Mafia in America in the 30s. Chicago: in the footsteps of legendary gangsters...

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 the viewer already thinks that these bandits are in vain fallen heroes. 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 and idealize powerful, rich, and beautiful people.

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, the political society of the 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 his extravagant style of 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 a murder order famous gangster Nathan Kaplan 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, it was difficult to catch him red-handed, and each time he ended up behind bars for short term. 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 underworld" 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 large quantity 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 occupy 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 years of smuggling and gunfights on the West Coast, Siegel began making money large sums and gained 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. old friend and Siegel's 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.

Having lived quite a long time social life, 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 Russian Empire. Having moved to America at a young age, Lansky learned the taste of the street by fighting for money. Lansky not only could 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, operating 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 in 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.

Fashion style “Chicago 1920-1930s” tells us directly where and when it originated. These years became significant due to the rapid growth of crime led by gangsters, whose images are well known to everyone from films about the mafia. But Chicago in the 1930s wasn't just about serious guys who didn't respect the letter of the law. This is a special style, intertwining luxury ( even if sometimes it’s fake), brilliance, morals without boundaries...

Women's style - dresses and accessories in the style of Chicago 20-30

One of the main features of the Chicago style of those years can be identified as dresses with a low waist, which was located at the level where we are used to seeing the waistband of low-rise jeans. These dresses were made mainly from silk, satin, velvet and chiffon. And their length was quite short - to the knee or slightly below. Take a look:

The ladies in the photo are wearing rather discreet looks. But to imagine this style in all its glory, it’s worth turning to Rob Marshall’s famous film “Chicago,” which received several Oscar awards, including for its costumes. In it you can see all the key elements characteristic of the style. Sparkling dresses with fringe, embroidered with sequins, beads, rhinestones. Revealing neckline and bare back. Thin straps, which was an innovation in the history of American fashion. Fur was also actively used as decoration, which gave the images a completely undisguised expensiveness.

Brightness was achieved mainly due to the shine of stones and dazzling decor, shimmering in silver or gold. But the color scheme of the dresses was rather meager compared to this. Black, deep dark blue, white, nude.

Of course, we can’t help but say something about accessories. They are as important to this style as pointe shoes are to a ballerina. Image a la Chicago 20-30s will not be considered complete without at least one of the following elements:

• tiny neat hat
• wide ribbon with flowers, feathers or stones ( on the head)
• long strands of pearls
• long gloves made of silk or velvet
• small envelope bag
• thick stockings ( perhaps in a fine mesh)
• round toe shoes with not too high heels
• fur boa
• feather boa

By the way, at that time a single color scheme for handbags, shoes and gloves was welcomed. And jewelry was often replaced with flashy costume jewelry. The main thing is that it fits the overall style.

A certain style includes not only special clothing and specific accessories, but also characteristic hairstyle and makeup. Chicago of the 20s and 30s is short haircut, popular styling “ ideal structural waves“. It is not difficult to guess that lovers of free morals and very revealing outfits did not restrain themselves when it came to makeup. Scarlet lips with a perfect contour, dark shades of shadow on the eyelids and thick black eyelashes. Clear line eyebrows An expressive and passionate look is no less important.

Men's style

The Chicago-style men's look of the 20s and 30s is a three-piece suit ( jacket, vest, trousers) from high-quality, expensive material, reflecting high status and financial well-being owner. A hat with a narrow brim, a tie or a bow tie are essential accessories ( perhaps they should also add a cigar and a daring look).

Mafia... and what do you imagine when you pronounce this word? Most likely, solid and serious men in perfectly fitting formal suits, hats casting a shadow on stern faces and coats casually thrown over the top.

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 exact date its appearance cannot be named. 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. An important role was played by the mentality of this country, 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 the hot (in every sense) driven into a dead end behaved. southern country. The very word 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 as they should be a real man and warrior. 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 is 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 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 in order 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 it was tidbit 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 really " 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 this requires compliance important condition- the person 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 the meetings, general issues of doing business were discussed, 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 quite 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.

Impeccable suits, risky chases, underground casinos, expensive cigars and illicit alcohol - this is exactly how we imagine the colorful life of the legendary American mafiosi, whose fame outlived both themselves and the heyday of organized crime in the United States. On the eve of the Russian premiere of the film “Law of the Night,” it’s time to remember the history of one of the brightest periods of US gangster history.

The heyday of American crime occurred during the Prohibition era - in 1920, the US authorities, under the influence of a powerful Puritan lobby, decided to ban the commercial production and sale of alcohol throughout the country.

Roar of the era

It’s not for nothing that the twenties in the USA are called the roaring years - a survivor of the First world war The country is facing a period of unprecedented economic growth: hundreds of luxury cars are hitting the streets, electricity is coming to homes, and new technologies seem to give humanity unlimited power over the world.

It is developing rapidly and Mass culture: Hundreds of thousands of Americans listen to incredibly popular jazz, millions are glued to newfangled radio programs, and Hollywood seems to be releasing one film masterpiece after another as if from an assembly line. It was in the twenties that the legendary New York skyscrapers, built in the Art Deco style brought from Europe, were founded.

Against the backdrop of this unprecedented rise, the idea arose to outlaw alcohol. According to the reform supporters, the ban on drinking was supposed to pull God-saved America out of the abyss of vice and debauchery and again set it on the right path. But the authorities cruelly miscalculated: the people of the United States loved to get their throats wet, and if the government forbade them to do this, those who could quench their thirst - American gangsters - got down to business. It was then that branched crime syndicates and entire criminal empires emerged from a gathering of scoundrels.

Public Enemy Number One

“Someone had to quench this thirst with alcohol. Why not me?" - asked the most, perhaps, famous American gangster- Alfonso Gabriel Capone. Born into a family of poor Italian immigrants, Al Capone helped Brooklyn mafioso Johnny Torrio as a child. Having matured, however, he married and decided to lead a measured life as an accountant. The death of his father in 1920 interrupted Al Capone's plans: he moved to Chicago to join his former boss, who controlled the city's illegal gambling and prostitution businesses.

Appreciating the skills of his old subordinate, Torrio made him a partner, and after an assassination attempt in 1925, he feared for his life and moved to Italy, leaving Al Capone in charge. New boss He quickly got the hang of it - he moved to a luxury hotel in Chicago and began to waste money left and right. Journalists of the time suggested that the mafioso's illegal empire, which by that time included a large-scale operation for the production and sale of illegal alcohol, brought him up to $100 million annually.

The press followed his every move, and he became extremely famous. Many ordinary people considered him a modern-day Robin Hood - the gangster willingly donated money to charities. His luxurious armored Cadillac was talked about on the streets, the public discussed his diamond belt buckles and rings with huge precious stones.

People's love betrayed him in 1929: then, on Valentine's Day, Al Capone's henchmen dressed as police officers shot seven bandits of a rival gang in one of the city garages. Rumor quickly laid the blame on the famous mafioso: it was then that he acquired the nickname Public Enemy Number One.

The high-profile crime attracted the attention of the president: he demanded that law enforcement officers do everything possible to put the famous gangster behind bars. In 1931, investigators were able to collect enough evidence: he was charged with tax evasion. Traditional tactics - bribes and intimidation - did not work: the judge completely replaced the jury at the last moment. Al Capone was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

In the impregnable Alcatraz prison, the once formidable mafia boss began to suffer from neurosyphilis: his mental abilities began to rapidly fade. Released after six and a half years, he spent three years in a mental hospital, and then moved in with his wife, with whom he lived until his death in 1947. Capone had many fans and followers, but it was the Great Al who became the face of gangster America for all subsequent generations.

Alcohol heat in Tampa

At that time, mafiosi flourished throughout the United States: one of the “wettest” - convenient for drinkers - points on the map of the country was the city of Tampa in Florida.

There, at this time, the Italian mafia was gaining strength: having managed to take over dozens of small distilleries, it ousted the traditional owners of the city - the Cubans and Spaniards. But the city is firmly controlled by Charlie Wall, the unofficial king of Tampa. Wall, a native of rich family, by the 1920s, had taken over almost all illegal gambling establishments with the incredibly popular “bolitas” lottery at that time.

Using his capabilities, Wall established complete control over the city authorities - no one won elections without his blessing, not a single important decision was made without his knowledge. When he could not buy elections, his people threw batches of correctly completed ballots into the ballot boxes. An unenviable fate awaits the competitors: at least six people will be killed in an attempt to shake the power of the uncrowned monarch.

It is there that the main character of the film “Law of the Night”, also produced (The Wolf of Wall Street, Out of the Furnace), goes. The son of Boston police captain Joe Coughlin (played by the director of the film), like hundreds of thousands of compatriots, returns home from the fronts of the First World War and realizes that he is not on the same path with his father - young man life outside the law beckons.

By joining criminal path In North Boston, Joe breaks one of the main unwritten rules and crosses the path of a major mafia boss, seducing his girlfriend and stealing his money. He ends up in prison and after his release, together with a team of thugs loyal to him, he moves to hot Florida to settle scores with his offender...

IN real life The Italian Trafficante family will challenge Wall and plunge the city into an era of blood, and in 1955 he will be beaten with a bat and his throat will be cut, but Joe Coughlin will not know this - his own story awaits him in Tampa.

The fate of gangster America

Prohibition, of course, reduced alcohol consumption in the country by about 30 percent, but caused irreparable damage to public safety. In just the first two years after alcohol was banned, the number of reported crimes increased by 24 percent. Drug use has increased sharply, and in many cities entire police departments have been corrupted by corruption.

The most significant consequence, perhaps, was the strengthening of criminal groups, their transformation into all-powerful parallel power structures. Even the repeal of Prohibition could no longer cause them much damage: many gangs switched to other areas, such as construction.

But it was precisely this period that gave the world the image of gangster America, which in all its manifestations - with elegant suits, luxury cars, stunning natural beauties, heady cigar smoke and an atmosphere of constant risk - was reflected in "Law of the Night" thanks to the brilliant work of Affleck's Oscar-winning film crew.

It includes three-time award-winning director of photography (“Shots Fired in Dallas,” “The Aviator,” “The Timekeeper”) and Oscar-nominated production designer Jess Gonchor (“True Grit,” “Foxcatcher”) , Oscar-winning editor William Goldenberg (“Argo”) and Oscar-nominated costume designer Jacqueline West (“ Misterious story Benjamin Button", "Operation Argo").

IN modern America There are not many traces of the gangster era of the 20s and 30s left - except that the Art Deco skyscrapers remember many of the famous mafiosi of the past - but it will allow viewers to plunge into a time when kind words and a pistol could achieve much more than just a kind word.

Ordering a MAFIA-style party means throwing an evening where MAFIA laws, racketeering and gambling, weapons and entertainment reign.

Organizing a MAFIA party is an opportunity to plunge into the world of mafiosi on the one hand and revealing commissioners on the other.

At the MAFIA party you will have your own “CLAN”, where you can prove yourself in the role of the “Godfather”.
And now a little history:
- the name of one of the independent criminal organizations of the Italian criminal world. This is a specifically Italian phenomenon, which has no exact analogues in the world.
The mafia is a family crime with special historical roots.

The most famous Italian mafiosi, who became the prototypes of the heroes of novels and films about the mafia, such as “The Godfather”, “Octopus” and many others - these are Lucky Luciano, Vito Genovese, Paul Castellano, Salvatore Maranzano, Giuseppe Masseria, Joe Bonanno, Frank Aiello, Al Capone, Meyer Lansky , Carlo Gambino, Paul Castellano, Vincent Gigante and others.

In the mafia structure there is a clan "family", has its own leaders and gangs, as well as performers. Each of them has its own names and ranks. For example, Godfather- this is a general designation, a synonym for the word “BOSS”, and not a nickname for one of the famous mafiosi. As a rule, all members of the group are connected by Omerta. Omerta is the law of silence. None of the clan members has the right to disclose secret information of their group. None of them has the right to seek help from the police or generally accept any authority other than that of their clan.
Order a children's party in the MYTHIA style, and it will be enchanting. A MAFIA-style holiday is also suitable for teenagers. Call us to organize an enchanting mafia holiday.

Cosa Nostra- one of the most famous mafia groups
Godfather- boss, chief, gang leader
Commandments- rules strictly observed by gang members
Gangster- member of an organized crime group in America.
Mafiosi- Member of an organized crime group in Italy.

We offer a party scenario "Party in the style of the Mafia or Chicago of the 30s":
The hall is decorated in the style of the 30s, background music plays in the style of the unique spirit of gangster parties, jazz compositions and retro hits of the 30s-40s (swing, blues and jazz) are played, so that guests can dance light and fiery dances of the 30s-40s s, immortal hits of Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman).

At the entrance to the hall, Face-control is carried out and our wonderful hosts of the MAFIA evenings invite guests to the hall for an aperitif.
Our presenters, meet Mr. Black Jack and Samantha Black.
CASINO and MAFIA are the atmosphere of true mafiosi!

Improvisation on a casino theme, where you can earn chips and prizes thanks to your intelligence and knowledge of the world of music. Participants of the Musical - Intellectual Casino are welcome interesting competitions, music quiz and dance breaks.
The atmosphere of the casino will be complemented by traditional attributes: gaming tables and roulette.
Party participants will be able to bet the winning chips on their lucky numbers.
This is a great pastime and entertainment, where there is excitement, an opportunity to show erudition, earn a prize and just dance.

MAFIA GAME “Who said the mafia is immortal?”
Do you know your friends and can you trust them? Are you able to control your emotions? How much are you good actor and speaker? Do you know how to mislead those who know you well?
The game will answer all questions...