Corsican mafia
Encyclopedia
The Corsican mafia is the general term used to describe the various criminal groups originating from Corsica
. The Corsican mafia is one of the most influential organized crime
structures in France
, also active in many Africa
n and Latin American
countries. One of the most important groups of the Corsican mafia is the Brise de Mer gang
.
.
The Unione Corse
was the general name given by American authorities to the major Corsican gangs who organized the French Connection
, the heroin trade between France and the U.S. from the 1950s to the early 1970s.
caused the disbandment of many Corsican clans involved in the heroin trade. But the evolution of Corsican Mafia has continued in several illegal activities (hold-up, racketeering, casino
s, illegal slot machine
s, various drug dealing). A lot of gangs (such as the Brise de Mer
, the Valinco gang, the Venzolasca gang, and the Corsican mob of Marseille) constitute the present Corsican mafia.
Since 2008, a violent conflict between the various Corsican gangs caused around 60 murder
s in Corsica
.
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
. The Corsican mafia is one of the most influential organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
structures in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, also active in many Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n and Latin American
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
countries. One of the most important groups of the Corsican mafia is the Brise de Mer gang
Gang de la Brise de Mer
The gang de la Brise de Mer is one of the most powerful Corsican criminal organizations. Based in the Northern Corsica, the gang controls various activities in Corsica, but also in the South of France, in Paris, in Occidental African countries , and in Latin...
.
The Unione Corse and the French Connection era
For more details on this topic, see Unione CorseUnione Corse
The Unione Corse is a secretive criminal organization operating primarily out of Corsica and Marseilles in France. Unlike the Sicilian Mafia, it has not attempted to gain a foothold in the United States, and thus does not have the other organization's notoriety...
.
The Unione Corse
Unione Corse
The Unione Corse is a secretive criminal organization operating primarily out of Corsica and Marseilles in France. Unlike the Sicilian Mafia, it has not attempted to gain a foothold in the United States, and thus does not have the other organization's notoriety...
was the general name given by American authorities to the major Corsican gangs who organized the French Connection
French Connection
The French Connection was a scheme through which heroin was smuggled from Turkey to France and then to the United States. The operation reached its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when it provided the vast majority of the illicit heroin used in the United States...
, the heroin trade between France and the U.S. from the 1950s to the early 1970s.
The Corsican mafia today
The end of the French ConnectionFrench Connection
The French Connection was a scheme through which heroin was smuggled from Turkey to France and then to the United States. The operation reached its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when it provided the vast majority of the illicit heroin used in the United States...
caused the disbandment of many Corsican clans involved in the heroin trade. But the evolution of Corsican Mafia has continued in several illegal activities (hold-up, racketeering, casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
s, illegal slot machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
s, various drug dealing). A lot of gangs (such as the Brise de Mer
Gang de la Brise de Mer
The gang de la Brise de Mer is one of the most powerful Corsican criminal organizations. Based in the Northern Corsica, the gang controls various activities in Corsica, but also in the South of France, in Paris, in Occidental African countries , and in Latin...
, the Valinco gang, the Venzolasca gang, and the Corsican mob of Marseille) constitute the present Corsican mafia.
Since 2008, a violent conflict between the various Corsican gangs caused around 60 murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
s in Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
.
Criminal activities of the Corsican mafia
- Money launderingMoney launderingMoney laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
- Racketeering
- Drug trafficking
- Arms trafficking
- ProstitutionProstitutionProstitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
- ExtortionExtortionExtortion is a criminal offence which occurs when a person unlawfully obtains either money, property or services from a person, entity, or institution, through coercion. Refraining from doing harm is sometimes euphemistically called protection. Extortion is commonly practiced by organized crime...
- RobberyRobberyRobbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take something of value by force or threat of force or by putting the victim in fear. At common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the person of that property, by means of force or fear....
- Corporate crimeCorporate crimeIn criminology, corporate crime refers to crimes committed either by a corporation , or by individuals acting on behalf of a corporation or other business entity...
- Tax evasionTax evasionTax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
- Contract killingContract killingContract killing is a form of murder, in which one party hires another party to kill a target individual or group of people. It involves an illegal agreement between two parties in which one party agrees to kill the target in exchange for consideration, monetary, or otherwise. The hiring party may...
- CasinosCasinosCasinos can refer to:*the plural of Casino*Casinos, Valencia, a municipality in Spain*The Casinos, an American popular music group...
and gamblingGamblingGambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods... - Political corruptionPolitical corruptionPolitical corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
- UsuryUsuryUsury Originally, when the charging of interest was still banned by Christian churches, usury simply meant the charging of interest at any rate . In countries where the charging of interest became acceptable, the term came to be used for interest above the rate allowed by law...
and loansharking
Popular culture references
- The French film A ProphetA ProphetA Prophet is a 2009 French prison film directed by Jacques Audiard. Audiard claims that the film aims at "creating icons, images for people who don't have images in movies, like the Arabs in France," though he also had stated that the film "has nothing to do with his vision of society," and is a...
(2009) shows the gradual rise of a young prisoner, cornered by the leader of the Corsican gang who rules the prison. - The French television series Mafiosa references a Corsican gang directed by a woman.
- In the film American Gangster, the Corsican mafia attempt to murder Frank LucasFrank LucasFrank D. Lucas is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1994. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district, the largest in the state and one of the largest in the country, stretches from the Panhandle to the fringes of the Tulsa suburbs—almost half of the state's land mass.-Early...
, after he puts them out of business through his monopolyMonopolyA monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
, on the heroin trade.
External links
- "Suspected boss of Corsican mob reported dead" - 2006 USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
article - "Corsicans prisoners faxed free" - 2001 BBC Online article