Editing Meyer Lansky (section)

===The Flamingo Hotel, 1946–1947===
In 1946, Lansky convinced the [[American Mafia|Italian-American Mafia]] to put Siegel in charge of [[Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas]], and became a major investor in Siegel's [[Flamingo Hotel]]. To protect himself from the type of prosecution that sent [[Al Capone]] to prison for [[Tax avoidance and tax evasion|tax evasion]] and prostitution, Lansky transferred his growing casino empire's illegal earnings to a [[Swiss bank account]], where anonymity was assured by the [[Federal Act on Banks and Savings Banks|1934 Swiss Banking Act]]. Lansky eventually bought an [[offshore bank]] in Switzerland, which he used to [[money laundering|launder money]] through a network of [[shell companies|shell]] and holding companies.<ref name="dissent">{{Cite news |last=Komisar |first=Lucy |date=2003-04-01 |title=Offshore Banking: The Secret Threat to America |url=https://www.thekomisarscoop.com/2003/04/offshore-banking-the-secret-threat-to-america/ |access-date=2024-02-14 |work=Dissent |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1946, Lansky attended a [[Havana Conference|secret meeting in Havana]] to discuss Siegel's management of the Flamingo Hotel, which was running far behind schedule and costing Siegel's Mafia investors a great deal of money. The other bosses wanted to kill Siegel, but Lansky begged them to give his friend a second chance.<ref name=tjenglish>{{cite book | first=T.J. | last=English |author-link=T.J. English |title=Havana Nocturne: How the Mob Owned Cuba...and Then Lost it to the Revolution | publisher=MJF Books | year = 2008 | isbn= 978-1-60671-198-9}}</ref>{{rp|36–38}}

Despite this reprieve, Siegel continued to lose money on the Flamingo. A second meeting was then called. By the time the meeting occurred, the casino had turned a small profit. With Luciano's support, Lansky convinced the other investors to give Siegel more time. When the hotel started losing money again, the other investors decided that Siegel was finished. It is widely believed that Lansky was compelled to give the final okay on eliminating Siegel due to his long relationship with him and his stature in the organization.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

On June 20, 1947, Siegel was shot and killed in [[Beverly Hills, California|Beverly Hills]], [[California]]. Twenty minutes later, Lansky's associates, including [[Gus Greenbaum]] and [[Moe Sedway]], walked into the Flamingo and took control of it. According to the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]], Lansky retained a substantial financial interest in the Flamingo for the next 20 years. Lansky said in several interviews later in his life that if it had been up to him, "Ben Siegel would be alive today".{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

Siegel's death marked a power transfer in Vegas from New York's [[Five Families]] to the [[Chicago Outfit]].{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} Although his role was considerably more restrained than in previous years, Lansky is believed to have both advised and aided Chicago boss [[Tony Accardo]] in initially establishing his hold.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}