Things that just don't happen anymore in the mafia

Over time people learn from their mistakes. This can apply to the mob as well and whoever is involved in it.

So today lets list something in your opinion that doesn't really happen anymore compared to previous generations.

Well murder is the biggest one.

Thats not creative enough. Lets get some answers that go deeper than that.

Organized crime in The US honestly doesn't exist anymore. What we are seeing now are simply crews of crooks with little power and influence trying to hold on to dreams of old.

Businesses won't be shaken down by these guys anymore, they can't kill anyone and get away with it anymore, labor unions and construction are not going to kick back anything to a crew of nobodies who can't intimidate like they once did.

RICO, technology and the snitch culture makes it nearly impossible for a criminal organization to operate long enough to become a force to be reckoned with.

Killing snitches.

Lol what?? You realize there was just a massive construction kickback scheme that funneled hundreds of thousands to mobsters just last week outside of bookmaking and loansharking construction is probably the biggest money maker for them still and they're rooted deeply in the industry. Business extortions are still a popular racket too.

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Most of what you said Iceveins is true. But as Mafia101 stated, and last week's big mob-related construction indictment, as well as, several other construction bid-rig cases over the last year or so have proven, the mob is still firmly entrenched in the construction industry. Although, not nearly as pervasively as in years back when they held ironclad control over dozen of construction-oriented labor unions and labor officials.
In fact, "construction" per se, is one of the very very few legitimate industries the mob still exerts a measure of control over.

I read about that and it's a totally different construction scheme than the mob used to run. They were basically using their own inside guys to steer subcontractors to their moles and then taking a kickback on top of it, which is not even extortion as much as it is an inside scam. It wasn't "You HAVE to do this or else", it was "Let's make them think our guys are their best option." That type of scheme happens every day in construction circles all over the The US but as the mob tends to do, they overdid it, got greedy and got caught.

Well yes but since they still have so many people in construction is why they got busted, this was a scam ring with many people involved, they weren't muscling in on contracts with influence and intimidation like they once did. You can find this same kind of thing happening in every state, construction will ALWAYS be a business where people try to cut corners or do what they can to get contracts.

Iceveins, you are 100% correct. NO, you are 101% correct!

What "passes" for construction racketeering today, was but a bleep on the mob's radar screen decades back. Essentially, what they do today is "inflate" bids, and/or steer bids, toward friendly contractors. Ya DON'T have to be in the Mafia to do that. Even in NYC.

Sucker companies have been doing that foreverrrrrrr!

Years back? The mob exerted pivotal control over dozens of construction-related labor unions; laborers, concrete workers, carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, electricians, drywall, roofers, excavation, demolition removal, etc., etc., all over NYC, all over the entire country in fact!

Straight-out extortion, sweetheart contracts, union pension fund embezzlements, padding payrolls, bloated expense accounts, selling union membership books, dictating and installing the actual union officials to their posts in various labor locals - from the president on down, kickbacks or every shape and size from vendors and anyone doing business within those sub-industries ie; building supplies, etc.

They had an absolute field day!...For many, many decades.

Today? Thats not the case...Not even close!

I couldn't have said it any better if I tried! Bravo, you nailed exactly what I was trying to convey better than I conveyed it. Construction is a business that has many different ways to walk a legal tightrope and just as many ways that straight up break the law, hence why I say you can't label an insider construction scheme like what just occurred as organized crime.

Iceveins,

Organized crime, in the "tradition" sense that we know and discuss it? No! But the fact that "connected" guys whether or not they themselves are, in fact, "members" of the Mafia, are involved in criminal acts within the construction industry, with construction companies, does indeed turn this "general" business fraud case, into an "organized crime" related indictment. That is a fact!

But as I stated earlier, I understand where you're coming from with this, and I completely agree with you. This is NOT "traditional" mob activity. Even what passed for "traditional" construction racket activity years back.

But like everything else in life, nowadays the mob is attempting to "adjust" to the current times and conditions out there in the marketplace...Can you really blame them?

It was indeed a crime which was organized...maybe we can agree that while there are still organized crimes which take place, it's nearly impossible nowadays for an organization to operate as a criminal enterprise engaging in a broad spectrum of crimes for a period of time long enough to be considered a viable organized crime entity.

Right because the 5 families aren't doing exactly that

Maybe less about what they don’t do and more about avoiding attention? Easier said than done to be sure.

Don't forget I said "to be considered a viable organized crime entity". They can do these white collar crimes and construction schemes all they want but FEDs don't view what's left of the 5 Families as being a real threat anymore. The same can be said of the Triad, the Russian Mafia and Israeli Mafias, they've all been crushed.

Organized crime is a more serious problem on the internet than anywhere else. Groups running global cryptocurrency schemes probably rake in 50x more a year than all of America's mafia families combined.

I strongly disagree with you, the 5 Families are operating as viable criminal entities, and people like you give the government too much credit. The feds really ain't as badass as bootlickers like you would lead people to believe.

You definitely sound like a gangster....and not the real life kind.

No doubt, but in all seriousness, it hasn't declined as bad as people make it out to be. Lots of guys have recently been made, and trust me, sooner or later, the feds will begin treating them as viable criminal entities again. That's how they get funding for organized crime cases, otherwise they might as well faze out the entire organized crime division. They're just focused elsewhere right now.

Another things is to have relations with the mafia in italy.
For sure the Gambinos in Palermo and DeCavalcantes in Ribera butbthe other families?
I dont think that they must turn to import zips but have common bussinesses in drug traffick and maybe try to made deals with the ndrangheta,that is the top dog in italy underworld.

In all fairness, Iceveins makes a very solid point. And that one doesn't only ring true for the USA. I'd even go as far as saying that for any First World nation "organized crime" as we once knew it is done.

Is "organized criminal activity" still happening as we speak? Of course it is. Illegal drugs are still being brought in and sold, people are still taking illegal bets and loans, girls are still being forced into prostitution, people are still being extorted, etc... That will never go away. There'll always be people willing to choose that path and wherever there's a pervasive history of organized criminal activity there'll always be younger guys wanting to follow the footsteps of their predecessors. Doesn't matter how many other opportunities are available.

However, can you truthfully say that the imprint of criminal organizations is still as far reaching, still as influential when it comes to the social dynamics, still as ingrained in the very fabric of a city...as it once was? I highly doubt it.

In NYC, do you still see wiseguys openly being treated as royalty in any historic Italian American neighborhood? Can you still spot a vibrant social club?
Can you show me where to spot the Russian/Ukrainian/Jewish gangsters in Brighton Beach?

And even when we're not talking about the USA;
London for instance was well known for having big time crime families that wielded power over their manor and had the local police on their payroll. Everybody knew their faces, everybody knew who the local "hard men" were and locals came to them when they were in need of something. Much like the mafia. That kind of visible out-in-the-open interaction between "civilians" and "gangsters" isn't there anymore. And you can make the same case for Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Nottingham...for that matter.
In Hong Kong in the 90's you used to have neighborhoods and markets where Triad members were openly running things. I was in Hong Kong a few years ago in those very neighborhoods and Triad members were nowhere to be seen.
In Tokyo or Kobe the Yakuza has become a ghostly presence much like LCN has become on the East Coast.
In Amsterdam local underworld figures used to associate in tourist areas. Not anymore.
Hamburg, Copenhagen, Stockholm...all used to be the decor of property visibly and openly owned by outlaw motorcycle gangs. That's not the case today.

Forget about the first world.
If you've been to Moscow in the last ten years even in a notoriously corrupt country like Russia it's clear that it's not the 90's anymore. You don't have Russian, Chechen, Georgian, Armenian or Azerbaijani gangsters ruling their respective communities with an iron fist any longer. They're completely out of the public view.
In Turkey you don't have people kissing the rings of their Black Sea or Kurdish "babas" in public anymore like they used to in the 80's and 90's.

None of those group mentioned above completely disappeared, but all of them basically had to go underground. The pervasive control and influence over their respective areas has waned. You can see underworld figures being on the run every day. Gangsters have a solid run of a few years, get nicked, get out, repeat. These days they're not the larger than life characters they used to be. Not even in the most "ghetto"-like areas out there. Of course criminal organizations still exist, but they're getting busted all the time.

It's not worth it anymore. It's over.

Lol because it's not visible it's not there anymore, what a stupid fucking waste of several paragraphs.

Where exactly did I say that it's not "there anymore"? Maybe you just skipped over the "stupid fucking waste of a paragraph" where I stated;

"Is "organized criminal activity" still happening as we speak? Of course it is." and "None of those groups mentioned above completely disappeared, but all of them basically had to go underground."

Of course they're still there, but if you actually claim that it's the same it used to be, you just show that you never actually dealt with anyone involved in organized crime.

Actually, if you look all throughout the Mafia’s history, you will see boom and bust cycles. There were decades when they were all-powerful, followed by years of not-so-powerful, and periods of being so far from power they were considered dead, to returning to far greater power than ever before. Of course in America, or really anywhere, they can't be as bold and out in the open as before. But they're not supposed to be! They're SUPPOSED to be invisible. It's supposed to be a world where those who know, know, those who don't, don't. The fact that they were as open as you mentioned is what brought them so many problems to begin with.

When?

The only time they were considered dead were the 1990s to today. That is obviously not the case but I have no idea what you're talking about when you say in the mafia's history there's decades when they were all-powerful, followed by years of not-so-powerful, and periods of being so far from power they were considered dead, to returning to far greater power than ever before

Just start your own crew. Walk around with a couple Super Bowl square sheets see how many guys you can get to buy them. Sell each square for $25 then when they want their $$$ charge them interest.

You can play pretend.

I'm talking about the Mafia in Sicily, because he started talking about other countries. And you're one of the main ones on here talking about them still being alive, I'm surprised that you agree with him. Or you just trying to pick a fight?

It's not picking a fight when you're questioned on some wack claim you stated. If you were talking about Italy okay but that's not the way I read it.

It's fine bud, but yes I think the Sicilian Mafia is the perfect textbook example of how a criminal organization can rise and fail just to rise and fall again. For all the talk of their downfall, they might not be at their peak, but they're far from their worse. Their worst years were probably the Mussolini days, and I believe the 1950s or 60s one of those decades was pretty rough too. Compared to those time periods, Cosa Nostra is doing pretty well.

Honoring and observing omerta just doesn't happen anymore.

Nailed it.

World history has always had eras, phases and periods, some of which are unbelievable to imagine actually existed. The balance of law and crime has seen peaks and valleys for as long as civilizations have existed and there was once a glorious time for gangsters but in this current phase, organized crime cannot thrive. However the only thing certain in the world is that periods and collective mindsets change and there may be a time where organized crime regains their power and influence in the future, although probably not in our lifetimes.

The mafia in Italy has been around since the 1800’s and America since the early 1900’s.
It will NEVER CEASE TO EXIST.

It has evolved in too many ways to mention.

LCN is not the same as it was in the 1990’s, 30 Years Ago…
NO SHIT? REALLY?

It is SILLY to think that it is possible that it would NOT have evolved, EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE ELSE HAS.

They have themselves to blame for ALOT of it.
GREED is a HUGE factor, they push the envelope and force the feds hands to get involved and clean up/out an industry to rid them.

That’s what has happened with many, many LCN rackets, what happened in the construction industry/Unions, WallStreet, Fulton FishMarket, Casino’s etc. just to name a few.

Let’s talk about the one racket the mob will never let go of and that is prostitution. What strip clubs in New York/Jersey do any mobsters currently own? Anyone know?

Also any massage parlors?

What I know as of recently which isn’t very recent.
The Gambino’s got busted on a couple of cases in BensonHURST.

Sony Juliano’a son in law I believe a few years back got pinched with an online prostitution ring.
Pretty big case, he is a capo with a big crew he has big cash has been around forever old school.
Was on the panel recently not sure if he still is.
He is on one side of 18th Ave.

On the other side of 18th Ave, the Sicialns, there was a bust with again the Gambino’s they teamed up with Russians they were bringing young girls into the country and having pay of their debt by working in the strip club and If I remember correctly working as prostitutes.

Again pretty big case.

Other than that I do not know for sure any longer just not into that scene any longer.

My opinion is that anyone that is in that business Strip clubs needs some form of protection they need someone they can turn to if they have problems and LCN is traditionally who they would turn to.

We don’t have a biker presence for the most part and gangs really aren’t that organized to handle
Something like this, plus what business man would feel comfortable doing business with a “ Gang Banger”

Is witness protection really needed anymore, beyond a few years?

Massino seems like the only one who may still need it.

WP in 1970’s
1. Lifetime housing
2. Government stipend

WP in 2023
1. 5 years housing
2. Your own Youtube channel

Depends who you fucked over or testified against in court.

For example hypothetically say you are a mob guy and you whack a high ranked member of a cartel or a cartel knows you know too much. That would be a death sentence with a need WP.

I’m actually surprised Tommy Pitera never got whacked over fucking those Colombians and stealing their coke. What was it like 20 Kilos or something along that number?

Pitera isn't the type to hide in witness protection. And this is America, no single criminal group is all-powerful, anyone can get fucked over with no repercussions. Maybe the Colombians aren't always as badass as they're made out to be.

Oh trust me I know Pitera wasn’t that type. But we also both know many would have gone into hiding over something like that considering the paranoia. I’m sure he heard word on the street that Colombians were looking for the guy that did it.

I think pretty much any legit business guy involved with the mob these days is more willing associate than extortion victim.

For the most part however, the last stronghold is really Staten-Italy, if they know who you are for a long time and you are Italian, more so in certain industries, they will still try to make a move on you.

Not on someone they don’t know or isn’t Italian.

It is and I think always has been, with exceptions back in the prohibition days.