Organized Crime Ch 1

Organized crime definition

any group having some manner of a formalized structure and whose primary objective is to obtain money through illegal means

Perpetuity

a member can be removed and the organization can still function

8 identifiers of oc

have no political goal

hierarchical

limited or exclusive membership

constitutes a unique subculture

perpetuates itself

exhibits a willingness to use illegal violence

monopolistic

governed by explicit rules and regulations

names for the boss

the don or the chairman

omerta

vow of silence

Cosa Nostra

"this thing of ours" crime family

made man

inducted member into the Family, must be sponsored in

associate

works in mob but not yet a made man

top 3 people in family

boss, underboss, captain

capo

captain; leads crew

capo dei capi

boss of bosses

consigliere

legal advisor to family

5 crime families of NYC

Gambino, Lucchese, Genovese, Bonanno, Colombo

3 main products in Sicily

citrus, sulphur, and cattle

loan-sharking

lending money at illegal interest rates

book-making

accepting bets

bookie

a gambler who accepts and pays off bets

Lucky Luciano

Becomes leading Mafioso in NY after Castellammarese War.

father of American organized crime

kills both Masseria and Maranzano

Giusseppe Mazzini

father of the Sicilian Mafia

lawyer, teacher, patriot

brings Italian organized crime to Sicily

Giuseppe Esposito

fled Italy to US

faced 11 Mafia-related murder charges in Italy

first Mafia member traced back from US to Sicily

first went to NYC but moved to New Orleans bc of weather and NYC was controlled by the Irish and Jews

caught by David Hennessey and extradited back to Italy

led to largest mass lynching

Cesare Mori

appointed by Mussolini to fight war on organized crime

"iron prefect" considered incorruptible

imprisoned, exiled, and killed Mafia members

forced Mafia underground and many fled to US

Joe Masseria

US born

in Castellammarese War with Maranzano over control of 5 families

killed by Lucky Luciano and Genovese at the direction of Maranzano

who fled to US after Mori

Gambino, Maggadino, Profaci, Magliocco, Coppela, Maranzano

Joe Valachi

first Mafia member to break code of silence

talks to Congressional committee on television

talks about rituals and omerta

anti-mafia act

1984- led to coorperation between FBI, DEA, and Italian police