Fifty billion sounds high even for their most profitable days let alone 2002, but what the fuck do I know. I wonder about this mostly because of the scrutiny they're under. If the money isn't there what's the motivation for being involved in such a high risk lifestyle? That leads me to further wonder if the allure for most of them is simply being part of a much romanticized organization. Growing up In an Italian neighborhood in Rhode Island i definitely looked up to the guys who looked like gangsters, whether they were actully connected or not i don't know but i certainly wanted to be like the guys i thought were gangsters and money had nothing to do with it.