Polish-American organized crime and Hymie Weiss (Wojciechowski) both having a Polish heritage. Fred Goetz was involved in carrying out the St. Valentine's Day Massacre. In New Jersey, the organization led by Mickey Cusick, was the prominent boss of bootlegging in Southern Jersey. The infamous gangster Meyer Lansky, one of the leaders of the National Crime Syndicate and associate of Lucky Luciano, was actually a Polish Jew. Joseph Filkowski led a mostly Polish bootlegging ring in Cleveland, Ohio, along with gangster Joseph Stazek. In Pittsburgh, Paul Jarwarski was also a prominent figure, carrying out the first armored car robbery. In Buffalo, New York John
Lansky (film) meets Charles "Lucky" Luciano. When Luciano tells him to give protection money, the gang starts beating Lansky. Lansky says, "nothing for nothing." Luciano takes a liking to Lansky's guts, and they then work together selling illegal alcohol. Bugsy, Luciano and Lansky are making their way driving the truck carrying alcohol. They are ambushed by Arnold Rothstein's associates. Luciano and Lansky make a deal, saying they will give them one truck full of alcohol and no one will be shot at. When Lansky, Bugsy and Luciano get into the truck, it is revealed that the truck was full of empty suitcases.