The Mob Museum

10/07/2026

As the sun sets over Downtown Las Vegas, The Mob Museum’s Starlight Plaza will indulge you with an evening of fine ci**rs, craft cocktails, live music, and unmistakable Vegas atmosphere.

Join us Thursday, Oct. 8, from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. for Sip & Smoke!

Enjoy the sounds of Mimi & The Rivieras as you sip handcrafted cocktails or refreshing mocktails, savor a fine cigar, and grab a bite from a local food truck. Whether you’re a longtime cigar aficionado or simply looking for a memorable night out, settle in and enjoy the evening under the stars.

Receive a complimentary cigar with the purchase of a cocktail or mocktail. You’re also welcome to bring your own cigar.

Good music. Great cocktails. Fine ci**rs. A memorable night at The Mob Museum.

10/05/2026

In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated Hoover Dam.

Built between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression, the massive construction project brought thousands of workers to Southern Nevada and played an important role in Las Vegas’ early growth.

The dam’s construction coincided with another major turning point for the city: Nevada legalized gambling in 1931. Together, these developments helped spur Las Vegas’ growth as the first neon-lit casinos began lining Fremont Street, eventually creating the stretch known as “Glitter Gulch.”

This iconic image of a rainbow beneath Hoover Dam has been reproduced and repurposed throughout the decades, appearing on souvenir postcards and in Las Vegas promotional materials, particularly during the 1940s and 1950s.

📸Photo credit: UNLV Special Collections and Archives.

10/03/2026

There are many “quiet kingmakers” in Las Vegas history, figures whose names may not be as notorious, but whose influence helped shape the city.

One was E. Parry Thomas. Though never a casino executive or gaming regulator, Thomas pioneered lending to Las Vegas’ fledgling casino industry, providing critical financing at a time when many traditional banks wanted nothing to do with gambling.

His influence extended to one of the most consequential deals in Las Vegas history.

In late 1966, billionaire Howard Hughes checked into the ninth floor of the Desert Inn. When the hotel’s owners, including Moe Dalitz, wanted him to leave, Hughes refused. The solution? Buy the hotel.

Thomas helped negotiate the 1967 sale of the Desert Inn from Dalitz and his partners to Hughes. The purchase became the first in a string of major Las Vegas casino acquisitions by Hughes and helped usher in a new era of corporate investment on the Strip.

Writer and journalist Jack Sheehan tells the story of the banker who quietly helped change the business of Las Vegas.

In this short clip, hear about Hughes’ eccentric ways and the deal that helped change Las Vegas forever. To watch the full public program, visit The Mob Museum's YouTube channel.

10/01/2026

One of the biggest “what ifs” in Las Vegas sports history begins with the Lakers and ends with an unsolved murder.

In 1979, the Los Angeles Lakers offered UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian the opportunity to lead the storied NBA franchise. Tarkanian’s close friend Vic Weiss negotiated the deal.

But then Weiss suddenly disappeared. Four days later, his body, with two bullet holes in his head, was found in the trunk of his Rolls-Royce. Tarkanian decided to stay at UNLV, where he would go on to win a national championship and help transform Las Vegas into a sports mecca.

The mystery of who killed Vic Weiss—and why—will be the focus of this panel discussion featuring filmmaker Sean Carey, Las Vegas marketing and political consultant Sig Rogich, and George Tarkanian, Jerry Tarkanian’s youngest son.

Don't miss this special event on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.

RSVP:

A panel discussion will explore the Las Vegas connections behind the unsolved murder of sports agent Vic Weiss.​

09/30/2026

5 MILLION VISITORS ✨

Today, The Mob Museum welcomed its 5 millionth visitor: Lisa Brown from Hinton, Iowa! 🎉

To mark this extraordinary milestone, we surprised Lisa with lifetime admission to The Mob Museum, a gift basket filled with Museum favorites, and, of course, eternal bragging rights as our 5 millionth visitor.

Five million visitors. Five million journeys through stories of crime, justice, and the history that shaped our fabulous city of Las Vegas. From the first guest who walked through our doors in 2012 to the one who made today unforgettable, every visit has become a small part of our story!

Here’s to 5 million visitors and another 5 million more. 🥂

A special thank-you to Las Vegas Custom Cakes for creating the delicious and glorious cake that made the celebration a little sweeter, and to Breakthru Beverage Group for providing the bubbly for our toast! 🍾✨

09/29/2026

“Is it better to be loved or feared?”

in 1993, "A Bronx Tale," was released in theaters.

Set in the Bronx during the 1960s, the film follows Calogero, a young man caught between two very different influences: his hardworking father, Lorenzo, and Sonny, the neighborhood Mob boss whose power and reputation captivate him.

The film marked De Niro’s feature directorial debut and was adapted from Palminteri’s autobiographical one-man play, inspired by his experiences growing up in the Bronx.

At its core, "A Bronx Tale," is a story about choices and the consequences that follow them. Calogero grows up surrounded by competing ideas of respect, loyalty, fear, and masculinity, forcing him to decide for himself what kind of man he wants to become.

The tension between working-class morality and the allure of street-level notoriety makes the film relatable, raw, and enduring. Beneath the crime and violence is a question almost everyone faces at some point in life: Who do you choose to become when two very different paths are laid before you?

09/29/2026

Shaka Senghor grew up in an abusive home at the height of the crack epidemic in Detroit. His downward spiral saw him run away from home, deal drugs, and ultimately commit a murder.

In prison for 19 years, Senghor underwent a journey of study and self-examination that gave him the tools to confront the demons of his past. After his release, Senghor became an activist, mentor, and best-selling author who advises business executives, elite athletes, and audiences around the world.

Don’t miss this special program on Oct. 6, when Senghor will share his remarkable story of transformation and the hard-won lessons on resilience, accountability, and personal growth that have shaped his life.

Date: October 6, 2026
Time: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Cost: Free for Museum Members or with Museum Admission

https://themobmuseum.org/events-posts/from-prison-to-purpose-a-conversation-with-shaka-senghor/

09/27/2026

As the sun sets over Downtown Las Vegas, The Mob Museum’s Starlight Plaza will indulge you with an evening of fine ci**rs, craft cocktails, live music, and unmistakable Vegas atmosphere.

Enjoy the sounds of Mimi & The Rivieras as you sip handcrafted cocktails or refreshing mocktails, savor a fine cigar, and grab a bite from a local food truck. Whether you’re a longtime cigar aficionado or simply looking for a memorable night out, settle in and enjoy the evening under the stars.

📅 Oct. 8, 2026
🕕 6–9 p.m.
📍The Mob Museum, FREE to attend

Receive a complimentary cigar with the purchase of a cocktail or mocktail. You’re also welcome to bring your own cigar.

Food and beverage available for purchase. No RSVP necessary. Must be 21+ to participate.

09/26/2026

in 1902, Albert Anastasia was born in Calabria, Italy.

From the streets of Lower Manhattan, Anastasia rose to become one of the most feared figures in American organized crime and eventually the boss of one of New York’s Five Families.

Known for his violent reputation, Anastasia was reportedly associated with Murder Incorporated, the group of killers used to carry out murders on behalf of organized crime figures. He was also reportedly among the four gunmen who assassinated powerful Mob boss Giuseppe “Joe the Boss” Masseria in 1931, helping bring the bloody Castellammarese War to an end.

Anastasia himself repeatedly escaped prosecution. He was charged in connection with three murders between 1928 and 1933, but witnesses either disappeared or refused to testify. Two Mob figures who could have provided damaging testimony against him later died while in police custody before Anastasia could be brought to trial.

During World War II, Anastasia joined the U.S. Army and trained longshoremen along the East Coast. He became a U.S. citizen through his military service in 1943 and was honorably discharged the following year. Anastasia was also reportedly involved in the underworld cooperation that helped keep New York’s waterfront secure from potential wartime sabotage—an arrangement that contributed to imprisoned Mob boss Charles “Lucky” Luciano receiving clemency before his deportation to Italy.

Back in the underworld, Anastasia’s power continued to grow. In 1951, crime boss Vincent Mangano disappeared, and his brother Philip was found shot to death. Although Anastasia was never charged in either case, he was widely suspected of involvement. With the Manganos gone, Anastasia took control of the crime family.

But his reign would be short-lived.

By 1957, alliances within New York’s underworld were shifting. Anastasia was closely aligned with Frank Costello, while Vito Genovese was challenging Costello for power. Meanwhile, Anastasia’s own underboss, Carlo Gambino, was positioning himself within the changing landscape.

On Oct. 25, 1957, Anastasia sat down for a haircut at the barbershop inside Manhattan’s Park Sheraton Hotel. Two masked gunmen entered and opened fire, killing him in the barber’s chair.

No one was ever convicted of the murder.

In the aftermath, Carlo Gambino took control of Anastasia’s organization. Under his leadership, it would become known as the Gambino crime family.

09/25/2026

The Cadillac sat partly on the curb, its headlights still on and its engine running.

Inside were the bodies of Anthony Carfano, better known in the underworld as “Little Augie Pisano,” and a woman identified at the time as Janice Drake.

On the night of Sept. 25, 1959, Carfano and Drake were found shot to death inside the 1959 Cadillac on a residential street in Jackson Heights, Queens. Carfano had been shot in the neck and temple, while Drake suffered a gunshot wound to the neck. Another bullet had pierced the windshield from behind.

By then, Carfano had been a fixture of organized crime for decades. According to a 1959 report from The New York Times, his criminal career stretched from Prohibition-era bootlegging to union racketeering, with underworld connections dating back to his association with Al Capone during Prohibition.

Carfano also attended the 1946 Havana Conference and was connected to some of the era’s most prominent organized crime figures, including Frank Costello, Willie Moretti, Vito Genovese, Ciro “The Artichoke King” Terranova, Louis “Lepke” Buchalter, and Jacob “Gurrah” Shapiro.

Over the years, Carfano had also been implicated in several murder investigations but was never convicted.

Following the shooting, a neighborhood resident reported seeing two men running from the Cadillac. Police found $1,933 in cash, mostly in $20 bills, in Carfano’s pockets.

Investigators theorized that Vito Genovese may have ordered Carfano’s assassination, reportedly due to Carfano’s lack of respect for Genovese’s authority.