Welcome to our channel! Today, we’re diving into the life of Gaetano “Tommy” Lucchese, a founding figure in the American Mafia. Despite standing only 1.62 meters tall, Tommy Lucchese proved that height doesn’t matter when you have the talent to wreak havoc. Alongside his brothers, Tommy built a criminal empire feared by victims and envied by other infamous figures. Becoming a U.S. citizen was just a formality that solidified his control over his criminal kingdom.
Born on December 1, 1899, in Palermo, Sicily, Tommy, originally Thomas Gaetano Lucchese, was the son of Baldassarre and Francesca Lucchese. In 1911, the Lucchese family left the hills of Palermo for the Italian neighborhood of East Harlem, Manhattan, likely seeking better economic opportunities. The family had a history in barbering, with both his father and grandfather working in the trade. However, this traditional occupation no longer provided sufficient income.
Like many other Sicilian families of the time, the Luccheses were drawn to New York by the promise of a better future amidst the economic crisis in Italy. Their life in New York was a blend of nostalgia for their homeland and the hope for new opportunities. Gaetano had three brothers, Joseph, Vincent, and Anthony Lucchese, who also followed him into organized crime, albeit with less prominence.