Photo: Al Aumuller, World Telegram staff photographer · Public domain

Born in United States · Nationality American — organised crime / Murder, Inc. / homicides / judicial cooperation

Abe Reles

Organised crime and cartels Violent crime and serial killers

Documented profile covering 10 controversies, including “1941–1951: Successive investigations into his death, official conclusion of escape attempt but continuing suspicions” and “1940–1941: Testimony in George Rudnick murder case against Harry Maione and Frank Abbandando”.

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Profile No. 2142 · Updated on 12 October 2026

10Documented controversies

5Sources

0Formal charge · all time

0Conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

1941–1951

1941–1951: Successive investigations into his death, official conclusion of escape attempt but continuing suspicions

No legal proceedings

His death is reinvestigated in 1941, 1945 and then 1951. The 1951 grand jury concludes that he was attempting to escape when he fell.

Legal status — source text: 1951 grand jury: escape attempt found, no murder charge

Sources · 2

[1]
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Lloyd Sealy LibraryThe Investigation into the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of Abe RelesReportVery high reliability
[2]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkMurder, Inc. investigation records, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1940–1941

1940–1941: Testimony in George Rudnick murder case against Harry Maione and Frank Abbandando

Conviction — against Harry Maione and Frank Abbandando

Protagonist not prosecuted — these proceedings are not counted in their formal charges or convictions.

Reles describes the brutal murder of George Rudnick and implicates Maione and Abbandando. The New York Court of Appeals nevertheless finds that the first verdict was affected by a problem concerning corroboration of accomplice testimony and orders a new trial.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is a witness
Person targeted by the proceedings: Harry Maione and Frank Abbandando
Role of the person profiled: Protagonist not prosecuted

Sources · 2

[1]
New York Court of Appeals via JustiaPeople v. Maione, 284 N.Y. 423Court decisionVery high reliability
[2]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkDistrict Attorney's case files, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1940–1941

1940–1941: Testimony against Harry Strauss and Martin Goldstein in Irving Feinstein murder

Conviction — against Harry Strauss and Martin Goldstein

Protagonist not prosecuted — these proceedings are not counted in their formal charges or convictions.

Reles provides a first-hand account of the kidnapping and murder of bookmaker Irving Feinstein, implicating Harry Strauss and Martin Goldstein in the operation.

Attribution: Protagonist is a witness
Person targeted by the proceedings: Harry Strauss and Martin Goldstein
Role of the person profiled: Protagonist not prosecuted

Sources · 2

[1]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkDistrict Attorney's case files, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability
[2]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkMurder, Inc. investigation records, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1940–1941

1940–1941: Information against Louis Buchalter, Louis Capone, Mendy Weiss and other network members

Conviction — against Louis Buchalter

Protagonist not prosecuted — these proceedings are not counted in their formal charges or convictions.

Reles's statements contribute to numerous proceedings targeting leading Murder, Inc. figures, including Buchalter, Capone, Weiss and several Brooklyn killers.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is a witness
Person targeted by the proceedings: Louis Buchalter
Role of the person profiled: Protagonist not prosecuted

Sources · 2

[1]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkMurder, Inc. investigation records, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability
[2]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkDistrict Attorney's case files, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1941

1941: Preparations to testify potentially implicating Albert Anastasia in waterfront murders

No legal proceedings

After contributing to numerous prosecutions, Reles was due to be used against Albert Anastasia, notably in cases connected with the waterfront and Peter Panto.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is a witness

Sources · 2

[1]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkMurder, Inc. investigation records, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability
[2]
Federal Bureau of Investigation VaultPurple Gang (aka Sugar House Gang), Part 4 — historical FBI file discussing Reles deathArchiveVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1941-11-12

12 November 1941: Death after fall from Half Moon Hotel while under police guard

No legal proceedings

Reles falls from a window at the Half Moon Hotel in Coney Island while under continuous police guard, hours before a crucial stage of the proceedings connected with Anastasia.

State of the evidence: Disputed
Attribution: Protagonist is a witness

Sources · 3

[1]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkMurder, Inc. investigation records, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability
[2]
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Lloyd Sealy LibraryThe Investigation into the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of Abe RelesReportVery high reliability
[3]
Federal Bureau of Investigation VaultPurple Gang (aka Sugar House Gang), Part 4 — historical FBI file discussing Reles deathArchiveVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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années 1930–1940

1930s–1940: Acknowledged involvement in several murders and acts of violence by network

Allegations

When he cooperated with prosecutors, Reles admitted his own participation in several homicides and provided detailed accounts of killings committed by his group.

State of the evidence: Documented

Sources · 2

[1]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkMurder, Inc. investigation records, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability
[2]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkDistrict Attorney's case files, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1940

1940: Arrest for Alexander Alpert's murder, turning point in Murder, Inc. investigation

Investigation

Investigators arrested Reles in connection with Alexander Alpert's murder. The arrest provided prosecutors with leverage to break open the network.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkMurder, Inc. investigation records, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1940-03-22

22 March 1940: Cooperation agreement and transition to protected prosecution witness

No legal proceedings

Reles agrees to provide Kings County prosecutors with information about the network and is placed under police protection. His statements become the starting point for numerous investigations.

State of the evidence: Documented

Sources · 1

[1]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkMurder, Inc. investigation records, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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années 1920–1930

1920s–1930s: Brownsville gang incorporated into the "Combination", later known as Murder, Inc.

Allegations

Reles belonged to the Brownsville criminal group that merged with the crews of Harry Maione, Frank Abbandando and Vito Gurino before being incorporated into the network linked to Albert Anastasia and Louis Buchalter.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
Municipal Archives, City of New YorkMurder, Inc. investigation records, 1929-1966ArchiveVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

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Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (2)

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