FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * LEBOW BENNETT S   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol VECTOR GROUP LTD [VGR] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director __X__ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O VECTOR GROUP LTD., 100 S.E. SECOND STREET 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 05/15/2009 (Street) MIAMI, FL 33131 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 05/15/2009   J(1)   1,000,000 D $ 0 (1) 5,729,585 I By LeBow Gamma Limited Parnership (3) Common Stock 05/15/2009   J(1)   1,000,000 A $ 0 (1) 1,000,000 I By LeBow Alpha LLLP (4) Common Stock 05/15/2009   J(2)   1,000,000 D $ 0 (2) 0 I By LeBow Alpha LLLP (4) Common Stock               656,885 I By LeBow Epsilon Investment Trust (5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
LEBOW BENNETT S C/O VECTOR GROUP LTD. 100 S.E. SECOND STREET MIAMI, FL 33131	X	X

Signatures

/s/Bennett S. LeBow		05/18/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Represents a transfer by LeBow Gamma Limited Partnership to LeBow Alpha LLLP.
(2)	Represents a transfer by LeBow Alpha LLLP to LeBow Family Irrevocable Trust, a trust whose beneficiaries are the children and grandchildren of Mr. LeBow. Mr. LeBow does not possess beneficial ownership of the shares held by the trust for the purpose of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
(3)	LeBow Gamma Limited Partnership is a Nevada limited partnership. LeBow Holdings, Inc., a Nevada corporation, is the sole stockholder of LeBow Gamma Inc., a Nevada corporation, which is the general partner of LeBow Gamma Limited Partnership. Mr. LeBow is a director, officer and sole stockholder of LeBow Holdings, Inc. and a director and officer of LeBow Gamma, Inc.
(4)	LeBow Alpha LLLP is a Delaware limited liability limited partnership. LeBow Holdings, Inc. is the general partner of LeBow Alpha LLLP.
(5)	Mr. LeBow is the sole trustee of the LeBow Epsilon Investments Trust

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