Known as the Honored Society among Mafiosi, the chain of command is organized in a pyramid similar to a modern corporate structure. Capo di Tutti Capi (the "Boss of Bosses", currently Bernardo "il trattore" Provenzano for the Sicilian Mafia; not applicable to the American Mafia) Capo di Capi Re (a title of respect given to a senior or retired member, equivalent to being a member emeritus) Capo Crimini (a "Super Boss" known as a Don or "Godfather" of a crime famil ...

See also:

Mafia, Mafia - Early period, Mafia - Origins, Mafia - Early political activities, Mafia - The origin of the word 'Mafia', Mafia - Background, Mafia - The Mafia in Sicily, Mafia - Prominent Sicilian mafiosi, Mafia - Other criminal organizations in Italy, Mafia - Mafia in the United States, Mafia - Law enforcement and the Mafia, Mafia - Mafia structure, Mafia - Sicilian Mafia structure, Mafia - Media portrayal of the Mafia

Read more here: » Mafia: Encyclopedia II - Mafia - Mafia structure

See also:

Mafia, Mafia - Early Period, Mafia - Origins, Mafia - Early Political Activities, Mafia - The Origin of the word 'Mafia', Mafia - Background, Mafia - The Mafia in Sicily, Mafia - Prominent Sicilian Mafiosi, Mafia - Other Criminal Organizations in Italy, Mafia - Mafia in the United States, Mafia - Law enforcement and the Mafia, Mafia - Mafia structure, Mafia - Sicilian Mafia Structure, Mafia - Media portrayal of the Mafia

Read more here: » Mafia: Encyclopedia II - Mafia - Mafia structure

Source Lunde, Paul. Organized Crime: An Inside Guide to the World's Most Successful Industry ISBN 0-7894-9648-8 ...

See also:

Mafia, Mafia - Early period, Mafia - Origins, Mafia - Early political activities, Mafia - The origin of the word 'Mafia', Mafia - Background, Mafia - The Mafia in Sicily, Mafia - Prominent Sicilian mafiosi, Mafia - Other criminal organizations in Italy, Mafia - Mafia in the United States, Mafia - Law enforcement and the Mafia, Mafia - Mafia structure, Mafia - Sicilian Mafia structure, Mafia - Media portrayal of the Mafia

Read more here: » Mafia: Encyclopedia II - Mafia - Sicilian Mafia structure

The term "mafia" describes a specific secret society in Sicily and their descendants in the United States of America where Sicilian organized criminals had spread by the early 20th century through immigration. Mafia power peaked in the United States in the mid-20th century, until a series of FBI investigations in the 1970s and 1980s somewhat curtailed the Mafia's influence. Despite the decline, the Mafia and its reputation have become entrenched in American popular culture, portrayed in movies, TV ...

See also:

Mafia, Mafia - Early Period, Mafia - Origins, Mafia - Early Political Activities, Mafia - The Origin of the word 'Mafia', Mafia - Background, Mafia - The Mafia in Sicily, Mafia - Prominent Sicilian Mafiosi, Mafia - Other Criminal Organizations in Italy, Mafia - Mafia in the United States, Mafia - Law enforcement and the Mafia, Mafia - Mafia structure, Mafia - Media portrayal of the Mafia

Read more here: » Mafia: Encyclopedia II - Mafia - Background

The term "mafia" describes a specific secret society in Sicily and their descendants in the United States of America where Sicilian organized criminals had spread by the early 20th century through immigration. It is believed that "mafia" comes from the Italian words "Ma fia" or "My daughter". These words were used when a Sicilian cried out the words during an ongoing battle between Sicilian forces, headed by revolut ...

See also:

Mafia, Mafia - Early Period, Mafia - Origins, Mafia - Early Political Activities, Mafia - The Origin of the word 'Mafia', Mafia - Background, Mafia - The Mafia in Sicily, Mafia - Prominent Sicilian Mafiosi, Mafia - Other Criminal Organizations in Italy, Mafia - Mafia in the United States, Mafia - Law enforcement and the Mafia, Mafia - Mafia structure, Mafia - Sicilian Mafia Structure, Mafia - Media portrayal of the Mafia

Read more here: » Mafia: Encyclopedia II - Mafia - Background

Mafia - Origins. Contrary to popular legend, the Sicilian Mafia actually originated some time during the mid 19th Century, at around the same time as the emergence of the new Italian state. It is important to note that Italy did not actually become a sovereign country until this time, and it was the industrialization and trade that this event brought about, which was the main driving force behind the development of the Sicilian mafia. The Sicilian mafia has always been at its strongest in the wes ...

See also:

Mafia, Mafia - Early period, Mafia - Origins, Mafia - Early political activities, Mafia - The origin of the word 'Mafia', Mafia - Background, Mafia - The Mafia in Sicily, Mafia - Prominent Sicilian mafiosi, Mafia - Other criminal organizations in Italy, Mafia - Mafia in the United States, Mafia - Law enforcement and the Mafia, Mafia - Mafia structure, Mafia - Sicilian Mafia structure, Mafia - Media portrayal of the Mafia

Read more here: » Mafia: Encyclopedia II - Mafia - Early period

A forced disappearance occurs when an organization (usually a ruling government involved in state terrorism) forces a person to disappear from public view. This is often achieved through murder or assassination, although in some cases a victim may simply be incarcerated without publicity. Typically, a murder will be surreptitious, with the body disposed of in such a way as to never be found. The person simply vanishes. The party committing the murder has deniability, as there is no dead body to show that the victim is ac ...

Including:

• Forced disappearance - Linguistic considerations
• Forced disappearance - Well known incidents
• Forced disappearance - Soviet Union
• Forced disappearance - Nazi Germany
• Forced disappearance - South American's Dirty War
• Forced disappearance - Northern Ireland's Troubles
• Forced disappearance - Western Sahara
• Forced disappearance - Mafia
• Forced disappearance - Disappearances in human rights law
• Forced disappearance - Metaphorical use
• Forced disappearance - Film

Read more here: » Forced disappearance: Encyclopedia - Forced disappearance

Angelo Bruno (1911 - March 12, 1980) was a member of the US Mafia who ran the Mafia's faction in Philadelphia. Born in Sicily and emigrated to the USA in his teens, Bruno settled in Philadelphia. He was a close associate of New York City boss Carlo Gambino. He became the boss of the Philly Mob, as the Mafia faction in that city was known, in 1959. Bruno was known as The Gentle Don because he preferred conciliation to violence. His leadership was regarded as successful in that his crime family avoided the intensifi ...

Read more here: » Angelo Bruno: Encyclopedia - Angelo Bruno

Bound (1996) is an American movie in the crime thriller genre, directed by the Wachowski brothers (of The Matrix fame). It stars Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly. The story revolves around the two main characters, Corky and Violet, and their attempt to steal 2 million dollars from Violet's Mafia-connected husband Caesar (played by Joe Pantoliano), while making him believe it was stolen by another Mafia member. There are numerous twists in the plot, as he and various other characte ...

Read more here: » Bound film: Encyclopedia - Bound film

Triad (Simplified: 三合会; Traditional: 三合會; Hanyu Pinyin: Sānhéhuì; literally "Triad Society") is a collective term that describes many branches of an underground society and organizations based in Hong Kong and also operating in Mainland China, Macao, and Chinatowns in Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. There are about 50 triad groups that are active in modern Hong Kong; many of them are no more than small, local street gangs. The larger groups, including t ...

Including:

• Triad - History of triads
• Triad - Precursor to triads—Tian Di Hui
• Triad - Post-imperial developments
• Triad - Migration to Hong Kong
• Triad - Sustenance from 1980s
• Triad - Activities overseas
• Triad - Recent developments
• Triad - Triad groups
• Triad - The 14K Triad
• Triad - The Sun Yee On
• Triad - The Wo Group
• Triad - Triad culture
• Triad - Triad organizational structure
• Triad - Gang fighting
• Triad - Organized crime
• Triad - Dealing with triad problems in schools
• Triad - How triads are tackled in Hong Kong
• Triad - Portrayal of triad societies in popular culture
• Triad - Public figures alleged to have or have had triad ties
• Triad - List of Triads Tongs and Chinese Gangs
• Triad - Triads
• Triad - Tongs
• Triad - Chinese Gangs
• Triad - Miscellaneous information

Read more here: » Triad: Encyclopedia - Triad

A criminal organization is a group run by criminals to further their illegal activities. They are usually involved with drugs, prostitution, money laundering and black marketeering. These activities are also called vice and organized crime. Some also engage in acts of political, racist, and religiously motivated violence, and in acts of terrorism and crimes against humanity. Examples of criminal organizations would include the Mafia and the Yakuza. The role of prison gangs, by definition crimin ...

Read more here: » Criminal organization: Encyclopedia - Criminal organization

Criminal organizations keep their illicit actions secret, and members communicate by word of mouth or telephone. Many organized crime operations have substantial legitimate businesses, such as licensed gambling, building construction, trash hauling, or dockloading enterprises, which operate in parallel with and provide cover for drug trafficking, money laundering, prostitution, extortion, hijacking, fraud, and insider trading, am ...

See also:

Organized crime, Organized crime - Overview, Organized crime - Non-traditional organized crime, Organized crime - Mafia business

Read more here: » Organized crime: Encyclopedia II - Organized crime - Overview

While Boston has a long history of Irish organized crime, particularly in the heavily Irish-American neighborhoods like South Boston ("Southie"), Charlestown, and Somerville the earliest Irish gangsters arose during Prohibition as Frank Wallace of the Gustin Gang dominated Boston's underworld until his death in 1931, when he was ambushed by Italian gangsters in the North End. Following his death, numerous gang wars between rival Irish gangs during the early and mid 20th century would contribute to the gradual domination of the Italian mafia within New England by the end of the 1960's following the end of ...

See also:

Irish mafia, Irish mafia - Boston, Irish mafia - New York, Irish mafia - Chicago, Irish mafia - Irish mob in popular culture

Read more here: » Irish mafia: Encyclopedia II - Irish mafia - Boston

The Westies is the name of an organized crime gang hailing from the Lower West Side of Manhattan, New York City, in particular from around the Hells Kitchen area. They were predominantly Irish American, at least originally. The most prominant members have included James Coonan and Mickey Featherstone. During the late 1970s they forged a loose alliance with the Gambino crime family, the Mafia faction that was ruled by Paul Castellano at the time. Coonan was also associated with Roy DeMeo, and DeMeo is thought to have murdered the previous Westie boss Mickey Spillaine (no relation to the author of the same name) i ...

See also:

Irish mafia, Irish mafia - Boston, Irish mafia - New York, Irish mafia - Chicago, Irish mafia - Irish mob in popular culture

Read more here: » Irish mafia: Encyclopedia II - Irish mafia - New York

Born in 1930, Riina was raised in Corleone and joined the local Mafia clan, the Corleonesi, at the age of eighteen after he committed a murder on their behalf. The following year he was arrested after shooting a man dead during an argument and subsequently served six-years in prison for manslaughter. The head of the Corleonesi was Michele Navarra until 1958 when he was shot to death on the orders of Luciano Liggio, a ruthless 33-year-old mafioso who subsequently became the new boss. Together with Totò Riina and Bernardo Provenzano (w ...

See also:

Salvatore Riina, Salvatore Riina - Rise To Power, Salvatore Riina - The Mafia War Of 1981/82, Salvatore Riina - Crackdown, Salvatore Riina - Family And Personality

Read more here: » Salvatore Riina: Encyclopedia II - Salvatore Riina - Rise To Power

Birds of Prey #84 Adriana Melo, artist The current Huntress is Helena Rosa Bertinelli, who first appeared in Huntress #1 (April 1989). Huntress comics - Mafia Family. The Modern huntress has two conflicting origins. In both, she is Helena Bertinelli, born into one of Gotham City's most prominent Mafia-connected families, the Bertinellis. In the first, she was a silent, withdrawn girl, having been kidnapped and raped at the age of six by an agent of another Gotham cr ...

See also:

Huntress comics, Huntress comics - Helena Bertinelli, Huntress comics - Mafia Family, Huntress comics - Nightwing, Huntress comics - Untrusted, Huntress comics - Birds of Prey, Huntress comics - Golden Age Huntress Tigress, Huntress comics - Helena Wayne, Huntress comics - The Huntress in other media

Read more here: » Huntress comics: Encyclopedia II - Huntress comics - Helena Bertinelli

State and federal law-enforcement officials say that the Mexican Mafia today is composed of at least 30,000 members, some in state prisons, but many more freely roaming Southern California, using intimidiation, extortion and murder to control much of the region's more lucrative criminal activity. In addition, the gang has numerous associates who aspire to become members and are willing to commit crimes on the Mexican Mafia's behalf in hopes of attaining membership. Title: Battle Against Mexican Mafia Opens New Front in Court Source: New York Times, Nov. ...

See also:

Mexican Mafia, Mexican Mafia - Background, Mexican Mafia - Membership, Mexican Mafia - Communication in prison

Read more here: » Mexican Mafia: Encyclopedia II - Mexican Mafia - Membership

The Russian mafia is not limited to ethnic Russians, but to many nationalities from the former Soviet Union, most of which are now collectively known as the Commonwealth of Independent States. There are many stereotypes of the Russian mafia, including that it is dominated by Jews and Chechens, which is misleading. Chechens indeed make up a disproportionate amount of Russian mafia members inside of Russia and Ukraine, and (arguably) Belarus. However, their presence is severely limited in other countries where the Russian mafia operates ...

See also:

Russian Mafia, Russian Mafia - Composition, Russian Mafia - Known Russian Mafia Personalities, Russian Mafia - References and further reading

Read more here: » Russian Mafia: Encyclopedia II - Russian Mafia - Composition

The Corleonesi's primary rivals were Stefano Bontade, Salvatore Inzerillo and Gaetano Badalamenti, bosses of various powerful Palermo Mafia Families. On April 23, 1981, Bontade was machine-gunned to death, and a few weeks later, on May 11, Inzerillo was torn apart by a hail of bullets. Various relatives and associates of the pair were subsequently killed or vanished without trace, including Inzerillo's 15-year-old son, who was killed for vowing to avenge his murdered fa ...

See also:

Salvatore Riina, Salvatore Riina - Rise To Power, Salvatore Riina - The Mafia War Of 1981/82, Salvatore Riina - Crackdown, Salvatore Riina - Family And Personality

Read more here: » Salvatore Riina: Encyclopedia II - Salvatore Riina - The Mafia War Of 1981/82

Mafia is set in the 1930s, between autumn of 1930 to 1938, through the Prohibition era, in a fictitious large city, Lost Heaven: a city which is probably a representation of New York City and Chicago in the same era. The player is set in the role of cabbie Tommy Angelo, who unexpectedly begins his career in organized crime as a driver for the crime syndicate of Don Salieri. He continues to rise in the ranks of the mob, battling the competing family of Don Morello. Eventually, he becomes disillusioned with the life of crime he has chosen and meets a ...

See also:

Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven - The game, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven - Flaws and fixes, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven - Console version differences, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven - Soundtrack, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven - Weapon list, Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven - Trivia

Read more here: » Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven: Encyclopedia II - Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven - The game