They Robbed the Flamingo — Then the Mob Found Them in Hollywood

They thought they were robbing a casino. What they really robbed was the mob. In 1951, Anthony Brancato and Anthony Trombino were known around the Los Angeles underworld as the “Two Tonys” — violent Kansas City criminals who had moved west and built reputations as robbers, shakedown men, and dangerous freelancers. They were not bosses. They were not protected by a powerful family. They were hungry, reckless, and convinced they could take money from anyone. Then they made the mistake that got them killed. On May 28, 1951, the Two Tonys walked into the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas and robbed the race and sports book operation. The Flamingo was not just another casino. It had been Bugsy Siegel’s dream, Meyer Lansky’s investment, and one of the great symbols of mob-backed Las Vegas. By 1951, it was still tied to powerful underworld interests. Brancato and Trombino escaped with only a few thousand dollars. But the amount did not matter. The insult did. They had robbed a mob-connected casino without permission, without masks, and without understanding what kind of men owned the money behind the tables. The sportsbook manager recognized Brancato. The FBI came looking. The mob came looking too. After the Flamingo robbery, the Two Tonys returned to Los Angeles and kept making enemies. They muscled gamblers, shook down bookmakers, and allegedly took money that belonged to protected syndicate figures. To men like Jack Dragna and Jimmy “The Weasel” Fratianno, Brancato and Trombino were no longer just thieves. They were a problem. On August 6, 1951, the Two Tonys were lured into what they believed was another robbery opportunity. Instead, they were set up. Near Hollywood Boulevard, they sat inside a car waiting for the next score. Then the gunmen moved in. Anthony Brancato and Tony Trombino were found shot dead in the front seat. They robbed the Flamingo. Then the mob found them in Hollywood. What you will learn in this documentary: How Anthony Brancato and Tony Trombino became known as the Two Tonys Why Kansas City criminals found a new underworld in Los Angeles How the Flamingo Hotel became a symbol of mob-backed Las Vegas Why robbing the Flamingo sportsbook was more dangerous than robbing an ordinary casino How Hy Goldbaum identified Brancato after the robbery Why the FBI placed Brancato on its Ten Most Wanted list How the Two Tonys returned to Los Angeles and made their situation worse Why shaking down protected gamblers put them in conflict with the Los Angeles mob How Jack Dragna allegedly ordered the problem solved Why Jimmy “The Weasel” Fratianno later became tied to the setup What happened on Ogden Drive near Hollywood Boulevard on August 6 1951 Why the murders remained officially unsolved for decades How the Two Tonys case became part of Los Angeles mob legend Key figures: Anthony Brancato, Anthony “Tony” Trombino, Jimmy “The Weasel” Fratianno, Jack Dragna, Charley “Bats” Battaglia, Leo “Lips” Moceri, Angelo Polizzi, Nick Licata, Sam Lazes, Hy Goldbaum, Mickey Cohen, Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Los Angeles crime family figures, Las Vegas casino operators, FBI agents, LAPD investigators Timeline: 1914 birth of Anthony Brancato in Kansas City, early 1900s birth of Anthony Trombino, 1930s and 1940s both men build criminal records through robbery, assault, narcotics, and gambling-related crimes, mid-1940s Brancato moves into the Los Angeles underworld, late 1940s Trombino joins him on the West Coast, 1947 Bugsy Siegel is murdered and the Flamingo continues under mob-connected management, 1951 the Two Tonys become increasingly reckless in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, May 28 1951 Brancato and Trombino rob the Flamingo sportsbook in Las Vegas, June 1951 Brancato becomes wanted by the FBI, summer 1951 the two men return to Los Angeles and continue shaking down gamblers, August 6 1951 Brancato and Trombino are lured to Ogden Drive near Hollywood Boulevard, August 6 1951 both men are found shot dead in the front seat of a car, decades later Jimmy Fratianno’s cooperation helps reveal the mob story behind the hit. Verified sources used in research: Los Angeles Public Library photo archive records on the Brancato and Trombino murders The Mob Museum reporting on the Two Tonys and Flamingo robbery FBI Ten Most Wanted records connected to Anthony Brancato Gangland Wire reporting on the Two Tonys case Jimmy Fratianno cooperation accounts and later organized crime histories Ovid Demaris, The Last Mafioso Avi Bash and J. Michael Niotta, Los Angeles Underworld Los Angeles newspaper archives on the August 1951 Hollywood murders Historical reporting on Jack Dragna, Mickey Cohen, and the Los Angeles crime family Las Vegas crime histories connected to the Flamingo Hotel and mob gambling operations #TwoTonys #AnthonyBrancato #TonyTrombino #FlamingoHotel #LasVegasMob #HollywoodMob #JimmyFratianno #JackDragna #MickeyCohen #BugsySiegel #MeyerLansky #LosAngelesMafia #MobHit #MafiaDocumentary