Separating fact from fiction: How much do you really know about the mob in Las Vegas?
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Lake Mead is losing water. Several sets of human remains have been discovered in the receding lake since spring. In early May, a man's body was found inside of a barrel. It's believed he was shot in 1970s or 1980s.
There is a sense around Las Vegas that something's going on, according to Dr. Michael Green. The population of Las Las tripled in the 1940s. Las Nevada survived the Depression thanks to the Hoover Dam, illegal gambling and easy divorce. Sen. Estes Kefauver held hearings in 14 cities, including Las Angeles, to expose corruption and organized crime. The Mob Museum is located in The State of Nevada. It's the place where the hearings took place. In 1950, Las Orleans was the smallest city. There was an increased stigma for organized criminals. Benny Binion left Dallas in 1946 and moved to Las. Vegas.
The term "open city" was used to refer to the fact that organized crime could operate in Las Vegas without facing territorial conflict. The mob tried to do that kind of business outside the city limits. A New York Times bestseller, The Green Felt Jungle, created an aura of crime in the area. In the mid-1980s, there were several efforts to knock down the mob on a federal and state level. Governor Michael Callahan appointed people to Gaming Control Board who would be tough on the Mob. This increased the pressure on mobsters. There are few known mobster victims in Vegas. However, many people believe there are many more.
The DeCavalcante crime family in New Jersey was busted 10 years ago. Charlie Stango was arrested in his suburban Henderson home. He was released from federal custody in July and returned to New York after serving 7 years of his 10-year sentence. Morrison liked 1995's "Casino" starring Robert De Niro.
The mob is still here, but it's a different mob. It's not the traditional Italian mob, it’s the Russians, the Israelis, and the Yakuza from Japan. There was a time when you had to buy your liquor from a certain place. Now is that mob just smart business?
