Compare and contrast the history and culture of the American Mafia and organized crime groups that exist in Italy. How is the American Mafia similar to Italian organized crime groups? How

CHAPTER THREE

The American Mafia

Abadinsky, Organized Crime 10th ed.

Early in the morning of January 20, 1910, FBI agents and other law enforcement officers arrested nearly 130 members and associates of the American Mafia, including members of New York's five Families, the DeCavalcante Family of New Jersey, and the Patriarca Family of New England.

While the power and influence of the American Mafia has declined, it remains a dangerous entity in the northeast and Chicago, two areas that will be examined in this chapter.

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THE MAFIA IN NEW YORK

The American Mafia is unique. No other criminal organization has controlled labor unions, organized employer cartels, operated as a rationalizing force in major industries, and functioned as a bridge between the upperworld and the underworld.

Between 1891 and 1920, 4 million Italians entered the U.S., the majority coming from the Mezzogiorno.

Every important Italian American OC crime figure has had cultural roots in the Mezzogiorno.

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ITALIAN IMMIGRANT LIFE

 Italian immigration made fortunes for speculators and landlords, but changed neighborhoods into human ant heaps of suffering, crime, ignorance, and filth.

Anglo-Protestant society was hostile to Mezzogiorno culture and practices. Some were illegal.

 Immigrants' patrimonial form of military organization could protect their old-country practices.

Mafia groups served important social and financial functions.

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CASTELLAMMARESE WAR

The old Sicilian "moustaches" used to get together in the back of the club and they called it Unione Siciliana.

BY 1930, there were 2 Mafia factions in NY: Masseria's in Little Italy, and Maranzano's in Manhattan.

Both men died violently. Lucky Luciano was involved in both murders. The new guys had defeated the "moustaches."

Luciano became the most important Italian Mafia figure in NY.

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THE STRUCTURE OF THE AMERICAN MAFIA: THE NEW YORK MODEL

After the Castellammarese War, 5 Mafia Families emerged in NY: Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese, Lucchese.

The boss is at the center (paterfamilias), assisted by an underboss (sottocapo) and counselor (consigliere).

The boss is surrounded by clients, e.g., captains (caporegime), to whom he acts as a patron.

The captains are surrounded by members or soldiers (soldati), to whom they act as patrons.

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THE COMMISSION

 Crime bosses are linked in an arrangement known as the "commission." The commission's role:

 Regulate and facilitate relationships between Families.

 Promote and facilitate joint ventures between Families.

 Resolve actual and potential disputes between Families.

 Regulate the criminal activities of the Families.

 Extend formal recognition to newly chosen bosses and resolve leadership disputes within families.

 Authorize the execution of family members.

 Approve the initiation of new members into the Families.

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ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURE (NY)

 The structure of NY Mafia Families is only loosely coupled to its criminal activities.

 Much illegal activity is ad hoc deals and projects.

 Crews are intermittently in several businesses.

 Formal organizational structure differs from economic structure. Clear hierarchy in the Family; income- generating activity is independent entrepreneurs.

 Pass a percentage of their income up as taxes in return for government-type services: dispute resolution, territory allocation, enforcement and corruption services.

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THE AMERICAN MAFIA IN CHICAGO

 Intense, longtime connection between politics and OC.

Transportation hub brought immigration:

 1836:Lake Michigan-Illinois River Canal groundbreaking.

 1855: terminus of 10 Rail trunk lines, 11 branch lines.

 Attracted adventurers, gamblers, pimps, prostitutes and other undesirables.

Civil War brought prosperity and soldiers on leave.

 "The Outfit" is distinctive in its ethnic diversity.

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MIKE MCDONALD

Origin of OC in Chicago was the 1873 mayor election. Mike McDonald, gambling boss of Chicago, backed the

winning candidate. Mike had welded the gamblers, liquor interests, and

brothels into a formidable political power. From then, until his death in 1907, Mike controlled

mayors, congressmen, and senators. He owned the Globe newspaper and the elevated

railroad line in Chicago. Mont Tennes inherited his gambling empire.

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"HINKY DINK" AND "THE BATH"

 "Hinky Dink" Kenna and "Bathhouse" Coughlin inherited Mike's political empire.

As "Lords of the Levee," they organized the vice entrepreneurs of he First Ward.

Majorities in the First Ward were so overwhelming they could affect city, county, and state elections.

They "licensed" businesses in the First Ward.

Backed winner "Big Bill" Thompson for mayor in 1915. Spoils system swept over the city.

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What are "boodles?"

JIM COLOSIMO

Brought to the U.S. from Calabria at 10 years old. He married a brothel keeper, and helped organized a

gang of white slavers." (1910 Mann Act was a result.) Politically powerful during Thompson's mayoralty.  "'Diamond Jim' wore a diamond ring on every finger,

diamond studs gleamed in his shirt front, a huge diamond horseshoe was pinned to his vest, diamond links joined the cuffs, and his belt and suspender buckles were set with diamonds.”

He brought Johnny Torrio to Chicago for protection from Black Hand that targeted wealthy Italians.

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JOHNNY TORRIO

 In Chicago, Torrio lured 3 Black Handers into an ambush, where gunmen shot them dead.

Born in Naples 1882. Raised in NY. Leader of James Street Boys, affiliated with the Five Points Gang.

Oversaw brothels and gambling operations for Colosimo.

Torrio's partner in NY, Frankie Yale, sent out-of-control Al Capone to Chicago to get him out of NY.

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TORRIO THE BUSINESSMAN

Smart, non-drinker, non-smoker, not a womanizer.

Kissed his wife in the morning, then motored to his office where he bought and sold women, etc.

He excelled as a master strategist and organizer and quickly built a wealthy, powerful, influential empire.

With the onset of Prohibition, the personnel of organized vice took the lead in the systematic organization of this new and profitable field of exploitation.

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TORRIO-CAPONE ORGANIZATION

 Colosimo wanted to stay out of bootlegging. Torrio and Capone disagreed. Staying out would deny access to wealth and would enrich and empower competitors.

 May 11, 1920, Diamond Jim was shot to death in the vestibule of his upscale Colosimo's Cafe.

 Torrio succeeded him to the First Ward based Italian 'syndicate' throne.

 Late summer 1920: Torrio persuaded the major Cook Co. gang leaders to abandon predatory crime in favor of Prohibition-related activities.

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THE CHICAGO WARS

Torrio had divided the city and county into spheres with a chieftain, subchiefs, and allocated markets.

1923 election of a reform mayor destabilized Chicago and encouraged competitive moves by ganglords.

War! Torrio-Capone syndicate v. O'Banion forces.

1925: Torrio left the Chicago organization to Capone.

1926 truce: "Gang wars are bad for business."

Ended in 1929 with the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.

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AL CAPONE'S CHICAGO

 Thanks to Prohibition, Capone was now the most powerful person in Chicago.

 The Depression reduced the Capone organization's income.

 He took over the rackets in Chicago–small business associations and union–using extreme violence.

 Capone's downfall was the 1927 U.S. Supreme Court decision (U.S. v. Sullivan) that upheld the IRS contention that unlawful income was subject to taxation.

 Tried (1931), convicted, sentenced to 11 years, served 6.

 "Brought down with a pencil" for tax evasion.

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THE OUTFIT

Structured as a 4-man senior partnership: Al Capone, Ralph Capone, Nitti, Jake Guzik. Each received 1/6, remainder was for maintenance of the headquarters.

After Prohibition, the Capone syndicate–the Outfit– had a monopoly on OC in Chicago, maintained with minimal force and a great deal of political influence.

Chicago Crime Commission: the Outfit is unique in its willingness to grant responsibility to non-Italians.

 In 1955, turned the operation over to Sam Giancana.

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SAM GIANCANA

 Since Prohibition, blacks had dominated the numbers business in Chicago.

 Serving time with Eddie Jones, a wealthy black numbers operator, GIancana learned the value of Jones' operation and violently took it over in 1952.

 Lived a high-profile life. Served time for refusing to testify to federal grand jury, despite immunity.

 Fled to Mexico in 1965. In 1974, Mexican immigration agents dragged him to the border into waiting arms of FBI.

 Shot at home in 1975. Interesting legacy of connection with federal government.

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AMERICAN MAFIA: THE CHICAGO MODEL AND "FAMILY SECRETS"

Chicago differs from NY in that the Outfit has always been a cooperative venture with other groups.

The Outfit is led by a CEO-type boss responsible to am informal small board of directors. 3 area bosses are responsible for a particular part of "Chicagoland."

Street crews are geographically based, but act independently.

The thug side of the Outfit led in 2004 to an important federal case, "Operation Family Secrets."

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CHAPTER FIVE

Italian Organized Crime

and the Albanian Connection

Abadinsky, Organized Crime 10th ed.

In this chapter we begin our examination of organized crime on the global scene, sometimes referred to as transnational organized crime. Our focus will be on criminal organizations that have affected, or have the potential to affect, the United States. We will begin our examination with four of these criminal organizations— Mafia, Camorra, ’Ndrangheta, and the Sacra Corona Unita (with its Albanian connection)—which have their roots in southern Italy, the Mezzogiorno.

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THE MEZZOGIORNO

The southern Italian experience dates back more than 1000 years. It led to development of a culture that stresses the variables necessary for survival in a hostile environment.

To be respected meant to be entitled to the deference of others that came from the ability to use violence.

 Omertá: the southern Italian ideal of manliness– non-cooperation with authorities, self-control in the face of adversity, and the vendetta.

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THE MEZZOGIORNO (CONT.)

The vendetta–"blood washes blood"–dictated that any offense or slight to the famiglia (family) had to be avenged.

The only basis of loyalty was famiglia–"blood of my blood" (sangu de me sangu).

Neither government nor church was to be trusted.

The famiglia included all one's blood relatives, including distant cousins, traced through paternity.

The famiglia was organized hierarchically under the patriarch, the capo de famiglia.

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THE MEZZOGIORNO (CONT.)

The Mezzogiorno remained mired in feudalism and dependent on agriculture; a legacy of political, social, and economic repression; and exploitation.

Government spending on building projects became a vehicle for Mafia infiltration. By corruption and intimidation, Mafia-controlled firms took a share of public contracts.

3 types of criminal organization emerged: the Neapolitan Camorra, Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, and The Mafia (Cosa Nostra).

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THE SICILIAN MAFIA

 Sicily is an island in the Mediterranean.

 In the 19th century, successive regimes of Mafia clans maintained a uniquely Sicilian form of order–brutal, at times protecting the landed elite, at other times protecting outlaws.

 The government in Rome imposed a tax policy that took money out of Sicilian agriculture to invest in the north.

 Landowners escaped high taxes. "Strong men" administered their lands and acted as patrons to the peasants on the lands, and were assumed to be mafiosi.

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MAFIA

 "mafia" has Sicilian-Arabic roots.  "mafia" as a state of mind has a meaning shared by all

Sicilians: aid each other, side with friends, fight common enemies, defend, avenge, keep secrets, beware of authorities.

 "Mafia" could not flourish without "mafia," which represents a general attitude toward the state.

A mafioso did not invoke state or law in his private quarrels, but made himself respected by winning a reputation for toughness and courage.

 The use of private violence in settling disputes was accepted, because there was no effective state policing. 7

MUSSOLINI AND THE MAFIA

An incident in a Sicilian town in 1924 between Il Duce and a mayor resulted in Mussolini's placing the brutal Prefect Mori in charge of purging the Mafia.

Some mafiosi traveled to the US, arriving at an opportune time–Prohibition.

 In Sicily, the Mafia infiltrated Mussolini's Fascist regime, and when WWII ended, emerged as the Nuovo Mafia–a "new" Mafia.

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NUOVO MAFIA/COSA NOSTRA

The end of WWII brought a Mafia renaissance in Sicily; a vacuum in local leadership was filled by former capomafiosi.

 They were respected local figures and, as victims of Prefect Mori, they could pose as anti-fascists.

 They violently thwarted the efforts of trade unionists, socialists, communists, and land reformers.

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NUOVO MAFIA/COSA NOSTRA (cont.)

The old mafioso prized power–rispetto. The old Mafia chief dressed in shirtsleeves and baggy pants, although he was a multimillionaire.

The new mafioso wants money, dresses like a wealthy businessman, and disregards the rural traditions.

The New Mafia has a distinctly American tint, the result of American gangsters being deported to Sicily, where they assumed leading positions in the hierarchy.

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NUOVO MAFIA/COSA NOSTRA (cont.)

The New Mafia (Cosa Nostra) robbed and kidnaped to accumulate capital to be a player in the construction industry and the heroin and cocaine markets.

Drug money changed the functioning and mode of organization of the Mafia, which became urban entrepreneurs.

Totò "The Beast" Riina became head of the Corleone cosca, in 1974. With a reign of terror, he achieved dominance of the New Mafia.

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POLITICS AND THE MAFIA

 Italy is the home of 3 world powers: the Italian government, the Catholic Church, and the Mafia.

From 1945-1993, the Christian Democratic Party (CDP) ruled Italy, and the party's bedrock was the mezzogiorno, especially the "friends" in Sicily.

 Intimidation of voters is seldom necessary. Voters follow the Mafia's "marching orders" without force.

The vote simply indicates support for a clientilistic group.

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THE STRUCTURE OF THE MAFIA

The center of the Mafia is the padrino or capomafioso around whom other mafiosi gather, forming a cosca.

 It is a network of 2-man patron-client relationships based on kinship, patronage, and friendship.

The mafioso succeeds because he commands a network of partnerships where he is able to act as a broker, providing services, including votes and violence for the holders of institutional power.

Flexibility prevents the cosca from becoming bureaucratic.

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THE STRUCTURE OF THE MAFIA

The mafioso serves as a guarantor for price rigging and collusive bidding on construction projects.

Kinship strengthens cohesion, so sons, brothers, and nephews are often admitted to cosca membership.

 An affiliation ceremony creates ritual ties of brotherhood among the members of a cosca. Once initiated into the cosca, the mafioso is a compadre.

The New Mafia has a membership of 5,000+, each with his own network, divided into about 180 cosche.

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FROM UN UOMO DI RESPETTO TO GANGSTER

The mafioso was no longer un uomo di rispetto, but just an urban gangster in the American tradition.

 In 1982, the archbishop of Palermo led Sicilian priests in a campaign against the Mafia. Since 1983, Palermo has elected and re-elected an anti-Mafia mayor.

 In 1992, Prosecutors Falcone and Borsellino were killed.

Falcone's murder led to an anti-Mafia demonstration of 40,000 persons in Palermo.

The assassination of government officials lost the New Mafia the support of important elements of society.

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NEAPOLITAN CAMORRA

Developed in Spanish prisons early in the 19th century.

 Deliberately structured as a criminal society.

 Moved their control into Naples. Tightly, centrally, hierarchically controlled, efficient political machine.

 Parallel system of law in typical southern Italian style.

1970s: economic success revived 19th century structure.

Now: drug trafficking, construction, counterfeit goods.

Embedded financial network in Western Europe, U.S., Brazil, Canada, Australia.

Capital is laundered and reinvested in legal enterprises. 16

STRUCTURE OF THE CAMORRA

A boss is at the center of a typical Camorra group.

High turnover has resulted in younger members and leaders than other southern Italian groups.

Modern Camorra is less structured and less family based than the Mafia.

Territorial control is important. Extortion from legal businesses is not lucrative, but preserves control.

 "Camorra doesn't need the politicians; the politicians need the Camorra constituents and financial wealth."

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THE 'NDRANGHETA

 In contrast to the Mafia, women participate directly in Camorra and 'Ndrangheta criminal activities.

From Calabria, a very poor area in the south of Italy.

Mafia-type hierarchy; omertá; no social service program; power is #1 goal.

Violent: "Don't leave the seed."

Groups ('ndrina) in Canada and Australia.

Kidnapping, vast-scale international arms and drug trafficking, extortion, control of public contracts.

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SACRA CORONA UNITA AND THE ALBANIAN CONNECTION

 1983: Originated in prison as a criminal organization, partly in response to Camorra leader Raffaele Cutolo's 1980-81 Naples takeover plans.

 Evolved in same region as Camorra and 'Ndrangheta.

 Rituals use Roman Catholic imagery.

Horizontal organization: 45 autonomous clans.

 Sacred Crown United (SCU) has close ties to the Balkans, particularly Albania, across the Otranto Strait.

 Strategic position on the Adriatic; SCU provides smuggling services to the Mafia, Camorra, and ’Ndranghetta.

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THE ALBANIAN CONNECTION

Primarily Muslim nation, population 3.5 million.

Family and clan ties; famiglia and omertá; bessa: respect verbal promises.

Taking advantage of weak central government and political chaos, SCU clans linked with Albanian crime groups.

Albanian groups proliferate and SCU supports them in joint venture such as weapons and drugs.

 Trafficking: economic migrants, drugs, contraband, weapons, cars, prostitution.

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