Lucky Luciano was an Italian-born gangster. He is regarded as the father of modern organized crime in the United States. As the head of the modern Genovese crime family, he played an instrumental role in the development of the ‘National Crime Syndicate’ in the United States. He was so powerful that he could influence the crime world even while being imprisoned! Born in Sicily, he migrated to the United States with his family when he was nine years old. He dropped out of school as a teenager and did not take long to enter the world of crime. He created his own gang and offered protection to Jewish youngsters from the Italian and Irish gangs for 10 cents per week. As a young man, he also became involved in pimping, which was a lucrative trade at the time of ‘World War I.’ His criminal activities expanded over time; his acquaintances with many future Mafia leaders, including Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, provided him with the opportunity to amass great wealth through criminal dealings. Eventually, he became one of the top crime bosses in New York City and went on to establish the Commission, which served as a governing body for organized crime nationwide.