Meyer Lansky, the "Mob's Accountant", Re: Watergate and Ford

Single page autograph letter signed. Dated "Sept 11, 1974", and signed by Meyer Lansky as "Shalom Meyer". 7.25" x 10.5". Near fine condition with two punch holes along right edge not affecting the text.

Meyer Lansky, known as the "Mob's Accountant", was an American major organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the National Crime Syndicate in the United States. In 1970, Lansky fled to Israel, to escape federal tax evasion charges. Although Israel's law of return allows any Jew to settle in the State of Israel, the law allows the government to use discretion to exclude those with a criminal past. Two years later, Israeli authorities deported Lansky back to the U.S. The federal government brought Lansky to trial with the testimony of loan shark Vincent "Fat Vinnie" Teresa. Lansky was acquitted in 1974, which he alludes to in this letter to “Yushki”, (Joseph Sheiner), a member of the Israeli Security Agency who had tried to secure citizenship for Lansky in Israel. Meyer writes him "You now know that I'm cleared of all my matters, soon I will be able to travel…"

Meyer, in his typical fashion, also touches upon US politics with his comment, "Your premier received a warm welcome from our President (Mr. Clean) who doesn't look clean to us anymore. We thought we were through with Watergate. Again it is first in our daily life …" Lanksy was of course referring to the Nixon Watergate scandal, Nixon's resignation, and Gerald Ford's pardon. After the subsequent resignation of President Nixon in August 1974, Ford immediately assumed the presidency. In one of his most controversial acts, he granted a full and unconditional presidential pardon to President Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal, and any crimes he might have committed to the United States. Ford is the only person to have served as both vice president and president without being elected to either office by the Electoral College. His role as VP occurred when Nixon's prior VP (Spiro Agnew) pleaded no contest to a single felony charge of tax evasion and resigned from office.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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