Los Angeles Family Boss Nick Licata

Nick Licata, known as "The Old Man," was a Sicilian immigrant who climbed the ranks to lead the Los Angeles Mafia. From humble beginnings in Camporeale, Sicily, to rubbing elbows with America’s most powerful mobsters, Licata’s life was a blend of cunning business acumen and underworld prowess.

But how did a man with a modest police record rise to such prominence in the Golden State’s criminal empire? Keep reading to find out.

Nicola (Nick) Licata -- aka Nicholas Licata, Nick Lacerta, and The Old Man -- was born on February 20, 1896, in Camporeale, Sicily. Nick was one of nine children -- seven sons and two daughters -- born to Calogero and Vita (nee Mustacchia) Licata. His six brothers were named Valdassare, Domenico, Vincenzo, Leonardo, Antonio, and Calogero Jr. His two sisters were named Antonina and Vincenza.

Nicola Licata - The Underboss

Licata was described as standing 5 feet 6 inches tall with a stocky build of approximately 170 pounds. He had dark brown eyes and hair that was thinning by mid-forties and greying by mid-fifties. He also required eyeglasses, which he wore daily.

Despite somewhat mastering English in later years so he could successfully converse with the Americans, Nick also maintained a very thick Sicilian accent. In fact, it was said to be so thick that you could cut it with a knife, a telltale trait he would carry with him for the rest of his life.

FBI #2585380, Los Angeles PD #170490

By at least the late 1920s — when Nick was still in his twenties — the young Sicilian mafioso had already immigrated to the United States and relocated to California's west coast.

He wisely applied for U.S. Citizenship, which he was granted in early 1932. Subsequently, Licata officially took the oath and was naturalized as an American citizen in Los Angeles on March 25, 1932, assigned certificate #C-3-577-606.

As a young man, Nick first met and soon married a pretty young Italian girl named Serafina Cracchiolo. The happy couple would eventually welcome three children into the world: a son they named Carlo (after Nick’s dad) and two daughters named Francesca and Vitani.

Ignazio (Jack) Dragna

Note: Once he came of age, Nick’s young son Carlo was introduced to Josephine Tocco by his father, who was the daughter of Detroit boss Guglielmo (Black Bill) Tocco. With the permission and encouragement of their fathers, the two youngsters started dating and soon fell in love and married, to the pleasure of their fathers, who had purposely encouraged this union.

This marriage was not only for the benefit of their children but also viewed as the merging of “Mafia bloodlines” between respected mafiosi and their respective borgatas -- the Dragna Family of L.A . and the Zerilli Family of Detroit .

An Astute Mafioso & Businessman

During their early years, Nick, Serafina, and their three children resided in several apartments and private residences around Southern California.

But by at least the early 1950s, Licata had saved enough money to invest in a multi-unit apartment house, which the middle-aged couple eventually moved into. It was an exceptionally wise move on Nick’s part. And one that, down the road a bit, would pay him significant dividends for many years to come.

The building, located at 427 West Queen Street in Inglewood, was built in 1955. At the time, this 6,300 sq. ft., multi-unit residential complex boasted eight 2-bedroom apartments with eight garages set on a 10,650 ft. parcel of land.

Already middle-aged, Nick and Serafina made the wise decision to move into the complex, taking occupancy in apartment #1.

427 West Queen St., Inglewood. A wise investment.

As it turned out, it was the perfect time of their lives to do so. Their three children were already grown and out of the house, so what did Nick and Serafina need? It was a lovely two-bedroom apartment that perfectly fit their needs.

Coupled with the additional rental income the complex rent-roll brought in each year to them, it was a win-win situation tailor-made for the aging mafioso.

Nick also reportedly owned several other income-producing apartment complexes around Inglewood.

Collectively, from his income properties alone -- even before counting Nick’s end of the profits he raked in annually from the Family’s various illicit rackets as its underboss -- Licata could be considered a very wealthy man.

So, aside from whatever other qualities may have elevated Nick to the hierarchy of the Los Angeles Mafia, it also appears that he was a very sharp guy regarding legitimate business opportunities.

The Upper Crust

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, as well as the Los Angeles Police Department’s Intelligence Squad all concede that at the height of his power, Licata was among the most important mafiosi in Southern California’s underworld.

As the longtime acknowledged underboss of the L.A. Family and second-in-command to Family boss Jack Dragna himself, Nick held a very coveted position that allowed him to rub elbows with the upper echelon of “The Golden State’s” most important racketeers and mob leaders, not to mention Cosa Nostra’s top bosses throughout the entire United States.

Aside from boss Jack Dragna himself, Licata was in regular contact with legendary Mafia figures such as former boss Rosario DeSimone and his son and succeeding boss, Frank DeSimone. Other powerhouses included Family underboss Simone (Sam) Scozzari, soldier Gaspare Matranga, capo Marco (Mimi) LiMandri , his son, soldier Joe LiMandri, the notorious Sica brothers, as well as San Diego capo Girolamo (Momo) Adamo, and his brother, that regime’s acting capo, Giuseppe (Joe) Adamo .

Frank DeSimone

Much to his credit, despite his long and very successful career as a top hoodlum and rackets boss, Licata had a very minimal police record. Nick had acquired only two known arrests despite more than a half-century of criminal mayhem. The Los Angeles Police Department recorded both of these.

His first known arrest came in 1945 when he was picked up on the almost embarrassing charge of refilling liquor bottles -- a simple misdemeanor.

His second arrest came in the early 1950s after the highly-publicized gangland-styled double murders of the so-called “Two Tonys” -- mobsters Anthony Trombino and Anthony Brancata.

Nick was one of a small cadre of suspects -- all of whom were members of the Los Angeles Mafia Family -- picked up and charged with first-degree premeditated murder.

Side Note: The prime suspect in this case -- the soldier who actually pulled the trigger -- was Aladena (Jimmy the Weasel) Frattianno, who, at that time, was a rising star up California’s underworld ladder as a deadly assassin.

The “Two Tony’s” have a real bad evening!

After the death of former boss Jack Dragna and several interim leaders, Licata eventually rose to the top leadership of their borgata. He was thought to have been formally named the boss, or the Capo Famiglia, around 1967 or so.

After his ascension to the top spot, Licata would rule over the somewhat unstable Los Angeles Family for the next seven years before finally waving goodbye to it all.

Arrivederci

During his lifetime, Licata quietly rose from being a simple regime soldier -- one of many -- to a capo post. Then, he was appointed to the coveted position of Family underboss. He was eventually named the Acting Boss.

1951 - Nick at the height of his stride.

Finally, after a lifetime of hard work, he achieved the ultimate title of “official” Family Boss…It was quite a voyage indeed!

Nicola Licata died on October 19, 1974. The wily mafioso was 78 years old.

After a formal two-day wake, Nick was then given a Mass of Christian burial before being interned in Holy Cross Cemetery at Culver City, CA.

U ntil next time...“The Other Guy!

Los Angeles Family Boss Nick Licata

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