Meyer Lansky, a notorious crime figure in American history, passed away on January 15, 1983, at the age of 80. Born in Poland in 1902, Lansky was taken to New York at age 9, where he grew up and formed a criminal organization. He was most associated with the American mafia, and became highly successful and influential in the world of organized crime. Throughout the Depression, he ran lucrative bootlegging and gambling empires, which provided worthwhile income and attracted many of the top players in the criminal underworld. He also became one of the major investors of the Las Vegas casinos, most notably the Flamingo and the Sands. He was known to be a major celebrity of the gangster era, becoming somewhat of a legend in his time. Lansky is survived by his son Paul Lansky, although his wife Teddy Lansky passed away in 1981.