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Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, center, an archetypal American gangster of the 1930s, standing in court during sentencing.

A gangster is a criminal who is, or at some point almost invariably becomes, a member of a persistent violent crime organization, such as a gang. As an adjective it can be used as an unflattering depiction of the violent and devious methods commonly used by mobsters, and the derived form gangsterism implies such methods as practice or habit. The term gangster is most commonly used in reference to members of the criminal organizations associated with the American offshoot of the Italian Cosa Nostra, the Mafia (sometimes called the Mob), and the American prohibition, such as the Chicago Outfit and the Five Families, and individuals such as Al Capone and Bugsy Siegel. A gangster is a member of a gang, or organised crime syndicate. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2817x2265, 524 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Louis Buchalter ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2817x2265, 524 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Louis Buchalter ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens violent force upon the victim. ... Organized crime or criminal organizations are groups or operations run by criminals, most commonly for the purpose of generating a monetary profit. ... -1... Mobster is a slang term for a person who participates in organized crime, which is known as belonging to the Mob. In western stories and movies, cowboys as mobsters are known as outlaws. ... This article is about the criminal society. ... Detroit police inspecting equipment found in a clandestine underground brewery during the prohibition era. ... The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Outfit is a crime syndicate that has a long and extensive history dating back to long before Prohibition and part of the U.S. phenomenon known as the Mafia. ... The Five Families are the major crime families of the Italian-American Mafia based in New York City which have dominated traditional organized crime in New York. ... “Capone” redirects here. ... Benjamin Bugsy Siegel (Bairush HaLevi Bar Mordechai Dov HaLevi) (February 28, 1906 – June 20, 1947) was an American gangster, who was behind large-scale development of Las Vegas. ...

Gangsters are typically organized criminals who are actively engaged in crime as a group activity or enterprise for power, pleasure, or profit. The visibility of activities of gangsters can range from the low-level such as drug-trafficking or protectionism, which are prone to be "under the radar", to the in-your-face spectacular, such as the UK's multi-million Brinks Mat robbery. Gangsters often run their operations as businesses insofar as they offer a "product" or "service", albeit an illegal one, or, as is sometimes the case, a legitimate business operating as a front for criminal activity. Panamanian motor vessel Gatun during the largest cocaine bust in United States Coast Guard history (20 tons), off the coast of Panama. ... A protection racket is an extortion scheme whereby a powerful organization coerces individuals or businesses to pay protection money which allegedly serves to purchase the organizations protection services against various external threats, whereas the actual threat comes from the organization itself. ... The Brinks Mat Robbery occurred on 26 November 1983 when six robbers broke into the Brinks Mat warehouse at Heathrow Airport, England. ...

American gangster Frank Costello, testifying before the Kefauver Committee, during an investigation of organized crime.

Some gangsters, sometimes called thugs, engage in extortion, intimidation, and bribery to wield influence over labor unions. They are also known for attempting to manipulate the decisions of civil institutions, such as court cases and political elections. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 787 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2733 × 2082 pixel, file size: 697 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Note: high resolution version not linked from Library of Congress record page (as of 13 Oct 2006), but was found at http://memory. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 787 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2733 × 2082 pixel, file size: 697 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Note: high resolution version not linked from Library of Congress record page (as of 13 Oct 2006), but was found at http://memory. ... Frank Costello, born Francesco Castiglia, or Castilla (January 26, 1891 - February 18, 1973) was an American gangster who rose to the top of Americas underworld, controlled a vast gambling empire across the United States and had political influence like no other La Cosa Nostra boss. ... Between 1950 and 1951, the Kefauver Committee held all of Americans attention. ... Extortion is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person either obtains money, property or services from another through coercion or intimidation or threatens one with physical harm unless they are paid money or property. ... Intimidation is generally used in the meaning of criminal threatening. ... Bribery is a crime implying a sum or gift given alters the behaviour of the person in ways not consistent with the duties of that person. ... The Lawrence textile strike (1912), with soldiers surrounding peaceful demonstrators A trade union or labor union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages, hours, and working conditions, forming a cartel of labour. ... This article is about the political process. ...

Gangsters are sometimes romanticized in popular culture in films such as The Godfather series and shows like The Sopranos. In the controversial gangsta rap genre of music the term "gangster" is associated with having power and being street smart, being admirable. As a result of this the term "gangster" is sometimes used (probably somewhat facetiously) as a compliment. This article is about the 1972 film. ... This article is about the television series. ... For the Ice T album, see Gangsta Rap (album). ...

Some well known gangsters include Ma Barker, Al Capone, Mickey Cohen, Ellsworth Johnson, Johnny Dio, John Gotti, Bugs Moran, Bernardo Provenzano, Ronnie and Reggie Kray, Ronnie Biggs, Bugsy Siegel and 50 Cent. Kate Ma Barker (October 8, 1871 - January 16, 1935) was a legendary American criminal from the public enemy era, when the exploits of gangs of criminals in the Midwest gripped the American people and press. ... “Capone” redirects here. ... Meyer Harris Mickey Cohen (September 4, 1913 in Brooklyn, New York – July 29 1976 in Los Angeles, California) was a gangster based in L.A. from the 1930s through 1970s. ... Ellsworth Raymond Bumpy Johnson (July 1906–1968) was an American gangster in Harlem in the early 20th century. ... Johnny Dio (born John Dioguardi) (April 28, 1914-1979) was a mafiosi and union boss in the Lucchese crime family. ... For other persons named John Gotti, see John Gotti (disambiguation). ... George Clarence Bugs Moran George Clarence Bugs Moran was born Adelard Cunin on the date of August 21, 1891 according to his biographer (see BugsMoran. ... Bernardo Provenzano (born January 31, 1933 in Corleone, Italy) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia (Cosa Nostra) and is suspected of having been the head of the Corleonesi, a Mafia faction that originated in the village of Corleone, and de facto capo di tutti capi (boss of bosses) of... Ronald Kray (1933 - 1995) and Reginald Kray (1933 - 2000) were twin brothers, and the foremost organised crime leaders in London in the 1960s. ... Ronnie Biggs (born Ronald Arthur Biggs August 8, 1929 in Londons East End) is an English prisoner who is known for escaping from prison after his minor role in the Great Train Robbery of 1963 and for being on the run for many years. ... Benjamin Bugsy Siegel (Bairush HaLevi Bar Mordechai Dov HaLevi) (February 28, 1906 – June 20, 1947) was an American gangster, who was behind large-scale development of Las Vegas. ... 50 cent redirects here. ...

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