Organized crime in Cleveland today?

Hi, I'm new here. I was hoping someone here could help me out with something.

I'm writing a novel that takes place in modern Cleveland. It's not a true-crime novel, just fiction, but I still want to make it believable. I've only been to Cleveland a few times, so I am not too familiar with it, but chose it because I wanted the story to take place in a rust belt city.

I know that mafia activity in Ohio, if still existent at all, is rather limited, but the (fictional) crime families in my story aren't supposed to be super powerful mega organizations like the Five Families in New York. It's not necessarily going to be the traditional mafia type of story, the last thing I want to write is some knock-off of the Godfather. The first book in the series is rather small scale.

With that said, I was hoping someone here would be knowledgeable enough to give me a feel for Cleveland organized crime today. Clevelandmob.com helped me out a little bit but not very much. Not too much information available after the 1980's. Any information could help: unique slang they might use, differences in family structure compared to the New York families, predominant ethnicities of the mobs (Italian? Irish? Jewish? Russian?), activities, size, culture, whatever.

Also I could use some beta readers when the time comes, if anyone is interested, as well. It will be my first completed novel and will therefore most likely suck, but that doesn't mean I won't do my best to make it as good as on page as it is in my head. I've been developing it in my notes and in my head for about a year now, but have only been seriously working on it for the past four to five months.

Anyways, thanks in advance to anyone who can help me out. I've lurked a few threads here and it seems like at least some of the users are pretty smart and knowledgeable people.

Dead.

welcome to the forum.

I don't know much about the history of cleveland organised crime except for a few of the key characters but i thought i could help.

Recently theres been some major drug busts in the cleveland area involving local black organisations aswell as nigerians, mexicans, columbians. In one of the gangs a member actually made a movie about drug dealing and gang life.That could be quite funny. I posted them up. http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=743917

http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=740596

Theres a number of russian/eastern european criminal groups that have been busted in the area too.
http://www.fbi.gov/cleveland/press-releases/2009/cl102909.htm

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/07/clevelandarea_russian_mob_expe.html

Asian human trafficking and prostitution rings.
http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2013/11/cleveland_fbi_agents_raid_east.html

There was this story about illegal activity and gambling in internet cafes.
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2013/02/more_witnesses_say_internet_ca.html

There also been jamaican gangs that have operated in cleveland in the past.

I think that as far as lcn is concerned it think a good story to look at is about Joseph "Joe Loose" Iacobacci who was the last boss of what was left. I think there was estimated to be about 10-15 members and associates left at the time.
http://www.ipsn.org/organized_crime/cleveland_mobsters.htm

I know you don't want to give away too much on here but is the crime family or a member of one the main characters of your story?

If not they can be a pretty shitty group of people, they really could be a crime family on its last legs with junkies, psychos and old people making up the ranks. You get like a few guys that get tired of being apart of a dying enterprise so they rip off some big time drug gang that comes after the entire family and their all trying to survive.

sorry if that sounds like I'm telling you what story to write, im sure you've already got that part down roughly.

"sorry if that sounds like I'm telling you what story to write, im sure you've already got that part down roughly."

Not at all, I appreciate the help. Yeah, my story has already been planned out and most of the major plot points are pretty set in stone, but the details are definitely not. So far I have three chapters written, some of which have been rewritten a few times already. If worse comes to worst, I could find a different city to set it in. I'm hoping I don't have to, because I know Detroit might be an ideal spot for the story but I've never been there and really don't want to. I know, I'm a pussy lol.

"know you don't want to give away too much on here but is the crime family or a member of one the main characters of your story?"

I don't mind sharing some stuff about the premise, I just didn't want to bore people in the OP with it unless they were interested or thought it was relevant. The protagonist is a hitman who is very loosely affiliated with the "Sasso Family," who are based on the rumors surrounding the modern day "Cleveland Family" (or what little I know of). He's not a made member though, as he is both Swedish and gay, and a bit of a wild card. He generally likes to keep a fair distance from everybody, especially the mobsters he works for.

"If not they can be a pretty shitty group of people, they really could be a crime family on its last legs with junkies, psychos and old people making up the ranks. You get like a few guys that get tired of being apart of a dying enterprise so they rip off some big time drug gang that comes after the entire family and their all trying to survive."

That's actually pretty close to what I've been writing so far, minus the part about the big time drug gang. It's more like an old timer hanger-on using psychos and junkies (who aren't in the family) to try and steal from other higher ranking old timers.

There is probably more Italian crime activity going on in Youngstown and other parts of north eastern Ohio then Cleveland its self.

Yeah I thought about switching the story to Youngstown but from what I've read, there's not much going on there either.

some guy use to post on here look threw the old shit. he knew everything and said it was like 6 retired guys.

http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthr...0766#Post630766

Are you talking about this guy?

[quote=Mr_Pinkman]http://www.gangsterbb.net/threads/ubbthr...0766#Post630766

Are you talking about this guy? [/quote


That poster is 100 percent a fraud.

Strococs , here we go again - Cleveland lcn ! Lol ! I thought with you & jcb , friend of henry & myself ; we had pretty much summed it all up ! Funny thing is until this morning I never saw that post frm cleveitalia . I agree with you that hes a fraud . As i said before , i still see few of guys here & there for a bite to eat or some cards & entertainment shows . I could not think who that guy would be other than he looked shit up & put himself in with info . Good call though , you put him on ice - he aint been back .

How did you guys find out he was a fraud? I mean, he sounded authentic (as someone who has never lived in that world, I mean), but I know that don't mean anything. How do you figure out something like that?

For myself , there are many things I know that are absolutely true & his stuff didnt coincide . Also the way he talked & stated certain things & applied them to his character portrayal . In our world , if someone doesnt know ; dont be the one to tell them . Most of his stuff is off cleveland mob site . And he worded it as he were telling "his" story & view . Many things he said are true & known by everyone but then they are vague .No new or inside info from him . You can ask strococs his opinion & he can speak for himself . Hes very knowledgeable & legit .

He was trying to claim he was involed . Well I showed him a picture of some key figures whose pictures never appeared on the net and he couldn't id them. So that is why I know he is full of shit.

Hey strococs that was a good call . I didnt see those posts until this week as to my joining back in nov . I really was suprised when this all came up again