If you ask which state is the homeland of the mafia of the first comer, then even the ignorant without much thought will give the right answer: Italy. This country can actually be called the "flower garden" of the mafia, which has become one of the favorite topics in history and cinema textbooks.
This is not to say that the mafiosi did something positive and outstanding, but many still admire the unsurpassed talent of the most famous criminals, most of which, of course, have Italian roots.
Al capone
Al Capone (Al 'Capone), of course, this name is "by ear" not only in the sunniest country, located on the Apennine Peninsula, but throughout the world. The name of the infamous gangster is probably the most recognizable. And no wonder: several films were made about Capone, the most popular of which was the painting “The Untouchables” of 1987 with Robert de Niro in the title role.
The story of the famous representative of the mafia, who was born in Brooklyn in 1889, after his family migrated to the United States, begins in 1919, when he entered the service of Johnny Torii. In 1925 he led the Torii family and since then his “criminal” career has grown rapidly. Soon Capone was no longer afraid of anyone or anything: his people were engaged in the gambling business, selling drugs and prostitution. He has earned a reputation as an honest, intelligent, but infinitely cruel person.
One need only recall the famous massacre on Valentine's Day, when a gang-led group destroyed many of the mafia leaders.
When the police were lucky to detain the great criminal, they simply could not show him anything other than tax evasion. However, in the end, Al Capone still went to jail: he was in the famous prison of Alcatraz, where he left seven years later with a fatal illness and soon died.
- We recommend reading about: the emergence of the mafia in Sicily
Bernardo Provenzano
Bernardo Provenzano, a native of the small village of Corleone, located on the island of Sicily, was simply destined to become one of the members of the group of the same name. Already in his youth, he fell into the Corleone clan, and a couple of years later he had already killed several people and turned a lot of illegal deals. For 10 years, the name Provenzano hung in police stations at the "Search" stand, but local carabinieri did not even try to find this dangerous criminal. Meanwhile, he continued to move up the career ladder and gain authority. It was rumored that Provenzano for some time controlled the entire illegal business in Palermo, from the sale of drugs to prostitution. He was known for his intransigence and obstinacy, for which he received the nickname Bulldozer.
Many years later, the police managed to detain the criminal: they saw a thin old man in ordinary jeans and a T-shirt. Provenzano will spend the rest of his days in prison.
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Albert Anastasia
Like many of his other colleagues, Albert Anastasia was born in sunny Italy (the city of Tropea, Calabria), but soon after birth he migrated with his parents to America. The first time he went to prison in his youth, when he killed a port loader in Brooklyn. He was convicted for several years, but after some time, the main witness in the Anastasia case died under mysterious circumstances, and the offender himself was released.
Albert Anastasia gained fame as one of America's most ruthless killers.
He was a member of the Masseria gang, but over time he went over to the side of his boss rivals, and after a couple of years he was completely present at the murder of the former boss. After that, Anastasia became the head of a gang of highly professional murderers "Murder Inc.", the Gambino clan. Police say this group was involved in at least 400 deaths. The killer himself was killed by order of one of the American mafiosi.
