1. Frank “the Prime Minister of the Underworld” Costello Tymia Tucker My GangSTAR project 4 th

2. The start of “the Prime Minister” Costello was born in Lauropoli village in Calabria, Italy in 1891. In 1900, at age nine, he boarded a ship to the United States with family. His brother started him in gang activities. By 13, he became a member of a local gang and they called him Frankie. At the tender age of 14, Frank robbed his landlady wearing a handkerchief as a mask. Recognized, the landlady informed the police. Frank made up an alibi and avoided arrest.

3. He separated himself from the rest in many ways Costello was considered an important link between the Mafia and people who dealt under the law. Costello became the member of a gang that controlled gambling and loansharking in one part of Manhattan and a section of the Bronx.

4. Why was he a leader In spite of losing war, Frank continued to be a very influential gangster throughout the ‘20s. Frank kept close associates Luciano, Lansky and Siegel involved in most of his gambling rackets, which included punch cards, slot machines, bookmaking and floating casinos.

5. How long was he “the Prime Minister of the Underworld” When Luciano went to jail in ‘36, he named Costello. But, when Luciano was deported back to Italy in ‘46 his associate Genovese decided to return to the States and become boss. And everything went south from there. So in other words it was 10 years.

6. Why was he a leader?......cause he’s awesome Frank eventually became known as the “Prime Minister of the Underworld” for his cultivation of associations and business relationships with New York’s criminals, politicians, businessmen, judges, and police officials.

7. The good and the bad Costello tried to provide leadership for the foundering New York rackets, his role was limited to advice. That’s the good. Now for the bad. In ‘27, Costello, Luciano, and former gangster John “Johnny the Fox” Torrio organized a group of top East Coast rumrunners into a large bootlegging operation. This gang was able to pool their Canadian and European liquor sources, maximize profits, minimize overhead, and gain an advantage over their competition.

8. Sources for my boss http://www.thebiographychannel.c o.uk/biographies/frank- costello.html http://www.thebiographychannel.c o.uk/biographies/frank- costello.html http://www.britannica.com/EBchec ked/topic/139590/Frank-Costello http://www.britannica.com/EBchec ked/topic/139590/Frank-Costello