Mafia 20-30s. Sociocultural phenomenon - mafia in the USA

The world has long been fighting the state against criminal clans, but the mafia is still alive. Currently, there are many criminal groups, each of which has its own boss and mastermind. Crime bosses often feel unpunished and create real criminal empires, intimidating civilians and government officials. They live by their own laws, violation of which often leads to death. This article presents 10 famous mafiosi who really left a noticeable mark on the history of the mafia.

1. Al Capone

Al Capone was a legend in underworld 30-40s last century and is still considered the most famous mafioso in history. The authoritative Al Capone struck fear into everyone, including the government. This American gangster of Italian origin developed the gambling business, was involved in bootlegging, racketeering, and drugs. It was he who introduced the concept of racketeering.

When the family moved to the United States in search of a better life, he was forced to work hard. He worked in a pharmacy and a bowling alley, and even in a candy store. However, Al Capone was attracted to the nocturnal lifestyle. At the age of 19, while working in a billiards club, he made a cheeky comment about the wife of criminal Frank Galluccio. After the resulting fight and stabbing, he was left with a scar on his left cheek. The daring Al Capone learned to skillfully handle knives and was invited to the Gang of Five Smoking Barrels. Known for his cruelty in dealing with competitors, he organized the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, when, on his orders, seven tough mafiosi from Bugs Moran's group were shot.
His cunning helped him get out and avoid punishment for the crimes he committed. The only thing he was put in prison for was tax evasion. After leaving prison, where he spent 5 years, his health was undermined. He contracted syphilis from one of the prostitutes and died at the age of 48.

2. Lucky Luciano

Charles Luciano, born in Sicily, moved with his family to America in search of a decent life. Over time, he became a symbol of crime and one of the toughest gangsters in history. Since childhood, street punks have become a comfortable environment for him. He actively distributed drugs and went to prison at the age of 18. During the prohibition of alcohol in the United States, he was a member of the Gang of Four and smuggled alcohol. He was a penniless immigrant, like his friends, and ended up making millions of dollars from crime. Lucky organized a group of bootleggers, the so-called “Big Seven,” and defended it from the authorities.

He later became the leader of Cosa Nostra and controlled all areas of activity in the criminal environment. Maranzano's gangsters tried to find out where he was hiding drugs and to do this they tricked him into taking him to the highway, where they tortured, cut and beat him. Luciano kept the secret. Bloody body without signs of life, he was thrown onto the side of the road and 8 hours later he was found by a police patrol. The hospital gave him 60 stitches and saved his life. After that they began to call him Lucky. (Lucky).

3. Pablo Escobar

Pablo Escobar is the most famous brutal Colombian drug lord. He created a real drug empire and arranged the supply of cocaine around the world on a huge scale. Young Escobar grew up in poor areas of Medellin and began his illegal activities by stealing tombstones and reselling them with erased inscriptions to resellers. In addition, he sought to earn easy money by selling drugs and cigarettes, as well as counterfeiting lottery tickets. Later, theft of expensive cars, racketeering, robberies and kidnappings were added to the scope of criminal activity.

At the age of 22, Escobar had already become a famous authority in poor neighborhoods. The poor supported him as he built them cheap housing. After becoming the head of a drug cartel, he earned billions. In 1989, his fortune was more than 15 billion. During his criminal activities, he was involved in the murders of more than a thousand police officers, journalists, several hundred judges and prosecutors, and various officials.

4. John Gotti

John Gotti was a household name in New York. He was called the “Teflon Don,” because all the accusations miraculously flew away from him, leaving him unsullied. He was a very resourceful mafioso who worked his way from the bottom to the very top of the Gambino family. His flamboyant and elegant style also earned him the nickname "The Elegant Don". While managing the family, he was involved in typical criminal matters: racketeering, theft, car theft, murder. The boss's right hand in all crimes has always been his friend Salvatore Gravano. As a result, this became a fatal mistake for John Gotti. In 1992, Salvatore began cooperating with the FBI, testified against Gotti, and sent him to prison for life. In 2002, John Gotti died in prison from throat cancer.

5. Carlo Gambino

Gambino is a Sicilian gangster who led one of the most powerful crime families in America and led it until his death. As a teenager, he began stealing and extorting. Later he switched to bootlegging. When he became the boss of the Gambino family, he made it the richest and most powerful by controlling such lucrative facilities as the state port and airport. During its heyday, the Gambino criminal group consisted of more than 40 teams and controlled major American cities (New York, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and others). Gambino did not welcome drug trafficking by members of his group, as he considered it a dangerous business that attracted a lot of attention.

6. Meir Lansky

Meir Lansky is a Jew born in Belarus. At the age of 9 he moved with his family to New York. Since childhood, he became friends with Charles “Lucky” Luciano, which predetermined his fate. For decades, Meir Lansky was one of America's most important crime bosses. During Prohibition in America, he was involved in the illegal transportation and sale of alcoholic drinks. Later, the National Crime Syndicate was created and a network of underground bars and bookmakers was opened. For many years, Meir Lansky developed a gambling empire in the United States. In the end, tired of constant police surveillance, he leaves for Israel on a visa for 2 years. The FBI demanded his extradition. After his visa expires, he wants to move to another state, but no one accepts him. He returns to the United States, where he awaits trial. The charges were dropped, but the passport was revoked. Last years lived in Miami and died in a hospital from cancer.

7. Joseph Bonanno

This mafioso occupied a special place in the American criminal world. At the age of 15, the Sicilian boy was left an orphan. He moved to the United States illegally, where he quickly joined criminal circles. He created the influential Bonanno crime family and ruled it for 30 years. Over time, they began to call him “Banana Joe.” Having reached the status of the richest mafioso in history, he voluntarily retired. He wanted to live the rest of his life quietly in his personal luxurious mansion. For a while he was forgotten by everyone. But the release of the autobiography was an unprecedented act for the mafia and once again attracted attention to him. He was even sent to prison for a year. Joseph Bonanno died at the age of 97, surrounded by relatives.

8. Alberto Anastasia

Albert Anastasia was called the head of the Gambino, one of the 5 mafia clans. He was nicknamed the Chief Executioner because his group, Murder, Inc., was responsible for over 600 deaths. He never went to prison for any of them. When a case was opened against him, it was unclear where the main prosecution witnesses disappeared to. Alberto Anastasia liked to get rid of witnesses. He called Lucky Luciano his teacher and was devoted to him. Anastasia carried out assassinations of the leaders of other criminal groups on Lucky's order. However, in 1957, Albert Anastasia himself was killed in a hairdresser, ordered by his competitors.

9. Vincent Gigante

Vincent Gigante is a well-known mafioso authority who controlled crime in New York and other major American cities. He dropped out of school in 9th grade and switched to boxing. He became involved in a criminal gang at the age of 17. Since then, his rise in the criminal world began. He first became a godfather and then a consolere (adviser). Since 1981, he became the leader of the Genovese family. Vincent earned the nickname "Boss Crazy" and "Pajama King" for his erratic behavior and walking around New York City in a bathrobe. It was a simulation of a mental disorder.
For 40 years he avoided prison by posing as a madman. In 1997, he was nevertheless sentenced to 12 years. Even while in prison, he continued to give instructions to gang members through his son Vincent Esposito. In 2005, the mafioso died in prison from heart problems.

10. Heriberto Lazcano

For a long time, Heriberto Lazcano was on the list of wanted and most dangerous criminals Mexico. From the age of 17 he served in the Mexican army and in a special unit to combat drug cartels. A couple of years later he went over to the side of drug gangsters when he was recruited by the Gulf cartel. After a while, he became the leader of one of the largest and most respected drug cartels - Los Zetas. Due to his boundless cruelty against competitors, bloody murders against officials, public figures, police and civilians (including women and children), he received the nickname Executioner. More than 47 thousand people died as a result of the massacres. When Heriberto Lazcano was killed in 2012, all of Mexico breathed a sigh of relief.

The shady underground world of the Mafia has captured the imagination of people for many years. The luxurious but criminal lifestyle of thieves' groups has become an ideal for many. But why are we so fascinated by these men and women who are, in essence, just bandits living at the expense of those who are unable to defend themselves?

The fact is that the mafia is not just some organized criminal group. Gangsters are seen as heroes rather than the villains they truly are. The criminal lifestyle looks like something out of a Hollywood movie. Sometimes that's what it is hollywood movie: Many of them are based on real events from the life of the mafia. In the cinema, crime is ennobled, and it already seems to the viewer that these bandits are heroes who died in vain. As America gradually forgets about the days of Prohibition, it is also forgotten that bandits were looked upon as saviors who fought against an evil government. They were the Robin Hoods of the working class, pitted against impossible and strict laws. In addition, people tend to admire the powerful, rich and beautiful people and idealize them.

However, not everyone is blessed with such charisma, and many major politicians are hated rather than admired by everyone. Gangsters know how to use their charm to appear more attractive to society. It is based on heritage, on family history associated with emigration, poverty and unemployment. The classic rags to riches storyline has captivated attention for centuries. There are at least fifteen such heroes in the history of the mafia.

Frank Costello

Frank Costello was from Italy, like many other famous mafiosi. He headed the feared and famous Luciano family in the criminal world. Frank moved to New York at the age of four and, as soon as he grew up, immediately found his place in the world of crime, leading gangs. When it's sad famous Charles Luciano, nicknamed Lucky, went to prison in 1936, Costello quickly rose through the “career” ladder, leading the Luciano clan, later known as the Genovese clan.

He was called the Prime Minister because he ruled the criminal world and really wanted to get into politics, connecting the Mafia and Tammany Hall, political society US Democratic Party in New York. The ubiquitous Costello ran casinos and gaming clubs throughout the country, as well as in Cuba and other Caribbean islands. He was extremely popular and respected among his people. Vito Corleone, the hero of the 1972 film The Godfather, is believed to be based on Costello. Of course, he also had enemies: in 1957, an attempt was made on his life, during which the mafioso was wounded in the head, but miraculously survived. He died only in 1973 from a heart attack.

Jack Diamond

Jack "Legs" Diamond was born in Philadelphia in 1897. He was a significant figure during Prohibition and a leader of organized crime in the United States. Earning the nickname Legs for his ability to quickly evade pursuit and extravagant dancing, Diamond was also known for unprecedented cruelty and murder. His criminal escapades in New York went down in history, as did his liquor smuggling organizations in and around the city.

Realizing that this was very profitable, Diamond moved on to larger prey, organizing truck robberies and opening underground liquor stores. But it was the order to kill the famous gangster Nathan Kaplan that helped him strengthen his status in the world of crime, putting him on a par with such serious guys as Lucky Luciano and Dutch Schultz, who later stood in his way. Although Diamond was feared, he became a target himself on several occasions, earning the nicknames Skeet and the Unkillable Man due to his ability to get away with it every time. But one day his luck ran out and he was shot dead in 1931. Diamond's killer was never found.

John Gotti

Known for leading New York's notorious and virtually invulnerable Gambino mob family during the turn of the 1980s and 1990s, John Joseph Gotti Jr. became one of the most powerful men in the Mafia. He grew up in poverty, one of thirteen children. He quickly joined the criminal atmosphere, becoming the six of the local gangster and his mentor Aniello Dellacroce. In 1980, Gotti's 12-year-old son Frank was crushed to death by neighbor and family friend John Favara. Although the incident was ruled an accident, Favara received numerous threats and was later attacked with a baseball bat. A few months later, Favara disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and his body has still not been found.

With his impeccable good looks and stereotypical gangster style, Gotti quickly became a tabloid darling, earning the nickname The Teflon Don. He was in and out of prison, difficult to catch red-handed, and each time he ended up behind bars for a short period of time. However, in 1990, thanks to wiretapping and insider information The FBI finally caught Gotti and charged him with murder and extortion. Gotti died in prison in 2002 from laryngeal cancer and at the end of his life he faintly resembled the Teflon Don who never left the pages of the tabloids.

Frank Sinatra

That's right, Sinatra himself was once an alleged associate of gangster Sam Giancana and even the ubiquitous Lucky Luciano. He once stated: “If it weren’t for my interest in music, I probably would have ended up in the criminal world.” Sinatra was exposed as having ties to the mafia when his participation in the so-called Havana Conference, a mafia meeting in 1946, became known. Newspaper headlines then shouted: “Shame on Sinatra!” Sinatra’s double life became known not only to newspaper reporters, but also to the FBI, which had been monitoring the singer since the beginning of his career. His personal file contained 2,403 pages of interactions with the mafia.

What stirred the public the most was his relationship with John F. Kennedy before he became president. Sinatra allegedly used his contacts in the criminal world to help the future leader in the presidential election campaign. The mafia lost faith in Sinatra because of his friendship with Robert Kennedy, who was involved in the fight against organized crime, and Giancana turned his back on the singer. Then the FBI calmed down a little. Despite obvious evidence and information linking Sinatra to such major mafia figures, the singer himself often denied any relationship with gangsters, calling such statements a lie.

Mickey Cohen

Myer "Mickey" Harris Cohen has been a pain in the LAPD's ass for years. He had a stake in every branch of organized crime in Los Angeles and several other states. Cohen was born in New York but moved to Los Angeles with his family when he was six years old. After starting a promising career in boxing, Cohen abandoned the sport to follow the path of crime and ended up in Chicago, where he worked for the famous Al Capone.

After several successful years during the Prohibition era, Cohen was sent to Los Angeles under the patronage of the famous Las Vegas gangster Bugsy Siegel. Siegel's murder struck a nerve with the sensitive Cohen, and the police began to take notice of the violent and hot-tempered bandit. After several assassination attempts, Cohen turned his home into a fortress, installing alarm systems, floodlights and bulletproof gates, and hiring Johnny Stompanato, who was then dating Hollywood actress Lana Turner, as a bodyguard.

In 1961, when Cohen was still influential, he was convicted of tax evasion and sent to the famous Alcatraz prison. He became the only prisoner who was released from this prison on bail. Despite numerous assassination attempts and constant manhunt, Cohen died in his sleep at the age of 62.

Henry Hill

Henry Hill inspired the creators of one of the best films about the mafia - “Goodfellas”. It was he who said the phrase: “For as long as I can remember, I always wanted to become a gangster.” Hill was born in New York in 1943 into an honest, working family with no connections to the mafia. However, in his youth he joined the Lucchese clan due to the large number of bandits in his area. He began to quickly advance in his career, but due to the fact that he was of both Irish and Italian descent, he could not take a high position.

Once Hill was arrested for beating a gambler who refused to pay the money he lost and was sentenced to ten years in prison. It was then that he realized that the lifestyle he led in freedom was essentially similar to that behind bars, and he constantly received some kind of preferences. After his release, Hill became seriously involved in selling drugs, which is why he was arrested. He surrendered his entire gang and overthrew several very influential gangsters. He entered the federal witness protection program in 1980, but blew his cover two years later and the program ended. Despite this, he managed to live to the age of 69. Hill died in 2012 from heart problems.

James Bulger

Another Alcatraz veteran is James Bulger, nicknamed Whitey. He received this nickname because of his silky blond hair. Bulger grew up in Boston and from the very beginning caused a lot of problems for his parents, running away from home several times and once even joining a traveling circus. Bulger was first arrested at the age of 14, but this did not stop him, and by the end of the 1970s he found himself in the criminal underground.

Bulger worked for the mafia clan, but at the same time he was an FBI informant and told the police about the affairs of the once famous Patriarca clan. As Bulger expanded his own criminal network, police began to pay more attention to him rather than the information he provided. As a result, Bulger had to escape from Boston, and he ended up on the list of the most wanted criminals for fifteen years.

Bulger was caught in 2011 and charged with several crimes, including 19 murders, money laundering, extortion and drug trafficking. After a trial that lasted two months, the notorious gang leader was found guilty and sentenced to two life sentences and an additional five years, and Boston could finally rest easy.

Bugsy Siegel

Known for his Las Vegas casino and criminal empire, Benjamin Siegelbaum, known in the criminal world as Bugsy Siegel, is one of the most notorious gangsters in modern history. Starting with a mediocre Brooklyn gang, young Bugsy met another aspiring bandit, Meer Lansky, and created the Murder Inc. group, specializing in contract killings. It included gangsters of Jewish origin.

Becoming increasingly famous in the world of crime, Siegel sought to kill old New York gangsters and even had a hand in eliminating Joe “The Boss” Masseria. After several years of smuggling and shootings on the West Coast, Siegel began to earn large sums and acquired connections in Hollywood. A real star he became thanks to his Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The $1.5 million project was financed from the bandit common fund, but during construction the estimate was significantly exceeded. Siegel's old friend and partner Lansky decided that Siegel was stealing funds and partially investing in legal businesses. He was brutally killed in own home, riddled with bullets, and Lansky quickly took control of the Flamingo Hotel, denying any involvement in the murder.

Vito Genovese

Vito Genovese, known as Don Vito, was an Italian-American gangster who rose to fame during Prohibition and beyond. He was also called the Boss of Bosses and led the famous Genovese clan. He is famous for making heroin a popular drug.

Genovese was born in Italy and moved to New York in 1913. Quickly joining criminal circles, Genovese soon met Lucky Luciano, and together they destroyed their rival, gangster Salvatore Maranzano. Escaping from the police, Genovese returned to his native Italy, where he remained until the end of World War II, making friends with Benito Mussolini himself. Upon his return, he immediately returned to his old lifestyle, seizing power in the world of crime and once again becoming the man everyone feared. In 1959, he was accused of drug trafficking and sent to prison for 15 years. In 1969, Genovese died of a heart attack at the age of 71.

Lucky Luciano

Charles Luciano, nicknamed Lucky, was seen many times in criminal adventures with other gangsters. Luciano received his nickname due to the fact that he survived a dangerous stab wound. He is called the founder of the modern mafia. Over the years of his mafia career, he managed to organize the murders of two major bosses and create an absolutely new principle functioning of organized crime. He had a hand in creating the famous "Five Families" of New York and the national crime syndicate.

Living the high life for quite a long time, Lucky became a popular character among the population and the police. Maintaining the image and stylish look, Lucky began to attract attention, as a result of which he was charged with organizing prostitution. When he was behind bars, he continued to conduct business both outside and inside. It is believed that he even had his own cook there. After his release he was sent to Italy, but settled in Havana. Under pressure from the US authorities, the Cuban government was forced to get rid of him, and Lucky went to Italy forever. He died of a heart attack in 1962 at the age of 64.

Maria Licciardi

Although the world of the mafia is mainly a world of men, it cannot be said that there were no women among the mafiosi. Maria Licciardi was born in Italy in 1951 and led the Licciardi clan, a notorious Camorra, Neapolitan criminal group. Licciardi, nicknamed the Godmother, is still very famous in Italy, and much of her family has ties to the Neapolitan mafia. Licciardi specialized in drug trafficking and racketeering. She took over the clan when her two brothers and husband were arrested. Although many were unhappy since she became the first female head of a mafia clan, she managed to quell the unrest and successfully unite several city clans, expanding the drug trade market.

In addition to her activities in the field of drug trafficking, Licciardi is also known for human trafficking. She used underage girls from neighboring countries, such as Albania, forcing them to work as prostitutes, thus violating the long-standing Neapolitan Mafia code of honor that one should not make money from prostitution. After a heroin deal went wrong, Licciardi was placed on the most wanted list and arrested in 2001. Now she is behind bars, but, according to rumors, Maria Licciardi continues to lead the clan, which has no intention of stopping.

Frank Nitti

Known as the face of Al Capone's Chicago crime syndicate, Frank "Bouncer" Nitti became the top man in the Italian-American Mafia once Al Capone was behind bars. Nitti was born in Italy and came to the United States when he was only seven years old. It didn't take long before he started getting into trouble, which attracted the attention of Al Capone. In his criminal empire, Nitti quickly succeeded.

As a reward for his impressive successes during Prohibition, Nitti became one of Al Capone's closest associates and strengthened his position in the Chicago crime syndicate, also called the Chicago Outfit. Although he was nicknamed the Bouncer, Nitti delegated tasks rather than breaking bones himself, and often orchestrated multiple approaches during raids and attacks. In 1931, Nitti and Capone were sent to prison for tax evasion, where Nitti suffered terrible bouts of claustrophobia that plagued him for the rest of his life.

Upon his release, Nitti became the new leader of the Chicago Outfit, having survived assassination attempts by rival mafia groups and even the police. When things got really bad and Nitti realized that arrest could not be avoided, he shot himself in the head so that he would never suffer from claustrophobia again.

Sam Giancana

Another respected gangster in the underworld is Sam "Mooney" Giancana, who was once the most powerful gangster in Chicago. Having started out as a driver in Al Capone's inner circle, Giancana quickly made his way to the top, making acquaintances with several politicians, including the Kennedy clan. Giancana was even called to testify in a case in which the CIA organized an assassination attempt on Cuban leader Fidel Castro. Giancana was believed to have key information.

Not only was Giancana's name involved in the case, but there were also rumors that the mafia had made huge contributions to John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign, including ballot stuffing in Chicago. The connection between Giancana and Kennedy was increasingly discussed, and many believed that Frank Sinatra was an intermediary to deflect the Feds' suspicions.

Things soon went downhill due to speculation that the Mafia had a hand in the assassination of JFK. After spending the rest of his life wanted by the CIA and rival clans, Giancana was shot in the back of the head while cooking in his basement. There were many versions of the murder, but the perpetrator was never found.

Meer Lansky

Just as influential as Lucky Luciano, if not more, Meer Lansky, whose real name is Meer Sukhomlyansky, was born in the city of Grodno, which then belonged to the Russian Empire. Having moved to America at a young age, Lansky learned the taste of the streets by fighting for money. Not only could Lansky take care of himself, but he was also exceptionally smart. Becoming an integral part of the emerging world of American organized crime, Lansky was at one point one of the most powerful men in the United States, if not the world, with operations in Cuba and several other countries.

Lansky, who was friends with such high-ranking mobsters as Bugsy Siegel and Lucky Luciano, was both a feared and respected man. He was a major player in the alcohol smuggling market during Prohibition, running a very profitable business. When things went better than expected, Lansky became nervous and decided to retire by emigrating to Israel. However, he was deported back to the US two years later, but still managed to avoid prison as he died of lung cancer at the age of 80.

Al Capone

Alfonso Gabriel Capone, nicknamed the Great Al, needs no introduction. Perhaps this is the most famous gangster throughout history and he is known all over the world. Capone came from a respected and prosperous family. At the age of 14, he was kicked out of school for hitting a teacher, and he decided to take a different path, plunging into the world of organized crime.

Under the influence of gangster Johnny Torrio, Capone began his path to fame. He earned a scar that earned him the nickname Scarface. Doing everything from alcohol smuggling to murder, Capone was immune to the police, free to move around and do as he pleased.

The games ended when Al Capone's name became involved in a brutal mass murder, which was called the Valentine's Day Massacre. Several gangsters from rival gangs died in this massacre. The police could not attribute the crime to Capone himself, but they had other ideas: he was arrested for tax evasion and sentenced to eleven years in prison. Later, when the gangster's health deteriorated greatly due to illness, he was released on bail. He died of a heart attack in 1947, but the world of crime was changed forever.

Mafia... and what do you imagine when you pronounce this word? Most likely, respectable and serious men in perfectly fitting formal suits, hats that cast a shadow on their stern faces, and coats casually thrown over them.

Irresistible Al Pacino as Michael Corleone (The Godfather)

Yes, this is a classic look mafia, inspired by cinema. However, mafiosi were not always like this, because in films we most often witness the so-called “golden years” American mafia, namely the 30-60s of the last century. The Mafia is one of the most powerful criminal organizations; The mafia has a clear hierarchical structure (you will learn about it later), ideal subordination and discipline. The organization exists according to practically military laws, any non-compliance with which threatens the violator with death. This is what allowed mafia to exist for so long and successfully in many countries of the world, including America. The mafia is formed by purebred Italians, or Italians of American origin (in). The mafia itself originated in Italy, and the exact date of its appearance cannot be given. At the latest this was at the beginning of the 19th century, when in Italy all power was concentrated among rich landowners and the elite of society, who did not care about the fate of the poor and, moreover, spread rot on them in every possible way. First mafia and emerged from such persecuted poor people who simply had nothing to lose. Initially, their goal was simply to survive and feed themselves and their family, nothing more. Quite a lot important role The mentality of this country also played a role, where the concepts of honor and justice are exaggerated, and people have an explosive character. They are exaggerated in comparison with modern European society; in fact, the concepts of honor and justice, as well as duty and rightness, cannot be exaggerated in principle. Well, this is how the residents of a hot (in every sense) southern country, driven into a dead end, behaved. The word itself mafia appeared for the first time in the title of a national Italian performance: Mafioso from Vicaria prison(I mafiusi di la Vicaria). The word "mafiusu" from the Sicilian dialect can be translated in two meanings:

1) bully, hooligan; arrogant, self-confident;

2) fearless, enterprising, proud.

By and large, this translation makes it clear who the first mafia what they were like. And they were what a real man and warrior should be. Small Motherland mafia considered Sicily. This is an area of ​​Italy located at the very end of the “boot”. This organization was called “Cosa Nostra”, which translated means “Our Cause”. But around the same time as Cosa Nostra, a similar organization bearing the name Camorra appeared in another part of Italy, namely in Naples. Moreover, such associations arose throughout Italy. Here are the most famous of them: Vongola, 'Ndrangheta (Calabria), Stidda (Sicilian provinces of Caltanissetta and Agrigento), Sacra Corona Unita (Apulia). In brackets is the area of ​​influence of the organization.

Approximate areas of origin of mafia families in Italy

Currently the concept mafia implies a single group, without division into regions. And the phrase “mafia” became synonymous with the word Cosa Nostra(Our Business). Moreover, the word mafia is now often used to refer to any ethnic criminal group. For example, the Russian mafia, the Irish mafia. However, the original meaning of the word mafia is an Italian ethnic group of a criminal nature. But this general information about the mafia, while society is more familiar with the image American mafioso, an expensive criminal in the scenery big city. How mafia appeared in United States of America? Yes, just like most customs and elements of the cultures of other countries - with representatives of these cultures, with immigrants. Italians appeared in small numbers in USA almost from the very beginning, but Italian immigration became widespread in the 1880s. The flow of immigrants from Italy began to weaken only after the 50s of the 20th century and, as you might guess, there were quite a lot of immigrants. Currently in United States of America there are 15-20 million people who have full or partial Italian ancestry. And this is approximately 7% of the total US population. For comparison, Italy itself is home to about 60 million people. It was then, along with many Italian traditions and the Italian language, that mafia. Representatives of the Camorra, Cosa Nostra, 'Ndrangheta, Steida and other criminal families sought salvation from the laws of their country in America, or simply sought a better life. Many Italians joined the organization already in the United States. The first mafiosi were engaged in usury (they gave money at interest), racketeering (owners of shops and public institutions were forced to pay rent for “protection”), kidnapping with subsequent ransom demands and robberies. Enterprising and fearless Italians entered into all areas of business, trade and entrepreneurship that they could reach, often becoming owners of businesses or real estate through fraudulent or forceful methods. Among other things, they were engaged in fraud and scams different levels, set up illegal sweepstakes and underground casinos, accepting bets from everyone, including the unemployed and other dubious individuals. The main advantage of such underground betting was that after winning there was no need to pay taxes to the state.

Alphonse Capone - The Most famous gangster 30s

But the main flourishing mafia The duration of Prohibition is considered to be USA. Already starting from the end of the 19th century, the United States of America began to gradually limit the production and sale of alcohol, and also began to make attempts to ban the sale of alcohol completely in some states. Such amendments to the law were introduced to reduce the number of murders and robberies associated with excessive alcohol consumption. And so, in 1919, by the Eighteenth Amendment of the Constitution, alcohol was completely prohibited throughout the United States of America. But the adoption of this law had the exact opposite effect to the expected: the country was subjected to total corruption and illegal business, colossal sums were hidden from state treasury, and non-compliance with Prohibition in some states and cities reached almost absolute levels. By the numbers, non-compliance with Prohibition in New York was 95%. Truly, this was a tasty morsel for any criminal group. Many criminal communities, including mafia, established massive supplies and sales of illegal alcohol, most of which was imported from Canada (the famous Canadian whiskey of the Prohibition era). There were also clandestine factories for the production of the potion on the territory of the USA. In the struggle for power American mafia turned out to be the most powerful organization, removing or suspending almost all competitors. It was on this amendment that the famous gangster Alphonse Capone and many other famous figures of the criminal world made their name. At times there were real paramilitary clashes between different factions, attacks on whiskey caravans, hijackings of trucks with alcohol and classic “showdowns”. It was truly a goldmine for mafia 20-30s. Well-established supply channels brought huge profits, moreover, trade was not subject to taxes, and a dominant position mafia in the underworld USA made the organization an almost complete monopolist in the industry of selling illegal alcohol. Mafia rose above other criminal communities not only because of its numbers (about the share of Italian emigrants USA we have already said), but also thanks to strict regulations and a clear hierarchical structure. At the head of a criminal family is a boss. This person may also be called Don or Godfather (remember the cult film The Godfather directed by Francis Ford Copolla?). The boss has absolute power over all members of the group, in fact it is the monarch of the entire organization. As practice shows, very advanced people become bosses. This is quite logical, the older a person is, the more experience he has, and if someone managed to live to an honorable age in such a matter, this indicates that he has an excellent “thinking mind.” The boss has a personal advisor (from Italian - consigliere) - the closest to the don mafia from the entire organization people. Such people do not have their own team (unlike captains and soldiers mafia), but are great authorities in the family. They are respected and honored no less than the boss, and the boss himself entrusts his adviser with the most important tasks, initiates him into all the intricacies of the matter and can rely on him to make important decisions. No one except the consigliere has such trust from the boss. The next hierarchical level after the boss is captains, or capos (capitans, capo- from the Italian caporegime). There are few captains in the family, only a few people. They are like generals subordinate to the marshal, directly executing the orders of the boss. Each capo has his own squad - soldiers mafia(soldiers). Typically, each caporegime has about ten soldiers under his command, who, with rare exceptions, do not interact directly with the family boss - they are led by a captain. Such an organization of the clan is necessary not for the status of the highest echelons, but to exclude the possibility of law enforcement agencies reaching the boss from street crimes (which usually involve soldiers mafia). For the same purpose, for the purpose of buffering (the formation of a “protective layer” between the boss and his subordinates, at a later time a new position appears - the street boss, who is the link between the top - the boss and his adviser, and the next level - captains and their subordinates ).

Mafia family structure

Only selected criminals end up in the family - this is the elite of the criminal world. Becoming a common soldier is considered very honorable in the criminal world. According to one of the unspoken traditions mafia- no one can “attack” a member of the organization for free - after joining the clan, people acquire the status of untouchables among other bandits. But the structure of the organization does not end with the soldiers - each of them has his own team - the so-called accomplices (or accomplices). These are those who are not part of the organization, but work in its interests. If the “work” is successful, a fighter from accomplices can be accepted into the clan when “vacancies” appear there. But for this, an important condition must be met - the person being accepted must be a purebred Italian. In some ways, this process is reminiscent of a coronation in the Russian criminal world. By the way, accomplices working for mafia, also have some status, and under certain circumstances and issues can refer to their “employers”.

Let's return to the description of the time period of lifemafia. With the repeal of Prohibition in 1933,mafialost the main source of its income, or rather, the profitability of this source decreased. Subsequently, those families that did not want to rebuild in accordance with the needs dictated by the time weakened their positions and then disappeared completely. To maintain the achieved level, the mafia, in addition to the now classic “crafts” (see above), switched to working with trade unions, construction and, most importantly, drug trafficking. Possibly because of the drugsmafiawill suffer such damage in the future... In those days, the turnover and use of narcotic drugs increased exponentially, and taking into account the “exhaust” of such a business, bringing investors an income of several hundred percent, tax-free, this branch of the criminal business was a tasty morsel formafia. Many families initially refused to work with drugs - and they were partly right. It was with the advent of drugs in the worldmafiaassociated with the appearance of the first “informers”. After the 60s, American legislation greatly tightened penalties for the sale and sale of drugs, and many of those caughtmafiachose to become informers in order to avoid a long prison sentence. By the law of silencemafia- “Omerte” - such “rats” were subject to destruction, but the state placed them in the “Witness Protection Program”, under which former criminals were given new documents and resettled to another place, and sometimes even changed their appearance. The most famous example of such an event is the “knocked” gangster Henry Hill, whose story was depicted by director Martin Scorsese in his film Goodfellas. But subsequently the clans, which decided not to dirty their hands with drugs, ceased to exist. The whole point is that drug trafficking brought huge profits, and those families who were involved in this received huge financial, and therefore political (they could buy more statesmen), and a power (they could afford to support more soldiers) advantage over those who concentrated their forces on “traditional” sources of income. Therefore, the most powerful representativesAmericanmafiaa decision was made to introduce drug trafficking, but they adopted a number of restrictive agreements. Around the same time, the so-called Bosses Commission was created - it included the most powerful representatives of criminal families. Meetings of the Commission were held at least once a year, and more often if necessary. At meetings they discussed general issues business, heads of families were elected, the Commission could recommend one or another candidate for admission to the organization, or for promotion career ladder. If it was necessary to eliminate an objectionable membermafia- this could only be done with the approval of the Bosses Commission, otherwise the performer himself became a victim. Also Bosses Commissionmafiaset general trends and directions of developmentmafiabusiness, with its advent the organizationmafiareached new heights.

Great Mafia Genius Charles "Lucky" Luciano

In addition to the article, we bring to your attention several interesting facts about mafia USA:

1) The aforementioned "snitch" Henry Hill is still living under an assumed name, while most of those he pawned ended up in prison. Among people mafia and other criminal world there is still an active contract for Henry Hill in the amount of $500,000 ( mafia does not forgive rats).

2) Despite a rather long history mafia, the first “informer” appeared only in 1963 - it was Joe Valachi (began his career as a driver mafia). It was in 1963 that he testified before the court about the activities mafia. Before this, all existence mafia was shrouded in secrecy, and many were not even sure of its existence.

3) During the Second World War mafia USA collaborated with the government in the fight against the Nazis- mafia controlled (in other words, defended) the embankment.

4) FBI agent Joseph Pistone infiltrated the New York Bonanno family under the false name Donnie Brasco. He spent 6 years in this family, and based on the information obtained by this agent, 200 charges were brought against members mafia USA. The captain (his name was Dominic “Sunny Black” Napolitano), into whose team Joseph had infiltrated, was killed and his hands were cut off by decision of the Bosses Commission. The subtext of the murder was that the hands of the one who allowed the FBI agent to shake hands with the bosses were cut off mafia. A soldier of this family, Benjamin “Lefty” Ruggiero, who vouched for Pistone’s “correctness,” also met a mortal fate. But he was convicted and put behind bars. These events are covered in the film “Donnie Brasco”, and this happened from 1976 to 1982. FBI agent Joseph Pistone is living under an assumed name and mafia placed a $500,000 bounty on his head.

But, as you know, any action generates reaction. The demand for strong drinks began to grow day by day. And even those who had previously shown no interest in the devil’s drink began to regularly drink from the bottle after the ban was introduced.

Anti-alcohol measures were not only unpopular, they caused widespread and almost unanimous indignation. Moreover, their consequences turned out to be truly catastrophic - a sharp jump in the level of organized crime significantly shook the economy of “God’s chosen country.”

The only industry that flourished in the United States during Prohibition was banditry.

Growing by leaps and bounds, gangster groups began to rapidly profit from smuggling and the underground trade in alcohol. All this opened up unlimited prospects and opportunities for organized criminal activity and freed the hands of the ubiquitous mafia structures.

According to one version, the term “mafia” arose in 1282, when the slogan “Death to France, sigh, Italy!” was born in Sicily during an anti-French uprising. (Italian: Morte Alla Francia, Italia Anela!) The capital letters of this call spelled out the word MAFIA.
There is a second assumption about deciphering the word as a political abbreviation: “Mazzini authorizes robberies, arson and poisoning” (Italian: Mazzini Autorizza Furti, Incendi, Avvelenamenti). Giuseppe Mazzini was an Italian politician, patriot and writer who played an important role in the struggle for national liberation.

Sabotage of the objectionable law was observed throughout the country, but it was in Chicago that it reached the most stunning proportions. The illegal sale of alcohol made it possible to accumulate fabulous capital in a very short time. A bottle of whiskey purchased outside the United States brought a tenfold profit when crossing the border. The most dexterous and enterprising businessmen profited from this situation.

People quickly realized that in a couple of days spent at a moonshine still, you can earn more than at a factory in a month. Thus, yesterday's hard workers with genuine zeal set about mastering new professions that bear very unusual names: moonshiner and bootlegger. Moonshiner is an underground moonshiner who, at night, in the light of the moon, produces artisanal whiskey and other strong distillates. A bootlegger is a smuggler who brings illegal potions into a country across the ocean or across the Canadian border.

There was another newfangled word on this list - speakeasy - illegal drinking establishments or clubs where strong alcoholic drinks were served under the guise of tea or coffee.

Some state factories in the country still continued to produce alcohol, but these were already microscopic batches - wine for church needs, plus whiskey for “medical purposes” - such whiskey was sold in pharmacies strictly according to prescriptions. Warehouses with legal alcohol were guarded by armed soldiers, however, this did not save them from constant attacks and robberies. Liquor carriers' trucks were raided more often than trains during the Wild West Gold Rush.

The influence of gangster clans has become so undeniable that even political structure came under their control. Chicago turned into almost the capital of the North American mafia, where the entire police force was bought - this made the city one of the most corrupt and depraved in the USA.

So in 1928, with the blessing of the mafia bosses, another triumphant re-election of the mayor of Chicago, Bill Thompson, nicknamed “Big Bill,” took place. It is not difficult to guess that law enforcement agencies and the courts of the purchased mayor were more than loyal to violators of Prohibition. Big Bill himself often said that it “never goes dry, like the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.” In confirmation of the above, one remains funny story about how the mayor celebrated his re-election. The politician staged a massive illegal drinking party on the deck of his own ship, moored in the city harbor. The number of heated guests and alcohol was so great that the ship capsized and sank. There is a memorable photograph where the honorable mayor, wet and drunk, crawls onto the shore, clutching an open bottle of whiskey in his hands.

Several groups were involved in the underground alcohol business in Chicago, the most influential of which were the Italians (Jim Colosimo, Johnny Torrio and Al Capone) and the Irish (George Moron, Dion O'Banion). The former were based in the southern part of the city, the latter in the northern. Initially, this division occurred by mutual agreement of both parties. But tensions arose between the gangs every now and then, which often ended in shootings and brutal reprisals.

The representative of the Irish clan, Charles Dean O'Banion (also known as Dion O'Banion), remained a very pious and somewhat decent person all his life, which did not stop him from stealing a truckload of alcohol on the third day of Prohibition. Later, having contracted hundreds of Irish families to produce beer “for personal needs,” he managed to organize its uninterrupted sale to underground beer halls, thereby earning the honorary title “Beer King of Chicago.”

Of course, Dion also made stronger drinks, and he stood out from his dishonest competitors in that he always scrupulously monitored the quality of the product. A completely legal flower business served as a cover for O’Banion’s criminal activities.

The beer king was shot dead on the so-called “day of reconciliation between mafia clans.” Ironically, that morning he was busy preparing funeral wreaths that were intended for the funeral of the godfather of the enemy Sicilian community.

Like many prominent mafiosi, O'Banion was distinguished by his love of expensive suits. Refrains of his image can be seen in such films as “The Public Enemy”, “The Untouchables”, as well as in the series “Boardwalk Empire”.

The “southern” clan was controlled by an Italian-American gangster who arrived in Chicago from New York - John “Papa Johnny” Torrio (Italian: Giovanni Torrio), also known as “The Fox” for his cunning and intelligence. He was rightly called “the smartest of all criminals.” The great schemer Torrio was one of the first to understand the benefits of Prohibition. Many followed him, but it was already too late.

Being a genius and a villain - a kind of brain of the mafia, Torrio was proud of the fact that he could not shoot. But in his inner circle there were always those who did it professionally and with pleasure. Among Papa Johnny's protégés, the well-known Al Capone especially stood out, who very soon was destined to become one of the brightest representatives US organized crime. When, after surviving an assassination attempt, Torrio decided to quit the game and leave Chicago forever, he personally handed over the reins of power over the “southern” gangs to 26-year-old Alphonse Capone. Having gone into the shadows, Papa Johnny continued to advise the bosses of the Italian mafia, acting as an eminence grise and producer of the most large-scale and daring crimes.

Alfonso Capone was not Sicilian, he was born in Naples in 1899. Having emigrated to America with his parents, he grew up in the slums of the New York ghetto “Little Italy”. The story of the famous scar on Capone's face is often romanticized and presented as a heroic tale about gang warfare during the mafioso's youth.

In fact, he received his “badge of honor” while working as a bouncer at the Auberge Harvard Cafe. Alien to good manners, Alfonso recklessly insulted the sister of his fellow Italian, for which he paid when he cut the offender’s left cheek with a knife. This is how Al Capone’s nickname “Scarface” stuck, and a six-and-a-half-centimeter-long oblique scar became his calling card. By the way, on the real business card gangster's name was: "Alfonso Capone, antique furniture dealer." The furniture business served as an excellent cover for his shady dealings.

Under the influence of his mentor (John Torrio), the once boorish and uncouth Capone changed a lot. The first thing he did was get his own hairdresser and tailor. Having hired an experienced teacher, he corrected his diction, and at the same time stopped using obscene language. Having gained a little weight, he began to look more respectable, turning into a calm and self-confident business man. Now he called himself in the American manner - Al Brown, and was very angry if someone, out of old memory, called him Al Capone.

Alfonso was a man of his word who always kept his promises. It was easy to do business with him, but he remained merciless to anyone who broke his word. The war of bandits under Capone took on dimensions unprecedented for that time. With his iron fist, the principled Italian turned Chicago, soaked in whiskey and vices, into a bloody arena, where rivals rained lead on each other, occasionally hitting random passers-by. As a result of this continuous massacre, the most influential and powerful Irish gangs were mercilessly exterminated.

Al Capone justified the wildest hopes of the mafia, opening several new sources of income at once. The versatility of his “talent” was not at all limited to organizing murders. He had a special business sense. His “inventions” and “innovations” include large-scale racketeering and money laundering. Since Al Capone found it difficult to spend his ill-gotten profits under the watchful eye of the intelligence services, he created a huge network of laundries with very low prices. It was not possible to track the actual number of clients, which made it possible to declare almost any income. This is where the expression “money laundering” comes from.

Having become the leader of the Chicago mafia, Al Capone did everything to bring to life the idea of ​​his teacher Johnny Torrio - to forever put an end to the fight between the mafiosi and agree on mutual assistance and constant cooperation.

However, the first meeting had a curious and even comical ending. All the Dons in different parts of the United States (from New York to New Orleans) received an invitation to come to Cleveland, where the gangsters planned to hold a conference. When the entire “beau monde” was assembled, a very strange picture unfolded before the eyes of the hotel administrator: two dozen guests in identical suits and hats looked around nervously and suspiciously. This sight shocked the hotel employee so much that he immediately called the police. During the search, each Don was found to have a pistol, or even two, and not a single permit to carry a weapon. Thus, the entire honest company was tied up and almost sent to jail. However, as was customary in those days, money helped resolve the conflict - the parties agreed on a fine ($50 each) and a suspended sentence. But the planned mafia conference never took place.

The people sincerely adored and idolized their mafioso as a national hero. When Capone came to the stadium to watch a baseball game in 1928, the stands rose in unison and gave him a long, deafening ovation.

But Al Capone was famous not only for his criminal acts. He was also known in a completely different role - as a great humanist and philanthropist, ready to respond to the grief of others and help those in need. When the country was gripped by a deep economic crisis, accompanied by mass unemployment and poverty, the legendary gangster organized a soup kitchen for the hungry. Capone personally took part in the distribution of food, offering words of encouragement to those who had lost their jobs.

The resounding slogan “Mafia is Immortal” is much more suitable for cinema than for real life. In July 1931, Capone was tried in federal court and sentenced to ten years in the Atlanta Penitentiary for tax evasion. When the verdict was announced, Capone was completely depressed. In vain did his lawyers try to get a postponement and retrial of the case... In 1934, the mafioso was transferred to a prison on Alcatraz Island, from where on November 17, 1939, without serving his full sentence, he was released: prison doctors discovered that he had an incurable form of syphilis.

During the years of imprisonment, Capone lost his criminal influence. After his release, he retired to a luxurious villa in Miami, Florida. It is believed he still had about $5 million left. There, on January 25, 1947, at the age of 48, one of the most extravagant gangsters of the heyday of the Chicago mafia died of cardiac arrest. Al Capone was buried at the Mont Olivets cemetery in Chicago, but due to the continuous flow of tourists, the family was forced to move the ashes of the mafioso to another cemetery.

“Chicago - City of Gangsters and Philanthropists” is the name of the iconic bus tour of modern Chicago, immersing all participants in the deafening romance of the Roaring Twenties. The famous Chicago Gangster Tour is led by two professional actors, dressed in the fashion of the stylish Chicago gangsters of the Prohibition era. The first drives a black bus with bullet marks painted on it, and the second, with an ugly Italian accent, talks about the places of military glory of the legendary mafiosi. Among the most important destinations is the haven of vice and the headquarters of the Capone gang - the Four Deuces club. Next is the Church of the Holy Name, which became the starting point of the gangster wars of the 20s. Next is a pilgrimage to the place where the world's first skyscraper was previously located - The Home Insurance Building, on the upper floors of which several major figures of the criminal world lived. The list continues with the areas of Chinatown, Little Italy and Lincoln Park.

The image of the mafia, with its style, reputation and code of conduct, is now firmly rooted in American popular culture, becoming an integral part of art, cinema and fiction. The muted dim light of brothels and casinos, the brims of hats hiding the faces of hired killers, the quiet whisper of threats, the barely audible click of a cocked revolver, a long burst of machine gun fire, and finally the fatal beauties in expensive furs and diamonds - all this pierces the heart of America like a bright and swift thread. . And no matter what anyone says, this country has always been, is and will be a trendsetter in world criminal history.

Hearing the word “mafia,” today’s law-abiding citizen will imagine a number of associations: he will simultaneously remember that crime in the world has not yet been defeated and is encountered literally at every step, then he will smile and say that “Mafia” is funny psychological game, so beloved by students, but in the end he will imagine stern men of Italian appearance in raincoats and wide-brimmed hats and with the constant Thompson machine guns in their hands, simultaneously playing the legendary melody of the composer Nino Rota in his head... The image of the mafioso is romantic and is glorified in popular culture, but at the same time we despise the guardians of order and the victims of their crimes (if, by a lucky chance, they remained alive).

The term “mafia” and the traditional idea of ​​mafiosi as “men in coats and hats” appeared thanks to immigrants from Sicily who moved to New York in the 19th century and took control of it in the 30s of the 20th century. There is a lot of debate about the origin of the word "mafia". The most common opinion about the etymology of the word is its Arabic roots (“marfud” in Arabic for “outcast”).

The mafia moves to the USA

It is known that the first Sicilian mafioso to arrive in the United States was Giuseppe Esposito, who was accompanied by 6 other Sicilians. In 1881 he was arrested in New Orleans. There, 9 years later, the first high-profile murder took place, organized by the mafia in the USA - a successful attempt on the life of New Orleans police chief David Hennessy (Hennessy's last words: “The Italians did it!”). In the next 10 years in New York, the Sicilian mafia will organize the “Five Point Gang” - the city’s first influential gangster group, which took control of the “Little Italy” area. At the same time, the Neapolitan Camorra gang is gaining momentum in Brooklyn.

In the 1920s, the Mafia experienced rapid growth. This was facilitated by factors such as prohibition (the name of the “King of Chicago” Al Capone has become a household name today), as well as Benito Mussolini’s struggle with the Sicilian mafia, which led to mass immigration of Sicilians to the United States. In New York in the 20s, two mafia clans, Giuseppe Masseria and Salvatore Maranzana, became the most influential families. As is often the case, the two families did not properly divide the Big Apple, leading to the three-year Castellammarese War (1929-1931). The Maranzana clan won, Salvatore became the “boss of bosses”, but later fell victim to conspirators led by Lucky Luciano (real name - Salvatore Lucania, “Lucky” is, of course, a nickname).

"Lucky" Luciano in the police mugshot.

It was Lucky Luciano who should be considered the founder of the so-called “Commission” (1931), the goal of which is to prevent brutal gang wars. The “Commission” is a native Sicilian invention: the heads of mafia clans get together and solve truly global problems of mafia activity in the United States. From the first days, 7 people took a place on the commission, among whom were both Al Capone and 5 bosses from New York - the leaders of the legendary “Five Families”

Five Families

In New York from the thirties of the 20th century to today all criminal activity is carried out by the five largest “families”. Today these are the “families” of Genovese, Gambino, Lucchese, Colombo and Bonanno (they got their names from the names of the ruling bosses, whose names became public in 1959, when the police arrested mafia informant Joe Valachi (he managed to live until 1971 and died his death despite the fact that the Genovese family had a bounty on his head).

Genovese family

Don Vito Genovese

The founders are conspirator Lucky Luciano and Joe Masseria. The family was nicknamed the "Ivy League of the Mafia" or the "Rolls Royce of the Mafia". The man who gave the family his last name was Vito Genovese, who became boss in 1957. Vito considered himself the most powerful boss in New York, but was easily “eliminated” by the Gambino family: after being in power for 2 years, he was sentenced to 15 years for drug trafficking and died in prison in 1969. Today's boss of the Genovese clan Daniel Leo rules his family from prison (his sentence expires in January 2011). The Genovese family became the prototype of the Corleone Family from the film “The Godfather”. Family activities: racketeering, complicity in crimes, money laundering, usury, murder, prostitution, drug trafficking.

Gambino family

Don Carlo Gambino in young age...

The family's first boss was Salvatore De Aquila, who served as boss of bosses until his death in 1928. In 1957, Carlo Gambino came to power, his period of rule lasted until 1976 (he died of natural causes). In 1931, Gambino held the position of caporegime in the Mangano family (a caporegime is one of the most influential mafiosi in each family, reporting directly to the boss of the family or his deputies). Over the next 20 years, he climbed the “career ladder” of the mafia, eliminating enemies and competitors with great ease, and while in power, he spread the influence of his Family over a vast area.

...and a few days before his death

Since 2008, the family has been led by Daniel Marino, Bartolomeo Vernace and John Gambino - a distant relative of Carlo Gambino. The Family's list of criminal activities does not stand out from similar lists of the other four families. Money is made from everything from prostitution to racketeering and drug trafficking.

Lucchese family

Don Gaetano Lucchese

Since the early 20s, the Family was created through the efforts of Gaetano Reina, after whose death in 1930 his work was continued by another Gaetano, by the name of Galliano, who remained in power until 1953. The third consecutive leader of the Family with the name Gaetano was the man who gave the Family his last name - Gaetano "Tommy" Lucchese. "Tommy" Lucchese helped Carlo Gambino and Vito Genovese achieve leadership in their Families. Together with Carlo, Gaetano took control of the “Commission” by 1962 (their children had a rather lavish wedding that year). Since 1987, de jure the family has been led by Vittorio Amuso, and de facto by a commission of three Caporegimes: Agnello Migliore, Joseph DiNapoli and Matthew Madonna.

Colombo family

Don Joseph Colombo

The "youngest" Family of New York. In operation since 1930, from the same year until 1962, the boss of the Family was Joe Profaci (in the 1928 photograph that opened the article, Joe Profaci is depicted in wheelchair). Even though Joseph Colombo only became boss in 1962 (with the blessing of Carlo Gambino), the Family was named after his last name, not Profaci. Joe Colombo actually retired in 1971 when he was shot three times in the head but survived. He lived for the next 7 years without waking up from a coma in a state that his accomplice Joe Gallo described as “vegetable.”

Today, the boss of the Colombo family is Carmine Persico, serving a life sentence (139 years) for extortion, murder and racketeering. Persico's so-called "acting" boss is Andrew Russo.

Bonanno family

Don Joseph Bonanno

Founded in the 1920s, the first boss was Cola Schiro. In 1930, Salvatore Maranzano took his place. After the Lucky Luciano conspiracy and the creation of the Commission, the Family was led by Joe Bonanno until 1964.

In the 60s, the Family survived the Civil War (which the newspapers wittily dubbed the “Bonanza Split”). The commission decided to remove Joe Bonanno from power and install caporegime Gaspar DiGregorio in his place. One part supported Bonanno (loyalists), the second was, of course, against him. The war turned out to be bloody and protracted; even the Commission's removal of DiGregorio from the post of boss did not help. New boss Paul Sciacca was unable to cope with the violence within the divided family. The war ended in 1968, when Joe Bonanno, who was in hiding, suffered a heart attack and firmly decided to retire. He lived to be 97 and died in 2002. From 1981 to 2004, the Family was not a member of the Commission due to a number of “unacceptable crimes”. Today, the position of Family boss remains vacant, but Vincent Asaro is expected to take it.

The “Five Families” currently control the entire New York metropolitan area, including even northern New Jersey. They also conduct business outside the state, for example in Las Vegas, South Florida or Connecticut. You can look at the zones of influence of families on Wikipedia.

In popular culture, the Mafia is remembered in many ways. In cinema, this is, of course, "The Godfather" with its own "Five Families" of New York (Corleone, Tataglia, Barzini, Cuneo, Stracci), as well as the cult HBO series "The Sopranos", which tells about the connections of the DiMeo Family from New York. -Jersey with one of the New York families (appears under the name “Lupertazi Family”).

In the video game industry topic Sicilian mafia successfully embodies the Czech game "Mafia" (the prototype of the setting is San Francisco in the thirties, in which the Salieri and Morello families are fighting), and its sequel, released no more than a couple of months before the writing of this article, is dedicated to the criminal activity of the Three Families in the prototype of New York called "Empire Bay" already in the 50s. Cult game Grand Theft Auto IV also presents the “Five Families”, but in a modern setting and again under fictitious names.

The Godfather - Francis Ford-Coppola's cult film about the Sicilian mafia in New York

"Five Families" of New York - unique phenomenon in the world of organized crime. This is one of the most influential gang structures on the planet, created by immigrants (still the basis of every family is mostly Italian-American), which has developed a clear hierarchy and strict traditions dating back to the 19th century. The “Mafia” is thriving despite constant arrests and high-profile trials, which means that its history continues with us.

Sources:

2) Cosa Nostra - The History of the Sicilian mafia

5) Images taken from the portal "en.wikipedia.org"

http://www.bestofsicily.com/mafia.htm