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Italian mafia names. 13 most famous and daring mafias in the world

The world has long been fighting the state against criminal clans, but the mafia is still alive. Currently there are many criminal gangs, each of which has its own boss and inspirer. Crime bosses They 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 a 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 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 attracted night image life. 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. The bloody body without signs of life was thrown onto the side of the road and 8 hours later it 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. In recent years he 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 achieved 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 - a well-known mafioso authority who controlled crime in New York and other major cities America. 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 special squad to fight 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. Because of its boundless cruelty against competitors, bloody murders against officials, public figures, police and civilians (including women and children) 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.

Puzo Mario's novel "The Godfather" and the film trilogy of the same name have become cult works for many generations. Peace has entered our homes forever from television screens and the pages of novels. brutal murders, drug cartels and gangsters, controlled by powerful and influential "Dons". Vito Corleone is just an image created by the author's imagination. But is everything in the novel fiction?

Gangsters really existed - that's a fact. And many American cities they still preserve the memory of them and their deeds. Behind the fictional "Dons" are real events and facts.

Many stories in magazines, books and on TV are based on events that once took place and people who wandered the most dangerous streets of American cities. Streets filled with murder, smuggled alcohol, fierce competition, in which the most intelligent and cunning people of their time participated. All this is part of the dirty and cruel world gangsters. Are you ready to plunge into the exciting fates of dozens of the most powerful, successful and incredibly cruel gangsters in the world? So, let's go!

Reginald "Reggie" Kray and Ronald "Rony" Kray were twin brothers who lived and worked in London. During the 50s and 60s, the Kray brothers created the gang "The Firm", a name similar to the names of countless gangs of the time and intended to demonstrate the influence and reputation of the gang. These people were involved in arson, murder, blackmail and armed robbery.

The Kray brothers opened night club in London (a rather unusual occupation for gangsters of that time), which was often visited by many film and show business stars, including Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra. Frank Sinatra definitely gravitated towards the gangster circle of the time and maintained friendly relations with many.

Rotating in such a society, the Kray brothers eventually became famous themselves. They have appeared on TV shows many times, something that no other gangster on our list seems to have done. It would seem that they could have achieved incredible success, but the end of the Kray brothers was sad... In 1968, they were sentenced to life imprisonment. In addition, Reggie was diagnosed with cancer. He was released from prison 8 weeks before his death. His brother Rony was sent to Broadmoor Hospital for treatment of schizophrenia, where he died a few years later.

Gangster nicknames: Doctor, Patron, Don Pablo, Senor

Pablo Escobar is a gangster who lived relatively recently. Also known as the "King of Cocaine", Escobar led the Medellin Cartel. He was an incredibly powerful drug king who ruled a vast empire between the 1970s and 1980s of the 20th century. This continued until the end of 1993, when he was shot and killed. There is still no exact information whether it was suicide or whether he was killed by the police. The story of his death remains a mystery. A few years before his death, he was recognized as one of the fittest criminals in the world. According to Forbes magazine, his fortune was estimated at $3 billion.

Gangster Nickname: Frank "First Minister" Costello

In Italy, the boy was born under the name Francesco Castiglia. At the age of 4, his family moved to New York. He grew up on the tough streets of New York in a very difficult years economic crisis. Later, through a series of events, he would become one of the most famous gangsters of all time. Frank Costello, the name he later adopted, was childhood friends with fellow gangster Charlie Luciano. Subsequently, Costello earned a reputation in the gangster world and amassed great fortune smuggling alcohol, gambling, participating in several major New York gangs: the Morello gang, the Lower East Side gang and joint affairs with the Luciano family.

Gambino was a real gangster, flesh and blood. He was born into one of the Sicilian mafia families. Therefore, it is not surprising that he began to take part in “family” affairs from an early age. At the age of 19, he already became a full member of the gang, which was very unusual: such young members had never been accepted into the family. At the same time he moved to New York.

After a short, relatively “quiet” life in New York, Gambino became involved in the murder of Albert Anastasia, the Don of one of the most famous Luciano gangster families. Thus, in 1957, Gambino himself became a Don. In the gangster world, reputation and ego played a very big role. And since Gambino had both, the famous family decided to change their last name to Gambino. Gambino successfully ruled the family for another 22 years before his death.

Gangster nickname: "Accountant"

Mayer Lansky is one of the few famous gangsters born outside the United States, England or Italy. He was born Mayer Sukhovlyansky in Belarus and moved to New York with his family at the age of 9. Lansky started out in the Bugs and Meyer Mob and the National Crime Syndicate.

Lansky's forte is finance and gambling. He built a huge gambling empire, which spread its branches all over the world. He also managed to involve Swiss banks in his dirty deals. Lansky is known for his incredible intelligence and is recognized as the most cunning and resourceful gangster of all time. This is evidenced by the fact that Lanksy did not spend a single day behind bars. And this was commonplace for most gangsters.

Gangster nickname: Bugsy

Benjamin Schiegel, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, earned his nickname "Bugsy" due to his unpredictable personality. He was very powerful and was involved with Mayer Lansky's Murder Incorporated gang and also worked with the Luciano family. His specialization: trade in illegal alcohol and contract killings. However, he left a memory of himself that is associated not only with his criminal acts.

Flamingo is one of the very first casinos built in Las Vegas and Schiegel invested money in its construction. Thanks to this, he had many famous friends and acquaintances: singer Frank Sinatra, actors Clark Gable and Gary Grant. He was certainly a man with two different sides to his nature: a gangster and, at the same time, a man from high society. But nevertheless, his sworn enemies got to him and he was killed in 1947. His death remains mysterious to this day, and his life is a gripping detective story.

Gangster nickname: "Gentleman John", "Hare"

You may remember John Dillinger from his role as Johnny Depp in the 2009 film Public Enemies. And if John Dillinger turned out to be famous enough for a Hollywood star to undertake to play his role, then he is certainly quite suitable for our list. The active phase of Dillinger's life occurred during the Great Depression in the United States. He was known as a gangster and bank robber. His life was very short - he was shot dead at the age of 31. He has two escapes from prison, as well as an affair with his own stepmother. It seems this man knew absolutely nothing about morality...

Gangster nickname: "Lucky"

Charles Luciano is considered the father of organized crime and therefore he fully deserves his place on this list. IN at a young age At the age of 10, Charles and his family move from Sicily to New York, Lower East Side. It is thanks to him that all NY The Chinese mafia was divided into 5 famous families. Naturally, after organizing the entire mafia in a similar way, Luciano headed one of the families - the Luciano family.

Charles Luciano was an incredibly powerful man. He is so influential that during the Second World War, the command navy The US turned to him for advice. Despite the fact that Luciano was in prison at that moment... For his useful tips and help he was subsequently released. But he was deported to Italy, where he spent the rest of his life.

Gangster nickname: Scarface

Without a shadow of a doubt, Al Capone is one of the most famous gangsters in the world. He embarked on a criminal path at the age of 14, attacking a teacher at school - of course, even then this was a very alarming omen. He later joined the New York gang Five Points. His main activities were illegal trade in alcohol, brothels, and contract killings.

At the end of his life, Al Capone was in Alcatraz prison, but was released 8 years before his death. Towards the end of his life he suffered from illness. He was a very smart and tough man who managed to achieve enormous power during his life.

Jesse James was one of the world's first famous gangsters. He lived during the Wild West and participated in the American Revolutionary War. He later became a member of the James-Younger gang. James participated in bank robberies, stagecoaches and train attacks, which made him a legend during his lifetime.

Puzo Mario's novel "The Godfather" and the film trilogy of the same name are very well known and have become a cult work for many generations of readers and viewers. From television screens and the pages of novels, a world of brutal murders, drug cartels and gangsters, ruled by powerful and influential “Dons,” entered our homes forever. But the famous hero of the novel, Vito Corleone, is just a fiction created by the author’s imagination. But is everything in the novel fiction?
Gangsters action

Pablo Escobar

Gangster nicknames: Doctor, Patron, Don Pablo, Senor

Frank Costello

Gangster Nickname: Frank "First Minister" Costello

In Italy, the boy was born under the name Francesco Castiglia. At the age of 4, his family moved to New York. He grew up on the tough streets of New York during the very difficult years of the economic crisis. Later, through a series of events, he would become one of the most famous gangsters of all time. Frank Costello, the name he later adopted, was friends with another gangster, Charlie Luciano, as a child. Subsequently, Costello earned a reputation in the gangster world and made a large fortune through smuggling alcohol, gambling, participating in several large New York gangs: the Morello gang, the Lower East Side gang and joint affairs with the Luciano family.

Carlo Gambino

After a short, relatively “quiet” life in New York, Gambino became involved in the murder of Albert Anastasia, the Don of one of the most famous gangster families of the Lucianos. Thus, in 1957, Gambino himself became a Don. In the gangster world, reputation and ego played a very big role. And since Gambino had both, the famous family decided to change their last name to Gambino. Gambino successfully ruled the family for another 22 years before his death.

Mayer Lansky

Gangster nickname: "Accountant"

Mayer Lansky is one of the few famous gangsters born outside the USA, England or Italy. He was born Mayer Sukhovlyansky in Belarus and moved to New York with his family at the age of 9. Lansky started out in the Bugs and Meyer Mob and the National Crime Syndicate.

Benjamin Schiegel

Gangster nickname: Bugsy

John Dillinger

Gangster nickname: "Gentleman John", "Hare"

Charles Luciano

Gangster nickname: "Lucky"

Charles Luciano is considered the father of organized crime and therefore he fully deserves his place on this list. At the young age of 10, Charles and his family moved from Sicily to New York, Lower East Side. It was thanks to him that the entire New York mafia was divided into 5 famous families. Naturally, after organizing the entire mafia in a similar way, Luciano headed one of the families - the Luciano family.

Charles Luciano was an incredibly powerful man. He is so influential that during World War II, the US Navy turned to him for advice. Despite the fact that Luciano was in prison at that moment... For his useful advice and assistance, he was subsequently released. But he was deported to Italy, where he spent the rest of his life.

Kray Brothers

Reginald "Reggie" Kray and Ronald "Rony" Kray were twin brothers who lived and worked in London. During the 50s and 60s they created the gang "The Firm" - a name similar to the names of countless gangs of the time and intended to demonstrate the influence and reputation of the gang. These people were involved in arson, murder, blackmail and armed robbery.

The Kray brothers opened a nightclub in London (a rather unusual activity for gangsters of that time), which was frequented by many film and show business stars, including Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra. Frank Sinatra definitely gravitated towards the gangster circle of the time and maintained friendly relations with many.

Al Capone

Gangster nickname: Scarface

Jesse James

Despite the fact that Hollywood tirelessly uses images of the mafia, which have long become a cliché, there are still illegal groups in the world that control industry, engage in smuggling, cybercrimes and even form global economy countries

So where are they located and which ones are the most famous in the world?

Yakuza

This is not a myth, they exist and, by the way, were among the first to make significant efforts to help after the tsunami in Japan in 2011. The traditional areas of interest of the Yakuza are underground gambling, prostitution, drug trafficking, arms and ammunition trafficking, racketeering, production or sale of counterfeit products, car theft and smuggling. More sophisticated gangsters engage in financial fraud. Members of the group are distinguished by beautiful tattoos, which are usually hidden under clothes.

Mungiki

This is one of the most aggressive sects in Kenya, which arose in 1985 in the settlements of the Kikuyu people in the central part of the country. The Kikuyu gathered their own militia in order to protect the Maasai lands from government militants who wanted to suppress the resistance of the rebellious tribe. The sect, in essence, was a street gang. Later in Nairobi they were formed large detachments who took up local racketeering transport companies transporting passengers around the city (taxi companies, car parks). They then switched to waste collection and disposal. Every slum dweller was also required to pay sect representatives a certain amount, in exchange for a quiet life in his own shack.

Russian Mafia

This is officially the most feared organized crime group. Former FBI special agents call the Russian mafia "the most dangerous people on the ground". In the West, the term “Russian mafia” can mean any criminal organizations, both Russian and from other countries post-Soviet space, or from the immigration environment in foreign countries. Some get hierarchical tattoos, often use military tactics and carry out contract killings.

Hell's Angels

Considered an organized crime group in the United States. This is one of the world's largest motorcycle clubs (Hells Angels Motorcycle Club), which has an almost mythical history and branches all over the world. According to the legend posted on the official website of the motorcycle club, during the Second World War the American Air Force had a 303rd heavy bomber squadron called “Hell’s Angels”. After the end of the war and the disbandment of the unit, the pilots were left without work. They believe that their homeland betrayed them and left them to their fate. They had no choice but to go against their “cruel country, get on motorcycles, join motorcycle clubs and rebel.” Along with legal activities (salons selling motorcycles, motorcycle repair shops, selling goods with symbols), the Hells Angels are known illegal activities(sale of weapons, drugs, racketeering, control of prostitution, and so on).

Sicilian Mafia: La Cosa Nostra

The organization began its activities in the second half of the 19th century, when the Sicilian and American mafia were the strongest. Initially, Cosa Nostra was engaged in the protection (including the most brutal methods) of owners of orange plantations and nobles who owned large plots of land. By the beginning of the 20th century, it had turned into an international criminal group, whose main activity was banditry. The organization has a clear hierarchical structure. Its members often resort to highly ritualistic methods of revenge, and also have a number of complex rites of initiation for men into the group. They also have their own code of silence and secrecy.

Albanian mafia

There are 15 clans in Albania that control most of Albanian organized crime. They control drug trafficking and are involved in human and weapons trafficking. They also coordinate the supply of large quantities of heroin to Europe.

Serbian mafia

Various criminal gangs based in Serbia and Montenegro, consisting of ethnic Serbs and Montenegrins. Their activities are quite diverse: drug trafficking, smuggling, racketeering, contract killings, gambling and information trading. Today there are about 30-40 active criminal gangs in Serbia.

Montreal Mafia Rizzuto

Rizzuto - crime family, which is primarily based in Montreal but covers the provinces and Ontario. They once merged with families in New York, which ultimately led to the mafia wars in Montreal in the late 70s. Rizzuto owns hundreds of millions of dollars worth of real estate in different countries. They own hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, construction, food, service and trading companies. In Italy they own companies producing furniture and Italian delicacies.

Mexican drug cartels

Mexican drug cartels have existed for several decades; since the 1970s, some government agencies Mexico. Mexican drug cartels intensified after the collapse of the Colombian drug cartels - Medellin and . Currently the main foreign supplier of cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine to Mexico, Mexican drug cartels dominate the wholesale illicit drug market.

Mara Salvatrucha

Slang for "Salvadoran Stray Ant Brigade" and often shortened to MS-13. This gang is found primarily in Central America and is based in Los Angeles (although they operate in other areas North America and Mexico). According to various estimates, the number of this brutal crime syndicate ranges from 50 to 300 thousand people. Mara Salvatrucha is involved in many types of criminal businesses, including drug, arms and human trafficking, robbery, racketeering, contract killings, kidnapping for ransom, car theft, money laundering and fraud. Distinctive feature members of the group have tattoos all over their bodies, including on the face and inner lips. They not only show a person’s gang affiliation, but also, with their details, tell about his criminal history, influence and status in the community.

Colombian drug cartels

As of 2011, it remained the largest producer of cocaine in the world. She had a special influence in the world. However, a strong anti-drug campaign has led to the elimination of many of the most dangerous manufacturers, such as cartels and . As is known, these families hired the most experienced experts on illegal trade.

Chinese Triad

The triad is a form of secret criminal organizations in China and the Chinese diaspora. Triads have always had common beliefs (belief in the mystical meaning of the number 3, which is where their name comes from). Currently, triads are known primarily as mafia-style criminal organizations found in Taiwan and other Chinese immigration centers, specializing in drug trafficking and other criminal activities.

D-Company

This group which is based in India, Pakistan and is led by Dawood Ibrahim. The organization's activities include extortion and terrorist acts. Thus, in 1993, it was responsible for the Bombay bombings, which killed 257 people and injured more than 700. D-Company is said to be financed by billions of dollars from real estate transactions and banking scams.

The cinema is full of stories about the mafia. It is the representatives of this mysterious criminal structure that are often the main villains. Films such as "The Godfather", "Casino" and "Bugsy" became hits.

But why are so many films made about bandits? And who is the most famous mafioso? Getting on the “honorable” list is not easy; to do this you need to leave a noticeable criminal mark in the history of the mafia. It should be noted that most of the representatives of this list left their mark on the history of America.

Although these people were not saints, one cannot help but admire their influence and talents, even if they were directed in the wrong direction. Let's talk about the most famous mafiosi and what films were created based on their criminal activities.

Vincent "The Chin" Gigante (1928-2005). This criminal was born in 1928 in New York. Vincent's character was extremely complex - he never finished school, dropping out in the ninth grade. Study was replaced by a new hobby - boxing. Competing as a light heavyweight, Gigante won 21 out of 25 fights. His first arrest took place at the age of 25, but by that time Vincent had already been in a criminal gang for 8 years. The bandit's very first high-profile case as a member of the Genovese family was the attempted murder of Frank Costello. However, Gigante missed. Despite the failure, his rise up the criminal ladder continued, with Vincent eventually becoming a godfather, and later, in the early 80s, a consolere. After the conviction of the major mafia boss Tony Salerno, it was Giganto who became the new leader of the clan. But what caused such a rise? In the late 60s, Vincent avoided going to prison by pretending to be crazy. In the future, the bandit continued to maintain this image - it cost him nothing to walk along the streets hometown in pajamas. This fact gave Gigante nicknames such as "King of Pajamas" and "Weirdo". Only after being convicted in 2003 for extortion did the criminal admit that he mental health All right. Thanks to lawyers and poor health, Gigante was supposed to be released from prison in 2010, but the mafioso’s heart could not stand it, and Vincent died on December 19, 2005. Vincent Giganto was used in an episode of Law & Order and in the 1999 film Bonanno: The Godfather Story.

Albert Anastasia (1903-1957). This mafia representative was born, like many of his colleagues, in Italy, but moved to America as a child. Albert's career began with the murder of a longshoreman on the Brooklyn docks. The killer began serving his sentence in the famous Sing Sing prison, but soon the only witness mysteriously died and Anastasia was released without serving his sentence. Albert earned the nicknames "Lord Executioner" and "Mad Hatter" for his many murders. Over time, the criminal ended up in Joe Masseria's gang, who just needed a cold-blooded killer. However, Albert was very friendly with his competitor, Charlie "Lucky", so Masseria's betrayal became a matter of time. It was Anastasia who became one of the four sent to kill the boss in 1931. Already in 1944, Albert became the leader of a group of murderers, which even got its name “Murder, Inc.” The perpetrator himself was never prosecuted for the murders, but according to authorities, his group was directly related to at least 400 deaths. The 50s elevated Albert to the status of leader of the Luciano family, but at the direction of Carlo Gambino, Anastasia was killed in 1957. The prototype of this mafioso became the basis for the films "Murder, Inc" with Peter Falk and Howard Smith in 1960, as well as "The Valacci Papers" in 1972 and "Lepke" in 1975.

Joseph Bonanno (1905-2002). And this bandit was born in Italy, his homeland in 1905 was the island of Sicily. Already at the age of 15, the boy was left an orphan, and when he was 19, he fled from the fascist regime of Mussolini, first to Cuba, and from there to the USA. The young man soon became known as "Joey Bananas", becoming a member of the Maranzano family. Maranzano managed to form the “Commission”, which managed to establish control over the mafia families in Italy itself. However, Luciano soon killed his competitor. Bonanno gradually amassed large amounts of capital by managing cheese factories, as well as clothing and funeral businesses. But Joseph’s plans to gradually eliminate the remaining families did not come true. Bonanno was kidnapped, it took him 19 days to come to the decision to retire. But this decision allowed Joseph to live long life. As a result, the bandit was never convicted of anything serious during his career. It was about Bonanno that two films were made: Love, Honor and Obedience: The Last Mafia Alliance, 1993, starring Ben Gazarra, and Bonanno: The Story Godfather", 1999 with Martin Landau.

Arthur Flegenheimer (1902-1935). This mafioso became known by his nickname "Dutch Schultz". He was born in the Bronx in 1902. Even in his youth, Arthur became an organizer of crap games, thereby trying to impress the boss Marcelo Poffo. Already at the age of 17, the young man went to prison, having been convicted of theft. Arthur soon realized that the only way for him to earn money was to sell alcohol during the era of Prohibition, or bootlegging. The bandit tried to enter the newly formed crime syndicate, but in doing so he made serious enemies for himself in Capone and Luciano. In 1933, Arthur flees justice to New Jersey. After his return in 1935, the mafiosi are killed by Albert Anastasia's henchmen. Dutch Schultz was made famous by Dustin Hoffman in the 1991 film Billy Bathgate, another reflection was in the 1997 Bully with Tim Roth. The image of a bandit is also found in the films “Gangster Wars” of 1981, “The Cotton Club” of 1984 and “Natural Gift” of the same year.

John Gotti (1940-2002). This gangster stands out from all New York celebrities of this kind. John was born in 1940 and was always considered smart. Already at the age of 16, Gotti was a member of the Fulton Rockaway Boys street gang. John's talents allowed him to quickly become the leader of the group. In the 60s, the “Guys” lived in petty theft and car theft. However, this was clearly not enough for Gotti; in the early 70s he was already the godfather of the Bergin group, which was part of the Gambino family. Gotti's ambitions pushed him to take dangerous steps even among the mafia - he began to distribute drugs, which was prohibited by family rules. It's no surprise that boss Paul Castellano decided to remove Gotti from his organization. However, in 1985, John and his henchmen managed to kill Castellano and personally lead the Gambino family. Although New York law enforcement tried numerous times to convict Gotti, the charges consistently failed. The mafioso himself always looked presentable, which the media liked. It was they who gave the gangster the nicknames “Elegant Don” and “Teflon Don.” The police only reached Gotti in 1992, convicting him of murder. The gangster's life was cut short in 2002; he died of cancer. The life of a mafioso has been embodied in films many times - he was played by Antonio Denilson in the film "Getting Gotti" in 1994, Armand Assante in "Gotti" in 1996. And in the 1998 films "Mafia Witness" with Tom Sizemoor and "The Big Heist" in 2001 without the participation of a famous bandit.

Meyer Lansky (1902-1983). In 1902, a boy, Mayer Sachovlyansky, was born in Russia, who was destined to become famous American gangster. In 1911, he and his parents moved to New York. Also in childhood Meyer's friend was Charles Luciano. He demanded money from the stranger for patronage, but Lansky refused. There was a fight, the result of which was... friendship between the boys. After some time, Bugsy Seagal joined the guys, who was introduced into the company by Meyer. The friendly trio became the core of the Bug and Meyer group, which later grew into the famous Murder, Inc. At first Lansky took up gambling and the accompanying money. The arena of his actions was Florida, New Orleans and Cuba. Meyer became an investor in Seagal's casino, which he opened in Las Vegas; the mafioso even acquired an offshore Swiss bank in order to better launder money. When the National Crime Syndicate was formed in America, it was Lansky who was its co-founder. However, business is business, when Bugsy Seagal stopped giving money to the Syndicate, Lansky cold-bloodedly ordered the death of his old friend. Gambling houses all over the world were subject to racketeering by Lansky's boys, but he never spent a single day in prison. The role of Meyer Lansky was brilliantly portrayed by Richard Dreyfuss in the 1999 film Lansky, as well as Nyman Roth in the 1974 Godfather Part II. The gangster was played by Mark Rydel in 1990's Havana, Patrick Dempsey in Gangsters, and Ben Kingsley in 1991's Bugsy.

Frank Costello (1891-1973). And this gangster was born in Italy, moving to the United States at the age of four. Already at the age of 13, Francesco Castilla became a member of a criminal gang, changing his name to a more sonorous one - Frank Costello. After his prison term he becomes best friend Charlie Luciano. This couple began organizing gambling and bootlegging together. Costello's influence was based on the fact that he connected the mafia and politicians. Frank was friendly with the Tammany Hall Democrat, which allowed him to avoid persecution by the New York police. Luciano's arrest made Costello a man in law. Tensions within Vito Genovese led to him attempting to kill Costello in the mid-50s. This led to the retirement of Frank, who died quietly in retirement in 1973. Costello was best portrayed by James Andronica in the 1981 film Gangster Chronicles. It is worth noting the work of Jack Nicholson in “The Departed” 2006, Carmine Caridi in “Bugsy” and Costas Mobsters in “Gangsters” 1991.

Benjamin "Bugsy" Segal (1906-1947). The future gangster was born in 1906 in Brooklyn, where he met Meyer Lansky. The nickname "Bugsy" appeared due to the unpredictable nature of the bandit. Seagal committed many murders for Charlie Luciano, which made him a lot of enemies. It is not surprising that in the late 30s Bugsy fled to Los Angeles, where he managed to make many acquaintances among Hollywood stars. After the passage of the Nevada gambling law, Segal borrowed millions of dollars from the Syndicate and founded the Flamingo Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, one of the first in the city. However, the business did not turn out to be profitable when criminal colleagues discovered that Seagal simply stole their money, Bugsy was killed. Benjamin Seagal was best portrayed by Warren Beatty in the 1991 film Bugsy and by Armand Assante in The Married Man (1991).

Carlo Gambino (1902-1976). The Gambino family has been part of the mafia clan for several centuries. Who could Carlo become if not a gangster? He began killing on demand at the age of 19. In Italy at this time Mussolini began to gain power, so Gambino emigrated to America, where his cousin Paul Costellano was waiting for him. Carlo consisted of contrasts; many of the criminals considered him a total coward; there is a known case when Anastasia publicly hit him for a mistake. Gambino himself preferred to appear misunderstood. The 40s brought the extradition of Luciano, and Albert Anastasia took his place. However, Carlo could not come to terms with this state of affairs, and in 1957 he gave the order to kill his rival. Vito Genovese quickly climbed to the “warm” place, who planned that all dirty job That's exactly what Gambino will get. However, from the very beginning he planned to remove the new opponent. Soon he went to prison on a trumped-up drug case. Carlo Gambino became the new boss of the family, which he kept under a tight rein until his death in 1976. Many films have been made about Gambino - "Boss of Bosses" in 2001 with Al Ruccio. Between Love and Honor (1995), Gotti (1996) and Bonanno: The Godfather Story (1999).

Charlie "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962). Salvatore Luciania's birthplace was Sicily. 9 years after his birth, in 1906, the whole family moved to the USA, to New York. Time passed, and now Charlie became a member of the Five Points gang, controlling prostitution and racketeering in Manhattan. In 1929, there was an attempt on Luciano’s life, and he decided to create the National Crime Syndicate in order to protect himself from attacks from competitors. There were no major obstacles to the execution of his plans; by 1935, “Lucky” Luciano had also become known as the “Boss of Bosses” not only in his city, but throughout the United States. However, the police did not sleep; in 1936, the gangster was sentenced to prison for a term of 30 to 50 years. However, bribes and lawyers did their job - in 1946, Charlie was released from prison on the condition that he leave the country. The influence of the mafioso was so great that during World War II, even the US Navy turned to him for assistance in order to assist them in landing in Italy. Luciano died in 1962 due to a heart attack. The gangster was portrayed by Christian Slater in 1991's Gangsters, Bill Graham in 1991's Bugsy, and Anthony LaPaglia in 1999's Lansky.

Al Capone (1899-1947). This gangster deservedly goes under Number One, because his name is known to everyone. Alphonse Capone was born in Brooklyn to a family of Italian immigrants. After some time, the young man joined the Five Points gang, where he played the role of a bouncer. It was then that Capone was given the nickname "Scarface." In 1919, in search of new challenges, the bandit moved to Chicago to work for Johnny Torrio. This allowed Capone to begin to quickly move up the criminal hierarchy. During Prohibition, Capone did not disdain to engage not only in bootlegging and gambling, but also in prostitution. In 1925, the gangster is only 26 years old, but he is already the head of the Torrey family and is not afraid to start a family war. Capone became famous not only for his pomp and vanity, but also for his cruelty and intelligence. Suffice it to recall the famous massacre that occurred during the celebration of St. Valentine's Day in 1929, during which many leaders of criminal groups were killed. The police managed to arrest Al Capone for... tax evasion! This was done in 1931 by federal tax agent Eliot Ness. In 1934, the gangster ended up in the famous Alcatraz prison, from where he came out 7 years later having become fatally ill with syphilis. Capone lost his influence; his friends preferred to tell him fictitious stories about the true state of affairs. There have been many films about Capone, the most famous of which are 1967's "Valentine's Day Massacre" with Jason Robards, 1975's "Capone" with Ben Gazarra and 1987's "The Untouchables" with Robert De Niro.

Tony Accardo "Big Tuna" (1906-1992). Tony was the boss of the Chicago mafia for more than ten years, from the very end of World War II. At this time, his competitors left the scene - Paul Ricca went to prison, and Frank Nitti committed suicide. And Accardo came to his first roles during the time of Capone, being at first his bodyguard. It was Tony who in 1931 became the main suspect in the murder of his boss's rival, Joe Aillo. Accardo is also credited with participating in the famous Valentine's Day massacre. After Capone's capture, Tony became... right hand new boss, Frank Nitti. They say that it was Accardo who eventually managed to introduce the Chicago family into the gambling business, and he also “set up” the rackets of the entertainment and industrial industries. Tony remained an influential member of the Family for a long time. When Giancana fled the country in 1966, Accardo returned to his usual leadership role. As a result, Accardo retired from business in the 80s, moving to California. There he died on May 27, 1992.

Bernardo Provenzano (born 1933). Bernardo Provenzano was born in the small Sicilian village of Corleone, in poor family peasants Already in his youth he became a member of the Corleone clan. The boss of this clan’s unit, Luciano Liggio, is known to have said that Bernardo “shoots like an angel and thinks like a chicken.” The rise of Provenzano's career dates back to 1958, when his boss's main rival was killed. The next 10 years brought Provenzano connections to a dozen more crimes and murders. He was put on the wanted list, but the police didn’t even try to look for him for the first twenty years. Provenzano gained power and authority, eventually taking over the entire illegal business of Palermo - prostitution, arms and drug trafficking, gambling. As a result, by the end of the 80s, the entire local Cosa Nostra passed into the hands of Bernardo and his accomplice, Salvatore Riina. Provenzano received the nicknames The Beast, The Accountant and The Bulldozer. The last nickname testifies to his intractability and uncompromisingness. Although they also say that this is evidence of how he steps over people. Nevertheless, Provenzano was an excellent leader. In the early 90s, the Italian authorities declared war on the mafia, making a number of high-profile arrests. It was then that an active hunt for Provenzano began. By the time of his arrest in 2006, the police only had a photo from 1959. So Bernardo Provenzano has been caught. The all-powerful Boss of Bosses of the Sicilian mafia appeared as a 73-year-old man in jeans and a sweater. The mafioso's sentence was passed in absentia a long time ago; he will spend the rest of his days in prison.

Giuseppe Antonaio Doto "Joe Adonis" (1906-1971). Adonis was born in 1906, near Naples. A common story at that time - the boy’s family sent him to America. Giuseppe's criminal career began with famous gangsters Frank Yal and Anthony Pisano. After Yalo's death in 1928, Adonis and his friends joined the Pisano family as the most prominent Neapolitans working in crime in New York during the 1920s. Adonis attended a 1929 national bootlegging deal in Atlantic City, later joining Charlie Luciano's group. Giuseppe eliminated his competitors - Maceria and Salvatore Maranzano, which allowed the reorganized group led by him to take its place in the underworld. The exact place in the hierarchy of the Adonis Family remains unclear. One thing is clear - he played a prominent role in the Mangano family. As a result, Adonis was involved in everything - racketeering, drugs, alcohol, gambling. It was Giuseppe who was responsible for the Family's relations with other groups, including non-Italian ones. Adonis was trusted, he was Frank Costello's confidant and even the arbiter of all mafia affairs. Giuseppe was in the hands of the New Jersey gambling business; at one time the mafioso even supported Robert Kennedy himself. Adonis died of natural causes in Ancona, Italy in 1971. True, the body of the mafioso was transported to America for burial.

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