Comedian Jerry Lewis says Frank Sinatra was a mob courier who once carried $3.5 million past New York customs agents for gangster Meyer Lansky.

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The claim, contained in a forthcoming book on the singer, is elaborated upon in Vanity Fair's June edition, which contains excerpts from "Sinatra: The Life," by Anthony Summers and Robbyn Swan.

Lewis said with Sinatra "a handshake goes before God" and the singer knew the Mafia was expanding beyond New York and Chicago and wanted in, the New York Daily News said Wednesday.

"Frank, at a cocktail party, told Meyer (Lansky) in no uncertain terms, 'If there is going to be East Coast, West Coast, intercontinental and foreign -- if all that's going to happen, I go all the time, Meyer,'" Lewis said.

Luciano took him up on his offer and used him to bring $3.5 million into New York.

Summers and Swan cite other examples where Sinatra allegedly benefited from having friends like Charles "Lucky" Luciano and Sam Giancana.

For example, when mobster Bugsy Siegel blocked Sinatra from working in Las Vegas, Luciano ordered the hit that killed Siegel.