In people's opinions, has the American CN been partially abandoned by the motherland figureheads? If you look at some of the major arrests such as the Campolo arrest in '09, they seized PERSONAL assets in excess of 350 million, and November 2011's arrest of Vito Nicastri(linked to Matteo Denaro) where 1.2 billion was seized, you would be hard pressed to find any arrest with asset forfeiture in the United States that came even close.

I would contend that Montreal and Toronto are now the home bases of OC in North America, and that mafiosi in the motherland concentrate on Europe, and Russia. The United States has such stringent laws that I feel like besides New York and Chicago, the earning potential just isn't there any more.

I think you're probably right. It is much easier to operate in Canada, Russia or Eastern Europe. If you're the mafia you might as well do business where there is less risk and more favorable laws.

yeah,i noticed this trend as well. and not just among the mafia,but the drug cartels who've become incredibly bold in their home country, have learned to keep a low profile in the united states. no one wants to risk life in a super max prison.

You guys make good points. But you also have to realize that the American Mafia was never dependent on their Sicilian and European counterparts. And something like ninety percent of the made guys in the history of the Five Families were born here. What do you want them to do, leave the country of their birth to try to make it Europe?

Aside from the fact that they'd get eaten alive by those guys, what American that was born here wants to leave (aside from a slew of self-hating Lefties who threaten to bolt every time a Republican takes the White House )?

That's why, as far as Global Influence goes, the Americans can't touch their European counterparts.

Yea it's much better to be in a Mexican jail where u can pay the guards a shitload of cash and escape.

I hear Mexico deports so many illegal aliens they can't keep up. People coming from South America, El Salvador etc are a big problem for the govt

Only in America can you get a life sentence for dealing drugs and 20 years in prison for gambling.

Don't forget five years for manslaughter, providing that your "socioeconomic" status drove you to it .

or your not allowed to visit the country because of a minor offence 15 years ago

Yeah, Pizza… You make great points. I guess I framed the original question in the starting comment a little inaccurately. The main point I was asking for opinions on is: Is the OPPORTUNITY there for American CN to infiltrate, earn, and influence like our motherland counterparts, and will we EVER see a rise to power like we witnessed with the Outfit of the 20's-30's/60's and NYC 30's-50's and 80's.

All in all the answer is fairly known. No one is emigrating to the U.S. from Sicily or Italy. We are not an emerging economy… Other nations are experiencing these developments and where the money grows so the gangsters go.

I wouldn't nor do I think that currently American CN need or receive the support from home, but during the fledgling days of CN in America, first generation OC members were fresh off the boat, so they had support where it was needed. American CN is 4 or 5 generations removed from emigrating so I can see the connections withering. If America was was as wide open as it once was I feel like we would still be seeing arrests and violence like we once did and impressive personal wealth to rival that of our overseas brethren. I guess I'm stating the obvious.

I guess I was also wondering how tied in to NYC Italy/Sicily is since I am more familiar with Outfit business than I am anything.