Famous mafiosi of the world. Mafia is a criminal community

Intelligence, cunning, and sober calculation - that's what helped these bandits stay afloat. Oh yes, we almost forgot: they were also helped by their composure, cruelty, and desire for blood.

1. Al Capone (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 ( illegal trade alcohol during Prohibition in the USA);
prostitution;
gambling business.

Known as the organizer of the most brutal and significant day in the history of the criminal world - the St. Valentine's Day Massacre (then seven influential gangsters from Bugs Moran's Irish gang were shot, including right hand boss).

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 then confronted violent criminal Frank Galluccio and insulted his wife. After this, a fight and a stabbing occurred between the bandits. Result: Capone received the famous scar on his left cheek. By right, Al was a person, the most influential and terrifying at everyone, including the government, which was able to put him behind bars just for tax evasion.

Find out about Capone's most notorious crimes in the following video:

2. Lucky Luciano (1897 - 1962)

Originally from Sicily, Lucky became, in fact, the founder of the criminal world in America. His real name is Charles. They began to call him Lucky (translated as “Lucky”) after the bandit 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 turned out to be Maranzano gangsters. They wanted to know the location of a drug cache. But Charles did not give up. After unsuccessful torture, they abandoned the bloody body without any signs of life by the road, thinking that Luciano was dead. There, 8 hours later, the poor fellow was picked up by a patrol car. Luciano 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 criminal world.

Source: wikipedia.org

3. Pablo Escobar (1949 - 1993)

The most cruel and daring Colombian drug lord. He entered 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. As the head of the Medellin cocaine cartel, he is credited with killing 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.

Source: wikipedia.org

4. John Gotti (1940 - 2002)

John Gotti was a famous figure, the press loved him, he was always dressed to the nines. Numerous New York law enforcement charges 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 crime family since 1985. During his “reign” this group was one of the most influential.

Source: wikipedia.org

5. Carlo Gambino (1902 - 1976)

It was Gambino who became the founder of the above-mentioned and 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 became the most powerful of the five families.

Carlo prohibited 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.

Source: wikipedia.org

6. Meir Lansky (1902 - 1983)

Meir was born in Belarus, the city of Grodno. Coming from Russian Empire became the most powerful man in the United States and one of the country's crime leaders. He is the creator of the “National Crime Syndicate” and one of the progenitors of the gambling business in the states. He was also the biggest bootlegger.

Source: wikipedia.org

7. Joseph Bonanno (1905 - 2002)

Patriarch of the Bonanno family and one of the richest mobsters in history. The reign of Joseph, who was called “Banana Joe,” goes back 30 years. At the end of this period, Bonanno voluntarily retired and lived in his personal huge mansion. Joe organized a criminal family that still operates in the United States.

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 and idealize powerful, rich, and beautiful people.

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

Frank Costello

Frank Costello was from Italy, like many other famous mafiosi. He headed the feared and famous Luciano family in the criminal world. Frank moved to New York at the age of four and, as soon as he grew up, immediately found his place in the world of crime, leading gangs. When 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, the political society of the US Democratic Party in New York. The ubiquitous Costello ran casinos and gaming clubs throughout the country, as well as in Cuba and other 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 extravagant dancing, Diamond was also known for unprecedented cruelty and murder. His criminal escapades in New York went down in history, as did his liquor smuggling organizations in and around the city.

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

John Gotti

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

With his impeccable good looks and stereotypical gangster style, Gotti quickly became a tabloid darling, earning the nickname The Teflon Don. He was in and out of prison, it was difficult to catch him red-handed, and each time he ended up behind bars for short term. 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. His personal file contained 2,403 pages of interactions with the mafia.

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

Mickey Cohen

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

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

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

Henry Hill

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

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

James Bulger

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

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

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

Bugsy Siegel

Known for his Las Vegas casino and criminal empire, Benjamin Siegelbaum, known in the criminal world as Bugsy Siegel, is one of the most notorious gangsters in 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.

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

Maria Licciardi

Although the world of the mafia is mainly a world of men, it cannot be said that there were no women among the mafiosi. Maria Licciardi was born in Italy in 1951 and led the Licciardi clan, a notorious Camorra, Neapolitan criminal group. 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 crime syndicate in Chicago, 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 Giancana, nicknamed Mooney, who was once the most influential 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 the Russian Empire. Having moved to America at a young age, Lansky learned the taste of the street by fighting for money. Lansky not only could fend for himself, but he was also exceptionally smart. Becoming an integral part of the emerging world of American organized crime, Lansky was at one point one of the most powerful men in the United States, if not the world, with operations in Cuba and several other countries.

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

Al Capone

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

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

The games ended when Al Capone's name 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.

It so happened that any criminal groups or gangs, groups of participants in financial fraud, or smugglers are called mafia. The governments of all states are trying to fight them, but members of mafia organizations carry on their criminal activities, no matter what. Their circles have their own laws and rules; they are cruel and self-willed.

And today in the criminal world there are also organized groups headed by authorities. They conduct illegal business, persuade business owners and government officials to submit, they manage to evade criminal penalties, they are rich and fearless. The most famous mafiosi have gone down in history, their names are known all over the world and still inspire fear and horror.

Everyone knows that the birthplace of the mafia is Sicily. It was in sunny Italy that such a phenomenon as the mafia originated. The most famous Italian mafiosi are still on everyone’s lips.

Racketeer

Al Capone was born in Italy in 1899. At a young age, his parents moved him to America. In Al Capone, he worked during the day at a bowling alley, in a pharmacy and even in a candy store, and at night he visited entertainment venues. So, one day while working in a billiards club, he had a fight with a woman. As it turned out later, she was the wife of Frank Galluccio. A fight ensued between Al Capone and Frank, during which he received a knife wound on his cheek. It is believed that this is the same one turning point in his life.

At the age of 19 he was accepted into the “Gang of 5 Trunks”. His first crime was the murder of 7 authoritative leaders at once, subordinate to Bugs Moran. Moreover, for committing this and other criminal acts, he was not punished in court. But he was still sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion. He served only five years of them and was released.

Al Capone is the most famous mafioso. The whole world shook at his name. He was involved in racketeering, drugs, bootlegging, gambling and murder. He was very cruel and heartless. The police were unable to catch him and they lacked evidence and grounds to put him in jail. In 1947 he fell ill with pneumonia and died at the age of 48.

"The Godmother" - La Madrina

There were women in the world of the mafia. Maria Licciardi is a native of Italy, born in 1951. She was the leader of the "Licciardi" clan in Naples. Maria was included in the women's list of the most famous mafiosi in the world. When two brothers and a husband were put behind bars, she took on the role of leader of a powerful group. It was she who was able to unite several mafia families and expand the drug market.

In 2001, Maria was arrested for fraudulently luring underage girls into prostitution.

Lucky

Born in 1897 in Sicily into a poor family. When he was a young man, his family moved to America to make a life for themselves. new way. As a child, he was a street hooligan; bad companies always surrounded him.

At the age of 18, he was sentenced to prison for drug distribution. When the sale of alcohol was prohibited in the States, he was part of a smuggling organization for the supply of alcohol. So, by breaking the law, he turned from a beggar into a millionaire. It should be noted that at the time when Prohibition was introduced in the United States, the most famous mafiosi of all time rose to prominence in bootlegging.

At the age of 34, the mafioso organized the “Big Seven”, which included smugglers. Thus, Charles becomes the leader of the Cosa Nostra clan, which, in turn, subordinates the entire criminal structure of the United States.

They nicknamed Luciano “Lucky” - the lucky one, because he was on the verge of death after being tortured by the Maranzano gangsters.

Lucky Luciano currently tops the list of the most famous mafiosi in America. He killed 10 leaders of competing criminal organizations in 24 hours. This made him the rightful master of New York. He also created the Five Families of New York and the National Syndicate. In 1936, he was sentenced to 35 years in prison for pimping. While in prison, Lucky still retained his authority and continued to give orders from his cell. Soon he was released early and then deported to his homeland in Italy. In 1962, the mafioso suffered a heart attack from which he died.

Gambler

Meer Lansky was born in the Russian Empire in 1902. At the age of 9, he and his parents moved to New York. There he met Charles Luciano. Lansky was a leader and authority in the underworld, in no way inferior to Lucky. He smuggled alcohol and opened illegal bars and bookmakers. Meer successfully developed gambling in America. He also managed to conduct and control affairs in other countries. Thus, the most famous Russian mafioso becomes one of the most influential leaders of the US criminal circle.

The police began to closely monitor him and collect facts of crimes, so he decided to move to Israel. Two years later he had to return back to America. He never suffered punishment and lived until he was 80 years old. In 1983 he died of cancer.

Drug lord

Pablo Escobar was born in Colombia in 1949. In his youth, he stole tombstones, erased the inscriptions from them and resold them. From an early age, he was involved in drug and cigarette speculation, and also counterfeited lottery tickets. As he grew up, he moved on to larger transactions - car theft, robbery, racketeering and even kidnapping. Already at the age of 22, Pablo became an authority in criminal areas.

This is the most famous mafioso - drug lord. He was incredibly cruel, and his drug empire had the ability to supply cocaine anywhere in the world. By the age of 40, he was a billionaire thanks to drug sales. He was involved in the murder of one thousand people. In 1991 he was arrested and a year later escaped from prison. In 1993, Pablo was shot and killed by a sniper.

Carlo Gambino

Carlo Gambino is the founder and leader of the Gambino mafia empire. As a teenager, he traded in theft and extortion, and later began to engage in smuggling.

The Gambino crime family consisted of 40 groups, these most famous mafiosi held fear and power over the largest cities in America. It should be noted that Carlo himself was not involved in drug trafficking, he loved gambling, put people on “counters”, and “protected” businesses. And he was imprisoned once in 1938 for 2 years for tax evasion. At 74 he died of a heart attack.

Albert Anastasia

Albert was born in 1902. He was part of the Gambino family. He organized his own criminal gang, Murder Inc. The gangsters of this group killed more than 700 people. The killers did not leave any witnesses, so Anastasia remained unpunished. But in 1957, Albert ordered the murder of Carlo Gambino.

Elegant Don

John Gotti was born in 1940. He grew up in a large poor family, he had 12 sisters and brothers. Even as a young boy, he fell under the influence of the gangster Aniello Dellacroce.

John Gotti was part of the Gambino family group, and later replaced its boss, Paul Castellano. His name terrified and feared all of New York. But, like many other mafiosi, despite numerous crimes, he managed to evade criminal punishment.

He was nicknamed “The Elegant Don” for his impeccable taste in dressing. Gotti got rich from theft, he was involved in racketeering, car theft and murder. Next to John was always Salvatore Gravano, whom Gotti considered his reliable friend. But in 1992, Salvatore, whom Gotti trusted so much, turns him over to the police. The court sentenced him for all his “dark deeds” - life imprisonment. In 2002, he died from cancer.

Banana Joe

Joseph Bonanno Born in 1905 into a poor family in Italy. At the age of fifteen, he lost his parents and moved to the United States. At the age of 26, Joseph organized the Bonanno crime family. He was the leader of this group for 30 years of his life. While leading the clan, he becomes a multimillionaire, the likes of which have never been seen in history. “Banana Joe” decided to leave crime in order to quietly retire in his old age. But at the age of 75, he was still arrested for illegal sales of real estate. He served 14 months in prison and died in 2002, when he was 97 years old.

Godfather

When listing the names of the most famous mafiosi and clans, it is necessary to note the Genovese family and its organizer, Vincent Gigante. He was born in 1928 in New York. At the age of 9 he dropped out of school and went into professional boxing. At the age of 17 he begins to commit his first crimes. In one of the authoritative criminal groups he becomes a leader - the “Godfather”, and then an adviser.

In 1981, Vincent organized the Genovese family. This mafioso is a cruel and unbalanced person. I could go for a walk at night in just my dressing gown. Thus, he created the opinion of himself as a mentally ill person. So, he hid from the police for 40 years. In 1997, the court nevertheless decided to imprison him for 12 years. Even while behind bars, Vincent managed to commit criminal acts. In 2005, his heart gave out and he died.

Big man

Marat Balagula was born in 1943 in Odessa. At the age of 34, he moved to America, where he joined a group whose leader was Yevsey Agron. Russia's most famous mafiosi fled to the United States after imprisonment in search of a good life, or to avoid lengthy criminal punishment in their home country.

In 1985, after the murder of Yevsey Agron, Balagula becomes the leader of the clan. He successfully established relationships with such families as Cosa Nostra, Genovese, and Luchese. He organizes a gasoline business. Then, running a huge scam on citizens’ credit cards, he is caught by the police. But he doesn't have to go to jail. He is released on bail of 500 thousand dollars and Marat flees to South Africa. After 4 years, he was still arrested for 8 years. For tax evasion, he gets another 14 years.

Godfather of the Russian mafia

Vyacheslav Ivankov - nicknamed Yaponchik - was an authoritative thief in law in the 90s. Vyacheslav was born in 1940. He decided to commit his first crime at the age of 25. Then he falls under the influence of Gennady Korkov, nicknamed Mongol. So, Yaponchik begins to engage in extortion, blackmailing underground millionaires, collectors and blackmailers. They, in turn, do not want to go to the police so as not to talk about their illegal income, so they obeyed and paid money.

In 1974, Ivankov gets involved in a fight in which one of the criminals dies from a bullet. Vyacheslav will end up in “Butyrka” (Butyrka prison), where he receives the status of thief in law. The Jap sat on the bunk more than once. And while in prison, he had to prove his authority: he fought with fellow inmates, his punishment was tightened. There was an attempt on his life, but he died in 2009 in a hospital from cancer.

The most famous mafiosi, as a rule, did not commit criminal acts themselves, but gave orders to other gang members. That is why the police were unable to find evidence for criminal punishment. Often the police know the leaders of the groups by sight and sometimes do not even try to catch them or convict them of anything. Today, many films are made about mafias. Gangsters are idealized, admired and tried to imitate their manners.

9. Albanian mafia

Albania consists of numerous criminal gangs. Their rules have remained unchanged since the 15th century... The Albanian mafia is involved in the trade of white slaves, alcohol and tobacco, controls prostitution, car theft and racketeering. She began her “activities” in the 80s of the last century. Widely represented in the USA and Britain. Distinctive feature is the cruelty used in acts of revenge.
8. Serbian mafia

The Serbian mafia has found its place among the leaders, since it operates in dozens of countries around the world and is associated with drug smuggling, contract killings, racketeering, robberies, control of bets and gambling houses. Interpol lists about 350 Serbian citizens, who are often employees and leaders of the largest drug cartels in the world. Serbian gangsters are also known for intellectual heists, often reenacting Hollywood scenarios, as well as quick and clean executions. Currently there are about 30-40 groups operating in Serbia
7. Israeli mafia

These guys work in the field of banditry in many countries, their main activity is drug trafficking and prostitution. Times have changed, and if previously they were once looked upon with awe because of their ability to protect, today they are ruthless killers who do not think twice before pulling the trigger. The Russian-Israeli mafia has strengthened its political system The United States is so good that even the vaunted American army is beyond the power to knock them out.
6.Mexican Mafia

The Mexican Mafia is a powerful criminal structure in the United States, with roots in the prison world. Originated in the 50s, it was positioned as the protection of Mexicans in US prisons from other criminals and prison guards. The main activities are extortion and drug trafficking. They are prone to quick reprisals against those they dislike and those who do not pay them the tax they set.
5. Japanese Yakuza

The Japanese mafia proudly traces its origins to impoverished samurai nobles, or ronin, as they were called in Japan. Heirs of noble fathers with many children, who sometimes had nothing but a sword, they inherited only the right to carry a sword and even comb their hair like a samurai: shave their forehead and crown, long hair from the back of the head, braid it into a tight braid and stick it on the bluish scalp. Although the Japanese mafia is known throughout the world, everyday life In these cities it is difficult to spot it right away. Meanwhile, the Japanese mafia numbers one hundred and ten thousand people, while the noisy and violent American mafia numbers only twenty thousand. Considering that the population of the United States is approximately twice that of the Japanese, it is not difficult to calculate that for every Japanese there are eleven times as many professional rapists, robbers and murderers as there are Americans. Areas of activity: racketeering, distribution of prohibited pornography from Europe and America, prostitution and illegal emigration.
4. Chinese triads

That rapidly growing China is rapidly becoming a leader global development, they say today all over the world. But there is also negative aspects this process. As China strengthens its leading position in the global economy, Chinese organized crime will rapidly expand its presence in transnational criminal relations. The “Triads” have already started a “third world war” for their competitors! Having “ridden” the migration processes, the mafia structures of China and the Chinese mafia in other countries have seized leading positions in organizing human trafficking and establishing flows of illegal migration. A Europol report (June 2006) noted that Chinese mafia groups were named leaders in human trafficking in countries European Union. Chinese "triads" have supplanted the home-grown mafia in Japan - the yakuza: the Chinese account for about half of all crimes committed by foreigners.
3. Colombian drug cartels

The Colombian mafia is one of the world's largest suppliers of cocaine. All efforts government authorities still remain in vain, since the bandits’ business is more than successful. The Colombian drug mafia has existed since the mid-60s of the last century. The Medellin and Cali cartels quickly became the world's leading cocaine producers.
2. Sicilian and American Cosa Nostra

Members Sicilian mafia(from left to right), Salvatore Lo Bue, Salvatore Lo Cicero, Gaetano Lo Presti, Giuseppe Scaduto, Antonino Spera, Gregorio Agrigento, Luigi Caravello, Mariano Troia, Giovanni Adelfio and Francesco Bonomo In the 13th century. Sicily was constantly plundered not only by Algerian pirates, but also by detachments of French mercenaries who served the Northern Italian dukes and princes. The organized armed struggle of the islanders against the French began in 1282 under the slogan “Morete alla Francia, Italia anela” (“Die, France - sigh, Italy”); From the first letters of the call, the Sicilians composed a battle cry: “Mafia!” Soon, self-defense units turned into units of professional fighters who began to take tribute from peasants for protection from external enemies. In the 19th century mafia that became unified system, even tried to achieve the separation of the island from Italy and proposed an alliance with Giuseppe Garibaldi, but the troops of the Principality of Piedmont defeated her. IN late XIX V. thousands of Sicilians, fleeing poverty and clan wars, moved to America. IN major cities The United States arose Cosa Nostra (“Our Business”) - a network of Sicilian “families” that controlled casinos, smuggling, prostitution, illegal trafficking in alcohol, tobacco and weapons, and also engaged in racketeering. All the "consorteries" of Sicily form a "venerable community", headed by the Capo di tutti Capi, the head of all chapters. Important figures in the mafia structure are also picciotti di ficatu (hitmen), stopalieri (bodyguards), gabellotti (judges) and consiglieri (advisers).
1. Russian mafia

The Russian mafia numbers 500,000 people. Her godfathers control 70% Russian economy, as well as prostitution in Macau and China, drug trafficking in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, money laundering in Cyprus, Israel, Belgium and England, car theft, nuclear material trafficking and prostitution in Germany. With the disappearance of the Iron Curtain, the expansion of Russian crime ceased to be controlled and directed, as it was before the collapse of the USSR. The first wave of “export” of crime from the territory of what was then the USSR took place in the early 70s, when Soviet Jews were allowed to leave for Israel. This wave was not comparable to the second - when the “Iron Curtain” collapsed with the collapse of the USSR. Then the world really appreciated the size of Russian crime, which it called the “Russian mafia.” Russian criminal communities sometimes expressed very specific interests in different countries peace. Thus, in December 1993, the Western press first mentioned that groups were “shaking” Russian hockey players playing in foreign clubs, the so-called “legionnaires”. The mass of materials on this topic in the press in subsequent years indicated that the “sports racket” had acquired truly industrial proportions. According to some reports, the Russian criminal community now operates in 50 countries around the world. According to American professor Louise Shelley, the ROP has taken $150 billion out of the Russian Federation since 1991. According to other sources - 50 billion dollars, but also a lot.

I suggest you look at the faces of the most famous leaders of criminal gangs in the world, because it is precisely these people who are said to be better never to meet in person in your life. Although all these crime bosses look very different, they all head the largest criminal organizations in different corners of our planet.

One of the bosses of the Mara 18 organized crime group, Marlon Martinez, is on trial in Guatemala, where he is accused of murder. March 30, 2011

"Mara 18" is the largest Latin American gang Los Angeles. It appeared in the 1960s among immigrants from Mexico and still maintains ties with the drug cartels of this country. The group consists of up to 90 thousand people operating in the United States, Mexico and Central America.

The 'Ndrangheta was formed in the poorest province of Italy, Calabria. It is considered one of the most successful Italian organized crime groups. According to some reports, the 'Ndrangheta's revenues amount to up to three percent of the country's GDP.

One of the leaders of the Marseille mafia, 75-year-old Jacques Imbert, after being released from prison on April 8, 2005.

Imber was part of the Three Ducks gang, which was especially influential in the 1950s and 60s. In 1977, an attempt was made on his life, which formed the basis of the film “22 Bullets: Immortal.”

The alleged leader of the Slavic criminal groups in Moscow, Alexey Petrov, nicknamed Lenya the Kricky. September 19, 2011

According to unofficial data, Petrov was elected leader of the Slavic groups in Moscow in 2009 after the murder of Vyacheslav Ivankov, also known as Yaponchik.

One of the alleged leaders of the Tambov organized crime group, Yuri Salikov, is being taken to court spanish city Palma de Mallorca. June 14, 2008

The Tambov organized crime group appeared in St. Petersburg in the late 1980s and in the next decade actually controlled the criminal life of the city. Its creator is considered to be businessman Vladimir Barsukov (Kumarin), who is serving a 15-year prison sentence for extortion.

One of the alleged leaders of the Tambov organized crime group, Gennady Petrov, is being taken to court in the Spanish city of Palma de Mallorca. June 14, 2008

Petrov, like several other Russian citizens, were detained by Spanish authorities during Operation Troika. They are considered the organizers of an operation to launder criminal money from the Tambov organized crime group. Petrov calls himself a businessman. He has lived in Spain since the early 1990s. In 2012, Petrov left for Russia and refused to return to Spain.

Bonanno family boss from New York, Vincent "Handsome Vinnie" Basiano.

The Bonanno family is one of the five Italian-American Mafia families that control the New York City underworld. The remaining families are the Gambino, Genovese, Colombo and Lucchese clans. Basiano has been serving a life sentence for murder since 2011.

Gigante was boss of the Genovese clan from 1981 until his death in 2005. In the early 1990s, he was considered America's most powerful gangster. To avoid trial, Gigante feigned insanity and often walked around New York in a robe and slippers, muttering something inarticulate to himself. In 1997, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison and died in custody.

Retired yakuza boss Shinji Ishihara opens up about his criminal past to reporters. April 5, 2006

Ishihara served in one of the largest gangster syndicates in the world, the Yamaguchi-gumi, which has several tens of thousands of members. The group's headquarters are located in Kobe. Unlike many other organized crime groups, members of the yakuza are allowed to “retire,” as Ishihara did after serving his next term.

Funeral of the leader of the Taiwanese group "Bamboo Union" Chen Chili, nicknamed the Duck King, in Taipei. October 18, 2007

The Bamboo Union, or Zhuliangban in Chinese, is the largest organized crime group in Taiwan. It belongs to the triads, as Chinese criminal groups or secret societies. The Bamboo Union maintains close ties with the nationalists of the Kuomintang Party and shares their political platform.

The leader of the Hong Kong branch of the 14K group in Macau, Wan Quokkoi, nicknamed Broken Tooth, is being taken to court on November 23, 1999

14K is considered the largest triad in Hong Kong and in the world. It has about 20 thousand members and also operates in Europe and North America. 14K controls the supply of heroin and opium from Southeast Asia. The group is known for its clear management hierarchy and brutality.

The grave of Aslan Usoyan, better known as Ded Hasan, at the Khovanskoye cemetery in Moscow. January 20, 2013

Usoyan is believed to have headed ethnic Caucasian criminal groups operating in Russia. At the same time, it is known about conflicts between his clan and other gangs led by immigrants from Transcaucasia. Usoyan was shot dead in Moscow by an unknown sniper on January 16, 2013.

The leader of the Taiwanese triad was forced to flee his home island when the authorities decided to limit the influence of criminal groups. Chen Chili moved to Cambodia and even became an adviser to the government. He lived in a huge villa on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, where large caches of weapons were discovered.

Cosa Nostra is one of the most famous groups of the Italian mafia. She appeared at the end of the 19th century and is considered the inventor of racketeering. Cosa Nostra does not have a rigid structure. The group consists of numerous clans that control their territory.

Abroad, Kalashov is often called a representative of the Russian mafia, although sometimes also a Georgian crime boss. He began his criminal activities back in the Soviet Union. He is considered a supporter of the late leader of the Caucasian clans, Aslan Usoyan. Since 2010, Kalashov has been serving a prison sentence in Spain, which has already agreed to extradite him to Georgia, where he was sentenced to 18 years in prison.

One of the leaders of the Italian 'Ndrangheta group, Pasquale Condello, after his arrest. February 19, 2008

Condello was on the run for about twenty years. All this time he lived in his hometown of Reggio Calabria. During his criminal career, he managed to earn at least $57 million. In any case, the real estate he owns is valued at that amount. Condello is accused of murdering the head of Italy's national railway company.

Sinaloa drug cartel member Juan Miguel Allier Beltran at a press conference at police headquarters in Tijuana. January 20, 2011

American intelligence agencies consider Sinaloa the most powerful drug cartel in the world. It comes from the state of the same name on the Pacific coast of Mexico. During the 1990s - 2000s, Sinaloa supplied more than 200 tons of cocaine to the United States. The cartel also produces significant quantities of opiates and marijuana.

Salvatore Miceli, who was in charge of the international drug trade in the Sicilian mafia, at Caracas airport before being extradited to Italy. June 30, 2009

Miceli was considered a kind of foreign minister in Cosa Nostra. He was responsible for the supply of cocaine, heroin and other drugs produced in other regions of the world, primarily in Latin America, to Europe.

One of the leaders of the Tijuana cartel, Gilberto Higuera Guerrero, in Mexico City before extradition to the United States. January 20, 2007

The Tijuana drug cartel from the Mexican state of Baja California ranks third in drug trafficking in the United States. He is a principal competitor of the Sinaloa cartel. In the mid-2000s, a significant number of Tijuana leaders were arrested and handed over to American authorities.

Joseph "Giuseppe" Bonanno is the founder of the eponymous crime family in New York. 1960s

Bonanno is considered one of the main prototypes of Vito Corleone, the main character of the crime saga “The Godfather”. Bonanno never spent long periods behind bars during his tumultuous career. He died in 2002 at age 97 in Tucson, Arizona, from heart failure.

The leader of the Corleone clan from the Sicilian city of the same name, Gaetano Riina, after his arrest in Palermo on July 1, 2011

The Corleone clan, which gave its name to the character of the famous film trilogy, has long been main family"Cosa Nostra" Its leaders bear the title of "boss of bosses." The town of Corleone with a population of 12 thousand people is located in the hills south of Palermo at an altitude of about 600 meters above sea level.

The leader of the branch of the organized crime group “Mara Salvatrucha” in the Salvadoran city of Quezaltepeque, nicknamed El Diabolico, and the leaders of the local branch of the organized crime group “Mara 18” announce a truce in the prison of the same city. January 31, 2013

Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, is one of the most violent Latin American groups. It was formed in Los Angeles among Salvadoran emigrants who fled the civil war, operates in California and Central America and, according to various sources, has from 50 to 80 thousand fighters. Distinctive feature Members of the Mara Salvatrucha have numerous tattoos, often covering the entire body.

Police escort to Bangkok Indian Criminal Court crime boss Rajendra Nikalje, nicknamed "Little Rajan" (Chhota Rajan), after an attempt on his life. September 28, 2000.

Rajendra Nikalje was originally a member of the group of crime boss Dawood Ibrahim, which is called D-Company in the media. The gang operated in Mumbai, but then spread its influence throughout South Asia. After a quarrel with his boss, Nikalje collaborated with Indian intelligence agencies to weaken Ibrahim in exchange for information about plans to assassinate him. The Ibrahim and Nikalje gangs, like other Indian criminals, launder money by investing it in the production of films in Bollywood.

Former leader of the Tijuana drug cartel Benjamin Arellano Felix.

Felix was arrested in March 2002 in Mexico and extradited to the United States. In April 2012, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for extortion and money laundering. After serving his sentence, he is expected to be returned to Mexico, where he faces another 22 years in prison.

Abu Salem initially collaborated with the Mumbai group D-Company, but then began to act independently. He is accused of numerous murders and participation in terrorist attacks. In 2007, Abu Salem was extradited to India by Portugal. Subsequently, Lisbon reconsidered this decision, but Delhi refused to return Abu Salem to Europe. He has not yet been sentenced.

Colluccio belongs to an influential mafia clan. His brother Giuseppe was one of the leaders of the 'Ndrangheta in Toronto, Canada, and was involved in the supply of cocaine to Europe. Salvatore was wanted for four years. He was found in a bunker equipped with an electric generator and supplied with significant supplies of water and food for self-sufficient living.

The Gambino clan was once the most powerful of the five mafia families of New York. Both infighting and FBI scrutiny contributed to its gradual decline. The last major operation against the family, which led to the arrest of several capos, took place in 2011, when a network of forced prostitution of women from Eastern Europe was uncovered.

Vyacheslav Ivankov, nicknamed Yaponchik, leaves the Moscow City Court building after the jury found him not involved in the murder of two Turkish citizens. July 19, 2005

Ivankov, until his death in 2009, was considered the leader of the Slavic criminal groups in Moscow. In 1997, he was convicted in the United States for extortion, and after serving his sentence in 2005, he returned to Russia. In July 2009, he was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt and died a few months later from complications caused by the wound.

One of the leaders of the Tijuana drug cartel, Eduardo Arellano Felix, is in custody in Mexico City. October 26, 2008

After the arrest of the three Arellano Felix brothers, that is, Eduardo, Javier and Benjamin, as well as the death of Ramon in a shootout with the police, the cartel was led by the youngest of the brothers, Luis, nicknamed the Engineer. Mexican authorities promise to pay $2.5 million for help in his capture.

A graduate of the journalism department of Moscow State University, Lerner served 11 years in the Soviet Union for financial fraud in student construction brigades. In 1998, he was convicted of stealing money from Russian banks. Since 2006, he has been in an Israeli prison for creating a financial pyramid and stealing money from investors.

Former Gambino family underboss Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano is sworn in trial about corruption in professional boxing. April 1, 1993

In 1991, Gravano became the highest-ranking member of the mafia to break his vow of omerta silence and cooperate with the authorities. Based on his testimony, Gambino clan boss John Gotti was sentenced to life in prison. In 1995, Gravano, who moved to Arizona, refused to participate in the witness protection program. He published an autobiography and then went into drug trafficking, for which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He has been serving his sentence since 2002.

Former Bonanno family boss Joseph Massino.

Massino became the first boss of five New York families to make a plea deal. In 2004, he was sentenced to death based on the testimony of his comrades, including his deputy Salvatore Vitale. In 2011, Massino, in order to earn the right to life, in turn, acted as a witness in the case of his successor Vincent Basiano.

The boss of the largest yakuza syndicate "Yamaguchi-gumi" Kenichi Shinoda after serving a six-year prison sentence for illegal possession of a pistol. April 9, 2011

Shinoda holds the title of kumicho, or supreme "godfather", of the largest group of the Japanese mafia. He is the sixth boss of the Yamaguchi-gumi since its founding in 1915. The Synod is characterized by an outwardly democratic leadership style. In particular, he prefers to travel by public transport rather than in a limousine with a personal driver.