Buddy Cianci Dies at 74

PROVIDENCE, RI—Former Providence Mayor Vincent “Buddy” Cianci has died.

He was 74.

Cianci was a legendary political figure in Rhode Island, serving as the capitol city’s mayor for many years and being credited for leading the revival of Providence in beginning in the 1980s.

His long career in public service is marked by remarkable political savvy, skill and scandal. While he helped lead the transformation of Providence’s downtown, he also served time in federal prison for racketeering and conspiracy.

WPRI has a solid summary of Cianci’s career and life.

Cianci died Thursday morning at around 9:30 a.m. after being rushed to Miriam Hospital on Wednesday after he fell ill during a taping of his ABC6 program, “On The Record.”

This story is being updated. . . .