About Howard Spira
Born 1959. Howard Spira is an American criminal, mobster, gambler and gangster, known for Extortion and Five Families.
Howard Spira (born 1959) is an American gambler who was central to Fay Vincent's decision to ban George Steinbrenner from baseball during the 1990s. In 1991, he was convicted of trying to extort $110,000 from Steinbrenner and spent over two years in prison. was in debt and contacted Steinbrenner, who was in a conflict with Winfield over payments to Winfield's charitable foundation.
Spira was the subject of a 2016 film, The Rise and Fall of Howie Spira.
Personal life As of 2011, Spira lived with his parents in The Bronx.
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Important facts
People in Howard Spira's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Howard Spira's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Howard Spira?
American gambler and felon
When was Howard Spira born?
Howard Spira was born in 1959 in The Bronx.
What is Howard Spira's occupation?
Howard Spira is a criminal, mobster, gambler and gangster.
What is Howard Spira known for?
Howard Spira is known for Extortion and Five Families.
What nationality is Howard Spira?
Howard Spira is American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Howard Spira. https://biography.guide/howard-spira/
MLA: "Howard Spira." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/howard-spira/.
Chicago: "Howard Spira." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/howard-spira/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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