Lucido rose to prominence as a bookmaker in the Detroit area. By the early '80s Jack "who had studied under his uncle Sam Lucido," was known as one of Detroit's biggest operators. Lucido's first brush with the law occured way back in 1966 when he and 13 others were named as operators and administrators of a large scale sports betting ring. Prosecutors claimed the ring took in an estimated $10,000,000 a year. Lucido and his co-defendants were acquitted of all charges. More gambling charges followed in 1969, 70, 71 and 1973. In each instance the charges were either dismissed, trial ended with a hung jury or the case was thrown out before it ever reached the jury deliberation quarters. The high point in the career of Jack Lucido arrived in 1979 when he bought a piece of the Wolverine Golf Club in Macomb Township Michigan. Lucido bought the share of the Wolverine owned by Mitchell Karam for $65,000. Karam reportedly was having financial difficulties with family members and decided to sell his shares in order to keep the peace. Shortly before purchasing the controlling interest in the club for a rather paultry sum, Lucido had been hired to serve as the assistant manager. He promptly brought in his own staff "which included his three children and second wife," to help with the running of the business as well as the gambling, bookmaking and other profitable ventures like a multi-million dollar money laundering scam. In fewer than 7 years, the Wolverine Golf Club under Jack Lucido's guidance made enough of a profit to allow his staff to add 27 new holes to it's golf course, build a new clubhouse and banquet hall while forking over another 1.7 million for a massive redecoration to the reception hall. Jack Anthony Lucido managed to escape 1 last attempt by the government to convict him when he was seperated from the trial of his family and associates in the massive investigation into these activities. He finally succumbed after a long battle with Leukemia on Friday August 4 1995 at the age of 61. Lucido lived long enough to see his oldest son Jack Christopher, 2 daughters and youngest son Sebastian "Buster" Lucido acquitted of all charges relating to their role in the Wolverine money laundering and gambling cases. Lucido died in the $470,000, 4200-square-foot, 12 room home that authorities had attempted to seize along with the Wolverine Golf Club following the indictments handed down in March of 1992.
