American gangsters of the 20th century - stories and pictures from a century ago. American gangsters. Notable gangsters
I suggest you look at the faces of the most famous leaders of the world's criminal gangs, because it is precisely such people that they say that it is better to never meet them live in your life. Although in appearance all these criminal authorities are very different, they all lead the largest criminal organizations in different parts of our planet.
One of the bosses of the Mara 18 organized crime group, Marlon Martinez, is on trial in Guatemala, where he is accused of murder. March 30, 2011
Mara 18 is the largest Hispanic gang in Los Angeles. She appeared in the 1960s among immigrants from Mexico and still maintains ties with the drug cartels of this country. The group consists of up to 90 thousand people operating in the United States, Mexico and Central America.
"Ndrangheta" was formed in the poorest province of Italy, Calabria. It is considered one of the most successful Italian organized crime groups. According to some reports, the 'Ndrangheta's income is up to three percent of the country's GDP.
One of the leaders of the Marseille mafia, 75-year-old Jacques Imbert, after being released from prison on April 8, 2005.
Imber was a member of the Three Ducks gang, which was especially influential in the 1950s and 60s. In 1977, an assassination attempt was made on him, which formed the basis of the film 22 Bullets: Immortal.
The alleged leader of the Slavic criminal gangs in Moscow, Alexei Petrov, nicknamed Lenya Sly. September 19, 2011
According to unofficial sources, Petrov was elected leader of the Slavic groups in Moscow in 2009 after the assassination of Vyacheslav Ivankov, also known as Yaponchik.
One of the alleged leaders of the Tambov organized crime group, Yuri Salikov, is being taken to court in the Spanish city of Palma de Mallorca. June 14, 2008
The Tambov organized criminal group appeared in St. Petersburg in the late 1980s and in the next decade actually controlled the criminal life of the city. Its creator is believed to be businessman Vladimir Barsukov (Kumarin), who is serving a 15-year prison sentence for extortion.
One of the alleged leaders of the Tambov OPG Gennady Petrov is taken to the court of the Spanish city of Palma de Mallorca. June 14, 2008
Petrov, as well as several other Russian citizens, were detained by the Spanish authorities during Operation Troika. They are considered the organizers of the operation to launder the criminal money of the Tambov organized criminal group. Petrov calls himself a businessman. He has lived in Spain since the early 1990s. In 2012, Petrov left for Russia and refused to return to Spain.
Bonanno family boss from New York Vincent Basiano, nicknamed "Handsome Vinnie."
The Bonanno family is one of five Italian-American mafia families that control the New York underworld. The remaining families are the Gambino, Genovese, Colombo and Lucchese clans. Basiano has been serving a life sentence for murder since 2011.
Gigante was the boss of the Genovese clan from 1981 until his death in 2005. In the early 1990s, he was considered the most powerful gangster in America. To avoid trial, Gigante feigned insanity and often walked around New York in a dressing gown and slippers, muttering something inarticulate under his breath. In 1997, he was nevertheless sentenced to 12 years in prison and died in custody.
Retired yakuza boss Shinji Ishihara talks about his criminal past to reporters. April 5, 2006
Ishihara served in one of the largest gangster syndicates in the world, the Yamaguchi-gumi, which has several tens of thousands of members. The headquarters of the group is located in the city of Kobe. Unlike many other organized crime groups, members of the yakuza are allowed to "retire", as Ishihara did after serving his next term.
The funeral of the leader of the Taiwanese group "Bamboo Union" Chen Chili, nicknamed the Duck King in Taipei. October 18, 2007
The Bamboo Union, or Zhulyangbang in Chinese, is Taiwan's largest organized crime group. It belongs to the triads, as Chinese criminal gangs are called or secret societies. The Bamboo Union maintains close ties with the nationalists from the Kuomintang party and shares their political platform.
The leader of the Hong Kong branch of the 14K group in Macau, Wan Quokkoy, nicknamed Broken Tooth, is taken to court on November 23, 1999
14K is considered the largest triad in Hong Kong and in the world. It has about 20,000 members and is also active in Europe and North America. 14K controls heroin and opium shipments from Southeast Asia. The group is known for a clear management hierarchy and cruelty.
The grave of Aslan Usoyan, better known as Ded Khasan, at the Khovansky cemetery in Moscow. January 20, 2013
Usoyan is believed to have led ethnic Caucasian criminal groups operating in Russia. At the same time, it is known about the conflicts of his clan with other gangs led by people from the Transcaucasus. Usoyan was shot dead in Moscow by an unknown sniper on January 16, 2013.
The leader of the Taiwanese triad was forced to flee from native island when the authorities decided to limit the influence criminal gangs. Chen Chili moved to Cambodia and even became a government adviser. He lived in a huge villa in the suburbs of Phnom Penh, where large stocks weapons.
"Cosa Nostra" is one of the most famous groups Italian mafia. She appeared in late XIX century and is considered the inventor of racketeering. Cosa Nostra does not have a rigid structure. The grouping consists of numerous clans that control their territory.
Abroad, Kalashov is often called a representative of the Russian mafia, although sometimes a Georgian criminal authority. He began his criminal activities in the Soviet Union. He is considered a supporter of the late leader of the Caucasian clans Aslan Usoyan. Since 2010, Kalashov has been serving a prison sentence in Spain, which has already agreed to extradite him to Georgia, where he was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
One of the leaders of the Italian group "Ndrangheta" Pasquale Condello after his arrest. February 19, 2008
Condello was on the run for about twenty years. All this time he lived in his hometown of Reggio di Calabria. During his criminal career, he managed to earn at least $ 57 million. In any case, the property owned by him is valued at such an amount. Condello is accused of murdering the head of Italy's national railway company.
Sinaloa drug cartel member Juan Miguel Allier Beltrán at a press conference at police headquarters in Tijuana. January 20, 2011
US intelligence agencies consider Sinaloa the most powerful drug cartel in the world. It comes from the state of the same name on the Pacific coast of Mexico. During the 1990s - 2000s, Sinaloa supplied more than 200 tons of cocaine to the United States. The cartel also produces significant amounts of opiates and marijuana.
Salvatore Miceli, who was in charge of the international drug trade in the Sicilian mafia, at the Caracas airport before being extradited to Italy. June 30, 2009
Miceli was considered in the "Cosa Nostra" a kind of foreign minister. He was responsible for the supply to Europe of cocaine, heroin and other drugs produced in other regions of the world, primarily in Latin America.
One of the leaders of the Tijuana Cartel, Gilberto Iguera Guerrero, in Mexico City before being extradited to the United States. January 20, 2007
Tijuana drug cartel Mexican state Baja California is the third largest drug trafficker in the United States. He is the principal competitor of the Sinaloa cartel. In the mid-2000s, a significant number of Tijuana leaders were arrested and extradited to US authorities.
Joseph "Giuseppe" Bonanno is the founder of the New York crime family of the same name. 1960s
Bonanno is considered one of the main prototypes of Vito Corleone, the protagonist of the crime saga The Godfather. Bonanno has never been behind bars for a long time in his turbulent career. He died in 2002 at the age of 97 in Tucson, Arizona from heart failure.
The leader of the Corleone clan from the Sicilian city of the same name, Gaetano Riina, after his arrest in Palermo on July 1, 2011
The Corleone clan, which gave the name to the character of the famous film trilogy, has long been the main family of Cosa Nostra. Its leaders bear the title of "boss of bosses". The town of Corleone with a population of 12 thousand people is located in the hills south of Palermo at an altitude of about 600 meters above sea level.
The leader of the Mara Salvatrucha branch of the Mara Salvatrucha organized crime group in the Salvadoran city of Quezaltepeque, nicknamed El Diabolico, and the leaders of the local branch of the Mara 18 organized crime group announce a truce in the prison of the same city. January 31, 2013
The Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, is one of the most violent Latin American gangs. It was formed in Los Angeles among Salvadoran emigrants who fled from civil war, operates in California and Central America and, according to various sources, has from 50 to 80 thousand fighters. hallmark members of the "Mara Salvatrucha" are numerous tattoos, often covering the entire body.
Police escort Indian crime lord Rajendra Nikalje alias "Little Rajan" (Chhota Rajan) to the Bangkok Criminal Court after an assassination attempt. September 28, 2000.
Rajendra Nikalje was originally a member of crime boss Dawood Ibrahim's group, which is called D-Company in the media. The gang operated in Mumbai, but then spread its influence throughout South Asia. After a fight with his boss, Nikalje collaborated with the Indian intelligence services to weaken Ibrahim in exchange for information about assassination attempts. The gangs of Ibrahim and Nikalje, like other Indian criminals, launder money by investing it in the production of films in Bollywood.
Former leader of the Tijuana drug cartel, Benjamin Arellano Felix.
Felix was arrested in March 2002 in Mexico and extradited to the United States. In April 2012, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for extortion and money laundering. After serving his term, he is supposed to be returned to Mexico, where he is threatened with another 22 years in prison.
Abu Salem initially worked with the Mumbai group D-Company, but then began to act independently. He is accused of numerous murders and participation in terrorist attacks. In 2007, Portugal extradited Abu Salem to India. Subsequently, Lisbon revised this decision, but Delhi refused to return Abu Salem to Europe. He has not yet been sentenced.
Coluccio belongs to an influential mafia clan. His brother Giuseppe was one of the leaders of the 'Ndrangheta in Toronto, Canada, and was involved in the supply of cocaine to Europe. Salvatore was wanted for four years. He was found in a bunker equipped with an electric generator and supplied with significant supplies of water and food for autonomous living.
The Gambino clan was once the most powerful of the five New York Mafia families. Its gradual decline was facilitated by both civil strife and close attention from the FBI. The last major operation against the family, which led to the arrest of several kapos, took place in 2011, when a network for the forced prostitution of women from Eastern Europe was uncovered.
Vyacheslav Ivankov, nicknamed Yaponchik, leaves the building of the Moscow City Court after the jury found him not involved in the murder of two Turkish citizens. July 19, 2005
Ivankov until his death in 2009 was considered the leader of the Slavic criminal groups in Moscow. In 1997, he was convicted in the United States for extortion, and after serving his sentence in 2005, he returned to Russia. In July 2009, he was seriously wounded in an assassination attempt and died a few months later from complications caused by the wound.
One of the leaders of the Tijuana drug cartel, Eduardo Arellano Felix, is in custody in Mexico City. October 26, 2008
After the arrest of the three Arellano Felix brothers, that is, Eduardo, Javier and Benjamin, as well as the death in a shootout with the Ramon police, the cartel was headed by the youngest of the Luis brothers, nicknamed the Engineer. For help in his capture, the Mexican authorities promise to pay 2.5 million dollars.
A graduate of the journalism faculty of Moscow State University, Lerner served 11 years in the Soviet Union for financial fraud in student construction teams. In 1998 he was convicted of stealing money from Russian banks. Since 2006, he has been in an Israeli prison for creating a financial pyramid and stealing depositors' money.
Former Gambino crime family underboss Salvatore Gravano alias Sammy the Bull is sworn in litigation about corruption in professional boxing. April 1, 1993
In 1991, Gravano became the highest-ranking member of the mafia, who broke the vow of silence "omertu" and cooperated with the authorities. Based on his testimony to life sentence Gambino clan boss John Gotti was sentenced. In 1995, Gravano, who moved to Arizona, opted out of the witness protection program. He published an autobiography and then went into the drug business, for which he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He has been serving a term since 2002.
Former Bonanno family boss Joseph Massino.
Massino became the first boss of five New York families to make a deal with the investigation. In 2004, he was sentenced to death based on the testimony of his comrades, including his deputy, Salvatore Vitale. In 2011, Massino, in order to earn the right to life, in turn, became a witness in the case of his successor Vincent Basiano.
The boss of the largest yakuza syndicate, the Yamaguchi-gumi, Kenichi Shinoda, after serving a six-year prison sentence for illegal possession of a pistol. April 9, 2011
The synod bears the title of kumicho, or supreme "godfather", largest group Japanese mafia. He is the sixth boss of the Yamaguchi-gumi since it was founded in 1915. The Synod is characterized by an outwardly democratic leadership style. In particular, he prefers to travel to public transport rather than a chauffeur-driven limousine.
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Puzo Mario's novel The Godfather and the film trilogy of the same name have become cult works for many generations. From television screens and the pages of the novel, the world of brutal murders, drug cartels and gangsters, ruled by powerful and influential "Dons", entered our homes forever. Vito Corleone is just an image created by the author's imagination. But is everything in the novel fiction?
Gangsters really existed - that's a fact. And many American cities still keep the memory of them and their deeds. Behind the fictional "Dons" are real events and facts.
Many stories in magazines, books and on TV are based on the events that took place once and people wandering along the most dangerous streets of American cities. Streets filled with murders, smuggled alcohol, fierce competition, which involved the smartest and most cunning people of their time. All this is part of the dirty and cruel world gangsters. Are you ready to plunge into the exciting fate of dozens of the most powerful, successful and incredibly cruel gangsters in the world? So let's go!
Reginald "Reggie" Cray and Ronald "Roni" Cray are twin brothers who lived and worked in London. During the 50s and 60s, the Kray brothers created The Firm, a name similar to the names of countless gangs of the time and designed to demonstrate the influence and reputation of the gang. These people were involved in arson, murder, blackmail and armed robbery.
The Kray brothers opened a nightclub in London (quite an unusual occupation for gangsters of the time), which was frequented by many movie and show business stars, including Judy Garland and Frank Sinatra. Frank Sinatra was definitely drawn to the circle of gangsters of that time and maintained friendly relations with many.
Rotating in such a society, the Kray brothers eventually became famous themselves. They have been on TV shows many times, which seems to have never been done by any of the gangsters on our list. It would seem that they could achieve incredible success, but the end of the Kray brothers turned out to be sad ... In 1968 they were sentenced to life imprisonment. In addition, Reggie was diagnosed with cancer. He was released from prison 8 weeks before his death. His brother Roni was sent to Broadmoor Hospital for treatment of schizophrenia, where he died a few years later.
Gangster Nicknames: Doctor, Patron, Don Pablo, Señor
Pablo Escobar is a gangster who lived relatively recently. Also known as the "King of Cocaine", Escobar led the Medellin Cartel. He was an incredibly powerful drug king who ruled a vast empire between the 1970s and 1980s of the 20th century. This continued until the end of 1993, when he was shot dead. Until now, there is no exact information whether it was a suicide or he was killed by the police. The history of his death remains a mystery. A few years before his death, he was recognized as one of the most physically fit criminals in the world. According to Forbes magazine, his fortune was estimated at $ 3 billion.
Gangster Nickname: Frank "First Minister" Costello
In Italy, the boy was born under the name of Francesco Castiglia. At the age of 4, his family moved to New York. He grew up on the violent streets of New York during the very difficult years of the economic crisis. In the future, through a series of events, he will become one of the most famous gangsters of all time. Frank Costello, a name he later adopted, was childhood friends with fellow gangster Charlie Luciano. Subsequently, Costello earned a reputation in the gangster world and made a large fortune on the smuggling of alcohol, gambling, participating in several major New York gangs: the Morello gang, the Lower East Side gang and joint affairs with the Luciano family.
Gambino was a real gangster flesh and blood. He was born inside one of the Sicilian mafia families. Therefore, it is not surprising that he began to take part in "family" affairs from an early age. At the age of 19, he had already become a full member of the gang, which was very unusual: such young members had never been accepted into the family. At the same time, he moved to New York.
After a short relatively "quiet" life in New York, Gambino was involved in the murder of Albert Anastasia - Don of one of the most famous gangster families of Luciano. Thus, in 1957, Gambino himself became a Don. In the gangster world, reputation and ego played a very big role. And since Gambino had both, the famous family decided to change their last name to Gambino. Gambino successfully ruled the family for another 22 years until his death.
Gangster nickname: "Accountant"
Mayer Lansky is one of the few famous gangsters born outside the US, England or Italy. He was born under the name Mayer Sukhovlyansky in Belarus and moved to New York with his family at the age of 9. Lansky started out with the Bugs and Meyer Mob and the National Crime Syndicate.
Lansky's forte is finance and gambling houses. He built a huge gambling empire that spread its branches all over the world. He also managed to involve Swiss banks in his dirty deals. Lansky is known for his incredible intelligence and is recognized as the most cunning and quirky gangster of all time. This is evidenced by the fact that Lanksy did not spend a single day behind bars. And this was a common thing for most gangsters.
Gangster nickname: Bugsy
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Benjamin Schigel earned his nickname "Bugsy" due to his unpredictable nature. He was very powerful and was involved with Mayer Lansky's Murder Incorporated gang and also worked with the Luciano family. His specialty is the sale of illegal alcohol and contract killings. However, he left a memory of himself, which is connected not only with his criminal deeds.
Flamingo is one of the very first casinos built in Las Vegas and Schigel invested in its construction. Thanks to this, he had many famous friends and acquaintances: singer Frank Sinatra, actors Clark Gable and Gary Grant. He was certainly a man with two different sides of his nature: a gangster and, meanwhile, a man from high society. But still, his sworn enemies got him and he was killed in 1947. His death remains mysterious to this day, and his life is an exciting detective story.
Gangster nickname: "Gentleman John", "Hare"
You may remember John Dillinger as Johnny Depp in the 2009 film Public Enemies. And if John Dillinger turned out to be famous enough for a Hollywood star to take on his role, then he certainly would be quite suitable for our list. The active phase of Dilinger's life fell on the Great Depression in the United States. He was known as a gangster and bank robber. His life was very short - he was shot dead at the age of 31. On account of his two escapes from prison, as well as an affair with his own stepmother. It seems that this person knew absolutely nothing about morality ...
Gangster nickname: "Lucky"
Charles Luciano is considered the father of organized crime and therefore he fully deserves his place on this list. AT young age At age 10, Charles and his family move from Sicily to New York, the Lower East Side. It was thanks to him that the entire New York mafia was divided into 5 famous families. Naturally, after organizing the entire mafia in this way, Luciano headed one of the families - the Luciano family.
Charles Luciano was an incredibly powerful man. He is so influential that during the Second World War, the command navy The US turned to him for advice. Despite the fact that at that moment Luciano was in prison ... For his helpful advice and help, he was subsequently released. But he was exiled to Italy, where he spent the rest of his life.
Gangster nickname: Scarface (Scarface)
Without a shadow of a doubt, Al Capone is one of the most famous gangsters in the world. He entered the path of crime at the age of 14, attacking a teacher at school - certainly even then it was a very disturbing omen. Later, he joined the New York gang Five Points. His main activity was the illegal trade in alcohol, brothels, contract killings.
Al Capone was in Alcatraz prison at the end of his life, but was released 8 years before his death. Toward the end of his life, he suffered from illnesses. He was a very smart and tough man who managed to achieve great power in his life.
Jesse James was one of the world's earliest famous gangsters. He lived in the days of the Wild West and participated in the American War of Independence. Later he was a member of the James-Younger gang. James was involved in robbing banks, attacking stagecoaches and trains, which made him a legend during his lifetime.
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 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 along the streets of his native city 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 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. Arthur soon realized that the only way to earn money is the sale of alcohol in the era of the reign of dry law, 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. Also in childhood Meyer's friend was 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. Costello's image the best way 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 was part of mafia clan over the course of 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 right hand 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 underworld. Exact location in the hierarchy of the Adonis Family remained incomprehensible. 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.
US gangsters are known far beyond America. Films are made about them, and there are many legends about their activities. All of them were distinguished by intelligence, cunning and special cruelty.
The era of gangsters began with the adoption of Prohibition in the United States. It was then that street gangs began to appear in America. The innovation provoked underground activity. It was then that one of the most famous gangsters, Al Capone, began to act. He controlled the black market for alcohol. Later, other gangs began to appear that controlled various areas: prostitution, the sale of weapons, drugs. Gangs were constantly at war with each other, striving to become the main ones. Here are a few representatives of that legendary and cruel time for the USA.
Storm of the streets Walter Smith. He was engaged in street robberies and contract killings for the mafia. Smith disliked guns and killed people with his bare hands in dark alleys, turning their heads off. A note in the criminal case: there are pronounced sadistic inclinations, there is no feeling of fear, he can bite, plant only alone.
A thief and swindler named Vera. She pretended to be a good neighbor and rubbed herself into the trust of the tenants, and then robbed the apartments. In addition, together with the mafia, she robbed jewelry stores, distracting during the robbery.
The young man in the photo is only twenty years old. However, at such a young age, he took place as a thief of shops and residential buildings. In the criminal case, it is noted that he is prone to escape and alarmism, dexterous, cunning and especially dangerous.
Mr. Skukerman, a securities swindler and fraudster, worked for the mob.
Homeless child and thief little Schmidt. He was a courier for the mafia: he passed notes between brothels and shops. If the police caught him, he immediately ate the notes.
Two bouncers. They knocked money out of businessmen and those who owed the mafia. They took away not only money, but also health, and sometimes life.
Los Angeles gangsters Dalton and Gracie, the elite of the American mafia. The trade unions of factories and factories "roofed" and were engaged in hippodromes and gambling. Often killed competitors and informers.
Another dangerous gangster from Los Angeles, Sidney Kelly. Worked for the mafia in other states. Contract killings, drugs, armed attacks, pimping - everything was listed for him.
Fitch, nicknamed Smooth from Chicago, is a car thief. He stole cars for the dark deeds of the mafia, and also stole cars and sold them for parts.
Four famous criminals from Chicago. They were engaged in the robbery of banks, collectors, jewelry stores. Not a single witness was left alive.
Hardened gangsters from Chicago. They covered the gang of the famous gangster John Dillinger. They "roofed" drug dealers and businessmen, were engaged in robbery, prostitution, and gambling. The two men on the right are brothers. Once they beat a police informant to death with butcher hooks and hung his body on one of the central streets with a sign: “He talked a lot and all to the wrong people”.
Prostitutes-gunners who worked for the mafia. They met rich men, had affairs with them, and then passed all the information to the bandits. At best, it ended in a robbery.
The Farlane brothers who had a whole gang. They robbed on the roads and out in the states. Extremely dangerous and cruel.
Chicago mob accountant. He repented of his deeds in prison, as the police put a lot of pressure on him. After that, he was immediately found hanged. Most likely by force. On his chest was a plaque: “I said everything and was silent for a century”.
In the middle is the gangster "Bloody Fletcher". His gang committed a huge number of contract killings, they also kidnapped people, including the children of high-ranking officials. There is a note in the criminal case that they need to be put in solitary, otherwise they can kill each other in a dispute.
Smith "Bone Hand" led a gang of Chicago gangsters. Next to him is his assistant Jones. They “roofed” prostitutes, dealt in drugs, gambling, robbed collectors and wealthy Americans.
Mafia members who controlled part of New York. They were responsible for the supply of alcohol and tobacco, as well as workers' unions. They did not shy away from killings and raids. Were close to John Gillinger.
Number 10 - Vincent "The Chin" Gigante (1928 - 2005)
Vincent Gigante was born in New York in 1928. He was a man with complex nature: Dropped out of school in the ninth grade, after which he started boxing. Won 21 of 25 light heavyweight fights. From the age of 17 he was in a criminal group, and at the age of 25 he was arrested for the first time.
As a member of the Genovese family, Gigante's first significant case was the assassination attempt on Frank Costello, but he missed. Despite this, his ascent in the Genovese family continued until he became first a godfather and, in the early 80s, a consoler (from Italian adviser).
After mafia boss Tony Salerno was convicted, Gigante became the boss. What made Gigante so famous? After avoiding jail by pretending to be insane in the late 60s, he continued to pose as insane, such as walking the streets of New York in a bathrobe. It is because of this fact that he received two more nicknames: "The Weird" and "King of Pajamas". And only after being convicted for racketeering in 2003 did he admit that with his mental health everything is fine.
Gigante died in prison on December 19, 2005 due to heart problems. Because of this, and thanks to his lawyers, he should have been released in 2010.
A film about him: Gigante's prototype was used for the television film Bonanno: A Godfather's Story ("Bonanno: The Godfather's Story", 1999), an episode of Law & Order ("Law and Order").
Number 9 - Albert Anastasia (1903 - 1957)
Albert Anastasia was born in Italy in 1903 and moved to America as a child. He was sentenced to 18 months for the murder of a longshoreman on the docks of Brooklyn (Sing Sing prison). He was released early due to the mysterious death of a witness. Albert Anastasia (aka "Lord Executioner" and "Mad Hatter") gained fame thanks to numerous murders, after which the Joe Masseria gang hired him. Anastasia was very devoted to Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, so he betrayed Masseria without any problems - he was one of four people sent to kill him in 1931.
In 1944, he became the leader of a group of assassins that even had its own name, Murder, Inc. Although Albert Anastasia was never prosecuted for the murders, his gang was involved in 400 to 700 murders. In the 50s, he became the leader of the Luciano family, but soon, in 1957, he was killed at the behest of Carlo Gambino.
Films about him: Hero of Albert Anastasia was the main actor movie Murder, Inc. (1960), with the participation of Peter Falk and Howard Smith (Anastasia), as well as in the films The Valachi Papers ("Valachchi Papers", 1972) and Lepke (1975).
Number 8 - Joseph Bonanno (1905 - 2002)
Joe Bananno was born in 1905 and grew up in Sicily, at the age of 15 he was left an orphan. During the fascist regime of Mussolini, when he turned 19, he left Italy and arrived in the United States via Cuba. He soon earned the nickname "Joey Bananas" and ended up in the Maranzano family. Before Luciano killed him, Maranzano formed a "Commission" that ruled over the mafia families in his homeland of Italy.
Bonanno amassed capital operating cheese factories, a tailoring business, and a funeral business. However, his plans to eliminate the leaders of other families were not destined to come true, because he was kidnapped and forced to retire 19 days later. He has never been convicted of any serious offence.
Films about him: Two films were made about him: Love, Honor & Obey: The Last Mafia Marriage ("Love, Honor and Obedience: The Last Mafia Alliance, 1993) starring Ben Gazarra and Bonanno: A Godfather" s Story ( Bonanno: The Godfather, 1999) with Martin Landau.
Number 7 - Dutch Schultz (1902 - 1935)
Arthur Flegenheimer, later known as Dutch Schultz, was born in 1092 in the Bronx. To impress boss and mentor Marcel Poffo, he organized crap games as a teenager. At the age of 17 he spent some time in prison for theft. He soon realized that the only way to make money was bootlegging (selling alcohol during Prohibition).
Wanting to become a member of the emerging syndicate, he made enemies in the person of Luciano and Capone. After he was to be convicted for another crime in 1933, he left for New Jersey. In 1935, after returning, he was killed by members of the Albert Anastasia group.
Films about him: Dustin Hoffman played a prominent role as Dutch Schultz in Billy Bathgate (1991), but he was even better played by Tim Roth in Hoodlum (Hooligan, 1997). In addition, we should recall the films Gangster Wars ("Gangster Wars", 1981), The Cotton Club ("Cotton Club", 1984) and The Natural (1984).
Number 6 - John Gotti (1940 - 2002)
Among the famous gangsters of New York, John Gotti is especially worth noting. He was born in 1940 in Brooklyn and has always been considered a smart guy. At the age of 16, he joined a street gang called the Fulton Rockaway Boys. He quickly became their leader, in the 60s the gang was engaged in car theft and petty theft, in the early 70s he became the godfather of the Bergin group - part of the Gambino family. Gotti was very ambitious and soon began dealing in drugs that were against the rules of the family.
As a result, Paul Castellano (mob boss) decided to expel Gotti from the organization. In 1985, Gotti and his henchmen killed Castellano, and Gotti became the head of the Gambino family. He was repeatedly tried to convict law enforcement agencies in New York, but the charges always failed. Due to the fact that he always looked presentable, and the media loved him, he received the nicknames "Elegant Don" and "Teflon Don". He was finally convicted of murder in 1992 and died of cancer in 2002.
Films about him: his character was played by Antonio John Denilson in the TV movie Getting Gotti ("Get to Gotti", 1994) and by Armand Assante in the movie Gotti ("Gotti", 1996). It should be noted films Witness to the Mob ("Mafia Witness", 1998) with Tom Sizemoor and The Big Heist ("Big Robbery", 2001).
Number 5 - Meyer Lansky (1902 - 1983)
Mayer Sachovlyansky was born in 1902 in Russia. At the age of 9 he moved to New York. Even when they were boys, he met Charles Luciano. Luciano wanted Lansky to give him protection money, but he refused. There was a fight, after which they became bosom friends. After some time, Lansky met Bugsy Segal. The trio became very friendly. Lansky and Segal formed the Bug and Meyer gang that would become Murder, Inc.
Initially, Lansky was involved in money and gambling in Florida, New Orleans and Cuba. He was Seagal's investor in a Las Vegas casino, and even bought an offshore bank in Switzerland in order to launder money. He was co-founder of the National Crime Syndicate and Council. However, business is never a private matter, and he was soon forced to kill Bugsy Segal because he stopped giving money to the Syndicate. Although he was racketeering gambling houses around the world, he did not spend a day in Lansky prison.
Films about him: not only Richard Dreyfuss played well in the HBO film Lansky (1999), but also Newman Roth in The Godfather Part II ("The Godfather 2", 1974), Mark Rydell in the film Havana ("Havana", 1990), Patrick Dempsey in Mobsters (1991) and Ben Kingsley in Bugsy (1991).
Number 4 - Frank Costello (1891 - 1973)
Francesco Castilla was born in 1891 in Italy and moved to the United States at the age of 4. At the age of 13, he joined a criminal gang and changed his name to Frank Costello. After serving time in prison, he became the best friend of Charlie Luciano. Together they engaged in bootlegging and gambling. Costello's strength was that he was a liaison between the Mafia and politicians, especially with Democratic party member Tammany Hall in New York, which allowed him to avoid persecution.
After the arrest of Luciano Costello became a man in law. His feud with Vito Genovese led to Genovese attempting to assassinate Costello in the mid-50s. Frank Costello retired peacefully and died quietly in 1973.
Films about him: the best role was played by James Andronika in the 1981 television project The Gangster Chronicles ("Gangster Chronicles"), as well as Costas Mandylor Mobsters ("Gangsters", 1991), Carmine Caridi in the film Bugsy (1991), and Jack Nicholson in film The Departed ("The Departed", 2006).
Number 3 - Carlo Gambino (1902 - 1976)
Carlo Gambino grew up in a family that has been part of an Italian mafia clan for several centuries. He began killing on demand at the age of 19. Since Mussolini was gaining strength at this time, Gambino immigrated to America, where his cousin Paul Costellano lived.
After the extradition of Luciano in the 40s, Albert Anastasia took his place. However, Gambino believed that this was his time and in 1957 ordered Anastasia to be killed. He appointed himself Boss of the family and held it in an iron fist until his natural death in 1976.
Films about him: Al Ruccio excellently played him in the film Boss of Bosses ("Boss of Bosses", 2001). Another image of Gambino could be seen in such films as Between Love & Honor ("Between Love and Honor", 1995), Gotti (1996) and Bonanno: A Godfather's Story ("Bonanno: The Godfather", 1999).
Number 2 - Charlie "Lucky" Luciano (1897 - 1962)
Salvatore Luciania was born in Sicily in 1897, and nine years later his family moved to New York. After a while, he joined the Five Points gang. For five years, his gang made money mainly on prostitution, Luciano controlled racketeering throughout Manhattan. After an unsuccessful attempt on his life in 1929, Luciano decided to form the National Crime Syndicate.
There was no rivalry, and by 1935 "Lucky" Luciano was known as the "Boss of Bosses" - not only in New York, but throughout the country. In 1936 he was sentenced to 30 to 50 years, but in 1946 he was released for good behavior on the condition that he leave the country and go to Italy. He had such a strong influence that during the Second World War, the US Navy turned to him for help to land in Italy. He died in 1962 as a result of a heart attack.
Movies about him: Christian Slater played him in "Gangsters" (1991), Bill Graham in "Bugsy" (1991) and Anthony LaPaglia in the TV movie "Lansky" (1999).
Number 1 - Al Capone (1899 - 1947)
If there was ever a gangster who deserved the knowledge of Number One, it is Al Capone. Alphonse Capone was born in 1899 in Brooklyn to a family of Italian immigrants. After a while, he joined the Five Points gang and became a bouncer. It was during this time that he earned the nickname "Scarface". In 1919 he moved to Chicago and working for Johnny Torrio, he quickly rose through the criminal hierarchy.
It was the time of prohibition, and Capone was engaged in prostitution, gambling and bootlegging. In 1925, when he was 26 years old, Capone became the head of the Torrio family and unleashed a family war. Known for his intelligence, as well as his pomp and attention, Capone was also notorious for his cruelty. It is worth recalling the massacre during the Valentine's Day concert in 1929, in which many heads of criminal gangs were killed. In 1931, IRS agent Eliot Nass arrested him for tax evasion.
Films about him: Many films have been made about Capone, the most famous of which are The St. Valentine's Day Massacre ("Massacre on Valentine's Day", 1967) starring Jason Robards, "Capone" (1975) with Ben Gazarra and The Untouchables ("The Untouchables", 1987) with Robert De Niro.
Worthy of Mention - Benjamin "Bugsy" Segal (1906 - 1947)
Benjamin Segal was born in 1906 in Brooklyn and soon met Meyer Lansky. He got the nickname "Bugsy" due to his unpredictable nature. However, by killing people for Charlie Luciano, he made many enemies, and in the late 30s he was forced to flee to Los Angeles, where he met many stars.
Shortly after the Nevada gambling laws were passed, he "borrowed" millions of dollars from the Syndicate and founded one of the first casino hotels in Las Vegas, the Flamingo. However, the business was not profitable, shortly after it was discovered in 1947 that he was simply stealing money from his friends, he was killed.
Films about him: the best actors who played Capone were Warren Beatty ("Bugsy" (1991) and Armand Assante The Marrying Man ("The Married Man", 1991).
Of course, these people were not saints, but we cannot but admire the influence they had in their time. Now you know who was who in the underworld. Stay out of trouble, nerds ;).