Lauretta Giegerman is a name that continues to attract interest because of her long association with Frank Costello, one of the most prominent organized-crime figures in 20th-century New York. Although Costello received extensive attention from newspapers, investigators, and historians, Lauretta lived a much more private life. As a result, reliable information about her personal history is considerably more limited.
One important point for readers researching Lauretta Giegerman is that her name appears in several forms, including Loretta Geigerman, Loretta B. Costello, and Loretta “Bobby” or “Bobbie” Geigerman Costello. Contemporary and later records do not always use the same spelling, which can make biographical research confusing.
Below is an overview of what is known about her background, marriage, public records, and later life, while distinguishing established information from details that remain uncertain.
Quick Facts About Lauretta Giegerman
- Name: Lauretta Giegerman
- Other names: Loretta Geigerman, Loretta Costello, Loretta B. Costello
- Nickname: Bobby or Bobbie
- Born: Commonly reported as 1894 in Manhattan, New York
- Known for: Being the longtime wife of Frank Costello
- Husband: Frank Costello, born Francesco Castiglia
- Reported occupation before marriage: Showgirl
- Children: Generally described in biographical sources as having no children
- Family name variations: Giegerman and Geigerman
- Later life: Largely private and poorly documented
Because surviving records are incomplete, some details about her birth date, family history, marriage date, and death have been reported differently by various sources.
Who Was Lauretta Giegerman?
Lauretta Giegerman was primarily known publicly as the wife of Frank Costello, the Italian-American organized-crime figure associated with New York’s underworld. Costello became famous for his influence, gambling interests, political relationships, and long career in organized crime.
Unlike her husband, Lauretta did not become a major public personality. Available historical material generally presents her as Costello’s wife rather than as a criminal leader or public figure in her own right.
This distinction is important. Being married to a notorious person does not, by itself, establish that the spouse participated in that person’s criminal activities. Available sources do not provide strong evidence establishing Lauretta as a leader or formal member of Costello’s organization.
Lauretta Giegerman’s Early Life
Information about Lauretta’s childhood is limited. Several modern biographical accounts place her birth in Manhattan in 1894, with October 28 sometimes given as her date of birth. However, not every source agrees on the precise details.
Her family name is generally recorded as Geigerman, although Giegerman has become a common spelling in modern searches. This difference is one reason readers can encounter apparently conflicting information about the same person.
Her early education, childhood experiences, and ambitions are not extensively documented in mainstream historical sources. Much of the surviving information about her begins with her adult life and her relationship with Frank Costello.
Was Lauretta Giegerman a Showgirl?
One of the better-known details about Lauretta’s early adult life is her reported work as a showgirl.
A 1949 TIME profile of Frank Costello described his wife, Loretta “Bobby” Geigerman Costello, as a former showgirl. This contemporary reference is useful because it predates many modern internet biographies and directly connects the name variations with Costello’s wife.
However, information about her entertainment career remains limited. There is not enough reliable evidence to construct a complete list of theaters, performances, or dates associated with her work.
Consequently, claims portraying her as a major entertainment celebrity should be treated cautiously unless supported by primary historical records.
Lauretta Giegerman and Frank Costello
Lauretta’s historical significance is closely connected to her marriage to Frank Costello. Costello was born Francesco Castiglia and eventually became one of New York’s most recognized organized-crime figures.
The couple’s marriage lasted for decades and covered some of the most important periods in Costello’s life. During their relationship, Costello faced investigations, public scrutiny, legal difficulties, and conflicts within the organized-crime world.
While his activities generated extensive newspaper coverage, Lauretta remained comparatively private. This contrast between her husband’s public notoriety and her limited public presence is one of the central features of her biography.
Some modern sources give different years for the marriage, including 1914 and 1918. This disagreement demonstrates why biographical claims about Lauretta should be checked against contemporary records rather than repeated simply because they appear frequently online.
Why Does Her Name Have Different Spellings?
Searching for Lauretta Giegerman can lead to several different names. These include:
- Lauretta Giegerman
- Loretta Geigerman
- Loretta Costello
- Loretta B. Costello
- Loretta “Bobby” Costello
- Bobbie Costello
The variation appears to result from differences between historical records, newspaper reporting, and later biographies.
For readers interested in genealogy or historical research, this is particularly important. Searching only one spelling may cause relevant documents to be missed.
The name Loretta Geigerman appears frequently in historical material, while Lauretta Giegerman is a common modern search term.
Her Life Beside a Famous Organized-Crime Figure
Frank Costello’s public life brought considerable attention to the people around him. He became known for his relationships with figures in politics, business, gambling, and organized crime.
Lauretta, however, generally remained outside that public narrative.
There is no reliable evidence that she attempted to build a public career around her husband’s reputation. Instead, the available descriptions portray her as a private person who lived alongside Costello during decades of intense public scrutiny.
Her story therefore provides a different perspective on organized-crime history. Rather than focusing on criminal operations themselves, it illustrates how the personal lives of people connected to famous historical figures can remain poorly documented.
What Happened After Frank Costello’s Death?
Frank Costello died in New York in 1973. His death marked the end of a marriage that had lasted for many decades.
After his death, information about Lauretta becomes even more limited. Some modern websites provide specific claims about her later years and death, but these details are not consistently supported by strong primary documentation.
For that reason, it is better to describe her later life cautiously. The lack of reliable public information does not mean that nothing happened during those years; it means that historians and researchers have fewer well-documented sources available.
This uncertainty is particularly relevant to searches for Lauretta Giegerman’s death, because different online biographies may provide conflicting information.
Was Lauretta Giegerman Involved in the Mafia?
Lauretta is frequently described online as a “mob wife” because of her marriage to Frank Costello. However, that phrase can blur an important distinction between being married to an organized-crime figure and personally participating in organized crime.
Available biographical material does not establish Lauretta as a Mafia leader or criminal operator. Most documentation concerning her relates to her identity as Costello’s wife and to family or financial records.
Therefore, descriptions of her should distinguish between her personal connection to Costello and claims about criminal involvement.
Why Is Lauretta Giegerman Still Interesting Today?
Interest in Lauretta Giegerman continues partly because Frank Costello remains an important subject in the history of American organized crime.
Her life also raises broader questions about the people who lived alongside famous historical figures. Costello generated thousands of pages of reporting and official attention, while Lauretta left behind a much smaller documentary footprint.
Modern films, documentaries, biographies, and online discussions about Costello have consequently renewed interest in his wife. Recent coverage has also noted that the character of Bobbie Costello appeared in the 2025 film The Alto Knights, bringing renewed public attention to the historical figure behind the name.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lauretta Giegerman
Who was Lauretta Giegerman?
Lauretta Giegerman was the longtime wife of Frank Costello, a prominent New York organized-crime figure. Historical sources also identify her as Loretta Geigerman and Loretta Costello.
Was Lauretta Giegerman a showgirl?
A 1949 TIME profile described Costello’s wife as a former showgirl named Loretta “Bobby” Geigerman Costello. Details about the full extent of her entertainment career are limited.
What was Lauretta Giegerman known for?
She is primarily known today because of her long marriage to Frank Costello. Unlike her husband, she largely remained outside the public spotlight.
Did Lauretta Giegerman have children?
Modern biographical sources generally describe the Costello marriage as childless, although researchers should distinguish this repeated secondary claim from independently verified primary documentation.
What happened to Lauretta Giegerman after Frank Costello died?
Her later life is not well documented in widely available reliable sources. Many websites provide additional details, but some of these claims conflict with one another.
Conclusion
Lauretta Giegerman remains a relatively mysterious historical figure. Her name is closely associated with Frank Costello, yet her own life received far less public attention than that of her husband. Records and contemporary reporting identify her through several names, including Loretta Geigerman and Loretta Costello, while a 1949 TIME profile described her as a former showgirl.
The most responsible way to understand Lauretta Giegerman is to separate documented facts from later claims that are difficult to verify. Her long marriage to Frank Costello is central to her story, but the limited surviving information about her personal life also reminds us how incomplete historical biographies can be.