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Article Date: January 22, 2023 • Las Vegas has a long and storied history of organized crime, dating back to the city’s early days as a desert gambling oasis.
In the 1930s and 1940s, the city was controlled by notorious mobsters such as Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky, who established the Flamingo and other casinos as fronts for their illegal activities. These mobsters used their control of the casinos to skim millions of dollars from the gaming revenue, which they then laundered through various legitimate businesses.
The city’s organized crime syndicates were also involved in other illegal activities, such as prostitution, drugs, and loan sharking. They also had strong ties to politicians and law enforcement officials, which allowed them to operate with relative impunity.
However, the heyday of the Las Vegas mob came to an end in the 1950s and 1960s, as the federal government stepped up its efforts to crack down on organized crime. The FBI and other law enforcement agencies launched a series of high-profile investigations and prosecutions, which sent many of the city’s most powerful mobsters to prison.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the city’s casinos were bought out by large corporations, which effectively ended the mob’s control of the gaming industry. However, remnants of the Las Vegas mob still exist today, although they are much less powerful and influential than they once were.
Despite the decline of organized crime in Las Vegas, the city’s association with the mob continues to be a major part of its cultural identity. Many popular movies and TV shows, such as “Casino” and “The Sopranos,” have been set in the city and have depicted the world of the Las Vegas mob.
In conclusion, Las Vegas has a rich history of organized crime, with the city’s casinos and other businesses being controlled by notorious mobsters in the past. The government crackdown in the 1950s and 1960s, along with large corporations buying out the casinos, effectively ended the mob’s control of the city’s gambling industry. However, the city’s association with the mob continues to be a significant part of its cultural identity.
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