Tommaso "Tommy" Gagliano

Tommaso “Tommy” Gagliano (1884 − ???) was an American mobster and mafia boss of one of New York’s five ruling families. He sat on the original commission established by Charles “Lucky” Luciano. He served as a low-profile boss for over two decades. His successor was his longtime loyalist and underboss, Gaetano “Tommy” Lucchese.

http://bloodlettersandbadmen.com/2015/02/mafia-godfather-tommaso-tommy-gagliano/

Very good job, Bravo!

Gagliano indeed was one of the more obscure figures among the bosses of the NY Mafia. Thanks to the internet and old newspaper archives, we can find out more about him. He did die on Feb 16, 1951 (just like Lucchese said during the hearings). His obituary was published in NY Times 16th, 17th and 18th of February 1951. I posted a copy of it and it can be found by using the search function on here. I have no clue why some historians claim he died in 1953.

Another interesting thing is that Gagliano was indicted and convicted of tax evasion in 1932. He receieved a 15 months prison sentence. Here is an article about the indictment published in the Schenectady Gazette March 1, 1932. Dewey who was just an up and comer assistant US attorney at the time had a role in convicting him.

"5 alleged leaders in Bronx building racket indicted by the federal grand jury in connection with United States attorney George Z. Medalie´s drive against income tax racketeers. The defendants were charged with conspiracy with an attempt to evade and defeat the income tax law and with perjury involving concealed net incomes of $1.270,000. Those indicted were Antonio Monforte, also known as Monteforte, who is now serving seven years in Sing Sing for extortion; Tommaso Gagliano; Guiseppe Alberti; Frank Casella and Antonio Marziano, all of the Bronx. Thomas E. Dewey, chief assistant United States attorney charged Gagliano and Monforte were copartners in the organization of the Plasterers´ Information Bureau, [word impossible to read] which they incorporated and which is alleged to have terrorized the Bronx building trades for years. The building contractors were practically forced to buy "the services" of the bureau at an expressed price of one per cent of their receipts, he said. Another indictment alleged that Monforte, Gagliano and Alberti conspired with Marziano, Casella and other stockholders of the United cloathing Company to defraud the government by evading payment of corporate income tax. It is alleged that the gross income of the corporation for the years 1927, 1928 and 1929 was more than $1.500,000 and that the net income was more than $1.000,000."

Interesting. So Dewey DID go after other commission members after all, not just Luciano. I have always been wondering why there were never mentions of any other Cosa Nostra bosses apart from Luciano being jailed by Dewey. What about Mangano, Profaci and Bonanno, did they ever go to jail when Dewey was prosecutor?

"Interesting. So Dewey DID go after other commission members after all, not just Luciano. I have always been wondering why there were never mentions of any other Cosa Nostra bosses apart from Luciano being jailed by Dewey. What about Mangano, Profaci and Bonanno, did they ever go to jail when Dewey was prosecutor?"

No, I don´t think so. I don´t think Dewey knew what a big fish Gagliano actually was. The Commission was not known to LE at that time. I think Dewey settled to go against known gangsters in general and that his knowledge of Mafia was extremely limited, if he had any at all.

Dewey probably would have gone after Mangano eventually if Abe Reles not been killed. He was set to go after Anastasia. This was part of the Murder Inc. case. Reles identified him as Anastasia's boss. Profaci and Bonanno had been charged with relatively minor offenses, and their roles as Mob bosses was unknown. One difference between Bonanno and Profaci was Profaci's attendance in the 1928 Cleveland meeting, which was brought up everytime he testified for something. Mangano was also called to testify before the Kefauver Committee, but was killed before he could do so.

But even though Reles's death prevented him to go after Mangano for murder, they could have still tried financial crimes, like tax evasion. Almost every known gangster in the country did have problems with tax agents at the time, even Frank Costello later, despite all his connections. It's interesting by the way that only Al Capone did really find himself in trouble after a tax conviction though (11 years). Most others (not only in Chicago, but everywhere) got off with 1 or 2, rarely 3 years.

There is a book on the subject I had bought, about how the team who brought down Al Capone (not Eliot Ness who played a less prominent role in strictly financial investigations, he wanted to send him down for Prohibition offenses) went to different cities around USA to put in prison local racketeer bosses for financial crimes.
http://www.amazon.com/Money-Trail-Brough...rds=money+trail

Rare-ish mugshot (side view at least)

Thanks for that Nash. I always wanted to see the side view of that photograph. There is even a number there on his right shoulder to identify him. If that number matches up with some type of criminal record, then it could be a certified photograph of Tommasso (Gaetano) Gagliano. Thanks again.

I saw that photo which was identified as Gagliano on one site, and then as another gangster on a different site. The one I used was unique and I didn't see any conflict reports as to who the photo was. But I was still unsure.

Does anyone know when sand where this photo was taken?

Dewey didn't even know a "Commission" existed when he was prosecuting Luciano. In fact, wiretaps that were placed around the time, for the sole purpose of aiding Dewey's investigation mentioned the prostitutions rackets being run by "The Combine". Which some used in the past as a term to describe the joint council of the families, and with all the mentions of The Combine Dewey came across, Luciano was the only one convicted of anything. He attempted to target the bosses, the big gangsters of the time, ie. Luciano and to a very lesser extent Dutch Shultz. He used prostitution to target the Italian's and there supposed syndicate, but didn't understand at the time how deep it went and how organized they actually were. Dewey is quoted later in his life as saying that he "got the right guy maybe for the wrong crime". He thought the conviction of Luciano would lead to indictments of his counterparts, but it didn't happen.

This is the correct Tommaso Gagliano. Don't know who the other person is that was misidentified as Gagliano by the Associated Press.

[img]http://mob-who.blogspot.com/2011/04/gagliano-tommaso-1884-c1951.html[/img]