Cinema is full of stories about the mafia. It is the representatives of this mysterious criminal structure that are often the main villains. Movies such as The Godfather, Casino and Bugsy became hits.

But why are there so many films about bandits? And who is the most famous mafia? To get on the "honorary" list is not easy, for this you need to leave a noticeable criminal trace in the history of the mafia. It should be noted that most of the representatives of this list left their mark on the history of America.

Although these people were not saints, one cannot help but admire their influence and talents, albeit directed in the wrong direction. Let's talk about the most famous mafiosi and what films were created on the basis of their criminal activities.

Vincent "The Chin" Gigante (1928-2005). This criminal was born in 1928 in New York. Vincent's character was extremely complex - he never finished school, leaving it in the ninth grade. His studies were replaced by a new hobby - boxing. Speaking in light heavyweight, Gigante won 21 fights out of 25. The first arrest took place at the age of 25, but by that time Vincent had been in a criminal gang for 8 years. The very first high-profile case of a bandit as a member of the Genovese family was the attempted murder of Frank Costello. However, Gigante missed. Despite the failure, his progress through the criminal ladder continued, over time, Vincent became a godfather, and later, in the early 80s, a console game. After the conviction of the big mafia boss Tony Salerno, it was Giganto who became the new leader of the clan. But what caused such a rise? In the late 60s, Vincent avoided going to jail by pretending to be crazy. In the future, the bandit continued to maintain this image - it cost him nothing to walk the streets hometown in pajamas. This fact has given Giganta nicknames such as "King of Pajamas" and "The Weird". Only after his conviction in 2003 for extortion did the offender admit that his mental health was in perfect order. Thanks to lawyers and poor health, Gigante was supposed to be released from prison in 2010, but the heart of the mafia could not stand it, and on December 19, 2005, Vincent died. The prototype of Vincent Giganto was used in one of the episodes of the series "Law & Order", as well as in the 1999 film "Bonanno: The Godfather's Story".

Albert Anastasia (1903-1957). This mafia representative was born, like many of his colleagues, in Italy, but moved to America as a child. Albert's career began with the murder of a longshoreman on the Brooklyn docks. The killer began to serve his sentence in the famous Sing Sing prison, but soon the only witness mysteriously died and Anastasia was released without serving his sentence. Albert earned the nicknames "Lord Executioner" and "The Mad Hatter" for his many murders. Over time, the criminal got into the Joe Masseria gang, who just needed a cold-blooded killer. However, Albert was very friendly with rival Charlie "Lucky", so Masseria's betrayal became a matter of time. It was Anastasia who became one of the four sent to kill the boss in 1931. Already in 1944, Albert became the leader of a group of killers, which even got its name "Murder, Inc." The perpetrator himself was never prosecuted for the murders, but according to authorities, his group was directly related to at least 400 deaths. The 50s raised Albert to the status of the leader of the Luciano family, however, at the direction of Carlo Gambino, Anastasia was killed in 1957. The prototype of this mafioso became the basis for the films "Murder, Inc" with Peter Falk and Howard Smith in 1960, as well as "The Valacci Papers" in 1972 and "Lepke" in 1975.

Joseph Bonanno (1905-2002). And this bandit was born in Italy, his homeland in 1905 was the island of Sicily. Already at the age of 15, the boy was left an orphan, and when he was 19, he fled from the fascist regime of Mussolini, first to Cuba, and from there to the United States. The young man soon became known as "Joey Bananas", becoming a member of the Maranzano family. Maranzano managed to form a "Commission", which managed to establish control over the mafia families in Italy itself. However, Luciano soon killed his competitor. Bonanno gradually amassed a large capital by running cheese factories, as well as a tailoring and funeral business. Only now, Joseph's plans to gradually eliminate the rest of the families did not come true. Bonanno was stolen, it took him 19 days to come to a decision to retire. But this decision allowed Joseph to live a long life. As a result, the bandit has never been convicted of anything serious in his career. It was about Bonanno that two films were made: Love, Honor and Obedience: The Last Mafia Alliance, 1993 with Ben Gazarra in leading role and Bonanno: The Godfather Story, 1999 with Martin Landau.

Arthur Flegenheimer (1902-1935). This mobster became known by his nickname "Dutch Schultz". He was born in the Bronx in 1902. Even in his youth, Arthur became the organizer of Crap games, which he tried to impress boss Marcelo Poffo. Already at the age of 17, the young man went to prison, having been convicted of theft. Soon Arthur realized that the only way to earn money for him was to sell alcohol during the era of prohibition, or bootlegging. The bandit tried to enter the newly formed criminal syndicate, but in doing so he made serious enemies in the person of Capone and Luciano. In 1933, Arthur flees to New Jersey from justice. After his return in 1935, the mafiosi are killed by Albert Anastasia's henchmen. Glorified Dutch Schultz Dustin Hoffman in the 1991 film "Billy Bathgate", another reflection was in the "Hooligan" in 1997 with Tim Roth. The image of a bandit is also found in the films "Gangster Wars" in 1981, "Cotton Club" in 1984 and "Natural Gift" of the same year.

John Gotti (1940-2002). This gangster stands out from all the New York celebrities of this kind. John was born in 1940 and has always been considered smart. Already at the age of 16, Gotti was a member of the Fulton Rockaway Boys street gang. John's talents allowed him to quickly become the leader of the group. In the 60s, "Guys" traded in petty theft, and car theft. However, this was clearly not enough for Gotti, in the early 70s he was already the godfather of the Bergin group, which was part of the Gambino family. Gotti's ambitions pushed him to dangerous moves even among the mafia - he began to distribute drugs, which was prohibited by the rules of the family. Not surprisingly, boss Paul Castellano decided to expel Gotti from his organization. However, in 1985, John and his henchmen managed to kill Castellano and personally lead the Gambino family. Although New York City law enforcement tried numerous times to convict Gotti, the charges invariably failed. The mafia himself always looked presentable, which the media liked. It was they who gave the gangster the nicknames "Elegant Don" and "Teflon Don". The police only got to Gotti in 1992, convicting him of murder. The gangster's life was cut short in 2002, he died of cancer. The life of a mafia has been repeatedly embodied in the cinema - he was played by Antonio Denilson in the film "Getting to Gotti" in 1994, Armand Assante in "Gotti" in 1996. Yes, and in the 1998 tapes "Mafia Witness" with Tom Sizemur and "The Big Robbery" in 2001 are not did without the participation of a well-known bandit.

Meyer Lansky (1902-1983). In 1902, a boy, Mayer Sachovlyansky, was born in Russia, who was to become a famous American gangster. In 1911, he moved to New York with his parents. Even in childhood, Meyer became a friend of Charles Luciano. He demanded money from a stranger for patronage, but Lansky refused. There was a fight, the result of which was ... friendship between the boys. After some time, Bugsy Segal joined the guys, who was introduced to the company by Meyer. The friendly trinity became the core of the Bug and Meyer group, which later grew into the famous Murder, Inc. At first, Lansky took up gambling and the money that came with it. The arena of his actions was Florida, New Orleans and Cuba. Meyer became an investor in Seagal's casino, which he opened in Las Vegas, the mafia even bought an offshore Swiss bank in order to better launder money. When the National Crime Syndicate was formed in America, it was Lansky who was its co-founder. However, business is business, when Bugsy Segal stopped giving money to the Syndicate, Lansky ordered the murder of his old friend in cold blood. Gambling houses all over the world were racketed by Lansky's guys, but he did not spend a single day in prison. The role of Meyer Lansky was brilliantly portrayed by Richard Dreyfuss in 1999's Lansky and also by Nyman Roth in 1974's The Godfather II. Played gangster Mark Rydel in "Havana" in 1990, Patrick Dempsey in "Gangsters" and Ben Kingsley in "Bugsy" in 1991.

Frank Costello (1891-1973). And this gangster was born in Italy, having moved to the USA at the age of four. Already at the age of 13, Francesco Castilla becomes a member of a criminal gang, changing his name to a more sonorous one - Frank Costello. After his prison term, he becomes Charlie Luciano's best friend. This couple took up the organization of gambling and bootlegging together. Costello's influence was based on the fact that he connected the mafia and politicians. Frank was friendly with Democrat Tammany Hall, which allowed him to avoid persecution by the New York police. Luciano's arrest made Costello a man in law. Strained relations in Vito Genovese led to the fact that he tried to kill Costello in the mid-50s. This entailed a departure from the affairs of Frank, who died quietly in retirement in 1973. The image of Costello was best embodied by James Andronika in the 1981 film Gangster Chronicles. It is worth noting the work of Jack Nicholson in The Departed in 2006, Carmine Caridi in Bugsy and Costas Mobsters in Gangsters in 1991.

Benjamin "Bugsy" Segal (1906-1947) The future gangster was born in 1906 in Brooklyn, where he met Meyer Lansky. The nickname "Bugsy" came from the unpredictable nature of the bandit. Seagal committed many murders for Charlie Luciano, which made him a bunch of enemies. Not surprisingly, in the late 30s, Bugsy fled to Los Angeles, where he managed to make many acquaintances among Hollywood stars. After the passage of the Nevada gambling law, Seagal borrowed millions of dollars from the Syndicate and founded the Flamingo Casino Hotel in Las Vegas, one of the first in the city. However, the business did not turn out to be profitable, when the criminal colleagues discovered that Seagal simply stole their money, Bugsy was killed. Best of all, the image of Benjamin Segal was embodied by Warren Beatty in the film "Bugsy" in 1991 and Armand Assante in "The Married Man" in 1991.

Carlo Gambino (1902-1976). The Gambino family has been part of the mafia clan for several centuries. Who could be Carlo, if not a gangster? He began killing on demand at the age of 19. In Italy at that time Mussolini began to gain strength, so Gambino emigrated to America, where his cousin, Paul Costellano, was waiting for him. Carlo consisted of contrasts, many of the criminals considered him a coward in general, there is a case when Anastasia publicly hit him for a mistake. Gambino himself preferred to appear misunderstood. The 1940s brought the extradition of Luciano, and Albert Anastasia took his place. However, Carlo could not accept this state of affairs, and in 1957 he gave the order to kill an opponent. Vito Genovese quickly climbed into the "warm" place, who planned that Gambino would get all the dirty work. However, from the very beginning, he planned to remove a new opponent. Soon he went to jail on a fabricated drug case. Carlo Gambino became the new boss of the family, which he kept in "hedgehogs" until his death in 1976. Many films have been made about Gambino - "Boss of Bosses" in 2001 with Al Ruccio. "Between Love and Honor" 1995, "Gotti" 1996 and "Bonanno: The Godfather Story" 1999.

Charlie "Lucky" Luciano (1897-1962). Salvatore Luciania was born in Sicily. 9 years after his birth, in 1906, the whole family moved to the USA, to New York. Time passed, and now Charlie became a member of the Five Points gang, controlling prostitution and racketeering in Manhattan. In 1929, an attempt was made on Luciano's life, and he decided to create the National Crime Syndicate in order to protect himself from the attacks of competitors. On the way to the execution of his plans, there were no special obstacles; by 1935, "Lucky" Luciano also became known as the "Boss of Bosses" not only in his city, but throughout the States. However, the police did not doze off, in 1936 the gangster was sentenced to prison for a term of 30 to 50 years. However, bribes and lawyers did their job - in 1946, Charlie was released from prison, on condition that he leaves the country. The influence of the mafiosi was so great that during the Second World War, even the US Navy turned to him for assistance in order to assist them in landing in Italy. Luciano died in 1962 due to a heart attack. The gangster was portrayed by Christian Slater in 1991's Gangsters, Bill Graham in 1991's Bugsy, and Anthony LaPaglia in 1999's Lansky.

Al Capone (1899-1947). This gangster deserves to be number one, because his name is known to everyone. Alphonse Capone was born in Brooklyn to Italian immigrant parents. After some time, the young man joined the Five Points gang, where he played the role of a bouncer. It was then that they gave Capone the nickname "Scarface". In 1919, in search of new challenges, the gangster moved to Chicago to work for Johnny Torrio. This allowed Capone to quickly move up the criminal hierarchy. During Prohibition, Capone did not disdain to engage not only in bootlegging and gambling, but also in prostitution. In 1925, the gangster is only 26 years old, but he is already the head of the Torrey family and is not afraid to start a family war. Capone became famous not only for his pomp and vanity, but also for his cruelty and intelligence. Suffice it to recall the famous massacre that took place during the celebration of St. Valentine's Day in 1929, during which many leaders of criminal gangs were destroyed. The police managed to arrest Al Capone for... tax evasion! This was done in 1931 by federal tax agent Eliot Nass. In 1934, the gangster ended up in the famous Alcatraz prison, from where he left 7 years later, already terminally ill with syphilis. Capone lost his influence, friends preferred to tell him fictional stories about the true state of affairs. Many films have been made about Capone, the most famous of which are 1967's Valentine's Day Massacre with Jason Robards, 1975's Capone with Ben Gazarra, and 1987's The Untouchables with Robert De Niro.

Tony Accardo "Big Tuna" (1906-1992). Tony was the boss of the Chicago mob for more than ten years, from the very end of World War II. At this time, his competitors left the scene - Paul Ricca went to jail, and Frank Nitti committed suicide. And he went to the first roles of Accardo during the time of Capone, being at first his bodyguard. It was Tony who, in 1931, became the prime suspect in the murder of his boss' rival, Joe Aillo. Accardo is also credited with participating in the famous massacre on Valentine's Day. After Capone's capture, Tony became the right hand of the new boss, Frank Nitti. They say that it was Accardo who eventually managed to introduce the Chicago family into the gambling business, he also "established" the entertainment and industrial racket. Tony remained a powerful member of the Family for a long time. When Giancana fled the country in 1966, Accardo returned to his familiar leadership role. As a result, Accardo retired from business in the 80s, leaving for California. There he died on May 27, 1992.

Bernardo Provenzano (b. 1933). Bernardo Provenzano was born in the small Sicilian village of Corleone, into a poor peasant family. Already in his youth he became a member of the Corleone clan. The words of the boss of the division of this clan, Luciano Liggio, are known that Bernardo "shoots like an angel, but thinks like a chicken." The rise of Provenzano's career dates back to 1958, when his boss's main rival was assassinated. The next 10 years brought Provenzano a link to a dozen more crimes and murders. He was put on the wanted list, but the police did not even try to look for him for the first twenty years. Provenzano gained power and authority, eventually capturing the entire illegal business of Palermo - prostitution, arms, drugs, gambling. As a result, by the end of the 80s, the entire local cosa nostra passed into the hands of Bernardo and his accomplice, Salvatore Riina. Provenzano was nicknamed The Beast, The Accountant, and The Bulldozer. The last nickname testifies to his intractability and uncompromisingness. Although they say that this is evidence of how he steps over people. Nevertheless, Provenzano was an excellent leader. In the early 90s, the Italian authorities declared war on the mafia, making a number of high-profile arrests. It was then that the active hunt for Provenzano began. By the time of his arrest in 2006, the police had only a 1959 photo in their hands. So, Bernardo Provenzano is caught. The all-powerful Boss of Sicilian mafia bosses appeared as a 73-year-old man in jeans and a sweater. The mafia was sentenced in absentia a long time ago, he will spend the rest of his days in prison.

Giuseppe Antonio Doto "Joe Adonis" (1906-1971). Adonis was born in 1906, near Naples. A common story at that time - the boy's family sent him to America. Giuseppe's criminal career began with notorious gangsters Frank Yal and Anthony Pisano. After Yalo's death in 1928, Adonis and friends joined the Pisano family as the most famous Neapolitans working in the criminal sphere in New York in the 20s. Adonis attended the 1929 Atlantic City national bootlegging deal, later joining Charlie Luciano's group. Giuseppe eliminated competitors - Maceria and Salvatore Maranzano, which allowed the reorganized group led by him to take his place in the underworld. The exact place in the hierarchy of the Adonis Family remained unclear. One thing is clear - he played a prominent role in the Mangano family. As a result, Adonis was involved in everything - racketeering, drugs, alcohol, gambling. It was Giuseppe who was responsible for the relations of the Family with other groups, including non-Italian ones. Adonis was trusted, he was Frank Costello's confidant and even the arbiter of all mafia affairs. Giuseppe was in the hands of the New Jersey gambling business, at one time the mafiosi even supported Robert Kennedy himself. Adonis died a natural death in Ancona, Italy in 1971. True, the body of the mafia was transported to America for burial.

There are many criminal groups in the world, which, due to their high organization and large numbers, have become known as the mafia. This post will introduce you to the most powerful and cruel mafias in the world.

Sicilian mafia

Valid in Sicily early XIX century, turning at the beginning of the 20th century into international organization. Initially, the organization was engaged in the protection of owners of orange plantations and nobles who own large land plots, mostly from themselves. These were the beginnings of racketeering. Later, Cosa Nostra expanded its area of ​​activity, becoming a criminal gang in every way. Since the 20th century, banditry has become the main activity of Cosa Nostra.

Russian Mafia

It is officially the most feared organized crime group in the world. Former FBI special agents call the Russian mafia "the most dangerous people on the ground". In the West, the term "Russian mafia" can mean any criminal organization, both Russian and from other states. post-Soviet space, or from the immigration environment in the far abroad. Some get hierarchical tattoos, often use military tactics and perform contract killings.

Mexican mafia (La eMe)

This gang is an ally of the Aryan Brotherhood from the south coast of the United States. Known for her active involvement in the drug trade. Gang members are easily identified by a special tattoo in the form of a black hand located on the chest.

The Mexican mafia was created in the late 50s by members of a street gang of Mexicans imprisoned in the Dewell Prison, located in Trici, California. The founders of the gang were thirteen Mexican-Americans from East Los Angeles, several of whom were members of the Maravila gang. They called themselves Mexicanemi, which is translated from the Nahuatl language as "one who walks with God in his heart."

The Yakuza are organized crime syndicates in Japan, similar to the triad in other Asian countries or the Western mafia. However, the social organization and work patterns of the yakuza are very different from other criminal gangs: they even have their own office buildings, and their actions are often and quite openly reported in the press.

One of the iconic images of the Yakuza is their intricate colored tattoos all over their bodies. The Yakuza use a traditional method of manually injecting ink under the skin, known as irezumi, a tattoo that serves as a kind of proof of courage, since this method is very painful.

Chinese Triad

The triad is a form of secret criminal organization in China and in the Chinese diaspora. Triads have always been characterized by common beliefs (belief in the mystical meaning of the number 3, hence their name). At present, the triads are known mainly as mafia-type criminal organizations prevalent in Taiwan, the United States and other centers of Chinese immigration, specializing in drug trafficking and other criminal activities.

The Triad is one of the most patriotic mafias. During international events, militants guarantee the safety of foreigners, and during the outbreak of SARS they even announced a $1 million bonus to a doctor who finds a cure for this disease.

Hell's Angels (USA)

One of the largest motorcycle clubs in the world with its chapters (branches) all over the world. Included, along with Outlaws MC, Pagans MC and Bandidos MC, in the so-called "big four" outlaw clubs and is the most famous among them. Law enforcement agencies in a number of countries call the club a “gang of motorcyclists” and are accused of drug trafficking, racketeering, trafficking in stolen goods, violence, murders, etc.

According to the legend posted on the official website of the motorcycle club, during the Second World War, the US Air Force had the 303rd heavy bomber squadron with the name "Hell's Angels". After the end of the war and the disbandment of the unit, the pilots were left without work. They believe that their homeland betrayed them and left them to the mercy of fate. They had no choice but to go against their "cruel country, get on motorcycles, join motorcycle clubs and rebel."

Mara Salvatrucha

This mafia is engaged in many types of criminal business, including drug trafficking, weapons and people; robbery, racketeering, contract killings, kidnapping for ransom, pimping, car theft, money laundering and fraud.

Many street vendors and small shops located in the territories of Mara Salvatrucha pay the gang up to half of the income for the opportunity to work. Many Salvadorans living in the US are also forced to pay MS-13, whose relatives, in case of refusal, the bandits will mutilate or kill in their homeland.

Montreal Mafia Rizzuto

The Rizzuto are a crime family primarily based in Montreal but running the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. They once merged with families in New York, which eventually led to the mafia wars in Montreal in the late 70s. Rizzuto owns hundreds of millions of dollars of real estate in different countries. They own hotels, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, construction, food, service and trading companies. In Italy, they own firms for the production of furniture and Italian delicacies.

Mungiki (Kenya)

This is a Kenyan political-religious group banned since 2002, reviving the traditional African religion. Born in the wake of the Mau Mau uprising. Gained notoriety in connection with the massacres and clashes with the police.

Mungiki considers itself a religious group that advocates the preservation of the traditional "African way of worship, culture and way of life." Its adherents pray with their faces turned towards Mount Kenya. They also practice vows and sacrifices.

The mysterious underground world of the mafia has always fascinated mere mortals. On big screen the gangster style looks incredibly exciting and attractive, and the legendary movie mafiosi seem to us like real martyrs whose sacrifice was in vain. But how were things in real life? Here are the 15 most gangsters that actually existed.

15. Frank Costello

Frank "Prime Minister" Costello was the leader of the formidable Luciano family. He left Italy at the age of four and moved to New York where he quickly became involved in a life of crime. However, Costello became truly noticeable in 1936, after the arrest of Charles "Lucky" Luciano. Costello quickly rose to become the head of the Luciano crime family, which later became the Genovese family. He earned the nickname "Prime Minister" for his skillful leadership of the underworld of the mafia and his desire to be branded as a political figure rather than a mafia boss. They say that it was he who became the prototype of Vito Corleone from " Godfather". Costello enjoyed great respect among his people, but even he had enemies. In 1957, he was assassinated and miraculously survived after being shot in the head. Costello died in 1973 as a result of a heart attack. In the history of the Italian-American mafia, he remained known as one of the most "pleasant" bosses.

14. Jack Diamond

Jack "Legs" Diamond was a famous figure during the Prohibition era in the United States. Diamond, who was nicknamed "Legs (legs)" for his constant flight and love of dancing, also became famous for his active gangster activities - he has a huge number of murders and alcohol smuggling operations on his account. His criminal status rose markedly when he ordered the assassination of one of the bosses, Nathan Kaplan. Diamond himself was repeatedly assassinated, but each time he miraculously escaped death, for which he received the nickname "The Man You Can't Kill". However, in 1931, his luck failed him, and he was shot by an assassin unknown to this day.

13. John Gotti

John Joseph Gotti Jr., boss of the elusive Gambino family, has become one of the most intimidating men in the mob. Gotti grew up in poverty, surrounded by 12 brothers and sisters, and quickly became involved in organized crime - he was an errand boy for local gangster Aniello Dellacroce, who later became his mentor. In 1980, Gotti's 12-year-old son Frank was hit and killed by neighbor and family friend John Favara. Although the death was ruled an accident, Favara received numerous death threats and was once beaten with a baseball bat. A few months later, he mysteriously disappeared and his body has never been found. Due to his almost stereotypical gangster style, Gotti quickly gained the nickname "Dapper Don". In 1990, the FBI finally managed to catch Gotti, and he was found guilty of murder and racketeering. Gotti died in prison in 2002 from throat cancer.

12. Frank Sinatra

That's right, Mr. Blue Eyes was once the alleged accomplice of Sam Giancan and Luca Luciano. Sinatra, who once frankly admitted that “if it wasn’t for the music, I would most likely have fallen into a life of crime,” did not hesitate to get his hands dirty, and even openly attended the Mafia Havana Conference of 1946, to which the press reacted with the headlines “Shame on SINATRA ". The double life of the singer was followed not only by the media, but also by the FBI, which collected information about him from the very beginning of his career. However, the real problems began because of Sinatra's cooperation with future President John F. Kennedy. It was believed that Sinatra used his connections to help the future US leader with his presidential campaign. But Sinatra lost the credibility of the mafia because of his friendship with Kennedy's brother, Bobby, who at the time was involved in the crackdown on organized crime. Giancana cut ties with him, and the FBI left Sinatra alone.

11. Mickey Cohen

Meyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen long years was a real thorn in the LAPD's ass. Cohen and his family moved to Los Angeles from New York when he was six. Cohen was once a budding boxer but gave up the sport and turned to organized crime. He ended up in Chicago, where he began working for Al Capone. After a few successful years during the Prohibition era, Cohen was sent back to Los Angeles under the care of notorious mobster Bugsy Siegel. The police soon began to take notice of the violent and short-tempered gangster. After numerous assassination attempts, Cohen turned his home into a real fortress, surrounding it with an alarm system, searchlights and bulletproof gates. He also hired Hollywood starlet Lana Turner's boyfriend, Johnny Stompanato, as his bodyguard. In 1961, Cohen was sent to Alcatraz for tax evasion, and he became the only prisoner who managed to get out of this prison on bail. Despite a huge number of assassination attempts, Cohen died in his sleep at the age of 62.

10. Henry Hill

The story of Henry Hill formed the basis of one of the best films about the mafia - "Goodfellas". It was he who claimed: "For as long as I can remember, I always dreamed of being a gangster." Born in New York in 1943, Hill came from an honest, hard-working family with no Mafia connections or kinship. However, having seen enough of the numerous mafiosi in the neighborhood, he early age joined the Lucchese family and quickly "rose up". However, he was never able to become a full-fledged member of the mafia due to the mixing of Irish and Italian blood. Hill was arrested for beating a gambler who refused to pay him and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. There he realized that life in the wild was practically no different from life in prison, since behind bars he regularly received privileges. But, once free, he took up the drug trade seriously, as a result of which he was arrested again, and this time he betrayed the entire organization and helped to capture the most powerful mafiosi in the world. In 1980, Hill entered the witness protection program, but two years later he gave himself away, and the feds broke off cooperation. Despite this, he still managed to live to be 69 years old.

9. James Whitey Bulger

Another veteran of Alktras, James Bulger was nicknamed "Whitey" for his blond hair. Bulger grew up in Boston and was known as a real bully. He ran away from home more than once, and once even joined the circus. Bulger was first arrested when he was 14, but he joined organized crime only in the late 70s. Bulger was an FBI informant and reported to the police on the activities of the Patriarca family. However, as his own criminal network expanded, the police became more and more interested in him, as a result of which Bulger fled Boston and hung on the list of "10 Most Wanted Fugitives" for more than 15 years. In 2011, he was caught and charged with 19 murders, money laundering, extortion and drug dealing. After a two-month trial, he was sentenced to two life sentences and five years in prison, and Boston was finally able to sleep peacefully again.

8. Bugsy Siegel

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, who became famous for his criminal empire and exploits in Las Vegas, is one of the most notorious gangsters in the history of the mafia. Being a typical young bully from Brooklyn, he met Meyer Lansky and formed the Murder Inc. gang. - a group of Jewish bandits specializing in contract killings. Their popularity grew, and Siegel gained notoriety as a killer of New York mob veterans, having a hand in the death of prominent mobster Joe "Boss" Masseria. After years of bootlegging and dodging bullets on the West Coast, Siegel began to earn large sums, as a result of which he became close to the Hollywood elite. However, the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas helped him really take off to fame. The Mafia initially provided $1.5 million to build the hotel, but cost overruns and rising production costs ensued, and old friend and Siegel's new partner decided that he was taking some of the money for himself. Siegel was brutally murdered in his own home, riddled with bullets, and Lanksy quickly took control of the Flamingo into his own hands.

7. Vito Genovese

Vito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian-American gangster who rose to prominence during the Prohibition era. The "boss of all bosses" led the Genovese family, and is best known as the man who brought heroin to the masses. Genovese was born in Italy and moved to New York in 1913. Having established himself in criminal activities, he soon met Lucky Luciano, and it was this alliance that led to the murder of mafia rival Salvatore Maranzano. Genovese fled from the police to his native Italy, where he remained until the end of World War II and even became friends with Benito Mussolini himself. However, upon his return, he immediately returned to power and again became the person whom everyone was so afraid of. But in the end, he was still caught and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Genovese died of a heart attack at the age of 71.

6. Lucky Luciano

Charles "Lucky" Luciano, who has been repeatedly mentioned in the adventures of other members of the mafia, became famous, in fact, for the creation of the modern mafia. Luciano got his nickname "Lucky (lucky)" when he survived a stab wound, literally a minute away from death. In his 64 years of life, Lucky has managed to achieve quite a lot, including the assassination of two top bosses, the idea of ​​how organized crime should be organized, and, most importantly, the creation of the Five Families of New York and an entirely new National Crime Syndicate. For a long time, Lucky lived in luxury, but at some point the police became interested in him, and as a result, he was arrested and sentenced to prison. However, he did not lose his power behind bars and continued to manage affairs. He even had a personal chef at the time. When Lucky was released, he was sent to Italy, but instead he settled in Havana. But under US pressure, Cuba still had to deport him to Italy, where he died of a heart attack in 1962.

5. Maria Licciardi

Although the mafia is for the most part a world of men, this does not mean that there is no place for women in it at all. Maria Licciardi, born in Italy in 1951, was the head of the Licciardi clan, the Camorra, a crime syndicate operating in Naples. Nicknamed "La Madrina (The Godmother)", Licciardi was and remains a well-known figure in the country due to the family's ties to the Camorra. Licciardi took over the leadership of the clan after her two brothers and husband were behind bars. She became the first woman at the head of a powerful organization and, although not to everyone's liking, she managed to unite several clans in the city and thereby expand the drug market. Licciardi was also notorious for her involvement in sex trafficking - she used underage girls from neighboring countries and forced them into prostitution. By doing so, she violated the Camorra code, which forbade making money from sex workers. Licciardi was arrested in 2001 and sent to prison, but she continues to manage affairs from behind bars and, apparently, has no plans to stop.

4. Frank Nitti

The face of Al Capone's Chicago crime syndicate, Frank "The Action Man" Nitti did take over when Capone was sent to prison. Nitti was born in Italy and arrived in the US when he was only seven. He almost immediately began to get into trouble, which eventually attracted the attention of Al Capone. Thanks to his accomplishments during the Prohibition era, Nitti became one of Capone's closest associates and a full-fledged member of the Chicago Mafia. Despite his nickname, Nitti was more of a leader than a bonebreaker, and was often used to plan raids and criminal operations. In 1931, Nitti and Capone were imprisoned for tax evasion, and in prison Nitti suffered severely from claustrophobia, which haunted him until his death. When Nitti was released, he became the new top mob in Chicago and survived assassination attempts from rivals and even the police. However, with the threat of jail time looming over him, Nitti killed himself by shooting himself in the head to escape the claustrophobic prison cell in which he had suffered so much until then.

3. Sam Giancana

Another mobster with a good reputation, Sam "Mouni" Giancana was once one of the most powerful gangsters in Chicago. Giancana started out as a driver for Capone's elite, but quickly rose through the ranks and made connections with politicians, including the Kennedy family. Giancan was even forced to testify during the CIA's planning for the assassination of Fidel Castro, as he was believed to have key information. Giancano's name also figured in rumors that the Mafia was involved in John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign because of Giancano's close relationship with the future president. The rest of Giancano's life was lived by a fugitive, he was wanted by both the mafia and the CIA. He was shot in the head while cooking in the basement of his house.

2. Meer Lansky

As influential as Lucky Luciano, Meer Sukhomlyansky - aka Meer Lansky - was born in Russia. He moved to the US as a child and grew up on the streets fighting for money. Lansky could not only hold his own physically, he also had a sharp mind. An integral part of the formation of American organized crime, at one point he was one of the most powerful men in the US, if not the world. He led operations in Cuba and several other countries. At some point, despite the success, Lansky got nervous and decided to emigrate to Israel. Although he was deported back to the United States two years later, he was able to avoid jail time and died only at the age of 80 from lung cancer.

1. Al Capone

No need for introduction - Alfonso Capone is perhaps the most famous gangster of all times. Capone grew up in a respected and stable family, which is quite rare among mafiosi. However, when he was expelled from school at 14 for hitting a teacher, Capone chose a different path for himself and went into organized crime. Under the influence of gangster Johnny Torrio, Capone began to gradually assert himself. He received the scar that earned him his most famous nickname, "Scarface". Capone did everything from bootlegging to murder and enjoyed getting away with it as the police couldn't catch him. However, everything came to an end when Capone managed to connect with the bloody and brutal carnage on Valentine's Day. Then representatives of a rival group were killed in cold blood. The police were unable to pin the murders directly on Capone, but arrested the gangster for tax evasion. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison, but was released due to a serious illness. ahead of schedule. The most famous mobster in the world died of a heart attack in 1947.

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

1. Al Capone (1899 - 1947)

The legend of the underworld of those times and the most famous mafia boss in history. He was a prominent representative of criminal America. His fields of activity were:

• bootlegging (illegal trade in alcohol during Prohibition in the United States);
• prostitution;
• gambling business.

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

Al Capone was the first among all the gangsters to launder money through a huge network of laundries, the prices of which were very low. Capone was the first to introduce the concept of “racketeering” and successfully dealt with it, laying the foundation for a new vector of mafia activity.

The nickname "Scarface" Alfonso received at the age of 19, when he worked in a billiard club. He then protested the violent felon Frank Galluccio and insulted his wife. After that, a fight and stabbing took place between the bandits. Result: Capone received a famous scar on his left cheek. By right, Al was a personality, the most influential and terrifying on everyone, including the government, which was able to put him behind bars just for tax evasion.

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

2. Lucky Luciano (1897 - 1962)

Originally from Sicily, Lucky became in America, in fact, the founder of the underworld. His real name is Charles. Lucky (in translation means “Lucky”), he was called after the bandit was taken to a deserted highway, tortured, beaten, cut, burned his face with cigarettes, and he remained alive after that.

The people who tortured him turned out to be Maranzano gangsters. They wanted to know the location of the drug cache. But Charles did not give up. After unsuccessful torture, they left the bloodied body without any signs of life by the road, thinking that Luciano was dead. There, after 8 hours, the poor fellow was picked up by a patrol car. Luciano received 60 stitches and survived.

After this incident, the nickname "Lucky" remained with him forever. Lucky organized the "Big Seven" - a group of bootleggers, whom he gave protection from the authorities. He became the boss of Cosa Nostra, which controlled all areas of activity in the criminal world.

Source: wikipedia.org

3. Pablo Escobar (1949 - 1993)

The most cruel and daring Colombian drug lord. He entered the history of the XX century as the most cruel criminal and the head of the largest drug cartel. He established the supply of cocaine to different parts of the world, mainly to the United States, on a grandiose scale, up to transportation by planes in tens of kilograms. He, as the head of the Medellin cocaine cartel, is credited with the murders of more than 200 judges and prosecutors, more than 1,000 policemen and journalists, presidential candidates, ministers, and prosecutors general. Escobar's net worth in 1989 was over $15 billion.

Source: wikipedia.org

4. John Gotti (1940 - 2002)

John Gotti was a famous figure, he was loved by the press, he was always dressed to the nines. Numerous accusations law enforcement New York always failed, Gotti avoided punishment for a long time. For this, the press nicknamed him "Teflon John". He received the nickname "Elegant Don" when he began to dress only in fashionable and stylish suits with expensive ties.

John Gotti has been the head of the Gambino family since 1985. During his "reign" this group was one of the most influential.

Source: wikipedia.org

5. Carlo Gambino (1902 - 1976)

It was Gambino who became the founder of the above-mentioned and one of the most influential families in criminal America. After taking control of a number of highly profitable areas, including illegal bootlegging, the state port and the airport, the Gambino family became the most powerful of the five families.

Carlo forbade his people from selling drugs, considering this type of business dangerous and attracting public attention. At its peak, the Gambino family consisted of more than 40 groups and teams, and controlled New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Miami and Los Angeles.

Source: wikipedia.org

6. Meir Lansky (1902 - 1983)

Meir was born in Belarus, the city of Grodno. A native of the Russian Empire became the most influential person in the United States and one of the leaders of the country's crime. He is the creator of the "National Crime Syndicate" and one of the progenitors of the gambling business in the states. He was also the biggest bootlegger.

Source: wikipedia.org

7. Joseph Bonanno (1905 - 2002)

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

Since the release of the first list of the world's richest people in 1982, Forbes magazine has included drug lords and gangsters there - since organized crime is part of the global economy, these incomes need to be counted. For example, according to The Guardian, the Calabrian mafia 'Ndrangheta in 2013 enriched itself more than Deutsche Bank and McDonald's combined - by € 53 billion.

Below are the odious figures of the underworld who made millions and billions - Pablo Escobar, Shorty, Al Capone, Tony Salerno and others.

John Gotti

New York Gambino boss John Gotti has received two nicknames from the press. "Teflon Don" - for being invulnerable to justice for a long time. As well as “Don-dandy” for expensive custom-made suits (Brioni for $2,000 and hand-painted silk scarves for $400), elaborate hair, black Mercedes 450 SL and lavish parties.

Growing up in the South Bronx, Gotti joined the Gambino family in the 1950s, one of the powerful gambling, extortion, loansharking and drug syndicates. The US government suspected that on the way to the post of head of the Gambino, Gotti eliminated his predecessor Paul Castellano in 1985. The FBI agent who worked on the Gotti case said that "he was the first don for the media, he never tried to hide that he was a superboss." And his wide lifestyle and external gloss has always provided food for articles in the tabloids.

According to the New York Times, Gotti received between $10 million and $12 million annually, while the Gambino clan earned more than $500 million a year in the 1980s. Justice got to Gotti only in 1992, 10 years later he died in prison.

Shinobu Tsukasa

Shinobu Tsukasa, 74, leads a yakuza clan called the Yamaguchi-gumi. Fortune has listed the yamaguchi-gumi as one of the five most powerful mafia groups in the world, with an annual profit of $6.6 billion. The Yamaguchi was founded in the port city of Kobe over 100 years ago and has 23,400 members. Most of the income comes from the sale of drugs, as well as gambling and extortion.

Shinobu Tsukasa is the sixth leader of the clan in history. In the 1970s, he was sentenced to 13 years for murder with a samurai sword. In 2005, he was jailed for 6 years for possession firearms. In 2015, there was a split in the yamaguchi-gumi. According to the Tokyo Reporter, most of the group remained with Tsukasa, and 3,000 members formed a new clan led by Kunio Inoue.

Michael Franzese

In Fortune's "50 Most Powerful Mafia Bosses" list, Michael Franzese was ranked 18th. Franzese, nicknamed "Don Yuppie", is the son of a bank robber who formed a cartel that was engaged in the release of films of category B, illegal sale of gasoline, scams with repair and sale of cars, fraudulent loans.

In a week, Michael Franzese received from $ 1 to $ 2 million in income. In 1985, the US government charged him with fraud, stripped him of $4.8 million of assets, and ordered him to pay $10 million for the illegal sale of gasoline through shell companies. After eight years in prison and a $15 million payment, Franzez moved to California and decided to capitalize on his criminal past. He has written two books, the autobiography Blood Covenant and the business advice book I'll Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse, as well as sold the rights to a miniseries about his life to CBS. Now the former mobster lives in a $2.7 million home, drives a Porsche, gives interviews to Vanity Fair and lectures at universities.

Anthony Salerno

In 1986, Fortune magazine published a list of "The 50 Most Powerful Mafia Bosses". The editor-in-chief explained the appearance of the material by the fact that "organized crime is a powerful economic factor." Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno also made the list. The Genovese clan, led by a gangster (300 people), was engaged in racketeering and drugs in New York. According to The New York Times, the clan's influence extended as far as Cleveland, Nevada, and Miami, with interests in construction, loansharking, and casinos. Since the 1960s, the clan has earned $50 million a year. Between 1981 and 1985, Salerno imposed a 2% Mafia tax in New York on all contractors pouring concrete on buildings worth more than $2 million. Salerno's net worth may have been $1 billion.

In 1988, the gangster was sentenced to 70 years for racketeering and hiding illegal income of $10 million a year (only $40,000 a year was indicated in the declaration). Four years later, at the age of 80, he died in prison.

Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar

The income of India's most wanted criminal is estimated by Business Insider at $ 6.7 billion. Forbes included Cascar in the lists of the most influential people in the world in 2009, 2010 and 2011 (50, 63 and 57, respectively). His crime syndicate D-Company is accused of terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 1993 and 2008, in addition, he was involved in the smuggling of drugs and weapons. The US government believes that Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is linked to al-Qaeda and the Taliban. According to one version, Kaskar is hiding in Pakistan.

Al Capone

Capone is the most famous American gangster. A character named Al Capone appears in 77 mafia films.

At the time of his death in 1947, his fortune was estimated at $ 1.3 billion. Capone acted in various criminal areas - bootlegging, racketeering, murder. In 1929, the US government declared him "Enemy No. 1". The prosecutor's office repeatedly sentenced Capone to prison, but a few months later he was released. As a result, in 1931, Capone was convicted only for tax evasion - for 11 years. He was supposed to spend most of his term in Alcatraz.

In 1939, Capone came out, but his health was undermined - he suffered from syphilis and dementia.

In 2012, Forbes conducted an analysis of Capone's former property. The Chicago four-bedroom house he bought with his first earnings was valued at $450,000, and the Miami Beach mansion where he died in 1947 was valued at $9.95 million.

Griselda Blanco

The Colombian Griselda Blanco was called the "Godmother of cocaine" by the Western press. Blanco was one of the key figures in the Miami cocaine trade in the 1970s and 1980s. Even in the male drug business, she had a reputation for being a ruthless businessman. According to Business Insider, her fortune was approaching $2 billion, however, she was far from Exobar's income.

Three times a widow, whose spouses were rumored to have died at her hands, she named one of her sons Michael Corleone. According to The Guardian, its distribution network was making tens of millions of dollars and moving around 1,500 kilos of cocaine per month. Before being arrested in 1985 in California, The Godmother was on the list of the most dangerous drug dealers along with Escobar and the Ochoa brothers. She was charged with 40 to 200 murders in Florida, but the woman managed to avoid the death penalty due to a technical error in court: the officer who testified against her was discredited because he had a sex conversation on the phone with a secretary in the accuser's office, the Guardian wrote. Blanco was imprisoned in federal prison, deported to Colombia in 2004, where 8 years later she was shot by an assassin on a motorcycle.

Khun Sa

Khun Sa, the “Opium King,” was estimated by Business Insider to be worth $5 billion. Born Chang Shifu, the son of a Chinese man and a Shan woman, changed his name to Khun Sa, meaning “Prosperous Prince,” in the 1960s. During these years, he led the Burmese army, engaged in the cultivation of opium in the Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia, which included 20,000 men. In the 1970s and 80s, the Sa army controlled the Thai-Burmese border and was responsible for 45% of the pure heroin entering the United States, for which the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) called him "the best in the business" (data from The Economist).

The US government placed a $2 million bounty on the head of the Opium King. By the 1990s, the DEA was able to destroy Sa's trade chain, and he moved to Yangon and retired. Currently, opium production in the Golden Triangle has fallen to 5% of the world figure (in 1975 it was 70%).

There are different versions about whether the drug lord saved billions before his death in 2007 - from "lived in luxury", but "satisfied with a modest pension."

Morris Dalitz

Moritz (Mo) Dalitz belonged to such legendary gangsters as Al Capone and Bugsy Siegel. During the era of Prohibition, he was engaged in bootlegging, later - gambling and real estate. In 1982, Dalitz was on the first Forbes richest list, along with artist Yoko Ono, actor Bob Hope, and mafia accountant Meyer Lansky. Dalitz's fortune was estimated at $110 million, but how much he actually earned remains a question.

Dalitz received a significant share of his wealth from the first casinos in Las Vegas. In 1949, he co-founded the Desert Inn casino and the Stardust Hotel. In the 1950s, he took part in the emergence of the Paradise Development Company, which built a university and a convention center in Las Vegas. In the 1960s, he invested in the $100 million complex La Costa Resort near San Diego, after which he sued Penthouse magazine for $640 million, which wrote that the construction was financed by the mafia. Unlike many colleagues in the criminal past, Dalitz lived to an old age, in last years did charity work.

Rafael Caro Quintero and Amado Carrillo Fuentes

Before the star of the drug lord "Shorty" rose in Mexico, two names thundered there - Rafael Caro Quintero (pictured) and Carrillo Fuentes. The head of the Guadalajara cartel, Rafael Quintero, owned marijuana plantations called Rancho Bufalo. During a 1984 police raid on the ranch, about 6,000 tons of marijuana were seized, which, according to The Wall Street Journal, cost Quintero between $3.2 billion and $8 billion. The Guadalajara cartel earned $5 billion a year. There were rumors in the Mexican press that Quintero followed Escobar in offering to pay off Mexico's external debt in exchange for his freedom. The drug lord was sentenced to 40 years in a Mexican prison in 1989, but was released 28 years later.

The second Mexican drug lord is Carrillo Fuentes, head of the Juarez cartel. The Washington Post estimated his fortune at $25 billion. It is believed that wealth allowed him to avoid justice for many years. Fuentes earned the nickname "Lord of the Skies" for his extensive fleet (22 aircraft) to transport cocaine to the United States. Fuentes died in 1997 during plastic surgery to change his appearance.

Pablo Escobar

Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar became the first criminal to appear on the Forbes 100 International Billionaires list in 1987 with a net worth of $3 billion. He only dropped out after his death in 1993. From 1981 to 1986, the Medellin cartel led by Escobar had a revenue of $ 7 billion, the drug lord took 40% for himself. The cartel received its main wealth from cocaine smuggling in the United States (about 15 tons daily), in the late 1980s it owned 80% of the entire cocaine market in the world. According to Business Insider, Escobar earned $420 million a week, according to other sources, his fortune totaled more than $30 billion.

Each year, the king of cocaine lost about $2.1 billion (10% of revenue) as the money was randomly stored in warehouses and abandoned farms, it was destroyed by mold and rodents. Every month, he spent $2,500 on rubber bands that held bills together. Once Escobar burned $ 2 million to warm his daughter: the family then hid in the mountains, and there was nothing to kindle a fire from. In 1984, the cartel offered to pay off Colombia's national debt in exchange for immunity. The DEA placed a $11 million bounty on Escobar's head. In 1991, the drug lord made a deal with the Colombian government to build his own prison, La Catedral (with a football field and his chosen guards), to which the authorities could not approach closer than 5 km.

The life of a drug lord was so bright that in 2015 Netflix released the series Narcos dedicated to him.

Brothers Ochoa and Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha

In 1987, along with Escobar, the co-founders of the Medellin cartel, Jorge Luis Ochoa-Vasquez (with an income of $ 2 billion), with brothers Juan David and Fabio, who received 30% of the cartel's revenue, were on the Forbes list of the richest. The Ochoa brothers remained on the Forbes list for another 6 years until they surrendered to the authorities.

The drug lord Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha, who lived at the same time, worked both with the Medellin cartel and independently (for example, transporting cocaine disguised as flower supplies to the USA from Bogota) was also a billionaire. In 1988, Forbes estimated his fortune at $1.3 billion. Gacha stayed on the list for two years until he was shot dead by Colombian police.

Joaquin Guzman Loera

In 2009, the Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzmán Loera, nicknamed "Shorty", was included in the Forbes list of the richest people on the planet with a fortune of $ 1 billion. In 2012 and 2013, he ranked 63rd and 67th among the most influential people in the world. Strategic Forecasting Inc. and even estimated his wealth at $ 12 billion. The Sinaloa cartel under the leadership of Loer was responsible for 25% of illegal drug trafficking from Mexico to the United States and received $ 3 billion in proceeds. The New York Times, citing data from the Drug Enforcement Administration, writes that the cartel sold more cocaine than Escobar at the height of his career.

"Shorty" started his business in the early 1990s, transporting cocaine, including in chili cans (in 1993, the Mexican authorities confiscated such a 7-ton cargo). He was declared "Mexico's most wanted man" with a $7 million bounty: $5 million from the United States and another $2 million from Mexico. He was first arrested in 1993, but he escaped from prison in 2001. The last time Mexican intelligence agencies captured Loera in Sinaloa was in January 2016. Vanity killed the drug lord. He was going to make a biopic about himself and was casting. In addition, actor Sean Penn flew to "Shorty" to meet for an interview. It is believed that the authorities were able to track the movements of the criminal, including thanks to this.