Luciano started his criminal career in the Five Points gang and was instrumental in the development of the National Crime Syndicate. Crime boss, gangster, bootlegger, gambler, pimp, extortionist, racketeer, businessmanįirst head of the modern Genovese crime family, establishing the Commission, the modern American mafia, and the National crime syndicateĬharles ' Lucky' Luciano ( / ˌ l uː tʃ i ˈ ɑː n oʊ/, Italian: born Salvatore Lucania Novem– January 26, 1962) was an Italian-born gangster who operated mainly in the United States.