Growing up in the streets of Harlem in the 1940s and 50s, Sal Lucania survived by outwitting neighborhood bullies, the abusive priests who ran his school, local gangsters, and even some distant mafia relatives. He was born into a Sicilian family in 1942 and was named for his cousin Salvador Charles “Lucky” Luciano. As a Sicilian, he took on the philosophy of his culture: “No authority higher than our own.” As a relative of … [Read more...]
100 of the Most Notorious Criminals Are Ranked From Bad to Worst in BROOKLYN’S MOST WANTED
"Brooklyn’s Most Wanted" parades an impressive perp walk of 100 of the Borough’s most notorious, ranking them meticulously from bad to worst. From crime bosses to career criminals to corrupt politicians, pedophile priests to Ponzi scammers, this is not your usual crime chronicle. You want labor racketeering, Ponzi scheming, hijacking, murder, loan sharking, arson, illegal gambling, money laundering? Fugetaboutit! Take this guided tour through … [Read more...]
Author Craig McGuire: The Journey Behind BROOKLYN’S MOST WANTED
With the development of any book, there is a story behind the story. This is a story about Brooklyn. Or rather, it’s a book about the dark side of where we’re from. Writing “Brooklyn’s Most Wanted – Ranking the Top 100 Most Notorious Criminals, Crooks and Creeps from the County of the Kings” was a long journey that started many years before I picked up a pen or punched a key. I remember as a boy I felt bad for the rest of children of … [Read more...]
“The Kill For Thrills Gang” Snatches Spot on BROOKLYN’S MOST WANTED Rankings
Subject: Jack Koslow–The Kill for Thrills Gang Offenses: Murder, Kidnapping, Gang Violence, Arson, Assault, etc. Ranking: NO. 62 [The following includes excerpts from Brooklyn’s Most Wanted–Ranking the Top 100 Most Notorious Criminals, Crooks and Creeps from the County of the Kings,on sale now.] We know the teenage brain is sometimes incapable of pumping the brakes. Yet there is a difference between reckless juvenile delinquency and … [Read more...]
Author Craig McGuire Serves Up Unusual Slices of “Brooklyn’s Most Wanted”
When WildBlue Press publishes Craig McGuire’s second book, BROOKLYN'S MOST WANTED: Ranking the Top 100 Most Notorious Criminals, Crooks and Creeps from the County of the Kings you could say it wraps a project the author has been working on most of his life. No, McGuire is not a crime lord, con artist, crooked cop, career criminal or corrupt politician–all of whom are featured in his work. But like most Brooklyn natives, he may know one or … [Read more...]
THE RISE AND FALL OF A ‘CASINO’ MOBSTER Gives An Inside Look Into The Life Of Outfit Boss Tony Spilotro
The True Story Behind The Hit Film 'Casino' From An ‘Enforcer’ Who Lived It The Chicago organized crime family known as the “Outfit” dates back to the reign of the infamous Al Capone and prohibition. As the years passed and prohibition was repealed, Outfit bosses had to adapt and seek new ways to make money illegally. One of those was the expanding gambling and entertainment oasis in the desert: Las Vegas. A lot of cash passed through the Vegas … [Read more...]
The Author & the Hitman: Dennis Griffin on the Collaboration That Brought THE RISE AND FALL OF A ‘CASINO’ MOBSTER
Ten years ago I met former mobster Frank Cullotta. We got together in Las Vegas to discuss the possibility of me writing Frank’s biography. It was an odd experience to say the least and the following year I wrote an article about it. As Frank and I await the publication of our third book together, I thought it would be appropriate to post that article again. I hope you find it informative and possibly amusing. In the spring of 2006, if anyone … [Read more...]
Meet Award Winning True Crime Author Dennis Griffin
Dennis Griffin is an award winning true crime author, focusing on organized crime in Las Vegas and the Tony Spilotro era in particular. His books have been the basis for multiple organized crime documentaries; and he has frequently been a featured speaker at the Las Vegas-Clark County Library’s Mob Month. * * * I retired in 1994, after a 20-year career in investigations and law enforcement in New York State. In 1996 I wrote my first novel, The … [Read more...]
