In an article titled “Maranzano muddle” for the Mafia special interest magazine Informer, author David Critchley, Ph.D., makes a compelling and winning argument that the picture seen here, which for many decades was widely considered to be that of Salvatore Maranzano, is not actually him. “An apparent photograph of ‘Salvatore Maranzano’ has appeared in varied venues, ranging from [...]
If you’ve never heard of the “Ndrangheta,” you’re not alone. As powerful and feared as this ruthless organized crime syndicate is, it is surprisingly not as well-known as the Sicilian Cosa Nostra. But that is changing. Connections with high-ranking government officials had helped the group to stay under the radar as much as possible. The [...]
Like something straight out of a movie, a trial has started and the safety of the jurors and witnesses is something to be concerned about. The trial of John Burke, an alleged hit man for the mob has started today in New York. Believe it or not, this started a long time ago. Back in [...]
Much has been written about Mafiosi making their peace with God before shuffling off this mortal coil. Carlo Gambino, the unofficial boss of bosses, spent decades – most notably from the mid-1950s to mid-1970s – murdering and thieving while he ruled the crime family that still bears his name today. Dying in his bed having [...]
Can’t get enough of The Godfather saga? Then you’re in for a real treat on May 8th, as the backstory of the Corleone family is unveiled in the new book by author Ed Falco. What? No Mario Puzo? Well, the late Puzo penned a screenplay that essentially filled in the history not covered during the [...]
Gang Tattoos Gang Tattoos are a long-practiced custom throughout the world. Almost every gang, inside and outside the United States, has some symbol to show others of gang membership. Two of the most infamous gangs, the Vor v Zakone (also known as the Russian Mafia) and the Mexican Mafia, are prime examples of what gangs [...]
“Stereotypes become stereotypes because nine times out of 10 they are true.” Louis Ferrante fulfils some of those preconceptions. He is New York Italian, powerfully built, and was wearing a black shirt when interviewed for HARDtalk by Sarah Montague. He worked for John Gotti of the infamous Gambino crime family, which pulled off some [...]
This is the first in a series of photographs, I will be posting periodically, that feature a moment or character from mob history. With a dose of photojournalism, I shall offer a brief explanation of each original picture – the who, what, where, when, and if applicable – why. Today’s subject: Virginia Hill. To simply [...]
You can watch his daughter Renee Graziano who is one of the stars of the popular reality show on VH1 called Mob wives, which shows the everyday aspects of the women who are associated to the men in the business but have nothing to do with it! Anthony is currently incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention [...]
New York rapper Ron Braunstein, aka NECRO – whom we’ve profiled here before – has recently unleashed a new music video for the a track on his upcoming Murder Murder Kill Kill EP. The song – “Tough Jew/Rabbi Holding Guns” is actually under Necro’s long-discussed side-project called the Jewish Gangsters. The video has already reached [...]
