CHAPTER FIVE Italian Organized Crime and the Albanian Connection Abadinsky, Organized Crime 10th ed. In this chapter we begin our examination of organized crime on the global scene, sometimes referred to as transnational organized crime. Our focus will be on criminal organizations that have affected, or have the potential to affect, the United States. We will begin our examination with four of these criminal organizations— Mafia, Camorra, ’Ndrangheta, and the Sacra Corona Unita (with its Albanian connection)—which have their roots in southern Italy, the Mezzogiorno. 2 THE MEZZOGIORNO The southern Italian experience dates back more than 1000 years. It led to development of a culture that stresses the variables necessary for survival in a hostile environment. To be respected meant to be entitled to the deference of others that came from the ability to use violence.  Omertá: the southern Italian ideal of manliness-- non-cooperation with authorities, self-control in the face of adversity, and the vendetta. 3 THE MEZZOGIORNO (CONT.) The vendetta--"blood washes blood"--dictated that any offense or slight to the famiglia (family) had to be avenged. The only basis of loyalty was famiglia--"blood of my blood" (sangu de me sangu). Neither government nor church was to be trusted. The famiglia included all one's blood relatives, including distant cousins, traced through paternity. The famiglia was organized hierarchically under the patriarch, the capo de famiglia. 4 THE MEZZOGIORNO (CONT.) The Mezzogiorno remained mired in feudalism and dependent on agriculture; a legacy of political, social, and economic repression; and exploitation. Government spending on building projects became a vehicle for Mafia infiltration. By corruption and intimidation, Mafia-controlled firms took a share of public contracts. 3 types of criminal organization emerged: the Neapolitan Camorra, Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, and The Mafia (Cosa Nostra). 5 THE SICILIAN MAFIA  Sicily is an island in the Mediterranean.  In the 19th century, successive regimes of Mafia clans maintained a uniquely Sicilian form of order--brutal, at times protecting the landed elite, at other times protecting outlaws.  The government in Rome imposed a tax policy that took money out of Sicilian agriculture to invest in the north.  Landowners escaped high taxes. "Strong men" administered their lands and acted as patrons to the peasants on the lands, and were assumed to be mafiosi. 6 MAFIA  "mafia" has Sicilian-Arabic roots.  "mafia" as a state of mind has a meaning shared by all Sicilians: aid each other, side with friends, fight common enemies, defend, avenge, keep secrets, beware of authorities.  "Mafia" could not flourish without "mafia," which represents a general attitude toward the state. A mafioso did not invoke state or law in his private quarrels, but made himself r ...

1. CHAPTER FIVE
Italian Organized Crime
and the Albanian Connection
Abadinsky, Organized Crime 10th ed.
In this chapter we begin our examination of organized
crime on the global scene, sometimes referred to as
transnational organized crime. Our focus will be on
criminal organizations that have affected, or have the
potential to affect, the United States. We will begin our
examination with four of these criminal organizations—
Mafia, Camorra, ’Ndrangheta, and the Sacra Corona
Unita (with its Albanian connection)—which have their
roots in southern Italy, the Mezzogiorno.
2
THE MEZZOGIORNO
1000 years. It led to development of a culture that
stresses the variables necessary for survival in a
hostile environment.

2. of others that came from the ability to use violence.
--
non-cooperation with authorities, self-control in the
face of adversity, and the vendetta.
3
THE MEZZOGIORNO (CONT.)
--"blood washes blood"--dictated that any
offense or slight to the famiglia (family) had to be avenged.
amiglia--"blood of my
blood" (sangu de me sangu).
including distant cousins, traced through paternity.
der the
patriarch, the capo de famiglia.
4
THE MEZZOGIORNO (CONT.)
dependent on agriculture; a legacy of political, social,

3. and economic repression; and exploitation.
uilding projects became a
vehicle for Mafia infiltration. By corruption and
intimidation, Mafia-controlled firms took a share of
public contracts.
Neapolitan Camorra, Calabrian 'Ndrangheta, and The
Mafia (Cosa Nostra).
5
THE SICILIAN MAFIA
maintained a uniquely Sicilian form of order--brutal, at
times protecting the landed elite, at other times protecting
outlaws.
money out of Sicilian agriculture to invest in the north.
administered their lands and acted as patrons to the
peasants on the lands, and were assumed to be mafiosi.
6

4. MAFIA
-Arabic roots.
Sicilians: aid each other, side with friends, fight common
enemies, defend, avenge, keep secrets, beware of
authorities.
represents a general attitude toward the state.
quarrels, but made himself respected by winning a
reputation for toughness and courage.
accepted, because there was no effective state policing.
7
MUSSOLINI AND THE MAFIA
and a mayor resulted in Mussolini's placing the brutal
Prefect Mori in charge of purging the Mafia.
opportune time--Prohibition.
and when WWII ended, emerged as the Nuovo Mafia--a
"new" Mafia.

5. 8
NUOVO MAFIA/COSA NOSTRA
a vacuum in local leadership was filled by former
capomafiosi.
Prefect Mori, they could pose as anti-fascists.
unionists, socialists, communists, and land
reformers.
9
NUOVO MAFIA/COSA NOSTRA (cont.)
--rispetto. The old Mafia
chief dressed in shirtsleeves and baggy pants,
although he was a multimillionaire.
businessman, and disregards the rural traditions.
result of American gangsters being deported to Sicily,
where they assumed leading positions in the
hierarchy.
10

6. NUOVO MAFIA/COSA NOSTRA (cont.)
accumulate capital to be a player in the construction
industry and the heroin and cocaine markets.
organization of the Mafia, which became urban
entrepreneurs.
cosca, in 1974. With a reign of terror, he achieved
dominance of the New Mafia.
11
POLITICS AND THE MAFIA
government, the Catholic Church, and the Mafia.
-1993, the Christian Democratic Party (CDP)
ruled Italy, and the party's bedrock was the
mezzogiorno, especially the "friends" in Sicily.
follow the Mafia's "marching orders" without force.

7. 12
THE STRUCTURE OF THE MAFIA
around whom other mafiosi gather, forming a cosca.
-man patron-client relationships
based on kinship, patronage, and friendship.
commands a
network of partnerships where he is able to act as a
broker, providing services, including votes and violence
for the holders of institutional power.
13
THE STRUCTURE OF THE MAFIA
collusive bidding on construction projects.
nephews are often admitted to cosca membership.
al ties of
brotherhood among the members of a cosca. Once

8. initiated into the cosca, the mafioso is a compadre.
with his own network, divided into about 180 cosche.
14
FROM UN UOMO DI RESPETTO
TO GANGSTER
an urban gangster in the American tradition.
in a campaign against the Mafia. Since 1983, Palermo
has elected and re-elected an anti-Mafia mayor.
-Mafia demonstration of
40,000 persons in Palermo.
Mafia the support of important elements of society.
15
NEAPOLITAN CAMORRA

9. hierarchically controlled, efficient political machine.
.,
Brazil, Canada, Australia.
16
STRUCTURE OF THE CAMORRA
leaders than other southern Italian groups.
based than the Mafia.
businesses is not lucrative, but preserves control.
he politicians
need the Camorra constituents and financial wealth."
17

10. THE 'NDRANGHETA
Camorra and 'Ndrangheta criminal activities.
y.
-type hierarchy; omertá; no social service
program; power is #1 goal.
-scale international arms and drug
trafficking, extortion, control of public contracts.
18
SACRA CORONA UNITA
AND THE ALBANIAN CONNECTION
partly in response to Camorra leader Raffaele Cutolo's
1980-81 Naples takeover plans.
morra and 'Ndrangheta.

11. particularly Albania, across the Otranto Strait.
iatic; SCU provides smuggling
services to the Mafia, Camorra, and ’Ndranghetta.
19
THE ALBANIAN CONNECTION
respect verbal promises.
advantage of weak central government and
political chaos, SCU clans linked with Albanian crime
groups.
joint venture such as weapons and drugs.
nd,
weapons, cars, prostitution.
20
CHAPTER THREE
The American Mafia

12. Abadinsky, Organized Crime 10th ed.
Early in the morning of January 20, 1910, FBI agents and
other law enforcement officers arrested nearly 130
members and associates of the American Mafia,
including members of New York's five Families, the
DeCavalcante Family of New Jersey, and the Patriarca
Family of New England.
While the power and influence of the American Mafia
has declined, it remains a dangerous entity in the
northeast and Chicago, two areas that will be examined
in this chapter.
2
THE MAFIA IN NEW YORK
organization has controlled labor unions, organized
employer cartels, operated as a rationalizing force in
major industries, and functioned as a bridge between
the upperworld and the underworld.
U.S., the majority coming from the Mezzogiorno.
re has
had cultural roots in the Mezzogiorno.
3

13. ITALIAN IMMIGRANT LIFE
landlords, but changed neighborhoods into human ant
heaps of suffering, crime, ignorance, and filth.
-Protestant society was hostile to Mezzogiorno
culture and practices. Some were illegal.
could protect their old-country practices.
functions.
4
CASTELLAMMARESE WAR
the back of the club and they called it Unione Siciliana.
in Little Italy, and Maranzano's in Manhattan.
n died violently. Lucky Luciano was involved
in both murders. The new guys had defeated the
"moustaches."
figure in NY.

14. 5
THE STRUCTURE OF THE AMERICAN MAFIA:
THE NEW YORK MODEL
astellammarese War, 5 Mafia Families
emerged in NY: Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino,
Genovese, Lucchese.
underboss (sottocapo) and counselor (consigliere).
., captains
(caporegime), to whom he acts as a patron.
(soldati), to whom they act as patrons.
6
THE COMMISSION
the "commission." The commission's role:

15. Extend formal recognition to newly chosen bosses and
resolve leadership disputes within families.
7
ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURE (NY)
structure of NY Mafia Families is only loosely coupled
to its criminal activities.
structure. Clear hierarchy in the Family; income-
generating activity is independent entrepreneurs.
government-type services: dispute resolution, territory
allocation, enforcement and corruption services.
8
THE AMERICAN MAFIA IN CHICAGO

16. -Illinois River Canal groundbreaking.
branch lines.
other undesirables.
9
MIKE MCDONALD
ago was the 1873 mayor election.
winning candidate.
brothels into a formidable political power.
olled
mayors, congressmen, and senators.
railroad line in Chicago.

17. 10
"HINKY DINK" AND "THE BATH"
inherited Mike's political empire.
entrepreneurs of he First Ward.
they could affect city, county, and state elections.
e First Ward.
Spoils system swept over the city.
11
What are
"boodles?"
JIM COLOSIMO
a
gang of white slavers." (1910 Mann Act was a result.)

18. diamond studs gleamed in his shirt front, a huge
diamond horseshoe was pinned to his vest, diamond
links joined the cuffs, and his belt and suspender
buckles were set with diamonds.”
from Black Hand that targeted wealthy Italians.
12
JOHNNY TORRIO
Black Handers into an
ambush, where gunmen shot them dead.
Street Boys, affiliated with the Five Points Gang.
nkie Yale, sent out-of-control
Al Capone to Chicago to get him out of NY.
13
TORRIO THE BUSINESSMAN
-drinker, non-smoker, not a womanizer.

19. office where he bought and sold women, etc.
quickly built a wealthy, powerful, influential empire.
organized vice took the lead in the systematic
organization of this new and profitable field of
exploitation.
14
TORRIO-CAPONE ORGANIZATION
Capone disagreed. Staying out would deny access to
wealth and would enrich and empower competitors.
shot to death in the
vestibule of his upscale Colosimo's Cafe.
'syndicate' throne.
gang leaders to abandon predatory crime in favor of
Prohibition-related activities.
15
THE CHICAGO WARS

20. with a chieftain, subchiefs, and allocated markets.
and encouraged competitive moves by ganglords.
-Capone syndicate v. O'Banion forces.
16
AL CAPONE'S CHICAGO
person in Chicago.
--small business
associations and union--using extreme violence.
Capone's downfall was the 1927 U.S. Supreme Court
decision (U.S. v. Sullivan) that upheld the IRS contention
that unlawful income was subject to taxation.

21. tax evasion.
17
THE OUTFIT
-man senior partnership: Al Capone,
Ralph Capone, Nitti, Jake Guzik. Each received 1/6,
remainder was for maintenance of the headquarters.
--the Outfit--
had a monopoly on OC in Chicago, maintained with
minimal force and a great deal of political influence.
willingness to grant responsibility to non-Italians.
to Sam Giancana.
18
SAM GIANCANA
business in Chicago.
operator, GIancana learned the value of Jones' operation
and violently took it over in 1952.

22. -profile life. Served time for refusing to testify
to federal grand jury, despite immunity.
agents dragged him to the border into waiting arms of FBI.
home in 1975. Interesting legacy of connection
with federal government.
19
AMERICAN MAFIA: THE CHICAGO MODEL
AND "FAMILY SECRETS"
been a cooperative venture with other groups.
tfit is led by a CEO-type boss responsible to am
informal small board of directors. 3 area bosses are
responsible for a particular part of "Chicagoland."
independently.
d in 2004 to an important
federal case, "Operation Family Secrets."
20