THE MOB MUSEUM ANNOUNCES GROUP TOUR TO HAVANA, CUBA, LED BY ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT DEITCHE

LAS VEGAS (June 2018) – The Mob Museum, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, announces a unique educational opportunity with its “Explore Havana” trip. Led by Museum Advisory Council Member Scott M. Deitche, an organized crime expert and author of seven books on the topic, the tour takes place Oct. 18–21, 2018.

The Mob loved Havana. In the 1950s, American crime bosses such as Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano and Santo Trafficante Jr.  invested millions to make it the Las Vegas of the Caribbean. For a short time, Havana indeed rivaled Las Vegas as a tourist destination. Fidel Castro extinguished the Mob’s dreams in 1959 when he seized control, shut down the casinos and sent the mobsters packing. However, today’s visitors still can see vestiges of the city’s midcentury glory, including some of the hotels and nightclubs that flourished during the Mob’s Havana heyday. This tour, led by Mob historian Scott Deitche, will transport travelers back to the time when the Mob turned Havana into a gambler’s paradise.

“The history of the Mob reaches almost every corner of the world,” said Kimberly Kindig, senior director of strategic partnerships, The Mob Museum. “What better way to explore these incredible chapters in history than by participating in unique itineraries developed by leading historians and led by expert guides. The Museum hopes to provide travelers with a one-of-a-kind experience that is memorable, educational and fun.”

The tour includes:

• Guided tours led by Frank Reno and Scott Deitche
• Tour of Mafia hangouts in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida
• Roundtrip airfare Tampa/Havana
• Entry and exit visas
• Airport transfers in Havana and ground transit
• Two nights’ lodging in Old Havana
• Two mornings’ breakfast
• Required Cuban medical insurance
• U.S Department of Treasury/OFAC Licensing and Compliance provided by Cuba Executive Travel Inc.

The tour does not include:

• Lodging in Tampa, Florida
• Trip cancellation insurance
• Customary tips and gratuities while in Cuba.
• Expenses of a personal nature such as, but not limited to, phone calls, internet, laundry, mini-bar, shows, sporting events, nightclubs and any specific items not listed in the included section above.

The tour costs $1,535 per person, double occupancy ($200 extra for a single supplement). A $500 deposit is required for reservations no later than July 5. Payment in full is due by July 22. A copy of the traveler’s passport, CET travel application and CET travel agreement are required for the reservation.

This trip is operated by Cuba Executive Travel, Inc., a licensed travel service provider with the Department of Treasury and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). For more information, contact cubaexecutivetravel@gmail.com or call (813) 244-1639.

The museum plans to organize other trips in the future, each one designed to provide opportunities to experience places around the world where organized crime has left an indelible mark.