Carlos Marcello - The New Orleans Mafia
15 videos • 238 views • by History & Organised Crime Carlos Marcello was one of the most ruthless and cunning mob bosses in American history. Despite his notoriety, he valued honesty above all else and expected the same in return. He despised being lied to, manipulated, or disrespected. When venturing into real estate, Marcello always knew the true value of a deal, especially the financials. He had an uncanny sense for how much money should be generated, and if he ever felt slighted, disrespected, or robbed, he would let you dig your own grave. Marcello had a strategy: he would play the fool, pretending to be ready to invest large sums of money for a meager return, waiting to see if you would try to take advantage of him. He expected you to be honest about the real worth and potential earnings. His lawyers would sit quietly, allowing Marcello to act the dummy. If you made the mistake of underestimating his intelligence, you were sealing your own fate. When it came time to finalize the deal, Marcello would drop the act and reveal his true nature. In a cold, calculating manner, he would inform you that he knew about the money you tried to steal or con from him. He would break down every business detail, every expense, and the actual profit margins. Then, staring you directly in the eyes, he would ask if you thought your deception was fair or honorable. In that chilling moment, you would realize you were dealing with a dangerous and sinister mobster. The facade of the fool was merely a trap, and you had fallen for it. Whatever money you had invested in the business was now Marcello's, and everything at that moment belonged to him in exchange for your life. Carlos Marcello was one of the largest landholders in the South and one of the wealthiest, as well as the most connected. In the 1950s, he tried desperately to push himself behind closed doors. However, New York had other ideas. It all started in 1949 when Frank Costello, the "Prime Minister of the Underworld," appeared on the front page of Time magazine. Then came the Kefauver hearings, followed by the deaths of Willie Moretti, the murder of Benjamin Siegel in 1947, Albert Anastasia in 1957, and Frank Scalice. New York began to resemble Chicago during the reign of Al Capone. A major sit-down was held in Apalachin, but that was the day organized crime came out of the shadows. Although Carlos Marcello was not at that meeting, his brother and underboss in Dallas, Anthony Marcello, was. While Joe Civello & Anthony managed to escape, the damage was done. Carlos Marcello now found himself at war with Washington and the next president, John F. Kennedy, and his brother, Robert F. Kennedy. Fortunately for Marcello, he had powerful allies, including CIA-backed Cuban exiles, such as the DRE.