Until now, the origin of the word "mafia" (in the early texts - "maffia") has not been precisely established, and therefore there are many assumptions of varying degrees of certainty.

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

The Italian deputy Leopoldo Franchetti, who traveled in Sicily and wrote one of the first authoritative accounts of the Mafia in 1876, characterized 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, in view of their special character and importance in the life of Sicilian society, they are entitled to another name than the vulgar "criminals" in other countries. Franchetti saw how deeply the mafia was ingrained in Sicily society and realized that it was impossible to put an end to it without fundamental changes in the social structure and institutions of the entire island.

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

Organization

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

Typical "family" structure

Typical mafia "family" hierarchy.

• Boss, Don or Godfather(English) boss) is the head of the "family". Receives information about any "case" committed by each member of the "family". 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 generally participated in voting, but later this practice was abandoned because it attracted the attention of law enforcement agencies.
• improvised(English) underboss) - "deputy" boss, the second person in the "family", who is appointed by the boss himself. The henchman is responsible for the actions of all capos. In the event of the arrest or death of the boss, the henchman usually becomes the acting boss.
• Consigliere(English) consigliere) - an adviser to the "family", a person whom the boss can trust and whose advice he listens to. He serves as an intermediary in resolving disputes, mediates between the boss and bribed political, union or judicial officials, or acts as a representative of the "family" at meetings with other "families". Consigliere usually do not have their own "team", but they have significant influence in the "family". However, they usually also have legitimate businesses, such as practicing law or working as a stockbroker.
• Caporegime(English) caporegime), capo, or captain- the head of a "team", or "combat group" (consisting of "soldiers"), which is responsible for one or more types of criminal activity in a certain area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe city and monthly gives the boss a part of the income received from this activity ("sends a share") . In a "family" there are usually 6-9 such "teams", and each of them has up to 10 "soldiers". The kapo is subordinate to the assistant or the boss himself. The introduction to the kapo is made by an assistant, but the boss directly appoints the kapo personally.
• Soldier(English) soldier) - the youngest member of the "family" who was "introduced" into the family, firstly, because he proved his usefulness to her, and secondly, on the recommendation of one or more capos. Once selected, a soldier usually ends up on the "team" whose capo recommended him.
• Partner in crime(English) associate) - not yet a member of the "family", but already a person endowed with a certain status. He usually acts as an intermediary in drug deals, acts as a bribed representative of a trade union or businessman, etc. Non-Italians are usually not accepted into the "family" and almost always remain in the status of accomplices (although there are exceptions - for example, Joe Watts, a close partner of John Gotti). When a "vacancy" arises, one or more kapos may recommend that a useful accomplice be promoted to soldier. In the event that there are several such proposals, and there is only one "vacant" place, the boss selects the candidate.

The current structure of the Italian-American mafia and the way it operates are largely determined by Salvatore Maranzano - "boss of bosses" (who, however, was killed by Lucky Luciano six months after being elected). The latest trend in the organization of the "family" 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 "family" Genovese Vincent Gigante.

"Ten Commandments"

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

Mafias in the world

Italian crime groups

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

Italian-American "families"

• "Five Families" New York:

• Purple Gang of East Harlem ("The 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"

• "Family" Capelli (new family);

Influence on popular culture

The mafia and its reputation is firmly rooted in American popular culture, being depicted in movies, television, books and magazine articles.

Some see the mafia as a set of attributes deeply rooted in popular culture, as a "way of being" - "the mafia is the awareness of one's own worth, the great idea of ​​individual power as the sole judge in every conflict, every clash of interests or ideas" .

Literature

• Dorigo J. Mafia. - Singapore: "Curare-N", 1998. - 112 p.
• Ivanov R. Mafia in the USA. - M., 1996.
• Polken K., Sceponik H. 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 "Ndrangheta Activities in Germany" (German) .

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010 .

About the Italian mafia and gangsters, who were part of the well-known criminal organization Cosa Nostra, many literary works were created and films were made that surrounded them with an aura of invincibility. It is characteristic that the exclamation of one of the heroes of the popular domestic comedy about the adventures of Italians in Russia “The Mafia is immortal!” accepted by many as an indisputable fact. Is this so, and did justice succeed, if not in defeating evil, then at least inflicting tangible blows on it?

Term taken from Sicilian slang

In the middle of the 19th century, the Italian language was enriched with a new word for itself - "mafia" (mafia). He received this “gift” from the dialect spoken by the inhabitants of Sicily, as well as the smaller Mediterranean islands adjacent to it. There was a tradition there to call so arrogant and self-confident hooligans, who, meanwhile, were distinguished by fearlessness, enterprise and pride.

Over time, this term has become so rooted in most of the world's languages ​​that it has attracted the attention of linguists. They established its relationship with a number of slang (slang) expressions that were of Arabic origin, which denoted all sorts of criminal elements or, more simply, the same gangsters.

Italian mafia - haven for criminals

A slightly different interpretation of the word "mafia" is given by the famous Italian writer Mario Puzo, whose subject of detailed study was the Italian mafia. The film "The Godfather", based on his novel of the same name, at one time successfully went around the world's television screens.

The author of the sensational work claims that in its true meaning this Sicilian term is translated as "refuge". It is likely that he is right, especially if we take into account the specifics of the criminal community he designated, which was a kind of family that united criminal groups.

What is an omerta?

It was a strictly centralized organization, all members of which unquestioningly obeyed a single leader (the godfather) and were obliged to be guided by a common code of conduct for all, called “omerta” and somewhat akin to the modern thieves notions of the Russian criminal world.

Before continuing the conversation about what the Italian mafia was, it is necessary to dwell in some detail on the laws that underlay the life of its members. This will help in many ways to understand the motives of certain of their actions.

Laws set within the mafia

So, in addition to the principle of autocracy mentioned above, the omerta established a life-long membership in the organization of all those who were once accepted into its ranks. The only valid reason for leaving the mafia could be death. For each mafioso (member of this organization), justice is the decision of the head of the organization, and not the state judiciary.

Betrayal was punishable by death not only for the one who dared to make a denunciation, but also for all his relatives. And finally, the insult inflicted on one of the members of the mafia was considered as an insult to the entire organization, and therefore entailed the inevitable death of the offender.

The last point created a certain illusion of security among the bandits and made it possible to consider the mafia really a refuge, if not from criminal liability, then at least from the revenge of the victims of their arbitrariness. In reality, omerta was a means of controlling the leaders of the organization over all its members and intimidating ordinary members.

The structure of the criminal community

According to its internal structure, "Cosa Nostra" was a strictly defined vertical of power, at the top of which was its head, called the don. This position was elective, and the entire Italian mafia was unquestioningly subordinate to the don. The movie "The Godfather" is the best illustration of the power that this man was endowed with.

His closest assistants were two - the underboss, who acted as a deputy, and in the event of the death of the owner, temporarily took his place, and the consigliere - a personal adviser both on legal issues and in organizing a business.

Below in the hierarchy were the commanders of the fighting gangster groups, who bore the title of caporegime. In their submission were the direct executors of all criminal deeds - soldiers. Companions closed the list - these were persons who had not yet become full members of the mafia, for whom something like a probationary period was established. All lower members of the mafia were obliged to unquestioningly obey their superiors. Violation of this fundamental principle was punishable by death.

In addition, it is known about the Italian mafia that its constituent communities, called families or clans, extended their influence to certain territories, for example, Sicily, Naples, Calabria, etc. Attempts to manage in foreign areas were considered a violation of the same omerta and punished in the most cruel way. It is important to note the following important detail: only purebred Italians could be members of such mafia clan families, and in Sicily - only native Sicilians. They were engaged in almost all types of criminal activity: racketeering, drug trafficking, prostitution control, etc.

Robin Hoods of the underworld

It is generally accepted that the Italian mafia was formed in the middle of the 19th century and the prerequisite for its appearance was the extreme weakness of the state structures of the Sicilian kingdom, which was then ruled by the Bourbon dynasty. During the previous two centuries, the territory of the state repeatedly fell under foreign domination, as a result of which the native Sicilians were subjected to exploitation and repression.

Such a situation became fertile ground for the emergence of various kinds of bandit groups engaged in robbery of wealthy foreigners. In fairness, it should be noted that at a certain stage, following the example of the legendary Robin Hood, they generously shared the loot with their poor fellow villagers, which quickly gained universal support and approval. If necessary, the bandits provided fellow countrymen with money loans and helped to settle all sorts of conflicts with the authorities.

Thus, a social base was created, on which the Italian mafia, so well-known today, subsequently developed. In the future, its development was facilitated by the influx of funds caused by the expansion of the business associated with the production and export of citrus crops.

Mafia exported overseas

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, due to the difficult economic situation that prevailed in Sicily, many of its inhabitants (including bandits) were forced to emigrate abroad, and primarily to the American continent. There, across the ocean, criminal structures formed back in their homeland, having received a new life, began to develop intensively.

The Italian mafia in the United States, maintaining its previously established traditions, soon became one of the elements of American society and continued to exist in parallel with the Sicilian, of which it was an integral part.

It is widely known, for example, for its role in the life of American trade unions, control over which was one of the important components of the criminal business. In the fifties, the well-established tandem "mafia - trade unions" was so strong that the government made a number of significant concessions, which were demanded of it by both representatives of workers and gangsters. At the same time, it is known that almost 30% of drug trafficking was under the control of the latter in the country.

The Italian mafia, which had so rapidly launched its activities across the ocean before the war, in the sixties was forced to withstand fierce competition from other criminal gangs that appeared in the United States and consisted of African Americans, Chinese, Colombians, and Mexicans. This largely undermined its financial base and weakened its former power.

Mussolini against the mafia

At home, the Italian mafia received the strongest rebuff to its actions in 1925, when the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, who seized power in the country, set himself the task of completely destroying criminal structures to strengthen control over its southern regions. To this end, he appointed the prefect of Palermo - the main city of the Sicilian region - his fellow party member Cesare Mori, who later earned the nickname "iron prefect".

He was given such complete freedom of action that even the observance of elementary laws was not made an obligation. Taking advantage of such extraordinary powers and not constrained by any moral standards, the newly appointed prefect fought the criminals with their own methods. It is known, for example, that, having besieged entire cities, he, forcing members of the mafia to surrender, used women and children as hostages and, in cases of disobedience, mercilessly shot them.

Crime family responses

Fascist propaganda hastened to announce that, as a result of the measures taken, they had defeated the Italian mafia, which was previously considered invulnerable to justice. However, such statements turned out to be a clear exaggeration. Despite the fact that she really suffered significant damage and many mafiosi replenished the number of emigrants, it was not possible to completely defeat her, and after a while this evil revived in an even greater volume.

It is known that Mussolini's attempt to eradicate the mafia caused a response from her, and subsequently this criminal organization, cooperating with the Anglo-American troops, played a very positive role, making a tangible contribution to the struggle of the Italian people against fascism.

Cooperation between state and criminal structures

One of the characteristic features of organized criminal groups, referred to as the mafia, is their merging with state authorities. This started in Italy before World War II. In 1945, the result of the separatist tendencies that had gripped the country in previous decades was the granting of significant autonomy to Sicily, and in the local elections that followed soon there was a sharp confrontation between representatives of left and right parties.

Since it was known that the mafia was extremely hostile to socialists and communists, their opponents - the Christian Democrats - used its services to intimidate voters and force them to vote for the deputies they needed. This vicious practice became a tradition, as a result of which right-wing parties remained in power throughout the post-war period.

All-out war on crime

A new stage in the fight against this ingrained evil came in the sixties and seventies. This was the period when the evolution of the democratic system, which began in Italy, also touched Sicily. A full-scale war was then declared against crime, in which the Italian mafia became the main opponent for the judiciary.

The film directed by Domiano Domiani "Octopus", released on screens in March 1984, in all details presents a picture of those years filled with arrests of mafia leaders, police raids and, as a result, the murders of judges, prosecutors and other servants of the law.

Successes of Italian justice

In subsequent decades, the Italian authorities continued the struggle they had begun with the same persistence. Its apogee is considered to be 2009, when several key figures were arrested at once, under whose control almost the entire Italian mafia was. The names of these people - the Pasquale brothers, as well as Carmine and Salvatore Russo - for many years terrified their compatriots. As a result of the operational actions of the police, along with them, the second most important person of the criminal syndicate, Domenico Racciuglia, ended up in the dock.

Other criminal structures in Italy

It should be noted that in addition to the main criminal organization, bearing the name "Cosa Nostra" ("Our business") in the Sicilian dialect, there are other Italian mafias, the list of which is quite extensive. It includes such criminal structures as Camorra, Sacra Corona Unita, 'Ndrangheta and a number of others.

The leader of the last of them, Salvatore Coluccio, who, according to Interpol, was one of the ten most dangerous criminals in the world, was also arrested in 2009. Even a special bunker, built by him in a remote mountainous region of the country, equipped with the latest technology and equipped with an autonomous life support system, did not save him from the hands of justice.

And today, among the criminal structures operating in various countries of the world, special place occupied by the Italian mafia. Photos of its most famous leaders, replicated at different times by the media, are also placed in this article. This is the famous Al Capone - the legend of the underworld of the thirties and forties, and John Gotti, who traded in contract killings all his life, but at the same time earned the nickname Elegant John, as well as Carlo Gambino - a born Sicilian who headed the most powerful criminal family in America, distributing influence in many countries of the world. The common fate of these people was the prison, where many members of the organization they created also ended their lives.

What couldn't the Italian mafia do?

And only in one thing was the Italian mafia powerless - in Russia, it failed to take control of anything. Under the communists, such an idea was absurd due to the peculiarities of the political and economic structure of the country, and in the post-Soviet period, when domestic politics was reoriented to the capitalist way, its own “godfathers” appeared in it. They created crime families that inherited the style of the Italian mafia and surpassed it in many ways.

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

We can say that the mafia was a secret society, about which only rumors circulated among the inhabitants, the whole system was covered with a halo of mystery.

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

Why did crime families become known as the "mafia"?

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

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

A bit of history

under the guise Robin The Goode crime families have protected the poor from pirate raids, foreign aggressors and oppression by feudal lords since the 9th century. The government did not help the peasants, they did not trust foreigners, so the poor had no one to rely on, except for the mafia. And although the mafiosi also took a considerable bribe from them and imposed their own laws, they were still in order and protected.

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

Once the mafia extended its influence only to agriculture. But already at the beginning of the 20th century, mafiosi began to actively intervene in city affairs, helping this or that deputy win elections, for which he generously rewarded them. Now the influence of the mafia has spread to continental Italy.

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

In the 1950s and 1960s, the mafia raised its head again and the Italian government had to start an official fight against crime, a special body was created - the Antimafia.

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

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

But do not think that the Italian mafia is living out its last days. In March 2000, a scandal erupted in Italy: the police had to arrest several Sicilian judges suspected of working closely with the mafia.

Although the mafiosi were partially legalized, they did not leave the stage at all. In southern Italy, it is still impossible to open a business without enlisting the support of local authorities. In the last 10 years, the Italian government has been actively fighting the mafia, carrying out "cleansing" and removing mafiosi from key positions.

How mafiosi ended up in America

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

In America, organized crime that came out of Sicily is called " Cosa Nostra"(in Italian it means" our business "- they say, do not poke your nose into someone else's question). Now the entire Sicilian mafia is often collectively called "Cosa Nostra". This name is also given to one of the Sicilian clans that returned home from America.

The structure of the Italian mafia

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

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

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

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

The soldier is the youngest member of the family, who was recently "introduced" into the organization. Teams of up to 10 people are formed from the soldiers, controlled by a kapo.

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

Laws and traditions honored by mafiosi

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

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

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

In conclusion, let's say...

Despite the seemingly fabulous wealth of mafia leaders, it is mostly poverty from the Italian south that dreams of such a career. After all, this is a very dangerous business and, on closer examination, is not so profitable. After unfastening all the bribes, confiscating some of the illegal goods by the police, constantly spending money to protect yourself and your family - there is not much left. Many mafiosi are killed stupidly in banal drug deals. Today, not everyone can live according to the laws of honor, and the way back, contrary to the assurances of American melodramas such as Blue-Eyed Mickey, is no longer so.

The world has long been fighting the state against criminal clans, but the mafia is still alive. Currently, there are many criminal gangs, each of which has its own boss and mastermind. Criminal authorities often feel unpunished and create real criminal empires, intimidating civilians and government officials. They live by their own laws, the violation of which often leads to death. This article presents 10 famous mafiosi who really left a noticeable mark on the history of the mafia.

1. Al Capone

Al Capone was a legend in the underworld of the 30s and 40s. of the last century and is still considered the most famous mafia in history. The authoritative Al Capone inspired fear in everyone, including the government. This American gangster of Italian origin developed a gambling business, was engaged in bootlegging, racketeering, and drugs. It was he who introduced the concept of racketeering.

When the family moved to the US in search of a better life, he had to work hard. He worked in a pharmacy and a bowling alley, and even in a candy store. However, Al Capone was attracted to the nocturnal lifestyle. At 19, while working at a pool club, he made a cheeky comment about the wife of felon Frank Galuccio. After the ensuing fight and stabbing, he was left with a scar on his left cheek. Daring Al Capone learned to skillfully handle knives and was invited to the "Gang of Five Trunks". Known for his brutality in the massacre of competitors, he organized the Massacre on Valentine's Day, when, on his orders, seven tough mafiosi from the Bugs Moran group were shot dead.
His cunning helped him get out and avoid punishment for his crimes. The only thing he was jailed for was tax evasion. After leaving prison, where he spent 5 years, his health was undermined. He contracted syphilis from one of the prostitutes and died at the age of 48.

2. Lucky Luciano

Charles Luciano, born in Sicily, moved with his family to America in search of a decent life. Over time, he became a symbol of crime and one of the toughest gangsters in history. Since childhood, street punks have become a comfortable environment for him. He actively distributed drugs and at the age of 18 he went to prison. During the prohibition of alcohol in the United States, he was a member of the Gang of Four and was involved in the smuggling of alcohol. He was a poor immigrant, like his friends, and ended up making millions of dollars in crime. Lucky organized a group of bootleggers, the so-called "Big Seven" and defended it from the authorities.

Later, he became the leader of the Cosa Nostra and controlled all areas of activity in the criminal environment. Maranzano's gangsters tried to find out where he was hiding drugs and for this they tricked him into taking him to the highway, where they tortured, cut and beat him. Luciano kept the secret. The bloody body with no signs of life was thrown to the side of the road and after 8 hours it was found by a police patrol. In the hospital, he received 60 stitches and saved his life. After that, they began to call him Lucky. (Lucky).

3. Pablo Escobar

Pablo Escobar is the most famous brutal Colombian drug lord. He created a real drug empire and established the supply of cocaine around the world on a huge scale. The young Escobar grew up in the poor areas of Medellin and began his illegal activities by stealing tombstones and reselling them to resellers with erased inscriptions. In addition, he sought to earn easy money on the sale of drugs and cigarettes, as well as forging lottery tickets. Later, theft of expensive cars, racketeering, robberies and kidnappings were added to the scope of criminal activity.

At 22, Escobar has already become a famous authority in poor neighborhoods. The poor supported him as he built cheap housing for them. Becoming the head of a drug cartel, he earned billions. In 1989, his fortune was more than 15 billion. During his criminal activities, he was involved in the murders of more than a thousand policemen, journalists, several hundred judges and prosecutors, and various officials.

4. John Gotti

John Gotti was known to everyone in New York. He was called the "Teflon Don", because all the accusations miraculously flew away from him, leaving him unstained. This was a very quirky mobster who worked his way from the bottom to the very top of the Gambino family. Due to his bright and elegant style, he also received the nickname "Elegant Don". During the management of the family, he was engaged in typical criminal cases: racketeering, theft, carjacking, murders. The right hand of the boss in all crimes has always been his friend Salvatore Gravano. In the end, this was a fatal mistake for John Gotti. In 1992, Salvatore began to cooperate with the FBI, testified against Gotti and sent him to prison for life. In 2002, John Gotti died in prison from throat cancer.

5. Carlo Gambino

Gambino is a Sicilian gangster who led one of the most powerful crime families in America and led it until his death. As a teenager, he began to steal and engage in extortion. Later switched to bootlegging. When he became the boss of the Gambino family, he made it the richest and most powerful by controlling such lucrative properties as the state port and airport. During its dawn of power, the Gambino criminal group consisted of more than 40 teams, and controlled the major cities of America (New York, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and others). Gambino did not welcome drug dealing by members of his group, as he considered it a dangerous business that attracted a lot of attention.

6. Meir Lansky

Meir Lansky is a Jew born in Belarus. At the age of 9 he moved with his family to New York. From childhood, he became friends with Charles "Lucky" Luciano, which predetermined his fate. For decades, Meir Lansky has been one of America's most important crime bosses. During Prohibition in America, he was involved in the illegal transportation and sale of alcoholic beverages. Later, the "National Crime Syndicate" was created and a network of underground bars and bookmakers was opened. For many years, Meir Lansky developed a gambling empire in the United States. In the end, tired of the constant supervision of the police, he leaves for Israel on a visa for 2 years. The FBI wanted him extradited. At the expiration of the visa, he wants to move to another state, but no one accepts him. He returns to the US, where he is awaiting trial. The charges were dropped, but the passport was cancelled. In recent years, he lived in Miami and died in a hospital from cancer.

7. Joseph Bonanno

This mafioso occupied a special place in the criminal world of America. At the age of 15, the Sicilian boy was left an orphan. Illegally moved to the United States, where he quickly joined the criminal circles. Created and ran the powerful Bonanno crime family for 30 years. Over time, he began to be called "Banana Joe". Having achieved the status of the richest mafioso in history, he voluntarily retired. He wanted to live the rest of his life in peace in his own luxurious mansion. For a while, he was forgotten by everyone. But the release of the autobiography was an unprecedented act for the mafiosi and again riveted attention to him. They even put him in jail for a year. Joseph Bonanno died at the age of 97, surrounded by relatives.

8. Alberto Anastasia

Albert Anastasia was called the head of the Gambino, one of the 5 mafia clans. He was nicknamed the Chief Executioner because his faction Murder, Inc. was responsible for over 600 deaths. He hasn't been in jail for any of them. When a case was brought against him, it was not clear where the main witnesses for the prosecution disappeared. Alberto Anastasia liked to get rid of witnesses. He called Lucky Luciano his teacher and was devoted to him. Anastasia carried out assassinations of the leaders of other criminal groups on Lucky's order. However, in 1957, Albert Anastasia himself was killed in a barbershop by order of his competitors.

9. Vincent Gigante

Vincent Gigante is a well-known authority among the mafiosi who controlled crime in New York and other major American cities. He left school in the 9th grade and switched to boxing. He got into a criminal group at the age of 17. Since then, his ascent in the underworld began. First he became a godfather, and then a consoler (advisor). Since 1981, he became the leader of the Genovese family. Vincent was nicknamed "The Nutty Boss" and "King of Pajamas" for his inappropriate behavior and walking around New York in a bathrobe. It was a simulation of a mental disorder.
For 40 years he avoided prison by pretending to be crazy. In 1997, he was nevertheless sentenced to 12 years. Even while in prison, he continued to give instructions to members of the criminal gang through his son Vincent Esposito. In 2005, the mafioso died in prison from heart problems.

10. Heriberto Lazcano

For a long time, Heriberto Lazcano was on the list of wanted and most dangerous criminals in Mexico. From the age of 17 he served in the Mexican army and in a special squad to combat drug cartels. After a couple of years, he went over to the side of drug gangsters when he was recruited by the Gulf cartel. After a while, he became the leader of one of the largest and most authoritative drug cartels - Los Zetas. Due to his boundless cruelty against competitors, bloody murders against officials, public figures, police and civilians (including women and children), he was nicknamed the Executioner. More than 47,000 people died as a result of massacres. When Heriberto Lazcano was assassinated in 2012, all of Mexico breathed a sigh of relief.

, 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- "assembly, committee, association"), which participate in the income of workers, maintain contacts with criminals.

The organization referred to by the consul has a historical origin. The word most likely has Arabic roots: mu'afah. This term has many meanings: protection, skill, skill, safety, efficiency.

But there is also a more beautiful version of the 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 waist a nela!" (“Death to France, breathe, Italy!”). The initial letters of this slogan make up the word MAFIA.

It is even more difficult to identify the foundations of the organization. According to many historians, the seed from which this criminal organization sprang was sown as early as 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 robbers to patrol remote parts of the interior of the island. Those, in turn, quickly began to take bribes, turning a blind eye to some points.

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

They got rich quickly enough, intimidating the former and acting as representatives of the others. Gabelloti realizing what 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 common element: a huge gulf that from time immemorial separated the Sicilians from the representatives of the "foreign" power.

No one anywhere felt so helpless and humiliated as a rootless Sicilian peasant forced to hard labor in local latifundia - large feudal estates owned by forever absent rulers who are residents of Naples or Palermo. The system of latifundia 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 issue of the emergence of local judges - the so-called amici (friends) or uomini d`onore (people of honor) - was only a matter of time.

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

“These banditti are the most respected people on the island, with the noblest and most romantic moods, which are taken as a matter of honor; they show each other their respect, as well as to everyone they have ever sworn allegiance to; moreover, they show the most unshakable fidelity. Administrative and judicial officials are often required to protect them, and even 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.

What most people don't know, however, is that Italy once already came close to defeating this organization. During his reign, the legendary head of the police, 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 managed to destroy it forever. Ironically, the American intervention evened out the forces. In preparing for the landing of soldiers in Sicily, they had only one reliable source of intelligence - the mafia.

She was contacted through Italian-American gangsters 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 allies, began to regain control over the territory of the island and the distribution of basic foodstuffs.

In Palermo, food was imported on the basis that four hundred and fifty thousand people live in the city. In fact, with the start of the bombing of the city, two-thirds of the inhabitants preferred to leave for the countryside, where everyone had relatives or acquaintances. So, after the products were distributed according to the cards among the residents remaining in the city, most of food went to the black market.

Gathering his trusted friends together, Don Calo explained to them that helping agents of the American secret services would almost certainly guarantee freedom of action on the island at 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 the Göring Panzer Brigade was stationed, barrels of gas oil were replaced with barrels filled with water mixed with oil. Tanks filled with this mixture burned out engines, and 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 the 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 persons of criminal origin. The mafia was further flourished by the post-war construction boom in Italy, which became the source of huge fortunes for the mafia, which invested laundered money in legal businesses or multiplied it with drugs that forever changed the nature of the mafia.
The police have won several battles in recent years. The biggest success was the arrest in 2006 of the godfather Bernardo Provenzano (Bernardo Provenzano). Convicted in absentia of more than a dozen murders, the 73-year-old mobster was caught in a hideout on a Sicilian farm.

Despite some judicial successes, the Mafia's rout is unlikely. Mainly because it is already very firmly integrated with the Italian economy. It's not without reason that the Italians call the mafia la piovra - octopus.

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

Well, taking into account my experience of studying and interest in 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 in the south of Italy (in particular, in Sicily), the one who talked too much, the mafiosi could kill and cut off the tongue. So that everyone knows what he was punished for. The flower on the corpse hinted at love affairs. The mafia has always killed for some misdeed.

During the period of rampant terrorism in Italy, one Sicilian boasted that terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of innocent people were excluded on his island (for example, bombs in a cafe, at a train station, etc.). Not like in mainland Italy! “With us,” he said, “the mafia will immediately find the culprit and he will not be greeted.”

“In the neighboring province of Cinesi, perhaps the largest and poorest in Sicily, a small village clan was led by a cruel, fearless bandit named Fissolini. In his village, he had absolute power and had little to no contact with the other clans of the island. He had no idea what power don Aprile had, he could not imagine that this power could reach even his godforsaken village. He decided to kidnap Don Aprile and collect a ransom for him. He, of course, understood that he was violating one of the unwritten laws: by kidnapping Don Aprile, he invaded the territory of another family, but he reasoned that for the sake of such a rich prey it was worth the risk.

Cosca, family, clan,- the base 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 ally with a stronger and more influential clan. The whole set of clans is usually called the mafia. But she does not have a single leader or commander.

Each clan usually specializes in a certain area in a certain territory. One controls the price of water and prevents the government from building dams that could lower the price. In a certain sense, this clan destroys the state monopoly on power. Another may control the market for food and essential goods. At that time, the cosca Clericuzio from Palermo were considered the most powerful in Sicily, this clan crushed all 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 such greedy clans that took money from romantic youths 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 their clan a share of the income.

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

Cosca Fissolini survived from bread to water. This clan controlled the sale of holy icons, charged farmers for guarding their herds, and kidnapped rich people who lost their vigilance.

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

From the book "Omerta" by Mario Puzo.

"Omerta is a Sicilian code of honor that forbids anyone from reporting crimes that people who have aroused suspicion may have committed."

“A don was at the head of the Corleone family clan, he directed all the activities of the family, determined its policy. Three layers, three buffers separated the don from those who carried out his will, directly carried out his orders. Thus, no trail could lead to the summit. On one condition. If he does not betray the consigliori. On that Sunday, Don Corleone gave detailed instructions early 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 Haigen, face to face. In the afternoon, Hagen - also alone, without witnesses - conveyed these instructions to Clemenza. Clemenza, in turn, ordered Paulie Gatto to carry out the order. Paulie Gatto had to pick the right people and do exactly what he was told. Neither Paulie Gato nor his people will know what caused this order, from whom it originally comes.

To establish that the don was involved, every link in this chain must be unreliable - this has never happened before, but what is the guarantee that this will not happen? However, in this case, the remedy was provided. 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 companion and closest friend. It was he who drove the don's car during important business trips, he left the meeting for fresh cigars for the don, for 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, if desired, to crush the don.

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

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

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

Then it became the name of a secret organization that arose to confront the rulers who for hundreds of years suppressed this country and its people. History does not know a region that would have been subjected to such brutal violence. Like a tornado, the Inquisition walked around the island, not making out who was poor and who was rich. With an iron hand, noble landowners and princes of the Catholic Church conquered the peasants and shepherds of their power.

The instrument of this power was the police, identified by the people with the rulers to such an extent that.

Looking for ways to survive under the merciless heel of autocracy, tormented people have learned to never show resentment and anger. Never utter a word of threat, because in response to the threat, ahead of its execution, punishment will immediately follow. Do not 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, to the mafia.

This mafia, gaining strength, introduced omerta in Sicily - mutual responsibility, a law that commands silence. In the countryside, a passer-by or a traveler who asks for directions to the nearest town simply will not be honored with an answer.

For a mafia member, the greatest of crimes is to tell the police, for example, who shot him. Or hurt him. Omerta has become a religion for the people. A woman whose husband was killed will not tell the policeman the name of the killer, the name of the one who tortured her child, raped her daughter. People knew that you would not expect justice from the authorities, and they followed her to the mafia intercessor. »

The Godfather, Mario Puzo

5 best books about the Italian mafia

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