Any show of wealth by mobsters is likely to catch the attention of law enforcement. That's why gangsters generally don't let people know about their vacation homes or plans. The smart ones maintain a modest home in the city to go along with the "legitimate" job they hold for tax purposes (i.e., Joe Columbo was a "realtor"). One exception was Paul Castellano, who had a nice condo in Pompano Beach, FL, and a lavish mansion in Staten Island, NY. Sammy da Bull Gravano had a horse farm in central NJ. John Gotti vacationed in Miami, but he had a reason to let people know where he was sunning himself: he was there when his neighbor, John Favara, who had the misfortune of running over and killing Gotti's son, was executed. The Miami vacation was his alibi.

Some gangsters of earlier eras lived a bit more openly. Charlie Luciano and Frank Costello lived in suites at NYC's upscale Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Albert Anastasia had a big second home across the Hudson River in NJ.

As for hiding out abroad: The fact that a country doesn't have an extradition treaty with the US, is no guarantee that the country won't extradite a gangster if the US government puts pressure on it. Israel didn't have an extradition treaty with the US, but the Justice Dept. leaned on Israel's Interior Ministry to deny Lansky's application for citizenship. After his visa expired, out he went. Sometimes "asylum" gets political: Cuba sheltered some Sixties radicals who killed cops. Algeria sheltered Black Panthers and Timothy Leary. But the political winds can shift abruptly. Sicily might seem a natural place for US Mafiosi on the run to seek refuge. Don't bet on it.

There are plenty of two-bit dictators who'll shelter criminals on the run. Generally, the dictators will shake down the criminals and dump them when they've been bled dry.