Mafia: the ten most brutal and influential killers. The 13 most famous and daring mafias in the world Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and Keith Garvey

1. Al Capone (1899 - 1947)

The legend of the underworld of those times and the most famous mafia boss in history. He was a prominent representative of criminal America. His areas of activity were bootlegging ( approx. illegal trade in alcoholic beverages), prostitution, gambling. Known as the organizer of the most cruel and significant day in the criminal world - the Massacre on Valentine's Day, when seven influential gangsters from the Irish gang of Bugs Moran were shot dead, including the right hand of the boss.

Al Capone was the first among all the gangsters to launder money through a huge network of laundries, the prices of which were very low. Capone was the first to introduce the concept of "racketeering" and successfully dealt with it, laying the foundation for a new vector of mafia activity. Alfonso received the nickname "Scarface" at the age of 19, when he worked in a billiard club. He allowed himself to object to the cruel and hardened criminal Frank Galluccio, moreover, insulted his wife, after which a fight and a stabbing took place between the bandits, as a result of which Al Capone received a famous scar on his left cheek. By right, Al Capone was the most influential and terrifying person on everyone, including the government, which was able to put him in jail just for not paying taxes.

2. Lucky Luciano (1897 - 1962)

Originally from Sicily, Lucky became in America, in fact, the founder of the underworld. His real name is Charles. Lucky, which means “Lucky” in translation, they began to call him after he was taken to a deserted highway, tortured, beaten, cut, burned his face with cigarettes, and he remained alive after that. The people who tortured him were Maranzano gangsters, they wanted to know the location of the cache of drugs, but Charles remained silent.

After unsuccessful torture, they left the bloodied body with no signs of life by the road, thinking that Luciano was dead, where he was picked up by a patrol car after 8 hours. He received 60 stitches and survived. After this incident, the nickname "Lucky" remained with him forever. Lucky organized the "Big Seven" - a group of bootleggers, whom he gave protection from the authorities. He became the boss of Cosa Nostra, which controlled all areas of activity in the criminal world.

3. Pablo Escobar (1949 - 1993)

The most daring Colombian drug lord. He entered the history of the 20th century as the most brutal criminal and head of the largest drug cartel. He established the supply of cocaine to different parts of the world, mainly to the United States, on a grandiose scale, up to transporting tens of kilograms on airplanes.

For all his activities as the head of the Medellin cocaine cartel, he was involved in the murders of more than 200 judges and prosecutors, more than 1,000 police officers and journalists, presidential candidates, ministers, prosecutors general. Escobar's net worth in 1989 was over $15 billion.

4. John Gotti (1940 - 2002)

John Gotti was a famous figure, he was loved by the press, he was always dressed to the nines. Numerous accusations from New York law enforcement have always failed, Gotti avoided punishment for a long time. For this, the press nicknamed him "Teflon John".

He received the nickname "Elegant Don" when he began to dress only in fashionable and stylish suits with expensive ties. John Gotti has been the leader of the Gambino family since 1985. During the reign, the family was one of the most influential.

5. Carlo Gambino (1902 - 1976)

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

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

6. Meir Lansky (1902 - 1983)

Jew Meir Lansky was born in Belarus, the city of Grodno. A native of the Russian Empire became the most influential person in the United States and one of the leaders of the country's crime.

He is the creator of the "National Crime Syndicate" and the parent of the gambling business in the states. Was the biggest bootlegger during Prohibition.

7. Joseph Bonanno (1905 - 2002)

The patriarch of the Bonanno family and the richest mobster in history. The history of the reign of Joseph, who was called "Banana Joe" has 30 years, after this period, Bonanno voluntarily resigned and lived in his huge mansion.

The Castelamarese War, which lasted 3 years, is considered one of the most iconic events in the criminal world. Ultimately, Bonanno organized a criminal group that still operates in the United States.

8. Alberto Anastasia (1902 - 1957)

The boss of one of the five mafia clans of criminal America. The head of the Gambino family, Albert Anastasia, had two nicknames - "The Chief Executioner" and "The Mad Hatter", and the first was given to him because there were about 700 deaths on account of his group "Murder Corporation".

He was a close friend of Lucky Luciano, whom he considered his teacher. It was Anastasia who helped Lucky take over the entire criminal world, carrying out contract killings for him of the bosses of other families.

Since 1981, he led the Genovese family, while everyone considered the boss of the family, Antonio Salermo. Vincent was nicknamed "Nutty Boss" for his, to put it mildly, inappropriate behavior.

But it was inadequate only for the authorities, since Gigante's lawyers for 7 years brought certificates indicating that he was crazy, thus he managed to avoid the term. Vincent's people controlled the underworld of all of New York and other major cities in America.

10. Heriberto Lazcano (1974 - 2012)

Once the leader of one of the largest drug cartels in Mexico, which is called Los Zetas. At the age of 17, he joined the Mexican army, and later worked in a special squad to combat the drug cartel. The switch to the side of the merchants occurred after he was recruited into the Golfo cartel.

The Los Zetas private mercenary force that the organization hired later grew into the largest drug cartel in Mexico. Heriberto dealt with his competitors very cruelly, for which his criminal gang was given the nickname "Executioners".

The modern world has many criminal gangs, and each has its own leader, boss, head. But, comparing the current leaders of the mafia and criminal organizations with the bosses of past dashing years is a business doomed to failure and criticism. Past bosses of the criminal world created entire empires of evil and violence, extortion and drug trafficking. Their so-called families lived according to their own laws, and the violation of these laws foreshadowed death and cruel punishment for disobedience. We bring to your attention a list of the most legendary and influential mafiosi in history.

10. Heriberto Lazcano

(1974 - present)

Once the leader of one of the largest drug cartels in Mexico, which is called Los Zetas. At the age of 17, he joined the Mexican army, and later worked in a special squad to combat the drug cartel. The switch to the side of the merchants occurred after he was recruited into the Golfo cartel. The Los Zetas private mercenary force that the organization hired later grew into the largest drug cartel in Mexico. Heriberto dealt with his competitors very cruelly, for which his criminal gang was given the nickname "Executioners".

Since 1981, he led the Genovese family, while everyone considered the boss of the family, Antonio Salermo. Vincent was nicknamed "Nutty Boss" for his, to put it mildly, inappropriate behavior. But, it was only for the authorities, Gigante's lawyers brought certificates for 7 years, indicating that he was crazy, thereby avoiding the term. Vincent's people controlled crime throughout New York and other major cities in America.

8. Alberto Anastasia

The boss of one of the five families of the mafia of criminal America. The head of the Gambino family, Albert Anastasia, had two nicknames - "The Chief Executioner" and "The Mad Hatter", and the first was given to him for having about 700 deaths on his account of his group "Murder Corporation". He was a close friend of Lucky Luciano, whom he considered his teacher. It was Anastasia who helped Lucky take over the entire criminal world, carrying out contract killings for him of the bosses of other families.

7. Joseph Bonanno

The patriarch of the Bonanno family and the richest mobster in history. The history of the reign of Joseph, who was called "Banana Joe" has 30 years, after this period, Bonanno voluntarily resigned and lived in his personal huge mansion. The Castelamarese War, which lasted 3 years, is considered one of the most iconic events in the criminal world. Ultimately, Bonanno organized a crime family that still operates in the United States.

6. Meir Lansky

Meir was born in Belarus, the city of Grodno. A native of the Russian Empire became the most influential person in the United States and one of the leaders of the country's crime. He is the creator of the "National Crime Syndicate" and the parent of the gambling business in the states. Was the largest bootlegger (illegal liquor dealer) during Prohibition.

5. Carlo Gambino

It was Gambino who became the founder of one of the most influential families in criminal America. After taking control of a number of highly profitable areas, including illegal bootlegging, a state port and an airport, the Gambino family becomes the most powerful of the five families. Carlo forbade his people from selling drugs, considering this type of business dangerous and attracting public attention. At its peak, the Gambino family consisted of more than 40 groups and teams, and controlled New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, Miami and Los Angeles.

4. John Gotti

John Gotti was a famous figure, he was loved by the press, he was always dressed to the nines. Numerous accusations from New York law enforcement have always failed, Gotti avoided punishment for a long time. For this, the press nicknamed him "Teflon John". He received the nickname "Elegant Don" when he began to dress only in fashionable and stylish suits with expensive ties. John Gotti has been the leader of the Gambino family since 1985. During the reign, the family was one of the most influential.

3. Pablo Escobar

The most cruel and daring Colombian drug lord. He entered the history of the 20th century as the most brutal criminal and head of the largest drug cartel. He established the supply of cocaine to different parts of the world, mainly to the United States, on a grandiose scale, up to transporting tens of kilograms on airplanes. For all his activities as the head of the Medellin cocaine cartel, he was involved in the murders of more than 200 judges and prosecutors, more than 1,000 police officers and journalists, presidential candidates, ministers, prosecutors general. Escobar's net worth in 1989 was over $15 billion.

2. Lucky Luciano

Originally from Sicily, Lucky became in America, in fact, the founder of the underworld. His real name is Charles, Lucky, which means "Lucky" in translation, he began to be called after he was taken to a deserted highway, tortured, beaten, cut, burned his face with cigarettes, and he remained alive after that. The people who tortured him were Maranzano gangsters, they wanted to know the location of the cache of drugs, but Charles remained silent. After unsuccessful torture, they left the bloodied body with no signs of life by the road, thinking that Luciano was dead, where he was picked up by a patrol car after 8 hours. He received 60 stitches and survived. After this incident, the nickname "Lucky" remained with him forever. Lucky organized the "Big Seven" - a group of bootleggers, whom he gave protection from the authorities. He became the boss of Cosa Nostra, which controlled all areas of activity in the criminal world.

1. Al Capone

The legend of the underworld of those times and the most famous mafia boss in history. He was a prominent representative of criminal America. His areas of activity were bootlegging, prostitution, and gambling. Known as the organizer of the most cruel and significant day in the criminal world - the Massacre on Valentine's Day, when seven influential gangsters from the Irish gang of Bugs Moran were shot dead, including the right hand of the boss. Al Capone was the first among all the gangsters to launder money through a huge network of laundries, the prices of which were very low. Capone was the first to introduce the concept of "racketeering" and successfully dealt with it, laying the foundation for a new vector of mafia activity. Alfonso received the nickname "Scarface" at the age of 19, when he worked in a billiard club. He allowed himself to object to the cruel and hardened criminal Frank Galluccio, moreover, insulted his wife, after which a fight and a stabbing took place between the bandits, as a result of which Al Capone received a famous scar on his left cheek. By right, Al Capone was the most influential and terrifying person on everyone, including the government, which was able to put him in jail just for not paying taxes.

In Italy, Toto Riina, the head of Cosa Nostra, the “boss of all bosses”, one of the most influential mafiosi in the world, was buried. Providing the "roof" of his empire, he promoted friends to the main posts in the country and in fact brought the entire government under control. His life is an example of how vulnerable politics is to organized crime.

Salvatore (Toto) Riina died in a prison hospital in Parma at the age of 87. On account of this man, who headed Cosa Nostra in the 1970s and 90s, dozens of political assassinations, ruthless reprisals against businessmen and competitors, several terrorist attacks. The total number of his victims goes to many hundreds. The world media write about him today as one of the most brutal criminals of our day.

The paradox is that at the same time Toto Riina was one of the most influential politicians in Italy. Of course, he did not participate in the elections. But he ensured the election of his "friends" and financed their promotion to the highest positions, and "friends" helped him to do business and hide from the law.

Like the protagonist of Mario Puzo's novel and Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather, Toto Riina was born in the small Italian town of Corleone. When Toto was 19 years old, his father ordered him to strangle a businessman whom he took hostage, but failed to obtain a ransom. After the first murder, Riina served six years, after which he made a resounding career in the Corleone clan of the Sicilian mafia.

In the 1960s, his mentor was the then "boss of all bosses" Luciano Leggio. Then the mafia took an active part in the political struggle and the mountain stood for the far right.

In 1969, a convinced fascist, a friend of Mussolini and Prince Valerio Borghese (it is in his Roman villa that admiring tourists crowd today) started a full-fledged coup. According to its results, ultra-rightists were supposed to come to power, and all communists in parliament were supposed to be physically destroyed. One of the first people contacted by Prince Borghese was Leggio. The prince needed three thousand militants to seize power in Sicily. Legjo doubted the plan's feasibility and dragged his feet with a final answer. Soon the conspirators were arrested, Borghese fled to Spain, the putsch failed. And Leggio, until the end of his days, boasted that he did not give his brothers to the putschists and "saved democracy in Italy."

Another thing is that mafiosi understood democracy in their own way. With almost absolute power on the island, they controlled the outcome of any election. “The orientation of Cosa Nostra was to vote for the Christian Democratic Party,” one of the members of the clan recalled at the trial in 1995. “Cosa Nostra did not vote for either the communists or the fascists.” (quote from Letizia Paoli's Mafia Brotherhoods: Organized Crime Italian Style).

Not surprisingly, the Christian Democrats regularly won majorities in Sicily. Members of the party - usually natives of Palermo or the same Corleone - held positions in the government of the island. And then they paid their mafia sponsors with contracts for the construction of housing and roads. Another native of Corleone, Vito Ciancimino, an oligarch, Christian Democrat and good friend of Toto Riina, worked in the city hall of Palermo and argued that "since the Christian Democrats get 40% of the vote in Sicily, they are also entitled to 40% of all contracts."

However, there were also honest people among the members of the party. Once in Sicily, they tried to curb local corruption. Toto Riina invariably shot such dissidents.

The mafia economy worked at the very least. In the 1960s, generally poor Sicily experienced a building boom. “When Riina was here, everyone in Corleone had a job,” complained a local old-timer to The Guardian journalist who visited Corleone immediately after the death of the godfather. “These people gave everyone a job.”

An even more promising business in Sicily was the drug trade. After the defeat of the Americans in Vietnam, the island became the main transport hub for the transportation of heroin to the United States. In order to seize control of this business, Riina cleared all of Sicily from competitors in the mid-1970s. In just a few years, his militants killed several hundred people from other "families". Relying on fear, the “godfather” organized exponentially brutal reprisals. So, he ordered the 13-year-old son of one of the mafiosi to be kidnapped, strangled and dissolved in acid.

In the late 1970s, Riina was recognized as the "boss of all bosses". By this time, the political influence of the Sicilian mafia had reached its peak, and the Christian Democrats had effectively become the pocket party of Cosa Nostra. “According to the testimony of members of criminal gangs, from 40 to 75 percent of parliamentarians from Christian Democrats were supported by the mafia,” writes Letizia Paoli in her investigation. That is, Riina put under control the largest political force in Italy. The Christian Democrats were in power for about forty years. Party leader Giulio Andreotti became prime minister seven times.

The connection between the bosses of Cosa Nostra and Giulio Andreotti was carried out by one of the representatives of the party elite, Salvatore Lima. In the Sicilian mafia, he was considered "their white collar". His father himself was an authoritative mafioso in Palermo, but Lima received a good education and, with the help of his parent's "friends", made a party career. Becoming the right hand of Andreotti, at one time he worked in the cabinet, and at the time of his death in 1992 he was a member of the European Parliament.

Witnesses claimed that the Italian prime minister was well acquainted with Toto Riina and once even kissed the godfather on the cheek - as a sign of friendship and respect. Giulio Andreotti was repeatedly brought to trial for connections with the mafia and for organizing the murder of journalist Mino Pecorelli, who revealed these connections, but each time he got away with it. But the kiss story always pissed him off - especially when director Paolo Sorrrentino re-told it in his movie hit Il Divo. “Yes, they invented it all,” the politician explained to The Times correspondent. “I would kiss my wife, but not Toto Riina!”

With such high-ranking patrons, the “godfather” could organize high-profile murders and clean up competitors without fear of anything. On March 31, 1980, the first secretary of the Communist Party in Sicily, Pio La Torre, proposed to the Italian parliament a draft law to combat the mafia. It was the first to formulate the concept of organized crime, contained a demand for the confiscation of the property of mafia members, and provided for the possibility of prosecuting "godfathers".

However, the Christian Democrats, who controlled parliament, bombarded the draft with amendments in order to delay its adoption as much as possible. And two years later, the car of the indefatigable Pio La Torre was blocked in a narrow alley of Palermo near the entrance to the headquarters of the Communist Party. The militants, led by Toto Riina's favorite killer Pino Greco, shot the communist from machine guns.

The next day, General Carlo Alberto Dalla Chiesa was appointed prefect of Palermo. He was called upon to investigate Mafia activities in Sicily and the godfathers' connections with politicians in Rome. But on September 3, Chiesa was killed by the killers of Toto Riina.

These demonstrative murders shocked all of Italy. Under pressure from the indignant public, the parliament nevertheless passed the La Torre law. However, it was not easy to apply it.

The amazing thing: the "boss of all bosses" Toto Riina was wanted since 1970, but the police just shrugged. In fact, she always did. In 1977, Riina ordered the assassination of the head of the Carabinieri of Sicily. In March 1979, on his orders, the head of the Christian Democrats in Palermo, Michele Reina, was killed (he tried to break the corrupt system of power on the island). Four months later, Boris Giuliano, the police officer who caught Riina's men with a suitcase of heroin, was killed. In September, a member of the Commission for the Investigation of Mafia Crimes was shot dead.

Subsequently, when the "godfather" was still handcuffed, it turned out that all this time he lived in his Sicilian villa. During this time, he had four children, each of whom was registered in accordance with all the rules. That is, the authorities of the island knew perfectly well where one of the country's most wanted criminals was located.

In the 1980s, Riina unleashes a campaign of large-scale terror. The corrupt government is so weak that it cannot resist the "godfather". Another series of political assassinations is followed by a large-scale terrorist attack - an explosion on a train, which killed 17 people. But that wasn't what killed him.

Toto Riina's empire collapsed from within. Mafioso Tommaso Buscetta, whose sons and grandsons died during the intra-clan war, decided to hand over his accomplices. His testimony was taken by magistrate Giovanni Falcone. With his active participation in 1986, a large-scale trial of members of Cosa Nostra was organized, during which 360 members of the criminal community were convicted, another 114 were acquitted.

The results could have been better, but even here Riina had her own people. Presiding over the trial was Corrado Carnevale, a native of Palermo, nicknamed "The Killer of Sentences". Carnevale dismissed every accusation he could, picking on minutiae like a missing seal. He also did everything to commute the sentences of the convicts. Thanks to his connivance, most of Riino's soldiers were soon released.

In 1992, Giovanni Falcone and his fellow magistrate Paolo Borsalino were blown up in their own cars. A riot almost broke out in Sicily. The newly elected president, Luigi Scalfaro, was pushed out of the Palermo Cathedral by an angry mob and was about to be lynched. Scalfaro was also a member of the Christian Democratic Party, whose ties to Toto Riina had long been an open secret.

On January 15, 1993, the "godfather" was finally arrested in Palermo and has since experienced many trials. In total, he was given 26 life sentences, and at the same time was excommunicated from the church.

Simultaneously with the career of Riina, the history of the Christian Democratic Party of Italy also ended. All its leaders, including Giulio Andreotti, went to court, many went to prison. Andreotti himself was sentenced to 24 years in prison, but the sentence was later overturned. In 1993, the party suffered a crushing defeat in the elections, in 1994 it disintegrated.

Toto Riina survived his empire by 23 years, becoming the main symbol not only of the entire Italian mafia, but also of a system in which one bandit can subjugate the government of a European country to his interests.

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

1. Al Capone (1899 - 1947)

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

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

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

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

The nickname "Scarface" Alfonso received at the age of 19, when he worked in a billiard club. He then protested the violent felon Frank Galluccio and insulted his wife. After that, a fight and stabbing took place between the bandits. Result: Capone received a famous scar on his left cheek. By right, Al was the most influential and terrifying person on everyone, including the government, which was able to put him in jail just for not paying taxes.

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

2. Lucky Luciano (1897 - 1962)

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

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

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

Source: wikipedia.org

3. Pablo Escobar (1949 - 1993)

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

Source: wikipedia.org

4. John Gotti (1940 - 2002)

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

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

Source: wikipedia.org

5. Carlo Gambino (1902 - 1976)

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

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

Source: wikipedia.org

6. Meir Lansky (1902 - 1983)

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

Source: wikipedia.org

7. Joseph Bonanno (1905 - 2002)

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

The beautiful heads of personal assistant secretaries contain megabytes of useful information: from the names of business partners to the number of spoons of sugar in coffee for the boss and the dosage of his pills. A little effort - and the secretary turns ... into the wife of her boss.

Wday. ru found out for his readers some of the "tricks" of resourceful secretaries.

Bill Gates and Melinda French

The founder of Microsoft, billionaire Bill Gates, recalling the events of almost thirty years ago, said in an interview: “Surprisingly, Melinda made me want to marry her. This is very strange, because it is absolutely contrary to my rationalistic considerations about marriage.

Photo by Getty Images

That's it, no more, no less! Bill first met Melinda in 1987 at a press briefing in New York. She is 8 years younger than Bill. By that time, Melinda had already worked for the company for some time. Their wedding took place on January 1, 1994. It took Melinda 7 years for her boss to "want" to walk down the aisle with her. The couple now has three children. It is a pity that Melinda rarely gives interviews and does not attend social events. We bet that her "1000 and 1 Ways to Put the Idea of ​​a Wedding in the Boss's Head" manual would double the family's capital. But the lady does not share her secrets. She leads the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with a capital of more than $30 billion, and funds numerous projects related to computerization and healthcare.

Franz Beckenbauer, President of FC Bayern, and Heidi Burmester

According to evil tongues, the romance of the "Kaiser of German football" Franz Beckenbauer and secretary Heidi Burmester did not happen sober. It all started at a Christmas party in 2001. Franz later admitted that he was tipsy and allowed himself too much. And after a while, Heidi announced that she was expecting a baby.

Photo by Getty Images

After some thought, Beckenbauer left his second wife Sibylla, with whom he lived for 12 years, and went over to his secretary. But the couple officially legalized their relationship only in 2006, at the height of the qualifying games for the World Cup, on the eve of the match between Sweden and Germany. As you can see, the decision of 60-year-old Franz and 39-year-old Heidi was not spontaneous. By that time, the couple had already had two children - a son and a daughter. The wedding ceremony took place in the Austrian Alps in the presence of only the closest relatives and friends. So, the "recipe" from Heidi - live bait fishing!

Luciano Pavarotti and Nicoletta Mantovani

The third wife of the great Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti worked as his secretary and assistant. The girl was beautiful, slim and 34 years younger than her boss. They say she conquered the 68-year-old millionaire with the ability to cook pasta! Like it or not, they say that the ex-wife of the legendary tenor blabbed about the “recipe for seduction”. Once in an interview, she recklessly stated: they say, Luciano is “spaghetti, spaghetti and love!”

Photo by Getty Images

Looks like Nicoletta took it on board! Luciano and Nicoletta got married in 2003. Soon the couple had a daughter, Alichi. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last long. In 2006, Pavarotti was diagnosed with a malignant tumor of the pancreas. The operation to remove it was carried out in New York. But a few months later, in September 2007, Pavarotti died in his home in the arms of his beloved. Nicoletta received 25% of Pavarotti's fortune. Four years after the death of the great singer, the young widow admitted that a man had appeared in her life. Filippo helped Nicoletta manage the affairs of the Pavarotti Foundation. It's a little more difficult than boiling pasta.

Former Mexican President Vicente Fox and Marta Sahagun

After his divorce from his first wife, Mexican politician and entrepreneur Vincente Fox took a vow of celibacy. At least he promised not to marry until he became president!

Photo by Getty Images

Said - done! In 2000, Fox won the presidential race. And exactly one year after the victory in the elections, on July 2, 2001, the wedding of Vincente and Marta Sahagun took place. Marta worked as the head of the press center. It was then that the “cowboy with a Harvard education” drew attention to the temperamental Mexican woman.

“In general, it surprises me how she has enough time for everything: to work in the political and public field and at the same time run the household - cook, help children do their homework, be aware of all their affairs. She is a very energetic and courageous person, ”Fox shared in an interview with the Russian press. Formally, Dona Marta left public office after marriage. However, as evil tongues claimed, the first lady had much more influence on her husband than the Mexicans can imagine. So, the recipe from Martha - do everything and be irreplaceable!

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and Keith Garvey

Jimmy Wales is a typical electronic age genius. A shy lover of computer games, an inquisitive excellent student. He founded the most successful portal in the history of the Internet. And, as he admitted, he did it for fun.

Photo by Legion-Media

Effortlessly, the project brought its "father" millions. Jimmy has been living in the UK since 2011. As his third girlfriend, he chose the press secretary. True, not his secretary! Kate Garvey once worked as an assistant to British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Jimmy and Kate got married on October 6, 2006. The wedding ceremony of 46-year-old Jimmy and 40-year-old Kate took place in London's Wesley Church. It was Kate's first marriage and Jimmy's third. By the time of the celebration, the couple already had a daughter. Among celebrities, model Lily Cole and singer Simpli Red came to congratulate the young. Well, we can say that Kate ran a brilliant PR campaign in her favor!

11th head of the Russian Ministry of Finance Alexei Kudrin and Irina Tintyakova

Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin is also married to a "foreign" secretary. Before meeting her future husband, Irina Tintyakova, a journalist by education, worked as a secretary for Andrei Trapeznikov, Anatoly Chubais's press officer.

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At the time of meeting, Irina was 26 years old, Alexei was 13 years older. The novel lasted almost two years. After the news of the pregnancy, the couple decided to legalize the relationship. It was then that Kudrin filed for divorce from his first wife. After marriage, Irina took up charity work. She heads the Northern Crown Foundation, which helps orphanages and boarding schools. Irina loves jewelry and expensive outfits. In 2001, she almost started investing in the production of artificial sapphires. But then in 2002 she switched to the fashion world: the wife of the Minister of Finance became the holder of a part of the shares of Valentin Yudashkin Group. It seems that Irina knows how to make a millionaire out of her husband. "Just something" - to marry the Minister of Finance.

Head of the Just Russia faction Sergei Mironov and Olga Radievskaya

65-year-old politician Sergei Mironov is married for the fourth time. His wife, journalist Olga Radievskaya, is 31 years younger. Their acquaintance took place when Olga worked on a small St. Petersburg TV channel "VOT" ("Your Public Television").