Like his father and his uncle Nick, Anthony Civella was at home in gambling rackets and kept the Kansas City family a key player in nationwide illegal gaming. But, in 1991, three years after his early release from prison, he strayed from the "family business" and involved himself in the reselling of fraudulently obtained prescription drugs on the West Coast. The endeavor resulted in an extended jail term beginning in summer of 1992.
During Civella's imprisonment, his father passed away. Civella was released from prison in 1997. Due to a criminal history that dated back to 1952, he was placed on the Exclusion List of the Nevada Gaming Commission in February of 1997. He was similarly prohibited from involvement in any Missouri gaming.
Civella died in mid-February 2006.
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Carl Civella
Jan. 28, 1910, to Oct. 2, 1994.
("Cork")
Nick Civella's brother and Anthony Civella's father, Carl took over day to day activities of the Kansas City underworld as his brother Nick faced increased scrutiny from law enforcement in the mid-1970s.
Carl became full boss upon his brother Nick's death. He did not last long in the post, as he was sent off to a 10 to 30-year sentence in prison in September of 1984. Another 10-year sentence was immediately added through another matter.
Carl died in 1994, while his son Anthony was behind bars.
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Nick Civella
March 19, 1912, to March 1983.
During Nick Civella's reign, from 1953 to about 1977, the KC mob moved aggressively into Las Vegas casinos and reportedly had large interests in the Stardust (opened in 1955), the Fremont (opened in 1956) and later the Landmark Hotel (opened in 1969). The move west was done in concert with Mafia families from Cleveland and Chicago.
Kansas City-born Civella was closely tied to the Teamsters Union during Jimmy Hoffa's presidency and the later presidency of Roy Williams (1915-1988) and appears to have had access to the Teamster pension fund. (After the mob boss's death, Roy Williams told authorities that he was intimidated into doing Civella's bidding.)
Thanks to his skimming from the Stardust, Civella earned an early place on the Nevada Gaming Commission's Exclusion List. He, his brother Carl and nine others were the first to be named on the list in 1960.
Nick Civella is believed to have been an attendee at the 1957 Apalachin, NY, crime convention, though he was able to escape Joseph Barbara's estate without being noticed by authorities.
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