- Carl "Tuffy" DeLuna
Carl Angelo "Tuffy" DeLuna (April 30, 1927 - July 21, 2008) a organized crime figure who was once the powerful underboss of the
Kansas City crime family . He was also brother-in-law to Kansas City crime bossAnthony Civella .Born in
Brooklyn, NY , Carl rose through the ranks of the Kansas City family to eventually become underboss and second-in-command toNicholas Civella . He was said to be personally responsible for the ambush of a rival mob crew, the Spero brothers, at the Virginia Tavern in Kansas City, MO in 1978.A well respected and trusted mobster, DeLuna maintained Kansas City’s close ties with the
Chicago Outfit , theFrank Balistrieri family in Milwaukee, and the Cleveland family during the mob infiltration of several Las Vegas casinos in the mid-1970's.The character Artie Piscano (portrayed by
Vinny Vella ) in the film "Casino" was based in large part on Carl DeLunafact| date=August 2008. In the film, Piscano dies of a heart attack during an FBI raid on his home. In reality, DeLuna's home was raided on February 14, 1979 and it was found that he kept extensive cryptic notes hidden in his basement which, together with wiretaps, connected all the dots the FBI needed in linking the mob to illegal control of Las Vegas casinos. DeLuna, though, was arrested, tried and sentenced to 30 years.Carl DeLuna was released from prison in 1998 and died in Kansas City in 2008.
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