Dead Mobster Removed from Nevada Black Book

LAS VEGAS --Unfortunately for one of the oldest members of Nevada's Black Book, Marshall Caifano wasn't around Thursday to celebrate his removal from the list of people barred from entering the state's casinos.

Caifano died Sept. 6 and that's why the Nevada Gaming Commission voted 5-0 Thursday at its monthly meeting to remove the mobster from its List of Excluded Persons, popularly known as the Black Book.

"He no longer poses a threat to the state," was the Gaming Control Board's succinct recommendation for Caifano's removal.

But in 1960, when Caifano became one of the first members of the Black Book, the former lieutenant to murdered Chicago mob boss Sam Giancana was considered a threat to the Nevada casino industry.

Born July 19, 1911, Caifano's arrest record began in 1931. He was identified in a number of hearings and by several crime commissions as a member of an organized crime family.

He was implicated in corrupt dealings involving the Desert Inn and Tropicana casinos in 1960, triggering his Black Book inclusion.

He served prison time for extortion and other charges, and also went to prison for more than a decade when he was caught transporting stolen Westinghouse Electric Corp. stock certificates.

Caifano was released from prison in 1991, and lived in Florida until his recent death.