Sam Giancana (pictured above) began his mob career as a “wheel man” for Al Capone. Giancana would eventually become Capone’s successor in Chicago and the most powerful mob boss in the country during the 1950-1960’s.  Biographers claim, he was also responsible for delivering the votes that put John F. Kennedy in the White House.

When he was a mob soldier, he severed a prison sentence in Terre Haute, Indiana. A fellow inmate was a black guy who was the ‘king of the numbers’ racket in Chicago and a multi-millionaire.

During that era, it was one of a few ways a black person could get rich in America. They became friends, after they got released; Giancana and the black guy became partners in the numbers racket but Giancana's friends refused to do business with him because he was black.

Giancana’s crew would kidnap the black guy behind Giancana’s back. He was tortured and brutalized until he turned over his whole operation to the mob and he was ordered to give details on how to run the racket.

Giancana was ordered to wack the guy but he defied the order. Unbeknownst to the mob, Giancana risked his life and helped the black guy get out of Chicago and set him up for life in a villa down in Mexico. The mob never found out about it and Giancana would go on to become the most powerful gangster in America. He stayed in touch with his black friend throughout his life.

 Source: 'My Life With Mr. S.' by George Jacobs