 Born in Palermo, Sicily, Lanza immigrated to the United States and settled in New York working as a handler in Lower Manhattan's Fulton Fish Market.Lanza soon became involved in labor union activity and, by 1923, had become an organizer for the United Seafood Workers union (USW).It was during this time that Lanza had become involved in organized crime, eventually becoming a member of the Luciano (and later the Genovese) crime family.