The history behind the Las Vegas mob

Las Vegas mob history -- Stacey L. Tokunaga.

Not everyone knows that Las Vegas was used to be run by mobsters, not corporate entities. In fact, the phenomenon was so well known before that it has been referenced by writers such as Mario Puzo in his novel, "The Godfather,” where his eldest son Fredo was running a casino in Las Vegas in the later chapters of the novel. Below is a short recounting of the story behind the Las Vegas mob. Stacey L. Tokunaga.

For a long period since the founding of the first and early casinos in Las Vegas, casino owners, mostly family-run businesses, were able to repel offers from crime bosses. But during post-war Las Vegas, it changed. Jewish gangster Bugsy Siegel, along with mob boss Meyer Lansky, built the Flamingo in 1946. Stacey L. Tokunaga.

While the Flamingo didn’t do well in its early years, mobsters were keen to realize the potential of casinos. This interest in gambling was renewed and invigorated when gambling was legalized. It allowed more mob-run hotel/casinos to be built. This would all change decades later when Howard Hughes steps in. Stacey L. Tokunaga.

Hughes fell in love with the city of Las Vegas and poured over $300 million in purchasing many well-known hotels. This, alongside solid investigations from law enforcement, was able to force the mob bosses out of Las Vegas and turn it into today’s cosmopolitan city. Stacey L. Tokunaga.

For tourists who are interested in learning more about the Las Vegas mob, as well as other mob criminals in the United States, they can visit the Las Vegas Mob Museum, otherwise known as the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement. Stacey L. Tokunaga.