Moe Dalitz “Godfather Of Las Vegas” FBI Files

Description

Moe Dalitz: FBI Files Timeline and Characters

Timeline of Main Events

• Prohibition Era (Early 1920s – 1933): Moe Dalitz was active as a rum runner in the Detroit, Akron, and Cleveland areas.
• Early 1930s: Dalitz became the leader of the powerful criminal mob in Cleveland known as the Mayfield Road Gang.
• Throughout the 1940s: Dalitz expanded his interests in gambling operations in Ohio, Kentucky, and Florida.
• 1946: Meyer Lansky sent Moe Dalitz to Las Vegas to “straighten out operations” at the Flamingo Hotel. This was due to concerns about Bugsy Siegel’s management and suspected skimming.
• Late 1940s: Dalitz moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, and began acquiring interests in hotel properties.
• 1949: Wilbur Clark, experiencing financial difficulties while building the Desert Inn, was bailed out by Dalitz and his associates (including Cleveland investors Sam Tucker, Thomas McGinty, and Morris Kleinman). Clark acted as a front man for the new ownership.
• February 28, 1951: Moe Dalitz testified before the Kefauver Committee, a U.S. Senate Special Committee investigating organized crime in interstate commerce.
• 1955: The Accardo Family took over the Stardust Hotel. They brought in Moe Dalitz from the Desert Inn to manage the Stardust.
• 1958: Dalitz’s association with Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa led to millions of dollars in Teamsters loans being used to take over the Stardust Hotel.
• Throughout the 1950s and 1960s: The FBI investigated Moe Dalitz for racketeering, bank fraud, and numerous other criminal activities. His associations with various “hoodlums” were of particular interest.
• 1968: Dalitz was indicted on federal tax evasion charges.
• Later: The federal tax evasion charges against Moe Dalitz were ultimately dismissed.
• 1976: Moe Dalitz was named Humanitarian of the Year by the American Cancer Research Center and Hospital for his contributions to charitable causes.
• 1982: Dalitz received the Torch of Liberty Award by the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith.
• 1989: Moe Dalitz died of natural causes.
• November 2017: Some of the FBI files related to Moe Dalitz were declassified.

Cast of Characters

• Morris “Moe” Dalitz: Known as the “Godfather of Las Vegas.” A former prohibition rum runner who rose to lead the Mayfield Road Gang in Cleveland. He was sent to Las Vegas by Meyer Lansky to oversee the Flamingo, later became a key investor and operator in the Desert Inn and the Stardust, and had numerous associations with organized crime figures. Despite his criminal background, he was also known for his charitable contributions.
• Meyer Lansky: A major figure in the American Mafia. He reportedly sent Dalitz to Las Vegas to manage the Flamingo due to concerns about Bugsy Siegel.
• Bugsy Siegel: A notorious gangster who was instrumental in the early development of Las Vegas, particularly with the Flamingo Hotel. His poor management and suspected skimming led to Lansky sending Dalitz to replace him in a functional capacity.
• Wilbur Clark: A businessman who initially started building the Desert Inn in Las Vegas but faced financial difficulties. Dalitz and his associates took over the hotel, with Clark acting as a front man.
• Sam Tucker: A Cleveland investor who was part of the group, along with Moe Dalitz, Thomas McGinty, and Morris Kleinman, that took over the Desert Inn in 1949.
• Thomas McGinty: Another Cleveland investor involved in the takeover of the Desert Inn with Dalitz, Tucker, and Kleinman.
• Morris Kleinman: A Cleveland investor who participated in the acquisition of the Desert Inn alongside Dalitz, Tucker, and McGinty.
• Accardo Family: A prominent organized crime family (likely referring to the Chicago Outfit, where Tony Accardo was a key figure). They took control of the Stardust Hotel in 1955 and brought in Dalitz to manage it.
• Jimmy Hoffa: The powerful president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Dalitz’s association with Hoffa led to Teamsters loans being used to finance the takeover of the Stardust in 1958.
• Pat McCarran: A powerful U.S. Senator from Nevada. The FBI files indicate that Dalitz was a key backer of McCarran.
• Kefauver Committee: Officially the “United States Senate Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce,” chaired by Senator Estes Kefauver. They conducted hearings and produced a significant report on organized crime, and Moe Dalitz testified before them in 1951.

Moe Dalitz “Godfather Of Las Vegas” FBI Files

3,100 pages of FBI files covering Morris “Moe” Dalitz. Some of the files were not declassified until November 2017.

Morris “Moe” Dalitz, a former prohibition rum runner with a tough reputation, went to Las Vegas in 1946, he was destined to become the “Godfather of Las Vegas.”

The FBI investigated Moe Dalitz for racketeering, bank fraud, and numerous other criminal activities. From the early 1930s to 1968, Dalitz maintained associations and/or contacts with notorious “hoodlums” throughout the country.

During the prohibition era, Dalitz was active in the Detroit, Akron, and Cleveland areas. He eventually settled in Cleveland where he became the leader of the powerful criminal mob called the Mayfield Road Gang. Meyer Lansky sent Dalitz to Las Vegas to straighten out operations at the Flamingo because Bugsy Siegel was not performing his job well and, it was thought, Siegel was skimming money from the Family.

Throughout the 1940s, Dalitz expanded his interests in gambling operations in Ohio, Kentucky and Florida. Dalitz later moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, acquiring interests in hotel properties. In 1949, Wilbur Clark was experiencing financial problems while building the Desert Inn. Dalitz and his associates took over the hotel, and Clark acted as the front man. In 1955 the Accardo Family took over  the Stardust and brought Dalitz in from the Desert Inn to run the Stardust.

He was indicted on federal tax evasion charges in 1968; however, the charges against him ultimately were dismissed.

Dalitz contributions to charitable causes lead to him being named Humanitarian of the Year by the American Cancer Research Center and Hospital in 1976. In 1982 he received the Torch of Liberty Award by the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith.

Dalitz died of natural causes in 1989.

FBI Files

The files chiefly cover Dalitz’s Las Vegas activity. Of special interest to the Bureau was Dalitz and Cleveland investors, including Sam Tucker, Thomas McGinty, and Morris Kleinman opening the Desert Inn. In 1958 Dalitz’s association with Jimmy Hoffa lead to millions in Teamsters loans to take over the Stardust. Files show Dalitz was a key backer of Pat McCarran,  Nevada’s powerful U.S. senator.

Kefauver Committee Testimony

Transcript of  Dalitz’s February 28, 1951 testimony to the Kefauver Committee.

The Kefauver Committee report on organized crime. United States Congress Senate Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce.

In addition to the material above this collection includes a copy of the final report of the U.S. Senate Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce.