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other mobsters becoming knowm as "The Big Six® or "The Combination". This group Gmoluded in addition te Siegel and Lansky who took sare of bootleg liquor in-— terests, Charles "Lucky" Luciano, who handled prostitution and narcotics, Abe SLongie* Zwillman, who handled gambling and Buchalter and Shapiro who organized the first large-scale kickback and shakedown rackets in legitimate business and industry. ‘ FER. IONS TO C: Following the repeal of Prohibition, the Siegel-Iansky operations in The Big Six began to lose their former importance and the large distillers and liquor distributing agencies which had been built up during Prohibition were eventually sold by Siegel and his crowd to legitimate and semi-legitimate interests. Siegel left New York for Califormia leaving Lansky in charge of the reasining liquor operations of The Combination. Siegel first operated in Cali- fornia from his sister's home at 721 N. Doheny Drive in Beverly Hills. This sister's husband "Sol" Soloway was taken in as a Siegel mobster. From the be- ginning of his activities in California, Siegel exchanged money and counsel with The Combination leaders back East. - mong Siegel's early activities in California was the investment of funds in various hotels, restaurants, and real estate. Part of this money came from The Combination and Siegel utilised gangster tactics in muscling in on the profits of other restaurants and night clubs. Siegel was also believed to have handled narcotics during his residence in California. During the war Siegel also took over a legitimate manufacturing plant which he named The Mercury Engineering Company and successfully obtained aircraft war contracts amounting to approximately $20,000 per month. At the end of the war Siegel disposed of the plant and liqui- dated the assets. poe AFFAIRS WITH WR coc HILL Siegel's wife left him during their residence in California and later obtained a divorce. Following the split with his wifes Siegel jold his mansion in California and . grew tired of her and = her apa: ie former estate of Rudolph Valentino called The Falconts lair, #2 Bella Drive in Beverly Hills, where he took up residence with Virginia Hill. Virginia Hill apparently bad unlimited funds some sof which came from three prior marriages Virginia Hill is reputed to enterprises during their relationship,