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So, as promised... today I will talk about what excites a person’s mind as soon as the word Sicily is pronounced - about the famous Sicilian mafia. However, fans of The Godfather will be disappointed: thanks to the tireless struggle of prosecutor Falcone, the capital of Sicily has today turned into almost the quietest and most peaceful city in all of Italy. They say that the mafia is even more than that - it is very interested in tourists coming to Sicily and Palermo as well, because tourism constitutes a significant part of the income for this island.

"Mafia" is an exclusively Sicilian concept. In other regions of Italy, similar organizations bore and still bear different names (“Ndrangheta” in Calabria, Sacra Corona Unita in Apulia, Camorra in Naples).

It is generally accepted that the mafia is a rather complex, branched criminal organization with its own strict laws and traditions, the history of which goes back to the Middle Ages. In those distant times, hiding in the underground galleries of Palermo were people armed with swords and pikes, hiding their faces under hoods - members of the mysterious religious sect “Beati Paoli”. The name “mafia” itself appeared in the 17th century. The word is believed to be based on an Arabic root meaning "protection"; there are also other interpretations of it: “refuge”, “poverty”, “secret murder”, “witch”... In the 19th century, the mafia was a brotherhood that protected “the unfortunate Sicilians from foreign exploiters”, in particular from those who ruled in that time of the Bourbons. The struggle ended with a revolution in I860, but the peasants, instead of their previous oppressors, found new ones in the person of their compatriots. Moreover, the latter managed to introduce into the life of Sicilian society the relations and code of conduct that had developed in the depths of the secret terrorist organization. Criminal orientation quickly became the cornerstone of the “brotherhood”; corruption, which it supposedly fought against, was in fact the basis of its existence; mutual assistance turned into mutual responsibility.

In general, after the deaths of Falcone and Borsellino, the most severe repressions were carried out on the island, aimed at destroying the mafia bosses or at least putting them in prison. And they say that now the mafia has a female face, which means that the clans are run by the wives of mafiosi in prison, carrying out all their activities at their direction.

For those who are interested, a little history... Today Palermo Airport bears the names of Falcone and Borsellino, who have become legends in today's Italy.

In the 1950s and 60s of the last century, the Italian government, under pressure from democratic forces, began an official fight against mafia crime. A special body was created - “Antimafia”, and a number of major leaders of this organization were arrested. The next wave of the fight against the mafia swept across the country in the late 70s and early 80s. Prosecutor Giovanni Falcone and his successor Paolo Borsellino, like no one else, worked hard to cleanse Sicily of the mafia. Falcone, who became the prototype for the famous Commissioner of Catania, announced in 1980 that he was starting to fight the “curse of Sicily.” For the first time, he ensured that an arrested criminal violated the law of omerta - a conspiracy of silence that makes the mafia invulnerable - and testified against other mafiosi. Deviation from “omerta” is punishable by death according to the laws of the criminal world. And Falcone convinced the state that people who testify against the Mafia and their families must be protected. With this, he somewhat dispelled the fear of revenge from the powerful clans of Sicily. In addition, Falcone achieved the adoption of an article of the criminal code, according to which mafiosi who end up in prison must be kept in absolute isolation. Thus, the criminal could not direct the actions of his family from prison. In just one of the many trials against the mafia, Falcone sent 342 criminals to prison for a total sentence of 2,665 years. Naturally, Falcone’s activities could not please the mafia, which was accustomed to consider itself the only real power in Sicily. And the criminal community took retaliatory steps. In 1992, Giovanni Falcone and his wife were blown up in a car on their way from the airport to the city.

Today, members of the mafia are not as conspicuously conspicuous as we had the pleasure of seeing in the films “The Godfather” or “Once Upon a Time in America”, they do not walk around the city in elegant suits and highly polished shoes. Or rather, all these attributes of wealth, of course, are present in the current members, but the mafia has firmly established itself in politics and business, having completely lost its former luster. Today in Sicily there are no companies, neither small nor large, that do not pay their percentage to the mafia, no matter who writes about this.

It is reliably known that small shops pay from 500 to 1000 euros per quarter, jewelry stores and others selling expensive goods - 2500-3000 euros, large stores pay 5000 euros. Shop owners whose family members are in prison are exempt from taxes, as are merchants whose relatives serve in the police. Shop owners who lost loved one, are exempt from payments for one quarter. If a person decides to open a new store in Sicily, then he has to pay a large amount money to get permission from the mafia. Mafiosi who come to Sicily from other regions must give 3% of their income to the local mafia bosses.

No one would ever dare to do something like this while living on this island... this is not my opinion, but what I heard from various people with whom we were able to talk on this topic. They all began to speak quite reluctantly, trying to remain silent, but the husband knows how to talk anyone out, and people began to tell him their stories and how everything really was.

The mafia is alive! And there's nothing you can do about it!

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 developed the legal side of the business so much that they became successful entrepreneurs in the restaurant business and food industry.

In the 1980s it began the most brutal war clans, 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 reaching its end. 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 voting.

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.”

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.

The first use of the word "mafia" in relation to criminal groups was probably in 1863 in the comedy Mafiosi from Vicaria Prison, staged in Palermo by Gaetano Mosca and Giuseppe Rizzotto. I mafiusi di la Vicaria). Although the words "mafia" and "mafiosi" were never mentioned in the text, they were added to the title to add local flavor; the comedy is about a gang formed in a Palermo prison, the traditions of which are similar to those of the mafia (boss, initiation ritual, obedience and humility, “protection protection”). In its modern meaning, the term came into circulation after the prefect of Palermo, Filippo Antonio Gualterio (Italian: Filippo Antonio Gualterio) used this word in an official document for 1865. The Marquis Gualterio, sent from Turin as a representative of the Italian government, wrote in his report that “the so-called mafia, that is, criminal associations, has become bolder."

The Italian deputy Leopoldo Francetti, who traveled through 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 a name which would describe them, and, due to their special character and importance in the life of Sicilian society, they are entitled to a different name 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 social structure and institutions throughout the island.

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

Organization

The mafia as such does not represent a single organization. It consists of “families” (synonyms are “clan” and “cosca”) that “divide” a certain region among themselves (for example, Sicily, Naples, Calabria, Apulia, Chicago, New York). Members of the "family" can only be pure-blooded Italians, and in Sicilian "families" - pure-blooded Sicilians. Other members of the group can only be white Catholics. Family members observe omerta.

Typical "family" structure

Typical hierarchy of a mafia “family”.

• Boss, Don or Godfather(English) boss) - the head of the "family". Receives information about any “deed” performed by each member of the “family”. The boss is elected by vote capo; in the event of a tie in the number of votes, must also vote boss'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.
• Helper(English) underboss) - “deputy” of the boss, the second person in the “family”, who is appointed by the boss himself. The henchman is responsible for the actions of all capos. If the boss is arrested or dies, the underling usually becomes the acting boss.
• Consigliere(English) consigliere) - advisor to the “family”, a person whom the boss can trust and whose advice he listens to. He serves as a mediator in resolving controversial issues, acts as an intermediary between the boss and bribed political, trade union or judicial officials, or acts as a representative of the "family" in meetings with other "families". Consiglieres typically do not have their own “team,” but they have significant influence within the “family.” However, they usually also have a legitimate business, such as practicing law or working as a stockbroker.
• Caporegime(English) 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 either a henchman or the boss himself. The introduction to the capo is made by an assistant, but the boss personally appoints the capo.
• Soldier(English) soldier) - 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 member of the “family”, but already a person endowed with a certain status. He usually acts as an intermediary in drug deals, acts as a bribed union representative or businessman, etc. Non-Italians are usually not accepted into the “family” and almost always remain in the status of accomplices (although there are exceptions - for example, Joe Watts, a close associate of John Gotti). When a "vacancy" arises, one or more capos may recommend that a useful accomplice be promoted to soldier. If there are several such proposals, but there is only one “vacant” position, the boss chooses the candidate.

The current structure of the Italian-American mafia and the ways of its activities are largely determined by Salvatore Maranzano - “boss of bosses” (who, however, was killed by Lucky Luciano six months after his election). The latest trend in family organization is the emergence of two new “positions” - Street Boss(English) street boss) And family messenger(English) family messenger), - introduced by the former boss of the Genovese family, Vincent Gigante.

"Ten Commandments"

1. No one can come up and introduce themselves to one of “our” friends. Someone else should introduce them.
2. Never look at your friends' wives.
3. Don't be seen around police officers.
4. Don't go to clubs and bars.
5. Your duty is to always be at the disposal of Cosa Nostra, even if your wife is about to give birth.
6. Always show up for your appointments on time.
7. Wives must be treated with respect.
8. If you are asked to give any information, answer truthfully.
9. You cannot embezzle money that belongs to other Cosa Nostra members or their relatives.
10. You can't enter Cosa Nostra the following persons: the one whose close relative serves in the police, one whose relative or relative is cheating on his spouse, one who behaves badly and does not observe moral principles.

Mafia in the world

Italian criminal groups

• Cosa Nostra (Sicily)
• Camorra (Campania)
• 'Ndrangheta (Calabria)
• Sacra Corona Unita (Apulia)
• Stidda
• Banda della Magliana
• Mala del Brenta

Italian-American "families"

• "Five Families" of New York:

• East Harlem Purple Gang ("Sixth Family")
• "Chicago Organization" Chicago Outfit)
• "Detroit Fellowship" Detroit Partnership)
• Philadelphia "family"
• DeCavalcante Family (New Jersey)
• "Family" from Buffalo
• "Family" from Pittsburgh
• "Family" Buffalino
• "Family" Trafficante
• "Family" from Los Angeles
• "Family" from St. Louis
• Cleveland "family"
• "Family" from New Orleans

Other ethnic criminal groups

Italian-Russian "family"

• Capelli's "Family" (new family);

Influence on popular culture

The Mafia and its reputation are deeply ingrained in American popular culture, being 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."

Literature

• Dorigo J. Mafia. - Singapore: “Kurare-N”, 1998. - 112 p.
• Ivanov R. Mafia in the USA. - M., 1996.
• Polken K., Sceponik H. He who is not silent must die. Facts against the mafia. Per. with him. - M.: “Thought”, 1982. - 383 p.

Notes

Links

• Russian mafia abroad. - page deleted
• Video “Activities of the 'Ndrangheta organization in Germany” (German).

Wikimedia Foundation.

2010.

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 it's a Hollywood movie: many of them are based on real events from the life of the mafia. In the cinema, crime is ennobled, and it already seems to the viewer that these bandits are heroes who died in vain. As America gradually forgets about the days of Prohibition, it is also forgotten that bandits were looked upon as saviors who fought against an evil government. They were the Robin Hoods of the working class, pitted against impossible and strict laws. In addition, people tend to admire the powerful, rich and beautiful people

and idealize them.

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

Frank Costello 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 the infamous Charles "Lucky" Luciano went to prison in 1936, Costello quickly rose through the ranks to lead the Luciano clan, later known as the Genovese clan.

He was called the Prime Minister because he ruled the criminal world and really wanted to get into politics, connecting the Mafia and Tammany Hall, political society US Democratic Party in New York. The ubiquitous Costello ran casinos and gaming clubs throughout the country, as well as in Cuba and other islands Caribbean Sea. 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 the order to kill the famous gangster Nathan Kaplan that helped him strengthen his status in the world of crime, putting him on a par with such serious guys as Lucky Luciano and Dutch Schultz, who later stood in his way. Although Diamond was feared, he became a target himself on several occasions, earning the nicknames Skeet and the Unkillable Man due to his ability to get away with it every time. But one day his luck ran out and he was shot dead in 1931. Diamond's killer was never found.

John Gotti

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

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

Frank Sinatra

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

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

Mickey Cohen

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

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

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

Henry Hill

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

Once Hill was arrested for beating a gambler who refused to pay the money he lost and was sentenced to ten years in prison. It was then that he realized that the lifestyle he led in freedom was essentially similar to that behind bars, and he constantly received some kind of preferences. After his release, Hill became seriously involved in selling drugs, which is why he was arrested. He surrendered his entire gang and overthrew several very influential gangsters. He got under federal program Witness Protection 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, the police began to turn more attention on himself, and not on 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 the world. 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. He became a real star thanks to his Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The $1.5 million project was financed from the bandit common fund, but during construction the estimate was significantly exceeded. Siegel's old friend and partner Lansky decided that Siegel was stealing funds and partially investing in legal businesses. He was brutally murdered in his own home, riddled with bullets, and Lansky quickly took over management of the Flamingo Hotel, denying any involvement in the murder.

Vito Genovese

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

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

Lucky Luciano

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

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

Maria Licciardi

Although the world of the mafia is mainly a world of men, it cannot be said that there were no women among the mafiosi. Maria Licciardi was born in Italy in 1951 and led the Licciardi clan, a notorious Camorra, Neapolitan criminal group. Nicknamed Licciardi Godmother is still very famous in Italy, and most of her family is connected 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 did Giancana's name appear in the case, but there were also rumors that the mafia had made a huge contribution to election campaign John F. Kennedy, 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 streets 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, running a very profitable business. When things went better than expected, Lansky became nervous and decided to retire by emigrating to Israel. However, he was deported back to the US two years later, but still managed to avoid prison as he died of lung cancer at the age of 80.

Al Capone

Alfonso Gabriel Capone, nicknamed the Great Al, needs no introduction. Perhaps this is the most famous gangster 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 was implicated in a brutal massacre 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.

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

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

The mafia moves to the USA

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

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

"Lucky" Luciano in the police mugshot.

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

Five Families

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

Genovese family

Don Vito Genovese

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

Gambino Family

Don Carlo Gambino in young age...

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

...and a few days before his death

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

Lucchese family

Don Gaetano Lucchese

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

Colombo family

Don Joseph Colombo

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

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

Bonanno family

Don Joseph Bonanno

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sources:

2) Cosa Nostra - The History of the Sicilian mafia

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

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