mafia under

jepe Joe the Boss Mia whom he would

allegedly later murder meanwhile in 192

8 Anastasia was charged with another

murder in Brooklyn but during the trial

all the witnesses either refused to

testify in court or disappeared although

Anastasia was under Joe the Boss his

loyalty was clearly with Lucky Luciano

who at the time was a hungry upcoming

boss with plans to overthrow the old

order in favor of a more inclusive Mafia

one that had no problems partnering with

Irish and Jewish syndicates for larger

scale operations when in 1931 the the

castella mar war broke out between Mia

and salvator maranzano Anastasia

approached Luciano and presented himself

as an assassin who could help him rise

to the top in a secret deal Luciano

agrees to plot the death of his boss Mia

in exchange for maser's Racket and to

become second in command to mazan

Rano as you have already figured out his

executioner was none other than

Anastasia so on April 15th 1931 Lu

Luciano lured Joe to a meeting at the

noova Villa tomoro Restaurant on Cony

Island where he was killed while they

were playing cards Luciano excused

himself to the bathroom and then the

team of four gunmen comprising Anastasia

Adonis genovesi and Benjamin Bugsy

seagull stormed the building and

murdered

Mia Luciano took over masseria's family

and genovesi as his under boss Anastasia

got away with the murder of jepe as no

one was arrested and the police

struggled for both Witnesses and

evidence in 1932 Anastasia was once

again indicted for another murder this

time for using an ice pick to kill a man

but like the previous two cases the

charges were dropped due to a lack of

witnesses the next year he was charged

with killing a man who worked in a

laundry but yet again no witness was

willing to testify clearly people were

scared of Anastasia and what the Mafia

would do to anyone who snitched

meanwhile as a reward for Anastasia's

loyalty luano placed him in Louie lepka

buchalter the leading labor racketeer in

the country as head of murder

Incorporated the enforcement arm of the

national crime syndicate the group also

known as the Brownsville boys was a mix

of Jewish and Italian Contract Killers

that operated out of the back room of

midnight roses a candy store in the

Brownsville neighborhood of Brooklyn

owned by mobster Lou Capone murder

encountered evolved to become one of the

most notorious crews in the history of

the American Mafia the group which

lasted for only a decade is estimated to

be behind thousands of murders most of

which were never solved a proof of how

efficient they were as a killer squad

some of the implements the squad used

were rope ice picks knives and sometimes

Firearms due to his leadership in Murder

incin Anastasia

who had risen to be a dreaded Mafia

figure was nicknamed the madh hatter and

the Lord High

executioner in time with the support of

luchano Anastasia became under boss of

the Mangano crime family which later

became the notorious Gambino Clan

Anastasia was initially the underboss of

the Mangano crime family under Vincent

Mangano but Mangano resented Anastasia's

close ties to Luciano and Costello

especially because they obtained

Anastasia's services without first

seeking his permission however on April

19th

1951 Mangano went missing and his body

was never found the same day the body of

his brother Philip was discovered in

Jamaica Bay no one was ever arrested in

the Mangano murders but it was widely

assumed that Anastasia was behind the

killings gradually others around him

fell including Luciano who was arrested

and convicted members of Mur Murder Inc

were prosecuted and several prominent

Mobsters fled to Italy but Anastasia

remained anyone who could have

challenged him or who posed a threat

mysteriously ended up including Close

Associates like gang leader ab reles and

Anthony Romeo who on separate occasions

had been arrested and questioned by the

police scared of being implicated and

prosecuted Anastasia ordered the deaths

of both men with Anastasia there were

never loose ends and even friends who

became liabilities had to be taken care

of but in 1952 things started to fall

apart for Albert he was a prime target

for the government and was even facing

charges of tax evasion while battling it

out in court the genevi crime family

began to plot against him enticing his

Capo Carlo

Gambino the tide was turning against him

but Anastasia missed the warning

signs on the morning of October 25th

1957 anast a visited his Barber at the

park Sheran hotel in Midtown Manhattan

his driver parked the car in an

underground garage and took a walk

outside leaving him

unprotected immediately after Anastasia

relaxed in the barber's chair two men

with their faces covered rushed in

pushed away the barber and fired shots

at Anastasia in shock Anastasia

reportedly attacked his Killers but

ended up charging at their reflection in

the mirror

the gunman fired until Anastasia finally

fell on the floor dead the image of

Anastasia's lifeless body covered in

towels on the barber shop floor became

iconic in mob history proof of how

violent the mafia was at its peak his

murderers were never identified and the

case remained

unsolved many pointed at veto genovesi

and Carlo Gambino but it's unclear who

ordered the hit till today Anastasia

remains one of the most dreaded

characters in Mafia history the

short-tempered coldblooded killer who

was responsible for the death of

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