It goes way back before that. The US government used Charlie (Lucky) Luciano to get the Sicilian Mafia onside prior to the Invasion of Sicily in 1943, and JFK had “Outfit” friends during the 1960 election and prior to the Bay of Pigs (the Mob wanted Cuba back in friendly hands so they could reopen their gambling and prostitution operations there – forget the anti-Castro Cubans).
It goes way back before that. The US government used Charlie (Lucky) Luciano to get the Sicilian Mafia onside prior to the Invasion of Sicily in 1943, and JFK had “Outfit” friends during the 1960 election and prior to the Bay of Pigs (the Mob wanted Cuba back in friendly hands so they could reopen their gambling and prostitution operations there – forget the anti-Castro Cubans).