Organized Crime: The role Organized Crime: The role of the Federal Government of the Federal Government

Mike McCarryMike McCarry

Thesis StatementThesis Statement

“ “ The United States The United States Government has Government has taken action in taken action in controlling forms or controlling forms or organized crime in organized crime in the past, as they the past, as they still do in today’s still do in today’s modern world, and modern world, and as they need to as they need to continue to control continue to control in the future.”in the future.”

Introduction to Organized Introduction to Organized Crime Crime

Organized crime is “any group having Organized crime is “any group having some manner of a formalized structure some manner of a formalized structure and whose primary objective is to and whose primary objective is to obtain money through illegal activities”. obtain money through illegal activities”.

Many different faces, from illustrious Many different faces, from illustrious Italian Mafia, Soviet Russians, Nigerians, Italian Mafia, Soviet Russians, Nigerians, Chinese, Japanese, and European Chinese, Japanese, and European nations such as Hungary and Romanianations such as Hungary and Romania

PastPast

First organization of First organization of criminals came to U.S criminals came to U.S when Italian immigrants when Italian immigrants arrived in early 1800’sarrived in early 1800’s

Cammora Mafia, Sacra Cammora Mafia, Sacra Corona Unita Mafia, and Corona Unita Mafia, and Sicilian Mafia (which Sicilian Mafia (which held the most influence) held the most influence)

Began drug trafficking Began drug trafficking and money laundering and money laundering

Past Past

Sicilian Mafia most Sicilian Mafia most influential- money influential- money laundering, laundering, racketeering, drug racketeering, drug trafficking became trafficking became easy to them easy to them

Not until early 1900’s Not until early 1900’s that federal and state that federal and state law enforcement took law enforcement took active stance against active stance against organized crime organized crime

Past- First Big BustPast- First Big Bust

1929- Al Capone who 1929- Al Capone who ruled an empire of ruled an empire of organized crimeorganized crime

Fed’s went to his Fed’s went to his house to subpoena house to subpoena him as a witness to him as a witness to another crime, he told another crime, he told them he was sick and them he was sick and was later seen was later seen vacationing in the vacationing in the BahamasBahamas

Cited for contempt of Cited for contempt of court, released on bail court, released on bail

Past- First Big BustPast- First Big Bust

Arrested again for gun Arrested again for gun possession, in jail for possession, in jail for short time short time

While in jail, FBI gained While in jail, FBI gained enough evidence to enough evidence to arrest him for failing to arrest him for failing to pay income taxespay income taxes

Locked up in Alcatraz Locked up in Alcatraz for 11 years, died soon for 11 years, died soon after his release after his release

This was first look at This was first look at aggressive stance aggressive stance against organized crime against organized crime in U.S in U.S

Past- R.I.C.OPast- R.I.C.O

1970- Racketeering Influence and Corrupt 1970- Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations Act was passedOrganizations Act was passed

Gave authorities much more broad power Gave authorities much more broad power to target entire criminal enterprises to target entire criminal enterprises

Now able to pin crimes on top “bosses” Now able to pin crimes on top “bosses” for their connections in the crimes that for their connections in the crimes that they ordered to be carried out by hit-men they ordered to be carried out by hit-men

Past- John Gotti Past- John Gotti

Also known as “Teflon Don”, influential mobster of 1970’s-Also known as “Teflon Don”, influential mobster of 1970’s-80’s 80’s

In and out of prison throughout life, important name for In and out of prison throughout life, important name for Gambino crime family in New YorkGambino crime family in New York

Break for FBI came in early 1980’s when wire taps gave Break for FBI came in early 1980’s when wire taps gave away inside information on criminal activities against Gottiaway inside information on criminal activities against Gotti

Past- John GottiPast- John Gotti

Gotti was seen driving Gotti was seen driving away from a crime scene away from a crime scene where he had ordered where he had ordered another Mafia boss to be another Mafia boss to be murdered murdered

FBI built a strong case FBI built a strong case based on video based on video surveillance and wire taps surveillance and wire taps worn by Mafia informantsworn by Mafia informants

Arrested Gotti for Arrested Gotti for racketeering, extortion, racketeering, extortion, jury tampering, and jury tampering, and murder murder

Gotti died in jail Gotti died in jail

Present Present

Many ethnic groups began to take part in Many ethnic groups began to take part in organized crimeorganized crime

Asian criminal enterprise has been in US Asian criminal enterprise has been in US since 1900’s and evolved from Chinese since 1900’s and evolved from Chinese Tongs- social organizations formed by early Tongs- social organizations formed by early Chinese Immigrants Chinese Immigrants

Now many Asian nations have joined Now many Asian nations have joined together to form a fairly strong group of together to form a fairly strong group of organized criminals organized criminals

The Asian nations that are involved are: The Asian nations that are involved are: China, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, and China, Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, and VietnamVietnam

PresentPresent

The Asian criminal The Asian criminal enterprise conducts enterprise conducts crimes such as: crimes such as: extortion, murder, extortion, murder, kidnapping, smuggling kidnapping, smuggling aliens, heroin aliens, heroin trafficking, and trafficking, and counterfeiting goodscounterfeiting goods

Fed’s have set up The Fed’s have set up The National Police Agency National Police Agency of Japan Working of Japan Working Groups- discuss criminal Groups- discuss criminal investigations dealing investigations dealing with Asian crime groups with Asian crime groups

Present Present

African crime groups African crime groups are developing quicklyare developing quickly

Nations that are Nations that are involved include: involved include: Nigeria, Ghana, and Nigeria, Ghana, and LiberiaLiberia

Operate in over 80 Operate in over 80 countries and do most countries and do most crimes through new crimes through new technology and technology and communicationscommunications

Heroin trafficking Heroin trafficking

Present Present

African criminal African criminal enterprise cost the enterprise cost the United States an United States an estimated 2 billion estimated 2 billion dollars last year dollars last year through financial fraud through financial fraud

FBI set up The FBI set up The Department of Justice Department of Justice Nigerian Crime Initiative Nigerian Crime Initiative in order to better in order to better prosecute African prosecute African organized criminals organized criminals

Despite hard work, the Despite hard work, the group continues to growgroup continues to grow

FutureFuture

I believe there is a I believe there is a very promising future very promising future for organized crime in for organized crime in AmericaAmerica

Although crime Although crime organizations may organizations may change their methods, change their methods, there will always be there will always be some type of illegal some type of illegal activities being activities being executed by groups of executed by groups of criminalscriminals

FutureFuture

Although laws were passed to make crimes Although laws were passed to make crimes such as racketeering and extortion harder to such as racketeering and extortion harder to commit, other more complex crimes are commit, other more complex crimes are beginning to be executed by criminals such beginning to be executed by criminals such as: computer fraud, tax fraud, and bank as: computer fraud, tax fraud, and bank fraudfraud

These crimes are being executed by means These crimes are being executed by means of technology which makes it much harder of technology which makes it much harder to be caught and prosecuted by law to be caught and prosecuted by law enforcementenforcement

Conclusion Conclusion

Organized crime will remain Organized crime will remain a problem, regardless of a problem, regardless of the efforts made by law the efforts made by law enforcementenforcement

All people want the same All people want the same thing: power, money and thing: power, money and security, all of which come security, all of which come with organized crime with organized crime

This, plus the consistent This, plus the consistent flow of immigrants and flow of immigrants and minority groups in the US, minority groups in the US, organized crime will organized crime will continue to be a problem continue to be a problem until the end of governmentuntil the end of government

Organized Crime CartoonsOrganized Crime Cartoons

““As long as we are a society that rests on As long as we are a society that rests on greed, that neglects its poor and that greed, that neglects its poor and that promotes materialism in the media, promotes materialism in the media, organized crime in all of its aspects- no organized crime in all of its aspects- no matter what language it speaks- will matter what language it speaks- will continue to plunder our nation” ~ William continue to plunder our nation” ~ William KleinknechtKleinknecht