Carmine "Lillo" Galante FBI Files

Carmine "Lillo" Galante FBI Files

1283 pages of files copied from FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C., covering Carmine "Lillo" Galante. Galante was known as "Lillo" or "The Cigar," he was seldom seen without his trademark cigar between his lips. The FBI conducted an anti-racketeering investigation of Carmine Galante from 1958 through 1979. The infamous gangster was well known for his connections with organized crime and had an extensive arrest record dating back to 1926 for assault, robbery, murder, grand larceny, alcohol tax violation, and narcotics.

In the 1930's & 1940's, he was a top enforcer for crime boss Vito Genovese. He is reputed to have carried out numerous murder contracts, including the 1943 killing of Carlo Tresca, an anti-fascist newspaper editor. Galante became an underboss of Joseph C. Bonanno and ran an international narcotics ring. In 1960 he was convicted of drug trafficking. After his release in 1974, Galante became New York's organized crime top boss. His actions to gain and hold power caused mob leaders to issue a contract on him. On July 12, 1979 Galante, along with a cousin and an associate, were shot and killed at Joe and Mary's restaurant in Brooklyn. The murder is memorialized by news photos of him with an after-dinner cigar still clenched in his teeth.

Files contain approximately 600 discernable informational pages covering Galante's personal history and background, criminal record, associates, and criminal activities.