9 who ruled the U.S. underworld

Vincent "The Chin" Gigante (1928-2005) was dubbed the "Oddfather" for feigning mental illness for decades to camouflage his position as one of the nation's most influential and dangerous Mafia leaders. He was accused of heading the Genovese family. He is shown behind bars Aug. 20, 1957, after he allegedly tried to kill family boss Frank Costello, whose head was only grazed by a bullet during an attack in an elevator.

John Gotti (1940-2002), "The Dapper Don," stands on a New York City street corner Jan. 20, 1987. He led the Carlo Gambino family and also became known as the Teflon Don after winning three acquittals on federal racketeering charges. Gotti was convicted of murder and racketeering in 1992 and died of cancer in prison in 2002.

Meyer Lansky (1902-1983) visits Mount Olive, Israel, in August 1971. The reputed financial genius of the underworld, he teamed early with Lucky Luciano, who failed to beat him up in a protection scheme. Russian-born Lansky fled to Israel in 1970 to avoid charges of tax evasion, but he was later captured. He died of cancer in Miami.

Al Capone (1899-1947), shown playing cards on a train during his transport to prison to serve a sentence for tax evasion in October 1931, was head of the Chicago mafia. His men were responsible for the St. Valentine's Day massacre in 1929. He was released from prison in 1939 and died of a stroke and pneumonia in 1947.

Charles "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962), was born Salvatore Luciania in Sicily, Italy. He immigrated to America in 1906 and became pals with Meyer Lansky after failing to beat him up. A friend of Bugsy Siegel, Joe Adonis, Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, he became "The Boss" in New York after surviving attacks on himself and orchestrating hits on other mob bosses. He reportedly helped U.S. military intelligence prevent Nazi sabotage on New York docks.

Mob boss Carlo Gambino (1902-1976), the "Boss of Bosses," is shown after his March 23, 1970, arrest by the FBI. He was head of the crime family that bears his name. Decades after teaming with Lucky Luciano, he seized control of La Cosa Nostra in 1957. He was known for being low-key and secretive.

Albert Anastasia (1902-1957), shown in 1955, was nicknamed "Mad Hatter and "Lord High Executioner." He ran a gang of contract killers known as Murder Inc. and was head of one of New York City's five crime families from 1951 to 1957. He was under a hot towel during a shave in a barber shop at a Manhattan hotel when two gunmen burst in and killed him.

Frank Costello (1891-1973), shown at Kefauver Senate Crime Investigating Committee hearings in 1951, started as part of Lucky Luciano's crew and rose to become a powerful Mafia boss. He was nicknamed "Prime Minister" of the underworld for his connections to judges, police and politicians. He was acting mafia leader in the late '30s and early '40s while Luciano ran affairs from jail. He survived an attempt on his life, allegedly by Vincent "The Chin" Gigante, in an elevator in his apartment building.

Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonanno (1905-2002), shown walking through a group of reporters in New York City in 1966, created a criminal empire in Brooklyn that ultimately extended to California, Arizona and Canada. The Sicilian-born Bonanno ruled his family as one of New York's five organized crime syndicates from 1931 to the mid-1960s. He was one of the original members of the ''Commission,'' the select group of mob chiefs who intervened in family disputes.