Samuel Levine

Who was Samuel Levine?

Samuel "Red" Levine was an American mobster, described as head of Lucky Luciano's hit squad of Jewish gangsters. According to several sources, he was an observant Jew and refrained from killing on the Sabbath, if possible.

Levine was born in Toledo, Ohio, and grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York. To help his family, he worked on an ice truck at age 8, and was assigned to truant schools until he lied about his age and joined the US Navy at 15. He said he was in fights on board constantly because of his red hair and his Jewish heritage. He subsequently jumped ship in the Republic of Panama and ventured back to New York City.

Levine was a member of the notorious Mafia gang, Murder, Inc., and is credited with being the trigger man, with Dutch Schultz lieutenant Abraham "Bo" Weinberg, in the 1931 murders of Joe "The Boss" Masseria and, along with Joe Adonis, Albert "Mad Hatter" Anastasia and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, one of the three hitmen sent by Meyer Lansky to assassinate the Sicilian Mafia boss Salvatore Maranzano in his office. They managed to enter by posing as government agents.