Tony Tursi

Anthony Tursi (February 16, 1901 – April 22, 1989) was an Italian-American organized crime figure associated with San Juan, Puerto Rico from the 1950s to the 1970s. Within the history of crime in Puerto Rico, he attracted notice primarily for owning the notable nightclub La Riviera.

While his operations faced frequent interruptions by the Puerto Rican government, he managed to achieve success in the territory's underworld for many years. One particular raid, he later recalled, had involved the arrest of over 300 women by anti-vice officers. The "farce", as he called it, of police raids wound up frightening prostitutes off of the streets and rebounding things in his favor, with Tursi controlling his own established locations. Historian Stan Steiner labeled him as a "night-club impresario".

La Riviera Tursi gained fame as the owner of the La Riviera, a nightclub in San Juan, Puerto Rico well known for its association with easy prostitution. A popular attraction for not only locals but also expatriates and tourists, La Riveria faced the danger of constant raids by the police, though this didn't phase Tursi.

Politics Tursi also took interest in civic affairs. He ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of San Juan as a political independent in 1968. His write-in campaign used the simple slogan "Vota Por Tursi".

Death He was released on November 30, 1979. Tursi then retired to Nevada, where he died on April 22, 1989.