Mafia is now Italy. The Sicilian mafia is indestructible

“Cosa Nostra” - these words made every inhabitant of the sunny island tremble. Entire family clans were involved in criminal mafia groups. Sicily, this blooming garden, grew on rivers of blood. Sicilian mafia spread its tentacles throughout Italy, and even the American godfathers were forced to reckon with it.

Having returned from the south of Italy, I shared my impressions with one of my friends. When I said that I couldn’t get to Sicily, I heard in response: “Well, it’s for the best, because there’s a mafia there!”

Unfortunately, the sad glory of the island, washed by the waters of three seas, is such that its name does not conjure up delightful landscapes and unique monuments culture, not the age-old traditions of the people, but a mysterious criminal organization that entangled, like a web, all spheres of social life. This idea of a “crime syndicate” was greatly promoted by famous films: about Commissioner Cattani, who fell in an unequal battle with the “octopus,” or about the “godfather” Don Corleone, who moved to America from Sicily. In addition, we have heard echoes of high-profile trials of mafia leaders in the 80s and 90s, when the fight against organized crime in Italy reached its climax. However, no success of the authorities and the police in this endeavor can change the postulate ingrained in the consciousness of society: “The Mafia is immortal.” Is this really true?

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, in the underground galleries of Palermo, people armed with swords and pikes were hiding, 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 at that time 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.

Skillfully using the traditional distrust of the official authorities among the population of the region, the mafia formed an alternative government, practically replacing the state where it could act more effectively, for example, in such an area as justice. The mafia undertook to solve any problems of the peasant, and - at first glance - for free. And the poor turned to her for protection that the state could not provide them. The peasants did not think that someday it would be their turn to provide services to their patron. As a result, each village had its own mafia clan, which administered its own justice. And the widespread myth about a secret, centralized and branched organization with a thousand-year history greatly contributed to strengthening the authority of such clans as its “local divisions.”

Palermo Airport bears the names of Falcone and Borsellino, who have become legends in today's Italy. Prosecutor Giovanni Falcone and his successor Paolo Borsellino worked like no one else to cleanse Sicily of the mafia. Falcone became the prototype for the famous Commissioner of Catania.

1861 - important milestone in the history of the mafia - it became a real political force. Relying on the poor population of Sicily, the organization managed to nominate its candidates to the Italian parliament. Having bought or intimidated other deputies, the mafia was able to largely control the political situation in the country, and the mafiosi, still relying on lower-level criminal structures, turned into respectable members of society, claiming a place in its upper class. Researchers compare Italian society of that time to “a layer cake, in which connections between layers were carried out not by official representatives, but by informal ones, i.e. soldiers of the mafia." Moreover, without denying the criminal nature of such a state structure, many of them recognize it as completely rational. In the book by Norman Lewis, for example, you can read that in the “mafia” Palermo, a housewife could easily forget her handbag on a table in a bar, since the next day she would certainly find it in the same place.

The authorities of Palermo developed a program to combat the mafia, which was called the “Sicilian cart”. The "Sicilian cart" is two-wheeled. One wheel is repression: police, court, intelligence services. The other wheel is culture: theater, religion, school.

However, the new, “legal” mafia could not save the south of Italy from terrible impoverishment, as a result of which, between 1872 and the First World War, about 1.5 million Sicilians emigrated, mainly to America. Prohibition served as fertile ground for illegal business and capital accumulation; former members of the brotherhood united again and successfully recreated their usual way of life on foreign soil - this is how Cosa Nostra was born (initially this name was used to refer specifically to the American mafia, although now this is often called the Sicilian one).

In Italy, the mafia continued to be a state within a state until the fascists came to power in 1922. Like any dictator, Benito Mussolini could not come to terms with the existence of any alternative power structures, even informal and perverted ones. In 1925, Mussolini deprived the mafia of its main instrument of political influence by canceling elections, and then decided to finally bring to its knees an organization objectionable to the regime and sent a special prefect, Cesare Mori, to Sicily, giving him unlimited powers. Thousands of people were thrown into prison without sufficient evidence; Sometimes sieges of entire cities were declared in order to capture the “godfathers,” but Mori’s tough tactics bore fruit - many mafiosi were put behind bars or killed, and in 1927, not without reason, victory over organized crime was declared. In fact, the fascist party itself began to play the role of the mafia as a guarantor of public order in Sicily and a mediator between the government and the peasants.

The most “mafia” Sicilian sweet is cannoli, wafer rolls with a sweet filling. They eat these all the time in The Godfather. Another Sicilian dessert is cassata, an almond-based cake. And the tourist town of Erice specializes in vegetables and fruits made from colored marzipan.

Those influential mafiosi who managed to escape Mori's persecution found refuge in the United States. However, here, too, the free life of Cosa Nostra was disrupted: first by the abolition of Prohibition in 1933, which dealt a blow to the mafia’s business, and then by fairly successful, although not always legal, government actions against the most odious figures of the criminal organization. For example, the notorious Al Capone was sent to prison for 11 years for tax evasion, and another “greatest gangster in America,” John Dillinger, was simply shot dead by federal agents as he left a movie theater. However, the end of the Second World War was approaching, and the Allies found it tempting to use the authority of the heads of organized crime to seize Sicily. The “boss of bosses” of the latter, Lucky Luciano, who was sentenced by a US court to 35 years in prison, acted as an intermediary between the Sicilian and American mafias. The replacement of this punishment with deportation to Rome was apparently a good incentive for him - Luciano agreed with his Italian “colleagues” to assist the allies in landing on Sicily, and the inhabitants of the island greeted the British and American troops as liberators.

However, there has never been a case where society did not have to pay for the services of the mafia. Almost brought to her knees, she suddenly had the opportunity to be reborn in a new capacity. The dons who most distinguished themselves in the fight against the fascists were appointed mayors in the main cities of Sicily; at the expense of the Italian army, the mafia was able to replenish its arsenal; a thousand mafiosi who helped the allied forces were amnestied under the peace treaty. The Sicilian mafia strengthened its position in its homeland, strengthened ties with its American “sister” and, moreover, significantly expanded its holdings - both territorially (penetrating into previously untouched Milan and Naples) and in the scope of its criminal business. Since the late 50s, the heads of the Sicilian organization have become the main suppliers of heroin to America.

This was started by the same Lucky Luciano, who, by the way, lived to a ripe old age and died of a heart attack almost during a meeting with an American director who was going to make a film about his life. The efforts of his followers were aimed both at drug trafficking and at establishing connections between the mafia and politicians. How much they have succeeded in this over the past decades can be judged by the report of the Italian Anti-Mafia Commission: “Numerous relationships have formed between mafiosi, businessmen and individual politicians, which have led to the fact that the authorities state power found themselves in an extremely humiliated position... The mafia often resorted to threats or direct physical liquidation of people, even interfering in political issues, since the fate of the entire business, the income of the mafia and the influence of its individual representatives depended on them.”

Thus, the impression was created that nothing threatened the well-being of the mafia. But this is not entirely true - the danger lay within the organization itself. The structural structure of the mafia is well known: at the top of the pyramid there is a head (capo), next to whom there is always an adviser (consigliere), the heads of divisions (caporeggime) who manage ordinary performers (picciotti) are directly subordinate to the head. In the Sicilian mafia, its cells-detachments (koskos) consist of blood relatives. The Koskis, under the leadership of one don, are united into a consorteria (family), and all the consorteries together make up the mafia. However, the romantic version of the united common goals organization becomes nothing more than a myth when it comes to big money.

The ritual of initiation into the Sicilian mafia involves cutting the newcomer's finger and spilling his blood on the icon. He takes the icon in his hand and it is lit. A beginner must endure the pain until it burns away. At the same time, he must say: “Let my flesh burn like this saint if I break the rules of the mafia.”

Each consorteria has its own interests, often very different from the interests of other parts of the mafia. Sometimes the heads of families manage to agree among themselves on the division of spheres of influence, but this does not always happen, and then society witnesses bloody wars between mafia clans, as was the case, for example, in the early 80s. The response to the drug trade that led to this terrible massacre was the government's anti-mafia campaign, and the mafia in turn established a reign of terror, the victims of which were high-ranking officials, politicians and law enforcement officers. In particular, in 1982, General Della Cisa was killed, who began to unearth mafia scams in the construction industry and became interested in the question of who protects it in the government. 10 years later, the main mafioso Tommaso Buscetta, arrested in Brazil, said that the clan of Giulio Andreotti, who served as prime minister seven times, ordered the murder of Della Chisa. Buscetta is also the author of the so-called “Buscetta theorem,” according to which the mafia is a single organization based on a strict hierarchy, with its own laws and specific comprehensive plans. This “theorem” was firmly believed by the anti-mafia judge Giovanni Falcone, who back in the 80s conducted a number of investigations, as a result of which hundreds of mafiosi were brought to justice.

After Buscetta's arrest, Falcone, relying on his testimony, had the opportunity to launch several “high-profile cases” against them. The judge vowed to devote his whole life to the fight against the “curse of Sicily”, was sure that “the mafia has a beginning and an end”, and sought to get to its leaders. Falcone created something like an anti-mafia committee, the successes of which were so obvious that the committee was... dissolved by the authorities, dissatisfied with his authority and fame, and perhaps fearing exposure. Slandered and left alone, Falcone left Palermo, and in May 1992, together with his wife, fell victim to a terrorist attack. However, the murder of Giovanni Falcone and another judge who fought against the mafia, Paolo Borsellino, forced the Italian public to wake up. The mafia has largely lost its former popular support. The law of “omerta”, which surrounded the organization with a veil of silence, was violated, and many “peniti” (repented), i.e. defectors who abandoned mafia activities gave evidence, which made it possible to send dozens of important dons to jail. However, the old generation of gangsters, forced to retreat into the shadows, was replaced by a young one, ready to give battle to both the legitimate authorities and their predecessors...

So, the fight against organized crime, which was waged with varying degrees of success throughout the 20th century, continues to this day. The mafia sometimes “changes its skin”, while always maintaining its essence as a criminal terrorist organization. It is invulnerable as long as official institutions of power remain ineffective and officials remain corrupt and selfish. In fact, the mafia is an exaggerated reflection of the vices of the entire society, and until society finds the courage to fight its own vices, the mafia can still be called immortal.

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" by Gaetano Mosca and Giuseppe Rizzotto, staged in Palermo. 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; in comedy we're talking about about a gang formed in a Palermo prison, whose traditions 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 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 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 disputes, 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.” Moreover, they usually have legitimate business, for example, 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(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, and 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"

No one can come up and introduce themselves to one of “our” friends. Someone else should introduce them.
Never look at your friends' wives.
Don't be seen around police officers.
Don't go to clubs and bars.
Your duty is to always be at the disposal of Cosa Nostra, even if your wife is about to give birth.
Always show up for your appointments on time.
Wives must be treated with respect.
If you are asked to give any information, answer truthfully.
You cannot embezzle money that belongs to other Cosa Nostra members or their relatives.
The following persons cannot be members of Cosa Nostra: 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 comply with 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 firmly 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.

Therefore, initially, when the mafia appeared in the USA in particular, in the local underworld the Italians were perceived with a degree of irony, because They were engaged in petty robbery and racketeering, which was usual for them in Italy, without any special aspirations to control large business structures. At the time, major American cities were largely dominated by Jewish and Irish criminal gangs.

However, almost unquestioning loyalty to the code of honor - omerta, immediate vendetta (blood feud) against family offenders, discipline and loyalty to the family and incredible cruelty allowed Italian groups to quickly take leading roles in the American underworld.

Seize and control almost all areas of business, bribe most of the country's largest judges and officials. To kill competition in many industries, for example, the “twin towers” were forced to pay a waste removal company controlled by the Italians 1 million 100 thousand dollars a year (in those years this was a huge amount). Moreover, the mafiosi did not do any intimidation, they simply did not allow other companies to enter this market, this company was the only such company in the New York market!

Gambino mafia family

Loyalty to tradition in the Italian mafia

Loyalty to tradition left its bright imprint on the criminal code of honor, since for the most part all family members were exemplary family men and cases of betrayal were quite rare, even despite the fact that the mafia controlled almost all entertainment businesses: prostitution, gambling, alcohol and cigarettes. Cheating on one's wife was perceived by the family as a slap in the face and was brutally suppressed. Of course, in the modern age everything has changed a lot, but this tradition lasted for quite a long time. Showing attention to the wives of friends and family members was strictly taboo.

Due to the fact that the profession of mafia members was accompanied by a certain risk to life, each family member knew perfectly well that in the event of his death, his family would be taken care of financially no worse than when he was alive.

Long years of oppression of the Sicilians by an aggressive government have led to the fact that the word “policeman” can still get you a slap in the face in Sicily. One of the most important points omerta is complete absence contacts with the police and especially cooperation with them. A person will never be accepted into a family if his close relative serves in the police; even appearing on the street in the company of police officers was punishable, sometimes at the highest standard - death.

This tradition allowed the mafia to exist for a very long time without any problems with the US government. The US government did not recognize the existence of the Italian mafia until the mid-20th century, due to insufficient information about the structure and extent of penetration of organized crime into business and politics.

Mafia clans in the USA

Alcoholism and drug addiction were considered a vice, but despite the ban, many family members were addicted to both, one of the least observed laws of omerta, but family members who drank and stabbed themselves, as a rule, did not live long and died at the hands of their own comrades.

No person can enter the family by introducing himself as a capo or mafia don; the only way to get into the family is the recommendation of a family member and his willingness to introduce you to the family. There are no other ways.

Strict punctuality; you must not be late for any meeting; this is considered bad manners. The same rule includes showing respect for any meetings, including meetings with enemies. There should be no killings during them. One of the reasons that numerous wars between various families and clans of the Italian mafia quickly subsided, at meetings a truce was declared and often the dons of the families found a common language and solved the accumulated problems.

When talking with any family member, even the smallest lie is considered a betrayal; the obligation of each family member to tell the truth in response to a question, no matter what it is, naturally the rule applies only to members of one criminal group. The strictness of execution, in fact, was monitored at the lower levels of the hierarchical structure; naturally, in the upper layers of the hierarchy, lies and betrayal existed right up to the murder by the right hand of the head of the family.

Do not lead an idle lifestyle, full compliance with moral principles

No family member had the right to engage in looting and robbery without the approval of the boss or capo. Visiting places of entertainment without necessity or direct instructions was strictly prohibited. The law also allowed the mafia to remain in the shadows, because an intoxicated family member could blurt out a lot of things, where this information could cause significant damage to the family.

Appropriating other people's money without any instructions from the head of the family was a strict taboo. From childhood, young men were brought up within the framework of the laws of devotion to the family, that it is a great shame to be an outcast, that without a family a person’s life has no meaning. In this regard, in the circles of the Italian mafia, “lone wolves” were very, very rarely encountered, and if they were encountered, they did not live long; such behavior was punishable by immediate death.

Vendetta - blood feud

As justice for failure to comply with the laws of omerta, a vendetta awaited the violator, which in different clans could be accompanied by various rituals. By the way, blood feud against both a family member and any other offender or enemy of the family had to be quick and without unnecessary torment for the victim, such as: a shot in the head or heart, a wound with a knife in the heart, etc. Those. the victim did not have to suffer all according to the “Christian” canons, however, after death, the victim’s body could already be treated barbarously and with considerable cruelty to intimidate the enemy or educate other family members.

There were also different traditions in different clans: for excessive talkativeness, a cobblestone was inserted into the corpse's mouth; for adultery, a rose was placed on the body; placing a wallet with a thorn on the body of the victim meant that the murdered person had embezzled other people's money. You can hear a lot of different fables about this; now it’s difficult to discern where the truth is and where the lie is.

An interesting fact is that the laws of omerta fell into the hands of the police and journalists only in 2007, during the arrest of Salvatore La Piccola, one of the bosses of Cosa Nostra; they were found among the documents found during the search and poetically called in the press “10 Commandments of Cosa Nostra”. Until this moment, no documentary evidence of the rules of the code of honor of the Italian mafiosi existed, so secretly was the criminal network organized.

It's not surprising that such organizational structure took root throughout all countries of Europe, Northern and South America, but oddly enough the only one European country where the Italian mafia does not have any serious influence is Russia and countries former USSR. It is difficult to imagine what this is connected with, including the absence of emigrants of Italian origin, language barrier and slightly different moral standards of the local population and a fairly strong local criminal network.

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 given 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, 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 Caribbean islands. He was extremely popular and respected among his people. Vito Corleone, the hero of the 1972 film The Godfather, is believed to be based on Costello. Of course, he also had enemies: in 1957, an attempt was made on his life, during which the mafioso was wounded in the head, but miraculously survived. He died only in 1973 from a heart attack.

Jack Diamond

Jack "Legs" Diamond was born in Philadelphia in 1897. He was a significant figure during Prohibition and a leader of organized crime in the United States. Earning the nickname Legs for his ability to quickly evade pursuit and his extravagant style of dancing, Diamond was also known for unprecedented cruelty and murder. His criminal escapades in New York went down in history, as did his liquor smuggling organizations in and around the city.

Realizing that this was very profitable, Diamond moved on to larger prey, organizing truck robberies and opening underground liquor stores. But it was 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 Mafia 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 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 one of the best mafia films, 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 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 led to his arrest. He surrendered his entire gang and overthrew several very influential gangsters. He entered the federal witness protection program in 1980, but blew his cover two years later and the program ended. Despite this, he managed to live to the age of 69. Hill died in 2012 from heart problems.

James Bulger

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

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

Bulger was caught in 2011 and charged with several crimes, including 19 murders, money laundering, extortion and drug trafficking. After trial After a two-month trial, the notorious gang leader was found guilty and sentenced to two life sentences plus 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. A real star he became thanks to his Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The $1.5 million project was financed from the bandit common fund, but during construction the estimate was significantly exceeded. 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 the 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 big bosses and create a completely new principle for the 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 an image and a stylish image, 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, the famous Camorra of Naples. 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 streets by fighting for money. Not only could Lansky 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.

, and in 1866 it was used by the British consul in Sicily, who reported to the leadership about “... juntas elected by the mafia (Spanish.junta- “meeting, committee, association”), which participate in the income of workers, maintain contacts with criminals.”

The organization that the consul spoke about has historical origins. The word most likely has Arabic roots: mu`afah. This term has many meanings: security, skill, skill, safety, efficiency.

But there is a more beautiful version of origin. During the uprising of March 30, 1282, which broke out in Sicily and went down in history under the name "Sicilian Vespers", the cry was born M orte a lla F rancia, I talia a nela! (“Death to France, sigh, Italy!”). The initial letters of this slogan make up the word "MAFIA".

It is even more difficult to identify the fundamentals of an organization. According to many historians, the seed from which this criminal organization sprang was sown back in the 12th century, when secret associations appeared against the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation. (Sacrum Romanorum Imperium Nationis Germaniae).

Some sources point to the Bourbon dynasty, who used the services of former brigands to patrol remote parts of the island's interior. They, in turn, quickly began to take bribes, turning a blind eye to some points.

Many specialists also start from the founding of the so-called gabellotti organization, which collected tribute for the state or acted as intermediaries between peasants and landowners.

They quickly got rich by intimidating the former and acting as representatives of the others. The Gabelloti, realizing what kind of power fell into their hands, created a separate caste, the basis of which was a code of honor and a semi-official structure.

All these theories have one thing in common common element: a huge gulf that from time immemorial separated the Sicilians from representatives of the “alien” government.

No one, anywhere, felt as helpless and humiliated as the rootless Sicilian peasant, forced to hard labor in local latifundia - large feudal landholdings owned by eternally absent rulers who were residents of Naples or Palermo. The latifundia system was invented in Ancient Rome and lasted until the Second World War. As you can see, where the usual system of power and justice could not cope, the question of the appearance of local judges - the so-called amici (friends) or uomini d`onore (men of honor) - was only a matter of time.

In the book "Trip to Sicily and Malta"(Viaggio in Sicilia e a Malta), the English traveler and writer Brydone Patrick (1743-1818) posted the following comment in 1773:

“These banditti are the most respected people on the island, with the noblest and most romantic sentiments, which are taken as a matter of honor; they show their respect to each other, as well as to everyone to whom they have ever sworn allegiance; Moreover, they show the most unshakable loyalty. Administrative and judicial officials are often obliged to protect them, and even to please them. These banditti are also known to be full of determination and desperation. So vengeful that they will not hesitate to kill anyone who is even suspected of provocations.”

These words can be repeated 200 years later.

Most people do not know, however, that Italy once came close to defeating this organization. During his reign, the legendary police chief, Cesare Morti, resorted to brutal and illegal methods in the fight against the mafia. And if not for the second world war, perhaps he would have been able to destroy her forever. Ironically, the American intervention evened out the forces. When preparing for the landing of soldiers in Sicily, they had only one reliable source of intelligence - the mafia.

Contacts with her were established through American gangsters of Italian origin, such as Lucky Luciano.

I, in turn, would like to quote an excerpt from the book “The Great Godfather” by Vito Bruschini:

“In an atmosphere of social and political collapse, the mafia, with the support of its allies, began to regain control over the territory of the island and the distribution of basic food products.

Food was brought to Palermo based on the population of four hundred and fifty thousand people. In fact, when the bombing of the city began, two-thirds of the residents chose to leave for the countryside, where everyone had relatives or acquaintances. So, after the products were distributed using ration cards among the remaining residents of the city, Most of the food went to the black market.

Gathering his trusted friends, Don Calo explained to them that helping the American secret service agents would almost certainly guarantee freedom of action on the island after the end of the war. That is why you should cooperate with your American friends in all actions, including sabotage against German and Italian troops.

This began to happen with the beginning of spring. At the Nazi military base where she was stationed tank brigade Goering, gas oil barrels were replaced by barrels filled with water mixed with oil. The engines of tanks fueled with this mixture burned out, and the combat vehicles were stuck in repair shops for a long time. The navy also constantly suffered from sabotage: the ships were forced to remain in port due to various damages.”

After occupying the island, the alliance strengthened the mafia, often appointing its important members to the leadership of the military government. Of the 66 Sicilian cities, 62 were entrusted to individuals with criminal origins. The mafia's further rise was fueled by the post-war construction boom in Italy, which became the source of enormous fortunes for the mafia, who invested laundered money in legitimate businesses or multiplied it through drugs, which changed the nature of the mafia forever.
The police have won several battles in recent years. The biggest success was the arrest in 2006 of godfather Bernardo Provenzano. Convicted in absentia of more than a dozen murders, the 73-year-old mafioso was captured in a Sicilian farm hideout.

Despite some legal successes, the destruction of the mafia is unlikely. Mainly because it is already very firmly integrated with the Italian economy. It's not without reason that Italians call the mafia la piovra – octopus.

In my opinion personal experience and opinion - I am sure that the mafia exists and will exist. I once asked my good friend Mario, who worked as a Sicilian for 30 years, if it existed. To which they received a series of emotional statements that it does not exist, it has long been defeated, these are all inventions of journalists, writers, and so on.

Well, taking my experience of study and interest this issue, as well as the statements of many of my Italian friends to the contrary, I am even more convinced and respect this structure.

I hope the following quotes from my favorite books by writers Mario Puzo and Vito Bruschini will clarify the concept of the mafia for you:

“Once upon a time in the south of Italy (particularly in Sicily), anyone who talked too much could be killed by the mafiosi and his tongue cut out. So that everyone knows why he was punished. The flower on the corpse hinted at love affairs. The mafia always killed for some offense.

During the period of rampant terrorism in Italy, one Sicilian boasted that on his island there were no terrorist attacks that would take the lives of innocent people (for example, bombs in a cafe, at a train station, etc.). Not like on mainland Italy! “With us,” he said, “the mafia will immediately find the culprit and he will be in trouble.”

“In the neighboring province of Cinesi, perhaps the largest and poorest in Sicily, one small village clan was headed by a cruel, fearless bandit named Fissolini. In his village, he had absolute power and had virtually no connections with other clans of the island. He had no idea how much power Don Aprile had; he could not imagine that this power could reach his godforsaken village. He decided to kidnap Don Aprile and get a ransom for him. He, of course, understood that he was breaking one of the unwritten laws: by kidnapping Don Aprile, he was invading the territory of another family, but he reasoned that it was worth the risk for such rich booty.

Cosca, family, clan,- The basic cell of the mafia and usually consists of blood relatives. Law-abiding citizens, for example, lawyers or doctors, do not break, but rather strengthen ties with their clan, because it defends their interests. Each clan is a closed organizational structure, but it can enter into an alliance with a stronger and more influential clan. The entire set of clans is usually called the mafia. But it does not have a single leader or commander.

Each clan usually specializes in a certain area of certain territory.One controls the price of water and prevents the government from building dams that would lower the price. In a certain sense, this clan is destroying the state monopoly on power. Another can control the market for food and essential goods. At that time, the most powerful in Sicily were considered to be the cosca Clericuzio from Palermo, this clan dominated all the new construction on the island, and the cosca Corleone from Corleone, who controlled many Roman politicians and ensured the transportation of drugs around the world. There were also greedy clans that took money from romantic young men for the right to sing under the balconies of their loved ones.

All clans regulated crime. They did not tolerate those who robbed respectable citizens who honestly gave a share of their income to their clan.

Both robbers and rapists faced the same punishment - death. And, of course, all clans did not tolerate adultery. In such cases, both the man and the woman were executed. No one had any questions.

Cosca Fissolini lived from bread to water. This clan controlled the sale of holy icons, took payments from farmers for guarding their herds, and kidnapped the rich who had lost their vigilance.

And when Don Aprile and little Astorre walked leisurely along the street of the village, two army trucks with Fissolini, who had no idea who he raised his hand against, and his people stopped nearby with a squeal of brakes ... "

From the book “Omerta”, Mario Puzo.

“Omerta is a Sicilian code of honor that prohibits informing anyone about crimes that people who have aroused suspicion may have committed.”

“At the head of the Corleone family clan was the Don, he directed all the activities of the family and determined its policies. Three layers, three buffers separated the Don from those who carried out his will and directly carried out his orders. Thus, not a single trail could lead to the top. On one condition. If he doesn't betray the consigliori. That Sunday, Don Corleone gave detailed instructions in the morning on what to do with the two youths who had maimed Amerigo Bonasera’s daughter. But he gave these orders to Tom Higen, face to face. During the day, Hagen, also alone, without witnesses, conveyed these instructions to Clemenza. Clemenza, in turn, ordered Paulie Gatto to carry out the order. Paulie Gatto just had to find the right people and do exactly what he was told. Neither Paulie Gateau nor his people will know what caused this order, or from whom it originally came.

To establish that the Don was involved in it, every link in this chain must turn out to be unreliable - this has never happened before, but where is the guarantee that this will not happen? However, a remedy was provided for this case too. One link, the key one, must disappear.

Besides, consigliori was really what the word means. That is, the Don’s adviser, his first assistant, his second head. And also - the most faithful ally and closest friend. It was he who drove the Don’s car during important business trips; he left the meeting to buy fresh cigars for the Don, coffee and sandwiches. He knew everything, or almost everything, that the Don knew, everything down to the last cell in the power structure. Only he, the only one in the world, had the opportunity to crush the Don if he wanted.

But there has never been a case of a consigliori betraying his don, at least in the memory of one of the influential Sicilian clans settled in America. It would be an option without a future.

On the other hand, every consigliori knew that serving faithfully would bring him wealth, power and honor. And if trouble strikes, they will care about the well-being of his wife and children no worse than if he himself were alive and well and free. But this is when serving faithfully.

“In this ancient garden, the roots that gave birth to people like his father were exposed to Michael. He learned that the word "mafia" originally meant "haven."

Then it became the name of a secret organization that arose to confront the rulers who had suppressed this country and its people for hundreds of years. History does not know a region that has been subjected to such brutal violence. Like a tornado, the Inquisition walked around the island, not distinguishing who was poor and who was rich. The noble landowners and princes of the Catholic Church subjugated the peasants and shepherds with an iron hand.

The instrument of this power was the police, so identified by the people with the rulers that...

Looking for ways to survive under the merciless heel of autocracy, tormented people learned to never show resentment or anger. Never utter words of threat, since in response to a threat, ahead of its execution, punishment will immediately follow. Don’t forget that society is your enemy and if you want to get even with it for injustice, you need to go to the secret rebels, the mafia.

It was the mafia, gaining strength, that introduced omerta in Sicily - mutual responsibility, a law commanding silence. IN rural areas a passerby or traveler who asks for directions to the nearest town will simply not be honored with an answer.

For a Mafia member, the greatest crime is to tell the police, for example, who shot him. Or hurt him. Omerta became a religion for people. The woman whose husband was killed will not tell the police the name of the killer, the name of the one who tortured her child and raped her daughter. People knew that they couldn’t get justice from the authorities, and they followed it to the mafia as their intercessor. »

The Godfather, Mario Puzo