Is there a mafia in Sicily? "Five Families" - Sicilian mafia in New York.

Hardly anyone today has not heard of the mafia. In the mid-nineteenth century, this word entered the Italian dictionary. It is known that in 1866 the authorities knew about the mafia, or at least what was called by this word. The British consul in Silicia reported to his homeland that he was constantly witnessing the activities of the mafia, which maintained connections with criminals and owned large sums of money...

The word "mafia" most likely has Arabic roots and comes from the word: mu`afah. It has many meanings, but none of them come close to the phenomenon that soon became known as the “mafia.” But there is another hypothesis about the spread of this word in Italy. Allegedly this happened during the uprisings of 1282. There was social unrest in Sicily. They went down in history as the “Sicilian Vespers.” During the protests, one cry was born, which was quickly picked up by the protesters, it sounded like this: “Death to France! Die, Italy! If you make an abbreviation in Italian from the first letters of the words, it will sound like “MAFIA”.

The first mafia organization in Italy

Determining the origins of this phenomenon is much more difficult than the etymology of the word. Many historians who have studied the mafia say that the first organization was created in the seventeenth century. In those days, secret societies that were created to fight the Holy Roman Empire were popular. Others believe that the origins of the mafia as a mass phenomenon should be sought at the Bourbon throne. Because it was they who used the services of unreliable individuals and robbers, who did not require much remuneration for their work, in order to patrol parts of the city that were characterized by increased criminal activity. The reason that criminal elements in the service of the government were content with little and did not have large salaries was that they took bribes so that the violation of laws would not become known to the king.

Or maybe the Gabelloti were the first?

The third, but no less popular hypothesis for the emergence of the mafia points to the Gabelloti organization, which acted as a kind of intermediary between the peasants and the people who owned the land. Representatives of the Gabelloti were also required to collect tribute. History is silent about how people were selected for this organization. But all those who found themselves in the bosom of Gabelloti were dishonest. They soon created a separate caste with their own laws and codes. The structure was unofficial, but it had enormous influence in Italian society.

None of the theories described above have been proven. But each is built on one common element - the huge distance between the Sicilians and the power that they considered imposed, unfair and alien, and, naturally, wanted to remove.

How did the mafia come about?

In those days, the Sicilian peasant had absolutely no rights. He felt humiliated in his own state. Most ordinary people worked in latifundia - enterprises owned by large feudal lords. Work on the latifundia was hard and poorly paid physical labor.

Dissatisfaction with the authorities was twisting like a spiral that was bound to shoot one day. And so it happened: the authorities stopped coping with their responsibilities. And the people chose a new government. Positions such as amici (friend) and uomini d`onore (men of honor) became popular, becoming local judges and kings.

Honest bandits

We find an interesting fact about the Italian mafia in Brydon Patrick’s book “Travel to Sicily and Malta,” which was written in 1773. The author writes: “The bandits became the most respected people on the entire island. They had noble and even romantic goals. These bandits had their own code of honor, and those who violated it died instantly. They were loyal and unprincipled. Killing a person means nothing to a Sicilian bandit if the person had guilt in his soul.”

The words Patrick said are still relevant today. However, not everyone knows that Italy once almost got rid of the mafia once and for all. This happened during the reign of Mussolini. The head of the police fought the mafia with its own weapons. The authorities knew no mercy. And just like the mafia, she did not hesitate before shooting.

World War II and the rise of the mafia

Perhaps, if World War II had not started, we would not be talking now about such a phenomenon as the mafia. But ironically, the American landing in Sicily equalized the forces. For the Americans, the mafia became the only source of information about the location and strength of Mussolini's troops. For the mafiosi themselves, cooperation with the Americans practically guaranteed freedom of action on the island after the end of the war.

We read about similar arguments in the book “The Great Godfather” by Vito Bruschini: “The Mafia had the support of its allies, so it was in its hands that the distribution of humanitarian aid - a variety of food products. For example, food was delivered to Palermo based on the population of five hundred thousand people. But since the majority of the population moved to quieter rural areas near the city, the mafia had every opportunity to take the remaining humanitarian aid after distribution onto the black market.”

Help the mafia in the war

Since the mafia practiced various sabotage against the authorities in peacetime, with the beginning of the war it more actively continued such activities. History knows at least one documented case of sabotage, when the Goering tank brigade, which was stationed at a Nazi base, refueled with water and oil. As a result, the engines of the tanks burned out, and the vehicles ended up in workshops instead of the front.

Post-war time

After the Allies occupied the island, the influence of the mafia only intensified. "Intelligent criminals" were often appointed to the military government. In order not to be unfounded, we present statistics: out of 66 towns, people from the criminal world were appointed chief in 62. The further flourishing of the mafia was associated with the investment of previously laundered money into business and its increase in connection with the sale of drugs.

Individual style of the Italian mafia

Each member of the mafia understood that his activities involved some risk, so he made sure that his family did not go into poverty in the event of the death of the “breadwinner”.

In society, mafiosi are very harshly punished for connections with police officers, and even more so for cooperation. A person was not accepted into the mafia circle if he had a relative from the police. And for appearing in public places, a law enforcement representative could be killed. Interestingly, both alcoholism and drug addiction were not welcomed in the family. Despite this, many mafiosi were fond of both, the temptation was very great.

The Italian mafia is very punctual. Being late is considered bad manners and disrespect for colleagues. During meetings with enemies, killing anyone is prohibited. They say about the Italian mafia that even if families are at war with each other, they do not strive for cruel reprisals against competitors and often sign peace agreements.

Italian mafia laws

Another law that the Italian mafia honors is family above all, no lies among your own. If a lie was answered in response to a question, it was considered that the person had betrayed his family. The rule, of course, is not without meaning, because it made cooperation within the mafia safer. But not everyone adhered to it. And where big money was involved, betrayal was an almost obligatory attribute of relationships.

Only the boss of the Italian mafia could allow members of his group (family) to rob, kill or loot. Visiting bars unless strictly necessary was not encouraged. After all, a drunken mafioso could blurt out too much about his family.

Vendetta: for the family

Vendetta is revenge for violation or betrayal. Each group had its own ritual, some of which are striking in their cruelty. It did not manifest itself in torture or terrible murder weapons; as a rule, the victim was killed quickly. But after death, they could do whatever they wanted with the body of the offender. And, as a rule, they did.

It is curious that information about the laws of the mafia in general became public knowledge only in 2007, when the father of the Italian mafia, Salvatore La Piccola, fell into the hands of the police. Among the boss's financial documents, they found the family charter.

Italian mafia: names and surnames that went down in history

How not to remember which one is connected with drug trafficking and a network of brothels? Or, for example, who had the nickname “Prime Minister”? Italian mafia names are known throughout the world. Especially after Hollywood filmed several stories about gangsters at once. What is shown on the big screens is true and what is fiction is unknown, but it is thanks to films that in our days it has become possible to almost romanticize the image of the Italian mafioso. By the way, the Italian mafia likes to give nicknames to all its members. Some choose them for themselves. But the nickname is always associated with the history or character traits of the mafioso.

The names of the Italian mafia are, as a rule, bosses who dominated the whole family, that is, they achieved the greatest success in this difficult work. Most of the gangsters who did the grunt work are unknown to history. The Italian mafia still exists today, although most Italians turn a blind eye to it. Fighting it now, when we are in the twenty-first century, is practically pointless. Sometimes the police still manage to catch the “big fish” on a hook, but most mafiosi die of natural causes in old age or are killed by a gun in their youth.

New "star" among the mafiosi

The Italian mafia operates under cover of obscurity. Interesting facts about her are very rare, because Italian law enforcement agencies are already having problems finding out at least something about the actions of the mafia. Sometimes they are lucky, and unexpected, or even sensational, information becomes public knowledge.

Despite the fact that most people, when they hear the words “Italian mafia,” think of the famous Cosa Nostra or, for example, the Camorra, the most influential and brutal clan is the ‘Ndranghenta. Back in the fifties, the group expanded beyond its area, but until recently remained in the shadow of its larger competitors. How did it happen that 80% of the drug trafficking of the entire European Union ended up in the hands of the 'Ndranghenta? - fellow gangsters themselves are surprised. The Italian mafia "Ndranghenta" has an annual income of 53 billion.

There is a myth very popular among gangsters: the 'Ndranghenta has aristocratic roots. Allegedly, the syndicate was founded by Spanish knights who had the goal of avenging the honor of their sister. Legend has it that the knights punished the culprit and themselves went to prison for 30 years. They spent 29 years, 11 months and 29 days in it. One of the knights, once free, founded the mafia. Some continue the story with the assertion that the other two brothers are precisely the bosses of Cosa Nostra and Camorra. Everyone understands that this is just a legend, but it is a symbol of the fact that the Italian mafia values ​​​​and recognizes the connection between families and adheres to the rules.

Mafia hierarchy

The most revered and authoritative title sounds approximately like “boss of all Bosses.” It is known that at least one mafioso had such a rank - his name was Matteo Denaro. Second in the mafia hierarchy is the title “king - boss of all bosses.” It is awarded to the boss of all families when he retires. This title does not carry privileges, it is a tribute of respect. In third place is the title of the head of an individual family - don. The Don's first consultant, his right-hand man, bears the title "Adviser". He has no authority to influence the state of affairs, but the don listens to his opinion.

Next comes the Don's deputy - formally the second person in the group. In fact, he comes after the advisor. A capo is a man of honor, or rather, the captain of such people. They are mafia soldiers. Typically, one family has up to fifty soldiers.

And finally, little man is the last title. These people are not yet part of the mafia, but they want to become one, so they carry out small assignments for the family. Young men of honor are those who are friends of the mafia. For example, bribe takers, dependent bankers, corrupt police officers and the like.

Until 1963, the Italian mafia was something of a myth for other countries; even the FBI did not recognize its existence, until a certain Cosa Nostra small fry, Joe Valachi, in order to avoid the death penalty, exposed the mafia, detailing all its ins and outs. By the way, then, for violating the vow of silence, angry mafiosi tried to “sew” a traitor who was in prison until his death.

We can say that the mafia was a secret society, about which only rumors circulated among ordinary people; the entire system was shrouded in an aura of secrecy.

After Valachi's confession, the Italian mafia became a truly fashionable phenomenon, its image romanticized in media, literature and cinema. The most famous book about the Italian mafia, “The Godfather” by Mario Puzo, was written 6 years after the exposure; later, a whole saga about the Corleone family was based on it. The prototype of Vito Corleone was Joe Bonanno, the godfather of one of the “Five Families” that control organized crime in New York.

Why did crime families come to be called "mafia"?

Historians still argue about what the word “mafia” means. According to one version, it is an abbreviation of the motto of the uprising of 1282, which promoted the slogan: “Death to France! Breathe, Italy!” (Morte alla Francia Italia Anelia). Unhappy Sicily was forever besieged by foreign invaders. Others believe that this word appeared only in the 17th century and has an Arabic root meaning “protector”, “refuge”.

Strictly speaking, the mafia is precisely a Sicilian group; in other parts of Italy and the world, clans called themselves differently (for example, “Camorra” in Naples). But with the increasing influence of the mafia on other regions of Italy and throughout the world, the word has become a household word; now they are used by any major criminal organization: Japanese, Russian, Albanian mafias.

A little history

Under the guise Robin The Hood crime families protected the poor from pirate raids, foreign aggressors, and oppression by feudal lords beginning in the 9th century. The government did not help the peasants, they did not trust foreigners, so the poor had no one to rely on except the mafia. And although the mafiosi also took considerable bribes from them and imposed their own laws, there was still order with them and guaranteed protection.

The mafia was finally formed as an organization in the 19th century, and the peasants themselves placed criminals “on the throne”, not wanting to obey the exploiters who ruled at that time - the Bourbons. So in 1861 the mafia officially became a political force. They got into parliament and got the opportunity to control the political situation in the country, and the mafiosi themselves turned into a kind of aristocracy.

Once upon a time, the mafia extended its influence only to agriculture. But already at the beginning of the 20th century, mafiosi began to actively interfere in city affairs, helping one or another deputy win elections, for which he generously rewarded them. Now the influence of the mafia has spread to mainland Italy.

Maybe the mafiosi would have lived without knowing anyone’s refusal, swimming in money and enjoying unlimited power, but in 1922 the fascists came to power. The dictator Mussolini did not tolerate the mafia as a second power, and then indiscriminately imprisoned thousands of people as involved in mafia affairs. Of course, such a tough policy bore fruit for several decades; the mafiosi lay low.

In the 50s and 60s, the mafia again raised its head and the Italian government had to begin an official fight against crime; a special body was created - the Antimafia.

And the mafiosi turned into real businessmen. Most often, they acted according to the iceberg principle: at the top there is legal low-budget activity, and under the water there is a whole block hidden, drug trafficking, “protection” of business or prostitution. This is how money is laundered to this day. Over time, many families have developed the legal side of the business so much that they have become successful entrepreneurs in the restaurant business and food industry.

In the 1980s, a brutal clan war began, in which so many people died that the new generation of mafiosi chose to engage only in legal business, while maintaining mutual responsibility and other signs of a secret organization.

But don’t think that the Italian mafia is living its last days. In March 2000, a scandal erupted in Italy: the police had to arrest several Sicilian judges suspected of close collaboration with the mafia.

Although the mafiosi were partly legalized, they did not leave the scene at all. In the south of Italy it is still impossible to open your own business without enlisting the support of local authorities. Over the past 10 years, the Italian government has been actively fighting the mafia, conducting “cleanses” and removing mafiosi from key positions.

How did the mafiosi end up in America?

Due to terrible poverty, from 1872 until the First World War, Sicilians emigrated to America in droves. Luckily for them, Prohibition was just introduced there, which helped them develop their illegal business and accumulate capital. The Sicilians completely recreated their customs on the new land and earned so much that their total income was several times higher than the income of the largest American companies. American and Italian mafiosi never lost touch with each other and faithfully preserved common traditions.

In America, the organized crime that emerged from Sicily is called “Cosa Nostra” (in Italian this means “our business” - they say, don’t stick your nose into someone else’s issue). Now the entire Sicilian mafia is often collectively called “Cosa Nostra”. One of the Sicilian clans that returned to their homeland from America also bears this name.

Structure of the Italian mafia

The boss or godfather is the head of the family. Information flows to him about all the affairs of his family and the plans of his enemies. The boss is elected by vote.

The underboss is the first deputy godfather. Appointed solely by the boss himself and responsible for the actions of all capos.

The consigliere is the family's chief adviser, whom the boss can completely trust.

A caporegime or capo is the head of a "team" that operates in a single family-controlled area. Teams are required to give the boss a portion of their income every month.

The soldier is the youngest member of the family who has recently been “inducted” into the organization. Soldiers are formed into teams of up to 10 people, led by capos.

An accomplice is a person who has a certain status in mafia circles, but is not yet considered a family member. It can act, for example, as an intermediary in the sale of drugs.

Laws and traditions respected by the mafiosi

In 2007, the influential godfather Salvadore Lo Piccolo was arrested in Italy and a secret document called “The Ten Commandments of Cosa Nostra” was seized. Basically from it we know the traditions of the Italian mafia.

• Each group “works” in a certain territory and other families should not meddle there.
• Initiation ritual for newcomers: a recruit’s finger is wounded and his blood is poured over the icon. He takes the icon in his hand and it is lit. The beginner must endure the pain until the icon burns. At the same time, he says: “Let my flesh burn, like this saint, if I break the laws of the mafia.”
• The family cannot include: police officers and those who have police officers among their relatives; That, Whocheating on his wife or among his relatives there are those Whochange spouses; as well as people who violated the laws of honor.
• Family members respect their wives and never look at their friends' wives.
• Omerta is the mutual responsibility of all clan members. Joining the organization is for life, no one can leave the business. At the same time, the organization is responsible for each of its members; if someone has offended him, she and only she will administer justice.
• For an insult, the offender must be killed.
• The death of a family member is an insult that is washed away in blood. Bloody revenge for a loved one is called “vendetta.”
• The kiss of death is a special signal given by mafia bosses or capos that means that a family member has become a traitor and must be killed.
• Code of silence - a ban on disclosing the secrets of the organization.
• Betrayal is punishable by the murder of the traitor and all his relatives.

Contrary to established ideas about the mafia, the “code of honor” is often violated: mutual betrayals, denunciations of each other to the police are no longer uncommon today.

In conclusion let's say...

Despite the seemingly fabulous wealth of the mafia leaders, it is mainly the poor from the Italian south who dream of such a career. After all, this is a very dangerous business and, upon closer examination, not so profitable. After paying off all the bribes, confiscating some of the illegal goods by the police, constantly spending money to protect yourself and your family, there is not much left. Many mafiosi are killed stupidly during banal drug deals. Today, not everyone can live according to the laws of honor, and there is no way back, contrary to the assurances of American melodramas like “Blue-Eyed Mickey.”

Despite Hollywood's relentless use of mafia images that have long since become clichés, there are still illegal groups in the world that control industry, engage in smuggling, cybercrime, and even shape the global economy of 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, large detachments were formed in Nairobi, which engaged in racketeering of local transport companies transporting passengers around the city (taxi companies, car parks). They then switched to waste collection and disposal. Each slum resident was also obliged to pay representatives of the sect 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 Earth." In the West, the term “Russian mafia” can mean any criminal organization, both Russian itself and from other states of the post-Soviet space, or from the immigration environment in non-CIS 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 (sales of motorcycles, motorcycle repair shops, sale of goods with symbols), the Hells Angels are known for 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

The Rizzuto are a crime family that is primarily based in Montreal but operates in the provinces of Quebec 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 Mexican government agencies have been facilitating their activities. 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 of 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. A distinctive feature of the group's members are 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

The modern world has many criminal groups, and each has its own leader, its own boss, its own head. But comparing the current leaders of the mafia and criminal organizations with the bosses of past dashing years is a matter doomed to failure and criticism. Past bosses of the criminal world created entire empires of evil and violence, extortion and drug trafficking. Their so-called families lived according to their own laws, and violation of these laws foreshadowed death and cruel punishment for disobedience. We bring to your attention a list of the most legendary and influential mafiosi in history.

10
(1974 - present time)

Once the leader of one of the largest drug cartels in Mexico, which is called Los Zetas. At the age of 17 he joined the Mexican army, and later worked in a special unit to combat the drug cartel. The transition to the side of the traders occurred after he was recruited into the Golfo cartel. The private mercenary force Los Zetas hired from the organization later grew into the largest drug cartel in Mexico. Heriberto dealt very harshly with his competitors, for which his criminal group was given the nickname “Executioners.”

9
(1928 — 2005)

Since 1981, he led the Genovese family, while everyone considered Antonio Salermo to be the boss of the family. Vincent was nicknamed "Crazy Boss" for his, to put it mildly, inappropriate behavior. But, it was only for the authorities; Gigante’s lawyers spent 7 years bringing certificates indicating that he was crazy, thereby avoiding a sentence. Vincent's people controlled crime throughout New York and other major American cities.

8
(1902 – 1957)

The boss of one of the five mafia families of criminal America. The head of the Gambino family, Albert Anastasia, had two nicknames - “The Chief Executioner” and “The Mad Hatter”, and the first was given to him because his group “Murder, Inc.” was responsible for about 700 deaths. He was a close friend of Lucky Luciano, whom he considered his teacher. It was Anastasia who helped Lucky take control of the entire criminal world, carrying out contract killings for him of the bosses of other families.

7
(1905 — 2002)

Patriarch of the Bonanno family and the richest mobster in history. The history of the reign of Joseph, who was called “Banana Joe,” goes back 30 years; after this period, Bonanno voluntarily retired and lived in his personal huge mansion. The Castellamarese war, which lasted 3 years, is considered one of the most significant events in the criminal world. Ultimately, Bonanno organized a crime family that still operates in the United States.

6
(1902 – 1983)

Meir was born in Belarus, the city of Grodno. A native of the Russian Empire became the most influential person in the United States and one of the country's crime leaders. He is the creator of the National Crime Syndicate and the parent of the gambling business in the states. He was the largest bootlegger (illegal liquor dealer) during Prohibition.

It was Gambino who became the founder of one of the most influential families in criminal America. After seizing control of a number of highly profitable areas, including illegal bootlegging, a government port and an airport, the Gambino family becomes the most powerful of the five families. Carlo forbade his people from selling drugs, considering this type of business dangerous and attracting public attention. At its height, the Gambino family consisted of more than 40 groups and teams, and controlled New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Miami and Los Angeles.

4
(1940 – 2002)

John Gotti was a famous figure, the press loved him, he was always dressed to the nines. Numerous prosecutions by New York law enforcement always failed; Gotti escaped punishment for a long time. For this, the press nicknamed him “Teflon John.” He received the nickname “Elegant Don” when he began to dress only in fashionable and stylish suits with expensive ties. John Gotti has been the leader of the Gambino family since 1985. During the reign, the family was one of the most influential.

3
(1949 – 1993)

The most brutal and daring Colombian drug lord. He went down in the history of the 20th century as the most brutal criminal and the head of the largest drug cartel. He organized the supply of cocaine to different parts of the world, mainly to the USA, on a grand scale, even transporting tens of kilograms on airplanes. During his entire activity as the head of the Medellin cocaine cartel, he was involved in the murders of more than 200 judges and prosecutors, more than 1,000 police officers and journalists, presidential candidates, ministers, and prosecutors general. Escobar's net worth in 1989 was more than $15 billion.

2
(1897 – 1962)

Originally from Sicily, Lucky became, in fact, the founder of the criminal world in America. His real name is Charles, Lucky, which means “Lucky”, they began to call him after he was taken to a deserted highway, tortured, beaten, cut, burned in the face with cigarettes, and he remained alive after that. The people who tortured him were Maranzano gangsters; they wanted to know the location of the drug cache, but Charles remained silent. After unsuccessful torture, they abandoned the bloody body without any signs of life by the road, thinking that Luciano was dead, where he was picked up by a patrol car 8 hours later. He received 60 stitches and survived. After this incident, the nickname “Lucky” remained with him forever. Luckey organized the Big Seven, a group of bootleggers to whom he provided protection from the authorities. He became the boss of Cosa Nostra, which controlled all areas of activity in the criminal world.

1
(1899 – 1947)

A legend of the underworld of those times and the most famous mafia boss in history. He was a prominent representative of criminal America. His areas of activity were bootlegging, prostitution, and gambling. Known as the organizer of the most brutal and significant day in the criminal world - the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, when seven influential gangsters from the Irish gang Bugs Moran, including the boss's right hand, were shot dead. Al Capone was the first among all gangsters to “launder” money through a huge network of laundries, the prices of which were very low. Capone was the first to introduce the concept of “racketeering” and successfully dealt with it, laying the foundation for a new vector of mafia activity. Alfonso received the nickname “Scarface” at the age of 19, when he worked in a billiards club. He allowed himself to object to the cruel and seasoned criminal Frank Galluccio, moreover, he insulted his wife, after which a fight and a stabbing occurred between the bandits, as a result of which Al Capone received the famous scar on his left cheek. By right, Al Capone was the most influential person and a terror to everyone, including the government, which was able to put him behind bars only for tax evasion.

Etc).

Etymology [ | ]

The origin of the word “mafia” (in early texts - “maffia”) has not yet been precisely established, and therefore there are many assumptions of varying degrees of reliability.

Italian MP Leopoldo Francetti, who traveled to Sicily and wrote one of the first authoritative reports on the mafia in 1876, described the latter as an “industry of violence” and defined it as follows: “The term ‘mafia’ implies a class of violent criminals ready and waiting for their a name that would describe them, and, due to their special character and importance in the life of Sicilian society, they are entitled to another name, different from the vulgar "criminals" in other countries." Franchetti saw how deeply the mafia was entrenched in Sicilian society and realized that it would be impossible to put an end to it without fundamental changes in the social structure and institutions of the entire island.

Story [ | ]

The mafia was formed during a period of lawlessness and weakness of state power structures in Sicily during the reign of the Bourbon dynasty and the post-Bourbon period as a structure regulating relationships in Sicilian society (at the same time, a similar criminal structure of the Camorra was formed in Naples). However, the socio-political prerequisites for the emergence of the mafia appeared long before this.

Arrests of mafia leaders in Italy[ | ]

Italian internal affairs bodies have been fighting the mafia for many decades with varying degrees of success. In November 2009, Italian police arrested the second most important leader of the Sicilian mafia, Dominico Racciuglia. According to Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni, this dealt one of the hardest blows to the mafia in recent years. Earlier, in October 2009, the Italian police managed to detain three of the most important leaders of the Camorra - the brothers Pasquale, Salvatore and Carmine Russo.

Typical "family" structure[ | ]

• Don(Italian don, Italian capomafioso) - head of the family. Receives information about any “deed” performed by each family member. Don is elected by vote capo. In the event of a tie in the number of votes, the person must also vote Don's henchman. Until the 1950s, all family members participated in voting, but this practice was subsequently abandoned because it attracted the attention of law enforcement agencies.
• Underboss, or assistant(eng. underboss) - “deputy” of the don, the second person in the family, who is appointed by the don himself. The henchman is responsible for the actions of all capos. In the event of the Don's arrest or death, the henchman usually becomes the acting Don.
• Consigliere(Italian consigliere) - family adviser, a person whom the don can trust and whose advice he listens to. He serves as a mediator in resolving disputes, acts as an intermediary between the don and bribed political, trade union or judicial officials, or acts as a representative of the family in meetings with other families. Consiglieres, as a rule, do not have their own “team”; they usually have only one “soldier” under their command. Despite this, they still have significant influence in the family. At the same time, the consigliere usually also has a legitimate business, for example, practicing law or working as a stockbroker.
• Caporegime(Italian caporegime), capo, or captain- the head of a “team” or “combat group” (consisting of “soldiers”) who is responsible for one or more types of criminal activity in a certain area of ​​​​the city and monthly gives the boss a part of the income received from this activity (“sends a share”) . There are usually 6-9 such teams in a family, and each of them has up to 10 soldiers. The capo is subordinate to a henchman or the don himself. The introduction to the capo is made by an assistant, but the capo is appointed personally by the don.
• Soldier(English soldier, Italian regime) - the youngest member of the family, who was “introduced” into the family, firstly, because he proved his usefulness to it, and secondly, on the recommendation of one or more capos. Once selected, a soldier usually ends up on the team whose capo recommended him.
• Partner in crime(English associate) - not yet a family member, but already a person endowed with a certain status. He usually acts as an intermediary in transactions for the sale of, for example, drugs, acts as a bribed representative of a trade union or businessman, etc. Non-Italians are usually not accepted into the family and almost always remain in the status of accomplices. When a "vacancy" arises, one or more capos may recommend that a useful accomplice be promoted to soldier. If there are several such proposals, and there is only one vacant position, the don chooses the candidate.

"Ten Commandments"[ | ]

According to other sources, the Ten Commandments do not have a traditional history and were written by Lo Piccolo himself as an instruction to the younger generation.

American Mafia[ | ]

At the end of the 19th century, all four branches of the Italian Mafia took root on the East Coast of the United States. In Italy in 1945, the mafia, represented by the boss BATs, authoritative both in the USA and in Sicily, actively helped anti-fascists and Anglo-American troops. The influence of the Italian mafia in the USA reached its highest point in the middle of the 20th century. The tandem of the mafia and trade unions in the mid-1950s forced the government to make concessions to the latter. Since the 1960s, the mafia in the United States has been fiercely competing with organized crime groups of African Americans, Mexicans, Colombians and Chinese, and maintains contacts with Slavic organized crime groups and the Aryan Brotherhood.

FBI investigations in the 1980s significantly reduced its influence. Currently, the Mafia in the United States is a network of criminal organizations in the country that use their position to control much of the Chicago and New York criminal business. She also maintains connections with the Sicilian mafia.

The current structure of the Italian-American mafia, which generally repeats the Italian one, as well as the ways of its activities, were largely determined by Salvatore Maranzano - “boss of bosses” (killed by Lucky Luciano six months after his election). The latest trend in family organization is the emergence of two new “positions” - Street Boss(eng. street boss) and family messenger(eng. family messenger), - introduced by the former boss of the Genovese family, Vincent Gigante.

Criminal communities in different countries of the world[ | ]

Italian communities[ | ]

Leading organizations[ | ]

Other organizations[ | ]

Italian-American communities[ | ]

• "Detroit Partnership" (eng.) (eng. Detroit Partnership)
• "Chicago Outfit"
• Cleveland "family"
• East Harlem Purple Gang ("Sixth Family")
• "Family" from Buffalo
• Buffalino's "Family"
• Decavalcante Family (New Jersey)
• "Family" from Los Angeles (English)
• "Family" from New Orleans
• "Family" from Pittsburgh (English)
• "Family" from St. Louis
• "Family" Trafficante (English)
• Philadelphia "family"

Other ethnic communities[ | ]

• Azerbaijani mafia (USA, Europe, Russia, Türkiye)
• Armenian mafia (see Armenian Power) (USA, Eastern Europe, Western Asia, Africa,)
• (Russia, Europe)
• Colombian drug cartels: Medellin Cartel, Cali Cartel, Northern Valley Cartel
• Mexican mafia (Mexico, USA). Not to be confused with the Mexican drug mafia: Tijuana Cartel, Juarez Cartel, Golfo Cartel, Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas, etc.
• Salvadoran Mafia (North and Central America)
• OCG (Russia) - Balashikha, Lyubertsy, Orekhovskaya, Solntsevo, Chechen and other organized crime groups.
• Triad (China)
• (Türkiye, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Balkans, Austria, England, USA)
• (Ukraine), (USA), (Europe)
• Yakuza (Japan)
• Raskoly (Papua New Guinea)
• Premany (Indonesia)

Influence on popular culture[ | ]

The Mafia and its reputation are deeply ingrained in American popular culture, depicted in movies, television, books, and magazine articles.

Some view the Mafia as a set of attributes deeply rooted in popular culture, as a "way of being" - "the Mafia is the consciousness of self-worth, the great idea of ​​individual strength as the sole judge in every conflict, every clash of interests or ideas."

The Italian Mafia appeared in the show Deadly Warrior, where they fought the Yakuza.

In film and television[ | ]

• Crime Stories (TV series, 1986-1988)