Anthony Carfano
1897 to Sept. 25, 1959.
"Li'l Augie," "Augie Pisano"

Carfano was a noteworthy associate of Charlie Luciano and Joe Adonis.

Carfano came to power in the Masseria organization of the late 1920s. He became caretaker of Masseria's Brooklyn interests after the death of Frank Yale. After the reorganization of the Mafia in 1931, Carfano established gambling interests in Florida, smoothing the ruffled feathers of the Tampa Mafia organization.

Carfano was murdered on Sept. 25, 1959. He and a female companion - Mrs. Janice Drake - were in a car in a Queens neighborhood when they were both shot, likely by gunmen hiding in the car's back seat. Carfano and Drake had been dining at a Manhattan restaurant when they were called away.

Authorities speculated that Meyer Lansky ordered the hit to protect his interests in Cuban casinos.

© 2007 T.Hunt
The American "Mafia"