The Making of the Mob: New York | The Mob at War (S01-E06)

Episode 6: As Lucky remains in prison keeping his operations under control, he fears the other mob families will try to grab his power if he doesn't get out soon. Lansky and Costello search nationwide for the three prostitutes whose testimony put their boss away. They find the women, who escaped to California and go to a law office to sign a paper saying they lied in court. However, Dewey convinces the judge to dismiss the allegations and Lucky's appeal is denied. Dewey sets his sights on Louis Lepke of Murder, Inc., who the F.B.I. wants to arrest on a narcotics charge. An international manhunt is conducted, but he's in a Brooklyn basement, taking out witnesses so there won't be a case. After a year of searching, Hoover looks to Lucky to give up Lepke and has Lansky double-cross Lepke. He sends Albert Anastasia to convince him to surrender on lesser drug charges, giving Lucky the leverage he needs. Hoover brings Lepke into custody, arresting him for murder and he's sentenced to death in December 1941. Dewey campaigns to become the next governor of New York and Lucky is certain if he wins, he will sign his pardon. But a violent attack on Pearl Harbor changes everything and America joins the fight in World War II.

Two months after, a fire breaks out on the S.S. Normandie, a naval troop ship on the West Side docks, fearing the war has reached the city. To prevent sabotage on the waterfront, the government reaches out to Lucky, whose mafia controls 200 ports, and orders a lock down of the docks in the exchange to shorten his sentence. With Lucky doing his part in the war effort, in Forlì, Italy, Genovese strikes a deal with dictator Benito Mussolini by donating millions to his fascist party for the freedom to set up his heroin racket. In July 1943, the Allies invade Sicily and Genovese is on the losing side and switches, becoming a translator for the U.S. Army. When they find out he's wanted for murder, Genovese is brought back to America and thrown in prison on the witness account by one of his mobsters, Peter LaTempa. On January 15, 1945, LaTempa is poisoned in his cell and 4 months later the Allies claim victory in Europe. Lucky writes a letter requesting parole to Dewey, the newly elected governor, but after seven months, there's no response. The navy puts pressure on Dewey, but releasing Lucky would hurt his presidential aspirations, so he deports him to Italy. Forty years after he arrived in America a penniless immigrant, Lucky is forced to leave the country he considers his home and leave his criminal empire behind.