List of crime bosses
Encyclopedia
This is an incomplete list of crime bosses. This list is arranged alphabetically by last name, and broken into categories by year that an individual is believed to have assumed leadership of a criminal organization
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...
19th century
- Vito Cascio FerroVito Cascio FerroVito Cascioferro or Vito Cascio Ferro , also known as Don Vito, was a prominent member of the Sicilian Mafia. He also operated for several years in the United States...
(1862-1943), natural causes - Giuseppe MorelloGiuseppe MorelloGiuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
, (1867-1930), assassinated - Ignazio "the Wolf" Lupo (1877-1947), natural causes
- Jefferson R. "Soapy" SmithSoapy SmithJefferson Randolph "Soapy" Smith II was an American con artist and gangster who had a major hand in the organized criminal operations of Denver, Colorado; Creede, Colorado; and Skagway, Alaska, from 1879 to 1898. He was killed in the famed Shootout on Juneau Wharf...
(1860-1898), assassinated - Al SwearengenAl SwearengenEllis Albert "Al" Swearengen was a pimp and early entertainment entrepreneur in Deadwood, South Dakota, running the Gem Theater, a notorious brothel, for 22 years, and combining a reputation for brutality with an uncanny instinct for forging political alliances.Swearengen and his twin brother,...
(1845-1904), natural causes
Early 20th century (1900-1919)
- James "Big Jim" ColosimoJames ColosimoGiacomo Colosimo , better known as Big Jim Colosimo, was an Italian-American Mafia crime boss who built a criminal empire in Chicago based on prostitution, gambling, and racketeering. Immigrating from Italy in 1895, he gained power through petty crime and the heading of a chain of brothels...
(1878-1920), assassinated - Salvatore "Toto" D'AquilaSalvatore D'AquilaSalvatore "Toto" D'Aquila was a New York City mobster from the Mustache Pete-era and the first boss of the Gambino crime family....
(1878-1928), assassinated - Vito Di GiorgioVito Di GiorgioVito Di Giorgio was an early crime boss of the Los Angeles crime family. Originally from Palermo, Sicily, Di Giorgio lived most of his life as a grocer in New Orleans. While he lived in Los Angeles he was known as a wealthy food importer. During his New Orleans years he was an active Black Hander...
(1880-1922), assassinated - Owney "The Killer" MaddenOwney MaddenOwney "The Killer" Madden was a leading underworld figure in Manhattan, most notable for his involvement in organized crime during Prohibition. He also ran the famous Cotton Club and was a leading boxing promoter in the 1930s.-Early life:Owen Vincent Madden was born at 25 Somerset Street, in...
(1891-1965), natural causes - Nicholas MorelloNicholas MorelloNicolo Terranova , also known as Nicholas "Nick" Morello, was one of the first Italian-American organized crime figures in New York City...
(1866-1916), assassinated - Salvatore SabellaSalvatore SabellaSalvatore Sabella was the Sicilian Mafia boss of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the 1920s. Sabella built the future Bruno crime family and trained its leaders.-Early life:...
(1891-1962), natural causes - Ciro TerranovaCiro TerranovaCiro "The Artichoke King" Terranova was a New York City gangster and one time underboss of the Morello crime family.-Early life:Ciro Terranova was born in the town of Corleone, Sicily...
(1889-1938), natural causes - Calogero VizziniCalogero VizziniCalogero Don Calò Vizzini was a historical Mafia boss of Villalba in the Province of Caltanissetta, Sicily. Vizzini was considered to be one of the most influential and legendary Mafia bosses of Sicily after World War II until his death in 1954...
(1877-1954), natural causes - Du YueshengDu YueshengDu Yuesheng , commonly known as "Big-Eared Du", was a Chinese gangster who spent much of his life in Shanghai. He was a key supporter of the Kuomintang and Chiang Kai-shek in their battle against the Communists during the 1920s, and was a figure of some importance during the Second Sino-Japanese...
(1887-1951), natural causes
Prohibition (1919-1933)
- Joe AdonisJoe AdonisJoe Adonis , also known as "Joey A", "Joe Adone", "Joe Arosa", "James Arosa", and "Joe DiMeo", was a New York mobster who was an important participant in the formation of the modern Cosa Nostra crime families.-Early years:Adonis was born Giuseppe Antonio Doto in the small town of Montemarano,...
(1902-1971), natural causes - Joe AielloJoe AielloGiuseppe "Joe" Aiello was a Chicago bootlegger during the 1920s and early 1930s who had a longstanding, bloody feud with Chicago Outfit boss Al Capone.-Arrival in America:...
(1891-1930), assassinated - Joseph ArdizzoneJoseph ArdizzoneJoseph "Iron Man" Ardizzone was an early Los Angeles mobster, who became the first Boss of the Los Angeles crime family. He was involved in a long-standing feud with the Matranga family, and became the only Los Angeles boss to be murdered by his own men...
(1884-1932), assassinated - Joseph "Joe Bananas" BonannoJoseph BonannoJoseph Charles Bonanno, Sr. was a Sicilian-born American mafioso who became the boss of the Bonanno crime family. He was nicknamed "Joe Bananas," a name he despised.-Early life:...
(1905-2002), natural causes - Al "Scarface" CaponeAl CaponeAlphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
(1899-1947), natural causes - Vincent "Mad Dog" CollMad Dog CollVincent "Mad Dog" Coll was an Irish mob hitman in 1920s New York City. Coll gained notoriety for the accidental killing of a young child during a mob kidnap attempt.-Early years:...
(1908-1932), assassinated - Moe DalitzMoe DalitzMorris Barney "Moe" Dalitz was a Jewish American bootlegger, racketeer, casino owner and philanthropist who was one of the major figures who helped shape Las Vegas, Nevada in the 20th century. He was often referred to as Mr...
(1899-1989), natural causes - Rosario DeSimoneRosario DeSimoneRosario "the Chief" DeSimone , was the head of an Italian crime family that was the predecessor to the Los Angeles crime family of the American Mafia from 1922 to 1925. Rosario was the father of the future California mob boss, Frank DeSimone.-Biography:DeSimone was born in Salaparuta, Sicily in...
(1873-1946), natural causes - Jack "Legs" Diamond (1897-1931), assassinated
- Jack DragnaJack DragnaJack Ignatius Dragna was an American Mafia member and Black Hander who was active in both Italy and the United States in the 1900s. He was active in bootlegging in California during the Prohibition Era in the United States...
(1891-1956), natural causes - Vincent "The Schemer" DrucciVincent DrucciVincent Drucci, also known as "The Schemer" , was an American mobster during Chicago's Prohibition era who served as a lieutenant under Dean O'Banion's North Side Gang and later as gang boss. Drucci was one of the few mobsters to ever be killed by a law enforcement officer...
(1898-1927), assassinated - Tommy GaglianoTommy GaglianoGaetano "Tommy" Gagliano was an American gangster who founded the Lucchese crime family, one of the powerful "Five Families" of New York City, and served as its low-profile Boss for over two decades...
(1884-1951), natural causes - Waxey GordonWaxey GordonWaxey Gordon was an American gangster who specialized in bootlegging and illegal gambling. An associate of Arnold Rothstein during prohibition he was caught up in a power struggle following his death...
(1886-1952), natural causes in prison - Enoch L. JohnsonEnoch L. JohnsonEnoch Lewis "Nucky" Johnson was an Atlantic City, New Jersey political boss and racketeer. From the 1910s until his imprisonment in 1941, he was the undisputed “boss” of the Republican political machine that controlled Atlantic City and the Atlantic County government...
(1883 - 1968), natural causes - Meyer LanskyMeyer LanskyMeyer Lansky , known as the "Mob's Accountant", was a Polish-born American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States...
(1902-1983), natural causes - John LaziaJohn LaziaJohn Lazia, also known as "Brother John" , was an American organized crime figure in Kansas City, Missouri, during the prohibition period in the United States.-Early years:...
(1896-1934), assassinated - Louis LepkeLouis BuchalterLouis "Lepke" Buchalter was a Jewish American mobster and head of the Mafia hit squad Murder, Inc. during the 1930s. After Dutch Schultz' request of the Mafia Commission for permission to kill his enemy, U.S. Attorney Thomas Dewey, the Commission decided to kill Schultz in order to prevent the hit...
(1897-1944), executed. - Antonio "The Scourge" LombardoAntonio LombardoAntonio "The Scourge" Lombardo was an American mobster. He was advisor, or consigliere, to Al Capone and later President of the Unione Siciliana.-Biography:...
(1892-1928), assassinated - Charles "Lucky" LucianoLucky LucianoCharlie "Lucky" Luciano was an Italian mobster born in Sicily. Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States for splitting New York City into five different Mafia crime families and the establishment of the first commission...
(1897-1962), natural causes - Stefano "The Undertaker" MagaddinoStefano MagaddinoStefano Magaddino was an Sicilian mafioso who became the boss of the Buffalo crime family in western New York. His underworld influence stretched from Ohio and Southern Ontario as far north as Montreal, Quebec...
(1891-1974), natural causes - Vincent ManganoVincent ManganoVincent Mangano , born Vincenzo Giovanni Mangano, also known as "The Executioner" as he was named in a Brooklyn newspaper, was the head of the Mangano crime family from 1931 to 1951. His brother Philip Mangano was his right hand man and de facto, or substituto, underboss of the crime family which...
(1888-1951), assassinated - Salvatore MaranzanoSalvatore MaranzanoSalvatore Maranzano was an organized crime figure from the town of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily, and an early Cosa Nostra boss in the United States. He instigated the Castellammarese War to seize control of the American Mafia operations, and briefly became the Mafia's "Boss of Bosses"...
(1886-1931), assassinated - Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" MasseriaJoe MasseriaGiuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria was an early Mafia don in the United States. He was boss of what is now called the Genovese crime family, one of the New York Mafia's Five Families, from 1922 to 1931.-Early days:...
(1887-1931), assassinated - George "Bugs" MoranBugs MoranGeorge Clarence Moran , better known by the alias "Bugs" Moran, was a Chicago Prohibition-era gangster born in St. Paul, Minnesota. Moran, of Irish and Polish descent, moved to the north side of Chicago when he was 19, where he became affiliated with several gangs...
(1891–1957), natural causes - Alfred MineoAlfred MineoAlfredo "Al Mineo" Manfredi was a Brooklyn based New York mobster, who headed a strong American Mafia crime family during the Castellammarese War. Mineo's organization would eventually become the present-day Gambino crime family....
(?-1930), assassinated - Giuseppe MorelloGiuseppe MorelloGiuseppe "the Clutch Hand" Morello , also known as "The Old Fox", was the first boss of the Morello crime family and later top adviser to Giuseppe "Joe the Boss" Masseria. He was known as Piddu and his rivals the Castellammarese knew him as Peter Morello...
(1880-1930), assassinated - Dean O'BanionDean O'BanionCharles Dean O'Banion was an Irish-American mobster who was the main rival of Johnny Torrio and Al Capone during the brutal Chicago bootlegging wars of the 1920s...
(1892-1924), assassinated - Raymond L.S. PatriarcaRaymond L.S. PatriarcaRaymond Loreda Salvatore Patriarca, Sr. was an Italian-American mobster from Providence, Rhode Island who became the longtime boss of the Patriarca crime family, whose control extended throughout New England for over three decades...
(1908-1984), natural causes - Joseph PinzoloJoseph PinzoloBonaventura "Joseph/Fat Joe" Pinzolo was the head of the Lucchese crime family in New York City for a brief period during 1930....
(1887-1930), assassinated - Joe ProfaciJoe ProfaciGiuseppe "Joe" Profaci was a New York La Cosa Nostra boss who was the founder of what is today known as the Colombo crime family. Established in 1928, this was the last of the Five Families to be organized. He was the family's boss for over three decades.-Family ties:Profaci's sons were Frank...
(1897-1962), natural causes - Gaetano ReinaGaetano ReinaGaetano "Tommy" Reina was the first Boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City.-Early years:Gaetano Reina was born in September 1889 in Corleone, Sicily to Giacomo Reina and Carmela Runmore. In the early 1900s the Reina family moved to New York City and settled on 107th Street in East Harlem...
(1889-1930), assassinated - Paul "The Waiter" RiccaPaul RiccaPaul Ricca, also known as "The Waiter" , was a Chicago mobster who served as the nominal or de facto leader of the Chicago Outfit for forty years.-Early life:...
(1897-1972), natural causes - Arnold RothsteinArnold RothsteinArnold Rothstein , nicknamed "The Brain", was a New York businessman and gambler who became a famous kingpin of the Jewish mafia. Rothstein was also widely reputed to have been behind baseball's Black Sox Scandal, in which the 1919 World Series was fixed...
- Joseph "Polack Joe" SaltisJoseph SaltisJoseph "Polack Joe" Saltis [Soltis] was an early Prohibition gangster who, who with Frank McErlane, controlled bootlegging in the Southwest Side of Chicago, Illinois....
(1894-1947), natural causes - Dutch SchultzDutch SchultzDutch Schultz was a New York City-area Jewish American gangster of the 1920s and 1930s who made his fortune in organized crime-related activities such as bootlegging alcohol and the numbers racket...
(1902-1935), assassinated - Benjamin "Bugsy" SiegelBugsy SiegelBenjamin "Bugsy" Siegel was an American gangster who was involved with the Genovese crime family...
(1906-1947), assassinated - Stephanie "Queenie" St. ClairStephanie St. ClairStephanie St. Clair was a bookmaker in Manhattan's Harlem neighborhood.-Early life:Madam St. Clair was born of mixed French and African descent on Martinique. She immigrated to the United States via Marseilles in 1912 and ten years later took $10,000 of her own money and set up a numbers bank in...
(1886-1969), natural causes - Johnny TorrioJohnny TorrioJohn "Papa Johnny" Torrio , also known as "The Fox", was an Italian-American mobster who helped build the criminal empire known as the Chicago Outfit in the 1920s that was later inherited by his protege, Al Capone...
(1882-1957), natural causes - Earl "Hymie" WeissHymie WeissHymie Weiss was a Polish-American mob boss who became a leader of the Prohibition-era North Side Gang and a bitter rival of Al Capone.-Early years:...
(1898-1926), assassinated - Frankie YaleFrankie YaleFrancesco Ioele , better known as Frankie Uale or Frankie Yale, was a Brooklyn gangster and original employer of Al Capone before the latter moved to Chicago...
(1893-1928), assassinated - Abner "Longy" ZwillmanAbner ZwillmanAbner "Longie" Zwillman , known as the "Al Capone of New Jersey," was an early Prohibition gangster, founding member of the "Big Seven" Ruling Commission and a member of the National Crime Syndicate, who was also associated with Murder Incorporated.-Biography:According to the Social Security Death...
(1899-1959), suicide.
Great Depression and World War II (1933-1945)
- Joseph "Joe the Barber" BarbaraJoseph Barbara (mobster)Joseph "Joe the Barber" Barbara was a New York state mobster who became the boss of the Bufalino crime family. Barbara is most notable for hosting the abortive Apalachin Conference in 1957...
(1905-1959), natural causes - Charles BinaggioCharles BinaggioCharles Binaggio was a Missouri gangster who became the boss of the Kansas City crime family and concocted a bold plan to control the police forces in Kansas City, Missouri and St...
(1909-1950), assassinated - Alex "Shondor" BirnsAlex BirnsAlex Birns , also known as Shondor, was a notorious Jewish-American mobster and racketeer from Cleveland, Ohio who was once labeled as the city's Public Enemy No. 1 by the local newspapers...
(1907-1975), assassinated - Charles "Charlie the Wop" CarrolloCharles CarrolloCharles Vincent "Charlie the Wop" Carrollo was a Kansas City, Missouri crime boss during the 1930s.Born Carlo Carollo in Sandrigo a town in the Veneto region, birthplace of Baccalà, Carollo's family emigrated to the United States when he was twelve years old, initially settling in New York City...
(1902-1979), natural causes - Frank CostelloFrank CostelloFrank Costello was an Italian New York City gangster who rose to the top of America's underworld, controlled a vast gambling empire across the United States and enjoyed political influence.Nicknamed the "Prime Minister of the Underworld", he became one of the most powerful and influential Mafia...
(1891-1973), natural causes - Antonio CottoneAntonio CottoneAntonio Cottone was a member of the Mafia in his hometown Villabate in the province of Palermo, Sicily. He was known as U Patre Nostru due to his generosity. The Cottone clan was a historical Mafia family...
(1904-1956), assassinated - Salvatore GiulianoSalvatore GiulianoSalvatore Giuliano was a Sicilian peasant. It has been suggested that the subjugated social status of his class led him to become a bandit and separatist. He was mythologised during his life and after his death...
(1922-1950), killed by law enforcement. - Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson (1905-1968), natural causes
- Willie MorettiWillie MorettiGuarino "Willie" Moretti was an underboss of the Genovese crime family and a cousin of family boss Frank Costello.-Life:...
(1894-1951), assassinated - Alfred "The Owl" PolizziAlfred PolizziAlfred "The Owl" Polizzi was a Cleveland, Ohio mobster who helped establish criminal syndicate operations in Northeast Ohio....
(1900-1994), natural causes - Ross PrioRoss PrioRoss Prio was a Chicago mobster and high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit criminal organization from the 1930s until the early '70s, when he died.-Early years:...
(1901-1972), natural causes - Giuseppe Genco RussoGiuseppe Genco RussoGiuseppe Genco Russo was an Italian mafioso, the boss of Mussomeli in the Province of Caltanissetta, Sicily....
(1893-1976), natural causes - John T. ScalishJohn T. ScalishJohn T. Scalish was an Ohio mobster who became the boss of the Cleveland crime family. Scalish was the brother-in-law of Philadelphia crime family boss Angelo Bruno and Cleveland mob associate Milton Rockman....
(1912-1976), natural causes - John SciandraJohn SciandraJohn "Johnny" Sciandra also known as "Giovanni" was the notorious boss of the Bufalino crime family of Pennsylvania from 1933 until his death in 1940....
(1899-1940), assassinated - Santo Trafficante, Sr.Santo Trafficante, Sr.Santo Trafficante, Sr. was a Sicilian-born mobster, and father of the powerful mobster Santo Trafficante, Jr.-Early life:...
(1886-1954), natural causes
Post-World War II (1945-1970)
- Tony "Big Tuna" AccardoTony AccardoAntonino Joseph Accardo , also known as "Joe Batters" or "Big Tuna", rose from small-time hoodlum to the position of day-to-day boss of the Chicago Outfit in 1947, to ultimately become the final Outfit authority in 1972, until his death...
(1906-1992), natural causes - Felix "Milwaukee Phil" AlderisioFelix AlderisioFelix "Milwaukee Phil" Alderisio was a prominent enforcer, bagman, hitman and burglar for the Chicago Outfit, serving as an underboss to Salvatore Giancana during the 1960s and as boss for a short time from 1967 before being sent to prison in 1969 and dying there.-Early life:Alderisio began his...
(1912-1971), natural causes in prison - Gus AlexGus AlexGus Alex was a Greek-American mobster and high ranking member of the Chicago Outfit, who succeeded Jake Guzik as the Syndicate's main political "fixer".-Early life:...
(1916-1998), natural causes in prison - Albert AnastasiaAlbert AnastasiaAlbert Anastasia was boss of what is now called the Gambino crime family, one of New York City's Five Families, from 1951-1957. He also ran a gang of contract killers called Murder Inc. which enforced the decisions of the Commission, the ruling council of the American Mafia...
(1902-1957), assassinated - Gaetano BadalamentiGaetano BadalamentiGaetano Badalamenti was a powerful member of the Sicilian Mafia. Don Tano Badalamenti was the capofamiglia of his hometown Cinisi, Sicily, and headed the Sicilian Mafia Commission in the 1970s...
(1923-2004), natural causes in prison - "King" David BarksdaleDavid BarksdaleDavid Barksdale , also known as King David, was the original leader of the Chicago-based street gang the Black Disciples....
(1947-1974), natural causes - Francesco Paolo BontadeFrancesco Paolo BontadeFrancesco Paolo Bontade , also known as Don Paolino Bonta, was a legendary and powerful member of the Sicilan Mafia. Some sources spell his surname Bontate. He hailed from Villagrazia, a rural village before it was absorbed into the city of Palermo in the 1960s...
(1914-1974), natural causes - Angelo BrunoAngelo BrunoAngelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno was a Sicilian-American mobster who ran the Philadelphia crime family for two decades. Bruno gained his nickname and reputation due to his preference for conciliation over violence.-Early years:Born in Villalba, Sicily, Bruno emigrated to the United States in his...
(1910-1980), assassinated - Russell BufalinoRussell BufalinoRussell A. Bufalino also known as "McGee" and "The Old Man" was the boss of the Northeastern Pennsylvania crime family from 1959 to 1989...
(1903-1994), natural causes - Giuseppe CalderoneGiuseppe CalderoneGiuseppe “Pippo” Calderone was an influential Sicilian mafioso from Catania. He became the ‘secretary’ of the interprovincial Sicilian Mafia Commission, formed around 1975 on his instigation. Its purpose was to coordinate the provincial Mafia commissions and avoid conflicts over public contracts...
(1925-1978), assassinated - Giuseppe CalòGiuseppe CalòGiuseppe 'Pippo' Calò is a member of the Sicilian Mafia. He was referred to as the "Mafia's Cashier" because he was heavily involved in the financial side of organized crime, primarily money laundering....
(1931-present), serving life sentence in prison - Michele "The Cobra" CavataioMichele CavataioMichele Cavataio , also known as The Cobra was a powerful member of the Sicilian Mafia. He was the boss of the Acquasanta mandamento in Palermo and was a member of the first Sicilian Mafia Commission. Some sources spell his surname as Cavatajo.Cavataio was one of the most feared mafioso gangsters...
(1929-1969), assassinated - Jackie "The Lackey" CeroneJackie CeroneJohn "Jackie The Lackey" Cerone was a Chicago mobster and boss of the Chicago Outfit, during the late 1960s. He was the younger brother of mobster Frank "Skippy" Cerone and father of lawyer, John Peter Cerone and husband to the late Clara Cerone.He was born to John Cerone Sr. and Rose Valant. He...
(1914-1996), natural causes - Chen "King Duck" Chi-liChen Chi-liChen Chi-li , nicknamed King Duck, was a gangster from Taiwan, best known for heading the United Bamboo Gang...
(1943-2007), natural causes - Carl CivellaCarl CivellaCarl "Cork" Civella was the leader of the Kansas City crime family following the death of his brother, long-time crime boss Nicholas Civella, after heading day-to-day operations during the mid-1970s....
(1910-1994), natural causes in prison - Nicholas CivellaNicholas CivellaNicholas Civella was a Kansas City, Missouri mobster who became a prominent leader of the Kansas City crime family.-Early life:...
(1912-1983), natural causes - Joseph CivelloJoseph CivelloJoseph Francis Civello was a retailer of imported food and liquor in Dallas, Texas, and, more notably, leader of the Dallas crime family from 1956 until his death in 1970.-Early life:...
(1902-1970), natural causes - Mickey CohenMickey CohenMeyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen was a gangster based in Los Angeles and part of the Jewish Mafia, and also had strong ties to the American Mafia from the 1930s through 1960s.-Early life:...
(1913-1976), natural causes - Joe ColomboJoseph ColomboJoseph "Joe" Colombo, Sr. was the boss of the Colombo crime family, one of the "Five Families" of the Cosa Nostra in New York.-Background:...
(1914-1978), natural causes - Simone "Sam the Plumber" DeCavalcanteSam DeCavalcanteSimone Rizzo "Sam" DeCavalcante , known as "Sam the Plumber", was a member of the New Jersey Mafia. Claiming descent from the Italian royal family, DeCavalcante was nicknamed "The Count"...
(1912-1997), natural causes - Frank DeSimoneFrank DeSimoneFrank A. DeSimone was the Boss of the Los Angeles crime family from 1956 to 1967. DeSimone was the son of former don Rosario DeSimone. He was sometime referred to as "One Eye" because one of his eyes drooped, in the same way as Charles "Lucky" Luciano...
(1909-1967), natural causes - Calcedonio Di PisaCalcedonio Di PisaCalcedonio Di Pisa , also known as Doruccio, was a member of the Sicilian Mafia. He was the boss of the Mafia family in the Noce neighbourhood in Palermo and sat on the first Sicilian Mafia Commission, the coordinating body of Cosa Nostra in Sicily.-Mafia career:Di Pisa was described by Norman...
(1931-1962), assassinated - Gaspar DiGregorioGaspar DiGregorioGaspar or Gaspare DiGregorio was a New York mobster and a high-ranking member of the Bonanno crime family who was a key figure in the so-called "Banana War"....
(1905-1970), natural causes - Thomas "Tommy Ryan" EboliThomas EboliThomas "Tommy Ryan" Eboli was a New York City mobster who eventually became the acting boss of the Genovese crime family.-Early life:...
(1911-1972), assassinated - Gaetano FidanzatiGaetano FidanzatiGaetano Fidanzati is a historical boss of the Sicilian Mafia. He is the boss of the Resuttana mandamento in Palermo. He was on the "most wanted list" of the Italian Ministry of the Interior since 2008, until his arrest on December 5, 2009....
(1935-present), international fugitive since 2008. - Jeff FortJeff FortJeff Fort is a former Chicago gang leader, co-founder of the Black P. Stones gang, and founder of its El Rukn faction. He was convicted in 1987 of conspiring with Libya to perform acts of domestic terrorism.- Biography :...
(1947-present), serving life sentence in prison - Marcel FrancisciMarcel FrancisciMarcel Francisci was an alleged member of the Unione Corse who was accused of masterminding the French Connection drug network. As a young man, Francisci fought in World War II and was awarded the Croix de Guerre. Following the war, he developed a business empire that included casinos in Britain,...
(1920-1982), assassinated - "Crazy" Joe GalloJoe GalloJoseph Gallo , also known as "Crazy Joey" and "Joe the Blond", was a celebrated New York City gangster for the Profaci crime family, later known as the Colombo crime family...
(1929-1972), assassinated - Carlo GambinoCarlo Gambino"Don" Carlo Gambino, was a Sicilian mafioso who became Boss of the Gambino crime family, that still bears his name today. After the 1957 Apalachin Convention he unexpectedly seized control of the Commission of the American Mafia. Gambino was known for being low-key and secretive...
(1902-1976), natural causes - Sam "Momo" GiancanaSam GiancanaSalvatore Giancana , better known as Sam Giancana, was a Sicilian-American mobster and boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1957-1966...
(1908-1975), assassinated - Vito GenoveseVito GenoveseVito "Don Vito" Genovese was an Italian mafioso who rose to power in America during the Castellammarese War to later become leader of the Genovese crime family. Genovese served as mentor to future mob boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante...
(1897-1969), natural causes in prison - Antonio "Nenè" GeraciNenè GeraciAntonio Geraci , better known as Nenè or il vecchio , is the historical boss of the Mafia in Partinico, in the province of Palermo. Geraci sat on the Sicilian Mafia Commission since the mid 1970s and belonged to the hard line faction allied with the Corleonesi of Totò Riina and Bernardo Provenzano...
(1917-2007), natural causes - Anthony "Fat Tony" GizzoAnthony GizzoAnthony Robert Gizzo , was born in New York City and was known as "Tony". He was a Kansas City, Missouri mobster with the Cosa Nostra and a boss of the Kansas City crime family....
(1902-1953), natural causes - Michele "The Pope" GrecoMichele GrecoMichele Greco was a member of the Sicilian Mafia, previously incarcerated for multiple murders. His nickname was "il Papa" because of his ability to mediate between different Mafia families...
(1924-2008), natural causes in prison - Salvatore "The Engineer" Greco (1924-?), international fugitive since 1963.
- Salvatore "Little Bird" Greco (1923-1978), natural causes
- Danny GreeneDanny GreeneDaniel "Danny" J. Patrick Greene was an Irish American mobster and associate of Cleveland mobster John Nardi during the gang war for the city's criminal operations during the 1970s. Competing gangsters set off more than 35 bombs, most attached to cars in murder attempts, many successful...
(1933-1977), assassinated - Dündar KılıçDundar KilicDündar Kılıç was an infamous mob boss and legendary figure in the Turkish underworld. He earned himself the nickname of being the 'godfather of godfathers'.- Early life and rise in underworld :...
(1935-1999), natural causes - Ronnie and Reggie KrayKray twinsReginald "Reggie" Kray and his twin brother Ronald "Ronnie" Kray were the foremost perpetrators of organised crime in London's East End during the 1950s and 1960s...
(1933-1995 and 2000), natural causes - Angelo La BarberaAngelo La BarberaAngelo La Barbera was a powerful member of the Sicilian Mafia. Together with his brother Salvatore La Barbera he ruled the Mafia family of Palermo Centro...
(1924-1975), assassinated - Salvatore La BarberaSalvatore La BarberaSalvatore La Barbera was a Sicilian mafioso. Together with his brother Angelo La Barbera he ruled the Mafia family of Palermo Centro. Salvatore La Barbera sat on the first Sicilian Mafia Commission that was set up in 1958 as the capo mandamento for Mafia families of Borgo Vecchio, Porta Nuova and...
(1922-1963), assassinated - Luciano LeggioLuciano LeggioLuciano Leggio was an Italian criminal and leading figure of the Sicilian Mafia. He was the head of the Corleonesi, the Mafia faction that originated in the town of Corleone...
(1925-1993), natural causes in prison - Nick LicataNick Licata (mobster)Nick "Old Man" Licata was an Italian American mobster who was the Boss of the Los Angeles crime family from 1967 until his death in 1974.-Early life:...
(1897-1974), natural causes - Philip "Cockeyed Phil" LombardoPhilip LombardoPhilip Lombardo also known as "Benny Squint" and "Cockeyed Phil", was the boss of the Genovese crime family from the late 1960s until the beginning of the 1980s....
(1908-1987), natural causes - Frank LucasFrank Lucas (drug lord)Frank Lucas is a former U.S. heroin dealer and organized crime boss who operated in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was particularly known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in the Golden Triangle...
, retired from crime since 1991. - Tommy LuccheseTommy LuccheseGaetano "Tommy" Lucchese , also known as "Tom Brown" or "Three-Finger Brown", was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Lucchese crime family in New York City...
(1899-1967), natural causes - Joseph MaglioccoJoseph MaglioccoJoseph Magliocco, also known as "Joe Malayak" was a New York mobster and the boss of the Profaci crime family from 1962 to 1963...
(1898-1963), natural causes - Stefano MagaddinoStefano MagaddinoStefano Magaddino was an Sicilian mafioso who became the boss of the Buffalo crime family in western New York. His underworld influence stretched from Ohio and Southern Ontario as far north as Montreal, Quebec...
(1891-1974), natural causes - Cesare ManzellaCesare ManzellaCesare Manzella was a traditional Mafia capo, who sat on the first Sicilian Mafia Commission. He was the head of the Mafia family in Cinisi, a small seaside town near the Punta Raisi Airport. As the airport was in their territory it was an invaluable asset for the import and export of contraband,...
(1897-1963), assassinated - Carlos MarcelloCarlos MarcelloCarlos "The Little Man" Marcello was a Sicilian-American mafioso who became the boss of the New Orleans crime family during the 1940s and held this position for the next 30 years.-Early life:...
(1910-1993), natural causes - Eddie McGrathEddie McGrathEddie McGrath was an Irish-American gangster from New York City, who controlled the Hell's Kitchen Irish Mob and the lucrative waterfront throughout the 1940s...
(1906-?), date and cause of death unknown. - James "Buddy" McLean (1929-1965), assassinated
- Joe "Pegleg" Morgan (1929-1993), natural causes in prison
- Michele NavarraMichele NavarraMichele Navarra was a powerful member of the Sicilian Mafia. He was a qualified physician and headed the Mafia Family from the town of Corleone...
(1905-1958), assassinated - John "Handsome Johnny" RoselliJohn RoselliJohn "Handsome Johnny" Roselli , sometimes spelled John Rosselli, was an influential mobster for the Chicago Outfit who helped them control Hollywood and the Las Vegas Strip. Roselli was also involved with the Central Intelligence Agency plot to kill Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the early 1960s...
(1905-1976), assassinated - Khun SaKhun SaKhun Sa , also known as Chang Chi-fu was a Burmese warlord. He was born in Loi Maw of Mongyai. He was also dubbed the "Opium King" due to his opium trading in the so-called Golden Triangle. He was also the leader of the Shan United Army and the Mong Tai Army.- Biography :Khun Sa was born to a...
(1933-2007), natural causes - Antonio SalamoneAntonio SalamoneAntonio Salamone was a member of the Sicilian Mafia and a member of the first Sicilian Mafia Commission. His nickname was “il furbo” – the shrewd one.-Mafia heritage:...
(1918-1998), natural causes - Paul SciaccaPaul SciaccaPaul Sciacca was a New York City mobster who became boss of the Bonanno crime family.-Bonanno family war:In 1964, a rivalry in the Bonanno crime family started when boss Joseph Bonanno promoted his son Salvatore "Bill" Bonanno to the position of consigliere over senior capo Gaspar DiGregorio...
(?-1970), natural causes - Mickey Spillane (1934-1977), assassinated
- Santo Trafficante, Jr.Santo Trafficante, Jr.Santo Trafficante, Jr. was one of the last of the old-time Mafia bosses in the United States. He allegedly controlled organized criminal operations in Florida and Cuba, which had previously been consolidated from several rival gangs by his father, Santo Trafficante, Sr...
(1914-1987), natural causes - Carmine "Mr. Gribbs" TramuntiCarmine TramuntiCarmine "Mr. Gribbs" Tramunti was a New York mobster who was the boss of the Lucchese crime family. Tramunti helped build the massive French Connection heroin smuggling ring.-Operating in Harlem:...
(1910-1978), natural causes in prison - Howie WinterHowie WinterHoward Thomas "Howie" Winter is an American mobster. He was the second leader of the infamous Winter Hill Gang.-Early life:...
(1929-present), retired as boss in 1978.
Modern era (1970-present)
- Mariano AgateMariano AgateMariano Agate is a member of the Sicilian Mafia. He is the boss of Mazara del Vallo Mafia family since the 1970s when he replaced the old boss Mariano Licari. He also was the boss of the mandamento of Mazara, including the Mafia families of Marsala, Salemi and Vita...
(1939-present), serving life sentence in prison - Pietro "The Little Gentleman" AglieriPietro AglieriPietro Aglieri was a powerful mafioso from the Guadagna neighbourhood in Palermo. He is known as "'U Signurinu" for his relatively sophisticated education and refined manners. He had a classical education and studied Greek, Latin, philosophy, history and literature to a level that guaranteed him...
(1959-present), serving life sentence in prison - Evsei AgronEvsei AgronEvsei Agron was a thief in law and boss of New York City's Russian Mafia during the 1970s and '80s.Born in Leningrad, Agron immigrated to the United States under the Jackson-Vanik Amendment in 1975. He swiftly gained control of criminal operations among the Soviet Jews living in Brighton Beach...
(?-1985), assassinated - Joseph "Joey Doves" AiuppaJoseph AiuppaJoseph John Aiuppa , also known as "Doves," "Mourning Doves," "O'Brien," or "Joey Doves," was a Chicago mobster who became a leader of the Chicago Outfit.-Early career:...
(1907-1997), natural causes - Yaakov AlperonYaakov AlperonYaakov Alperon , was an Israeli mobster who was murdered in a car bomb attack. He was reputed to have run Tel Aviv's third-largest crime family, the Alperon crime family.-Biography:...
(1955-2008), assassinated - Victor "Little Vic" AmusoVictor AmusoVittorio "Little Vic" Amuso is a New York mobster and, as of 2011, the reputed Boss of the Lucchese crime family. Amuso is currently serving life at the Federal Correctional Complex in Beaumont, Texas on murder and racketeering charges....
(1934-present), serving life sentence in prison - Saul Antonio Turcios Angel (1978-present), currently international fugitive
- Francisco Javier Arellano FélixFrancisco Javier Arellano FélixFrancisco Javier Arellano Félix , the brother of Ramón Arellano Félix, is a Mexican drug lord and leader of the Tijuana Cartel involved in drug-smuggling operations from Mexico to the United States....
(1969-present), serving life sentence in prison - Leoluca BagarellaLeoluca BagarellaLeoluca Bagarella is an Italian criminal and member of the Sicilian Mafia. He is from the town of Corleone and was a member of the Corleonesi.-Biography:...
(1942-present), serving life sentence in prison - Marat BalagulaMarat BalagulaMarat Balagula is a Russian - Ukrainian Jewish immigrant, former mob boss, and associate of the Lucchese crime family. He has often been referred to as "the Russian Tony Soprano."-Early life:...
(1943-present), at large - Leroy "Nicky" BarnesLeroy BarnesLeroy Nicholas "Nicky" Barnes is a government informant, former drug lord and crime boss, who led the notorious African-American criminal organization known as The Council, which controlled the heroin trade in Harlem, New York during the 1970s. In 2007 he released a book, “Mr...
(1933-present), currently enrolled in the Witness Protection ProgramUnited States Federal Witness Protection ProgramThe United States Federal Witness Protection Program is a witness protection program administered by the United States Department of Justice and operated by the United States Marshals Service that is designed to protect threatened witnesses before, during, and after a trial.A few states, including... - Jose Miguel Battle, Sr. (1930-2007), natural causes in prison
- Donovan "Bulbie" Bennett (1964-2005), killed by law enforcement.
- Griselda BlancoGriselda BlancoGriselda Blanco is a former drug lord for the Medellín Cartel, and was a pioneer in the Miami-based cocaine drug trade and underworld during the 1970s and early 1980s.-Biography:...
(1943-present), deported to ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
after serving twenty-year prison sentence - Stefano BontadeStefano BontadeStefano Bontade was a powerful member of the Sicilian Mafia. Some sources spell his surname Bontate. He was the capomafia of the Santa Maria di Gesù Family in Palermo...
(1939-1981), assassinated - Dominic BrooklierDominic BrooklierDominic Phillip Brooklier , was an Italian American mobster and head of the Los Angeles crime family of the Mafia during the mid-1970s who mainly worked in pornography, extortion, and burglary.-Early years:...
(1914-1984), natural causes in prison - Klaus "The Minister" BruinsmaKlaas Bruinsma (drug lord)Klaas Bruinsma was a major Dutch drug lord, shot to death by mafia member and former police officer Martin Hoogland...
(1953-1991), assassinated - Giovanni "The Pig" BruscaGiovanni BruscaGiovanni Brusca is a former member of the Sicilian Mafia. He murdered the anti-Mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone in 1992 and once stated that he had committed between 100 and 200 murders but was unable to remember the exact number...
(1957-present), serving life sentence in prison - James "Whitey" BulgerJames J. BulgerJames Joseph "Whitey" Bulger, Jr. is a former organized crime figure from Boston, Massachusetts.Local folklore depicted Bulger as a Robin Hood-style social bandit dedicated to protecting the neighborhood and its residents. Bulger allegedly masterminded a protection racket targeting drug kingpins...
(1929-present), caught June 23, 2011 currently awaiting trial. - Martin "The General" CahillMartin CahillMartin "The General" Cahill was a prominent Irish criminal from Dublin.Cahill generated a certain notoriety in the media, which referred to him by the sobriquet "The General". The name was also used by the media in order to discuss Cahill's activities while avoiding legal problems with libel...
(1949-1994), assassinated - Nam CamNam CamNăm Cam was a notorious Vietnamese gangster. He was born in Saigon, Vietnam.-Early life:When Nam Cam was 15 years old, he was arrested for stabbing a man to death in a fight. He subsequently spent two years in jail. Upon his release, he joined the Army of the Republic of Vietnam in 1966, to fight...
(1948-2004), natural causes in prison - William "Willie the Rat" CammisanoWilliam CammisanoWilliam "Willie Rat" Dominick Cammisano Sr. was a Kansas City, Missouri, mobster and enforcer for Nicholas Civella's Kansas City crime family....
(1914-1995), natural causes - Samuel "Sam Wings" Carlisi (1914-1997), natural causes in prison
- Rafael Caro QuinteroRafael Caro QuinteroRafael Caro Quintero is an incarcerated Mexican drug lord born in La Noria, Badiraguato, Sinaloa. Quintero was a co-founder, with Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, of the Guadalajara Cartel and Sonora Cartel. Upon of the cartels' disintegration, its leaders were incorporated mostly into the Tijuana...
(1954-present), serving forty-year prison sentence - Amado Carrillo FuentesAmado Carrillo FuentesAmado Carrillo Fuentes , was a Mexican drug lord who seized control of the Juárez Cartel after assassinating his boss Rafael Aguilar Guajardo. Amado Carrillo became known as "El Señor de Los Cielos" because of the large fleet of jets he used to transport drugs...
(1956-1997), natural causes - Alfonso CaruanaAlfonso CaruanaAlfonso Caruana is a member of the Sicilian Mafia and was the head of the Sicilian Cuntrera-Caruana family branch in Canada. He acquired Canadian nationality in 1978....
(1946-present), serving twenty-two-year prison sentence - Anthony "Gaspipe" CassoAnthony CassoAnthony "Gaspipe" Casso is a former New York City mobster who served as underboss and acting boss of the Lucchese crime family until he was arrested in 1993, becoming a cooperating witness for the Federal Government...
(1942-present), serving life sentence in prison - Paul CastellanoPaul CastellanoConstantino Paul "Big Paul" Castellano , also known as "The Howard Hughes of the Mob" and "Big Paulie" , was an American Mafia boss in New York City. He succeeded Carlo Gambino as head of the Gambino crime family, at the time, the nation's largest Mafia family...
(1915-1985), assassinated - Ruben Castro (?-present), currently in prison
- Peter Chong (1943-present), released from prison.
- Anthony "Tony Ripe" CivellaAnthony CivellaAnthony Thomas "Tony Ripe" Civella was a Kansas City, Missouri mobster who was head of the Kansas City crime family.Anthony was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His criminal record started in 1952...
(1930-1976), natural causes - Jimmy CoonanJames CoonanJames "Jimmy C" Coonan is an Irish-American mobster and racketeer from Manhattan, New York who is currently serving a 75-year prison term.-Biography:...
(1946-present), serving seventy-five-year prison sentence - Nelson Comandari (?-present), currently on trial
- Anthony "Tony Ducks" CoralloAnthony CoralloAnthony "Tony Ducks" Corallo was a New York City mobster and boss of the Lucchese crime family.-Early life:...
(1913-2000), natural causes in prison - John D'AmatoJohn D'AmatoJohn "Johnny Boy" D'Amato was a New Jersey mobster and former Acting boss of the DeCavalcante crime family. After being recruited by Gambino crime family Boss John Gotti to take over the family, and amidst rumors that he was homosexual, D'Amato was murdered in January 1992.- Captain :After being...
(?-1992), assassinated - William "Big Billy" D'EliaWilliam D'EliaWilliam "Big Billy" D'Elia is a Pennsylvania mobster and former leader of the Bufalino crime family.-Background:D'Elia began working with the Bufalino family in the late 1960s as boss Russell Bufalino's driver. D'Elia's business background in solid waste brokering and other areas would later be...
(1946-present), serving nine-year prison sentence - Boris DekanidzeBoris DekanidzeBoris Dekanidze was the head of the "Vilnius Brigade" organized crime gang in Lithuania. In 1994, he was convicted of ordering the murder of a journalist and was executed by Lithuania. Dekanidze was the last person executed by Lithuania prior to its abolition of the death penalty in...
(?-1995), executed. - Giuseppe "The Tiger" Di CristinaGiuseppe Di CristinaGiuseppe Di Cristina was a powerful mafioso from Riesi in the province of Caltanissetta, Sicily, southern Italy...
(1923-1978), assassinated - John "No Nose" DiFronzoJohn DiFronzoJohn "No Nose, Bananas, Johnny Bananas" DiFronzo is a Chicago mobster and the reputed boss of the Chicago Outfit.A former enforcer and caporegime, DiFronzo was convicted along with then-current Chicago boss Samuel "Black Sam" Carlisi on federal racketeering charges in 1993, however, the conviction...
(1928-present), at large - Rayful EdmondRayful EdmondRayful Edmond III , was a notorious drug dealer who is largely credited with introducing crack cocaine into the Washington, D.C. area...
(1964-present), serving life sentence in prison - Pablo EscobarPablo EscobarPablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was a Colombian drug lord. He was an elusive cocaine trafficker and rich and successful criminal. He owned numerous luxury residences, automobiles, and even airplanes...
(1949-1993), killed by law enforcement. - Natale "Joe Diamond" EvolaNatale EvolaNatale "Joe Diamond" Evola was a New York mobster who briefly became boss of the Bonanno crime family.Born in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn to parents Filippo and Francesca, who was natives of Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily. He was the brother of Paul, Joseph and Anna...
(1907-1973), natural causes - Giuseppe FalsoneGiuseppe FalsoneGiuseppe Falsone is a member of the Sicilian Mafia. His name is sometimes spelled as Falzone. He was on the "Most wanted list" of the Italian ministry of the Interior since January 1999, until his arrest in France in June 2010...
(1970-present), international fugitive since 1999. - Giuseppe FarinellaGiuseppe FarinellaGiuseppe Farinella is a Sicilian mafioso, boss of the San Mauro Castelverde family and a one-time member of the Sicilian Mafia Commission....
(1925-present), serving life sentence in prison - Miguel Ángel Félix GallardoMiguel Ángel Félix GallardoMiguel Ángel Félix Gallardo is a convicted Mexican drug lord known as "El Padrino" who in the 1980s formed the Guadalajara Cartel and became the first drug czar in Mexico to control all illegal drug traffic in Mexico and the corridors along the Mexico-U.S.A...
(1946-present), serving life sentence in prison - Joseph FerriolaJoseph FerriolaJoseph Ferriola , also known as, "Joe Nagall," "Mr. Clean" and "Oscar," was an American mobster who helped run the Chicago Outfit, from 1985 to 1988, after Joseph Aiuppa and John Cerone went to prison for skimming Las Vegas casino profits.- Early life :Joseph Anthony Ferriola was a product of...
(1927-1989), natural causes - Guy FisherGuy FisherGuy Thomas Fisher is a convicted racketeer who was once part of The Council, a notorious African-American crime organization that controlled the heroin trade in Harlem from 1972-1983. He became the first black man to own and operate the Apollo Theater in Harlem when he purchased it in 1977...
(1947-present), serving life sentence in prison - Aladena "Jimmy the Weasel" FratiannoJimmy FratiannoAladena "Jimmy the Weasel" Fratianno was a Cleveland, Ohio, mobster and later acting head of the Los Angeles crime family before becoming a government witness...
(1913-1993), natural causes - Carmine "The Cigar" GalanteCarmine GalanteCarmine Galante, also known as "Lilo" and "Cigar" was a mobster and acting boss of the Bonanno crime family...
(1910-1979), assassinated - Giuseppe Giacomo GambinoGiuseppe Giacomo GambinoGiuseppe Giacomo Gambino , also known as u tignusu was a member of the Mafia and head of the San Lorenzo mandamento....
(1941-1996), suicide. - Raffaele GanciRaffaele GanciRaffaele Ganci is a member of the Mafia in Sicily from the Noce neighbourhood in Palermo. He was considered to be the right hand man of Cosa Nostra boss Totò Riina and sat on the Sicilian Mafia Commission.-Riina loyalist:...
(1932-present), serving life sentence in prison - Mario GiganteMario GiganteMario Gigante is a New York City mobster who served as caporegime for the Genovese crime family...
(1923-present), at large - Vincent "The Chin" GiganteVincent GiganteVincent Gigante was a short lived professional light heavyweight boxer who was known as "The Chin" Gigante. He fought 25 matches and lost four, boxing 121 rounds. On February 19, 1945, he fought Pete Petrello in Madison Square Garden and won by a knock out in the second round. During his successful...
(1928-2005), natural causes in prison - "Factory" John Gilligan (1952-present), serving twenty-five-year prison sentence
- John GottiJohn GottiJohn Joseph Gotti, Jr was an American mobster who became the Boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. Gotti grew up in poverty. He and his brothers turned to a life of crime at an early age...
(1940-2002), natural causes in prison - Peter "One-Eyed Pete" GottiPeter GottiPeter Gotti, also known as "One Eyed Pete", "Petey Boy", "One Eye" , is a New York mobster who is the former boss of the Gambino crime family and the older brother of deceased Gambino boss John Gotti.-Background:...
(1939-present), serving twenty-nine-year prison sentence - Giuseppe GravianoGiuseppe GravianoGiuseppe Graviano is an Italian mafioso from the Brancaccio quarter in Palermo. He is currently serving several life sentences....
(1963-present), serving life sentence in prison - Joaquín "Shorty" GuzmánJoaquín GuzmánJoaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera nicknamed "El Chapo" for his stature, is a Mexican drug lord who heads Mexico's and the world's largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization referred to as the Sinaloa Cartel, named after the Mexican Pacific coast state of Sinaloa where it was initially...
(1957-present), international fugitive since 2001. - Larry HooverLarry HooverLarry Hoover was the leader of the Chicago street gang called Gangster Disciples.-Early life:...
(1950-present), serving life sentence in prison - Dawood IbrahimDawood IbrahimDawood Ibrahim , also known as Dawood Ebrahim, and Sheikh Dawood Hassan, is the head of the organized crime syndicate [[D-Company]] in Mumbai. He is currently on the wanted list of Interpol for organised crime and counterfeiting. He was No. 4 on the Forbes' World's Top 10 most dreaded criminals...
(1955-present), international fugitive since 1993. - Georgi IlievGeorgi IlievGeorgi Andreev Iliev was a Bulgarian businessman, best known for his ownership of a top Bulgarian football team, Lokomotiv Plovdiv....
(1966-2005), assassinated - Vasil IlievVasil IlievVasil Iliev was a Bulgarian mobster, businessman and wrestler.-Background:Vasil Iliev was born in 1965 in Kyustendil, Bulgaria...
(1964-1995), assassinated - Salvatore InzerilloSalvatore InzerilloSalvatore Inzerillo was an Italian criminal, a member of the Sicilian Mafia, also known as Totuccio . He rose to be a powerful boss of Palermo's Passo di Rigano family...
(1944-1981), assassinated - Vyacheslav "Yaponchik" IvankovVyacheslav IvankovVyacheslav Kirillovich Ivankov was a notorious member of the Russian Mafia who was believed to have connections with Russian state intelligence organizations and their organized crime partners. He has operated in both the Soviet Union and the United States...
(1940-2009), assassinated - Pappu KalaniPappu KalaniPappu Kalani is an Indian criminal-politician from Ulhasnagar . After emerging as the leader of an organized crimesyndicate in the 1980s, he won elections for the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in...
(1951-present), on bailBailTraditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
while awaiting trial. - Vladimir KumarinVladimir KumarinVladimir Kumarin, aka Vladimir Barsukov is a Russian businessman, former vice president of the Petersburg Fuel Company in 1998—1999, and allegedly the boss of the powerful Tambov Gang of St...
(?-present), serving fourteen-year prison sentence - Carlos LehderCarlos LehderCarlos Enrique Lehder Rivas or simply Carlos Lehder is a German-Colombian drug dealer currently imprisoned in the United States, having been co-founder of the Medellín Cartel....
(1950-present), serving fifty-five-year prison sentence - James T. "Blackie" LicavoliJames T. LicavoliA member of the Licavoli Crime Family, James T. "Blackie" Licavoli also known as "Jack White" was a Cleveland, Ohio mobster and one of the earliest organized crime figures to be convicted under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act .-Early life:James Licavoli was born Vicentio...
(1904-1985), natural causes in prison - Joseph "Uncle Joe" LigambiJoseph LigambiJoseph Anthony "Uncle Joe" Ligambi is an American mobster and current boss of the Philadelphia crime family. Ligambi is known among law enforcement circles to have a more "old school" approach, in sharp contrast to the former boss, Joseph Merlino's, flamboyant, high-profile style...
(1939-present), at large - Salvatore "The Baron" Lo PiccoloSalvatore Lo PiccoloSalvatore Lo Piccolo , also known as the Baron , is a Sicilian mafioso and one of the most powerful bosses of Palermo, Sicily. Lo Piccolo rose through the ranks of the Palermo mafia throughout the 1980s and he became the capo-mandamento of the San Lorenzo district in the early 1990s, replacing...
(1942-present), serving life sentence in prison - Joseph "Joey the Clown" LombardoJoseph LombardoJoseph Patrick “Joey the Clown” Lombardo Sr. , also known as "Joe Padula," "Lumbo," and "Lumpy", is an imprisoned American mafioso and a high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit crime organization...
, (1929-present), serving life sentence in prison - Giuseppe LuccheseGiuseppe LuccheseGiuseppe Lucchese is a member of the Sicilian Mafia from the Brancaccio neighbourhood in Palermo. He was one of the favourite hitmen of the Corleonesi, headed by Totò Riina, during the Second Mafia War in 1981-83....
(1959-present), serving life sentence in prison - Francesco MadoniaFrancesco Madonia (Resuttana)Francesco Ciccio Madonia was the Mafia boss of the San Lorenzo-Pallavicino area in Palermo. In 1978 he became a member of the Sicilian Mafia Commission....
(1924-2007), natural causes in prison - Andrea ManciaracinaAndrea ManciaracinaAndrea Manciaracina is a member of Sicilian Mafia. His name is sometimes spelled as Mangiaracina.Manciaracina was born in Mazara del Vallo in the province of Trapani. He was initiated in Cosa Nostra in 1985 or 1986...
(1962-present), serving life sentence in prison - Luigi "Baby Shanks" ManocchioLuigi ManocchioLuigi Giovanni "Baby Shanks" Manocchio is an Italian-American mobster from Providence, Rhode Island. He is the former boss of the New England-based Patriarca crime family, which is part of La Cosa Nostra.-Criminal career:...
(1929-present), on bail while awaiting trial. - James "Little Jimmy" MarcelloJames MarcelloJames J. “Little Jimmy, Jimmy Light” Marcello , also known as Jimmy "the Man" Marcello, is an imprisoned crime boss who was a front boss for the Chicago Outfit criminal organization in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s...
(1943-present), serving life sentence in prison - Joseph "Big Joey" Massino (1943-present), serving life sentence in prison
- Kenneth "Supreme" McGriffKenneth McGriffKenneth "Supreme" McGriff is a convicted American drug trafficker and organized crime figure.McGriff came to prominence in the early 1980s when he formed his own crack distributing organization which he called the Supreme Team based in the South Jamaica section of Queens, New York...
(1960-present), serving life sentence in prison - Joseph "Skinny Joe" MerlinoJoseph MerlinoJoseph Salvatore "Skinny Joey" Merlino was the boss of the Philadelphia crime family from 1994 to 1999, despite Ralph Natale being officially the boss, and was said to have led it primarily in extortion, bookmaking, drug trafficking, and loan sharking.-Family mob ties:Joseph Salvatore Merlino a.k.a...
(1962-present), serving fourteen-year prison sentence - Gerlandino MessinaGerlandino MessinaGerlandino Messina is a member of the Mafia in Sicily from Porto Empedocle. He has been on the most wanted list of the Italian ministry of the Interior since 1999....
(1972-present), international fugitive since 1999. - Matteo Messina DenaroMatteo Messina DenaroMatteo Messina Denaro , also known as Diabolik, is a Sicilian mafioso. He got his nickname from the Italian comic book character of the same name. He is considered to be one of the new leaders of Cosa Nostra after the arrest of Bernardo Provenzano on April 11, 2006...
(1962-present), international fugitive since 1993. - Sergei Mikhailov (1958-present), at large
- Peter "Shakes" MilanoPeter MilanoPeter John Milano is a Los Angeles based, Italian-American mobster, and current Boss of the Los Angeles crime family. Milano has been active in organized crime since the 1950s...
(1925-present), at large - Felix "The Cat" MitchellFelix MitchellFelix Wayne Mitchell Jr. was a convicted drug lord from Oakland, California and leader of the notorious "69 Mob" criminal organization, which operated throughout California and into the midwest...
(1954-1986), assassinated - Semion MogilevichSemion MogilevichSemion Yudkovich Mogilevich is a Ukrainian-born organized crime boss, believed by European and United States federal law enforcement agencies to be the "boss of bosses" of most Russian Mafia syndicates in the world...
(1946-present), international fugitive at large - Diego León Montoya SánchezDiego Leon Montoya SanchezDiego León Montoya Sánchez , also known as Don Diego, is a former Colombian crime boss leader of the Norte del Valle drug cartel...
(1958-present), incarcerated while awaiting trial. - Giovanni MotisiGiovanni MotisiGiovanni Motisi also known as "'u pacchiuni", is a member of the Mafia in Sicily from the Altarello neighbourhood in Palermo. He is on the most wanted list of the Italian ministry of the Interior since 1998....
(1959-present), international fugitive since 1998. - Gianni NicchiGianni NicchiGiovanni "Gianni" Nicchi is a member of the Sicilian Mafia. Despite his young age – his nickname is U picciutteddu – he is considered to be one of the leading mafiosi of Cosa Nostra in Palermo...
(1981-present), international fugitive since 2006. - Khozh-Ahmed Noukhayev (1954-?), missing and presumed dead.
- Gilberto Rodríguez "The Chess Player" OrejuelaGilberto Rodríguez OrejuelaGilberto José Rodríguez Orejuela is a Colombian druglord, formerly one of the leaders of the Cali Cartel, based in the city of Cali.-Cali Cartel:...
(?-present), serving thirty-year prison sentence - Raymond Patriarca, Jr.Raymond Patriarca, Jr.Raymond J. Patriarca Jr. a.k.a. "Ray Junior" a.k.a. "Junior" is a Providence, Rhode Island, mobster who succeeded his father, Raymond Patriarca Sr., as head of the Patriarca crime family in 1984....
(1945-present), retired as boss in 1991. - Carmine "Junior" PersicoCarmine PersicoCarmine John Persico, Jr. also known as "Junior", "The Snake" and "Immortal", has been the de-facto boss of the Colombo crime family since the early 1970s. Persico has overseen gang wars, murders, and major rackets, most of the time from prison. He has been serving life imprisonment without...
(1933-present), serving life sentence in prison - Santiago Luis Polanco RodríguezSantiago Luis Polanco RodríguezSantiago Luis Polanco Rodríguez is a Dominican American former drug dealer considered to be the first mass marketer of crack cocaine in United States. Better known by his street name, Yayo, he carries a special distinction among drug dealers, according to experts in the drug trade...
(1961-present), retired from crime in 1992. - Mario PrestifilippoMario PrestifilippoMario Prestifilippo was a member of the Sicilian Mafia.He was briefly the boss of the Ciaculli Mafia Family after Giuseppe Greco was murdered in 1985. He played a significant role in the Second Mafia War of the early 1980s orchestrated by Salvatore Riina...
(1958-1987), assassinated - Bernardo "Bennie the Tractor" ProvenzanoBernardo ProvenzanoBernardo Provenzano is a member of the Sicilian Mafia and is suspected of having been the head of the Corleonesi, a Mafia faction that originated in the village of Corleone, and de facto capo di tutti capi of the entire Sicilian Mafia until his arrest in 2006.His nickname is Binnu u tratturi...
(1933-present), serving life sentence in prison - Vincenzo PuccioVincenzo PuccioVincenzo Puccio was a member of the Sicilian Mafia. He was from Palermo and joined the Ciaculli Mafia family sometime in the late 1970s, although like many other members of that particular family he operated a great deal under the orders of the Corleonesi.- Criminal career :He was arrested...
(1945-1989), assassinated - Domenico RaccugliaDomenico RaccugliaDomenico Raccuglia , also known as Mimmo, is a member of the Mafia in Sicily. His nickname is " 'U vitirinariu"...
(1964-present), international fugitive since 1996. - Bosko "The Yugo" RadonjichBosko RadonjichBosko "The Yugo" Radonjich was a Serbian nationalist and later leader of the Westies, a predominantly Irish-American gang based in New York's Hell's Kitchen.-Early life:...
(1943-present), deported to SerbiaSerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans... - Philip "Rusty" RastelliPhilip RastelliPhillip "Rusty" Rastelli was a New York mobster and former boss of the Bonanno crime family.-Biography:...
(1918-1991), natural causes - Željko "Arkan" RažnatovićŽeljko RažnatovicŽeljko Ražnatović , widely known as Arkan was a Serbian career criminal and later a paramilitary leader who was notable for organizing and leading a paramilitary force in the Yugoslav Wars...
(1952-2000), assassinated - Rosario RiccobonoRosario RiccobonoRosario Riccobono was a member of the Sicilian Mafia. He was the boss of Partanna Mondello, a suburb of Palermo, his native city...
(1929-1982), assassinated - Salvatore "Toto" RiinaSalvatore RiinaSalvatore "Totò" Riina is a member of the Sicilian Mafia who became the most powerful member of the criminal organization in the early 1980s. Fellow mobsters nicknamed him The Beast due to his violent nature, or sometimes The Short One due to his diminutive stature...
(1930-present), serving life sentence in prison - Nicolo RizzutoNicolo RizzutoNicolo Rizzuto , also known as Nick Rizzuto, was the crime boss of the Sicilian faction of the Italian Mafia in Montreal who later pushed out the Calabrian Cotroni family. Rizzuto was born in Cattolica Eraclea, Sicily, in 1924, and immigrated to Canada in 1954 when the family settled in Montreal...
(1924-2010), assassinated - Vito RizzutoVito RizzutoVito Rizzuto , known as Montreal's Teflon Don, was alleged to be the leading Mafia boss of the Sicilian Mafia in Canada and heads the Rizzuto crime family.-Family:...
(1946-present), serving eight-year prison sentence - José Gonzalo Rodríguez GachaJosé Gonzalo Rodríguez GachaJosé Gonzalo Rodríguez Gacha , also known by the nickname El Mexicano, was a Colombian drug lord who was one of the leaders of the notorious Medellín Cartel along with the Ochoa brothers and Pablo Escobar. At the height of his criminal career Rodríguez was acknowledged as one of the world's most...
(1947-1989), killed by law enforcement. - Antonio RotoloAntonio RotoloAntonio "Nino" Rotolo is an Italian Mafia boss from the Pagliarelli area in Palermo that traditionally was under the control of the Motisi Mafia family. Rotolo was the underboss of Matteo Motisi, but according to some pentiti he was the de facto leader representing the mandamento on the Sicilian...
(1946-present), serving thirteen-year prison sentence - "Cadillac" Frank SalemmeFrank SalemmeFrancis P. Salemme [Salemone], also known as "Cadillac Frank" and "Julian Daniel Selig" , is a Boston, Massachusetts mobster who became a hitman and eventually the boss of the Patriarca crime family of New England before turning government witness.-Early years:In 1957, while in prison, Salemme...
(1933-present), currently enrolled in the Witness Protection Program. - Anthony "Fat Tony" SalernoAnthony SalernoAnthony "Fat Tony" Salerno was a New York mobster who served as front boss of the Genovese crime family to family boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante from the 1970s until his conviction in 1986...
(1911-1992), natural causes in prison - Benedetto "The Hunter" SantapaolaBenedetto SantapaolaBenedetto Santapaola , better known as Nitto is a prominent mafioso from Catania, the main city and industrial centre on Sicily's east coast. His nickname is il cacciatore , because of his passion for shooting game...
(1938-present) - Nicodemo "Little Nicky" ScarfoNicodemo ScarfoNicodemo "Little Nicky" Domenico Scarfo is a member of the American Mafia who eventually became the Boss of the Philadelphia crime family after the death of Angelo Bruno and Phil Testa...
(1929-present), serving life sentence in prison - Benedetto SperaBenedetto SperaBenedetto Spera is a member of the Sicilian Mafia and the boss of the Belmonte Mezzagno Mafia family and the mandamento of Misilmeri in the province of Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy...
(1934-present), serving life sentence in prison - Anthony "Tony the Ant" SpilotroAnthony SpilotroAnthony "The Ant" Spilotro was an Italian-American mobster and enforcer for the Chicago Outfit in Las Vegas during the 1970s and 1980s. His job was to protect and oversee the Outfit's illegal casino profits...
(1938-1986), assassinated - John StanfaJohn StanfaGiovanni "John the Dour Don" Stanfa is a former acting boss of the Scarfo crime family. Convicted of multiple charges in 1995, Stanfa is currently serving five consecutive life sentences.-Early life and Mafia member:...
(1940-present), serving life sentence in prison - Omid TahviliOmid TahviliOmid Tahvili, is an Iranian criminal who is the kingpin of an Iranian organized crime family in Canada which is connected to various international crime organizations....
(1970-present), international fugitive since 2007. - Philip "Chicken Man" TestaPhilip TestaPhilip Carlo Testa , also known as "The Chicken Man" or "The Julius Cesar of the Philadelphia Mob" or "Philly", was a Sicilian-born American Mafia figure known for his brief leadership of the Scarfo crime family...
(1924-1981), assassinated - Frank "Funzi" Tieri (1904-1981), natural causes
- Joseph "Lead Pipe Joe" TodaroJoseph Todaro, Sr.Joseph Todaro, Sr. is a prominent Buffalo, New York businessman, and alleged Mafia boss.According to local and national law enforcement agencies including the United States Department of Justice, Joseph Todaro Sr. is known on the streets of Buffalo and throughout the underworld as "Lead Pipe Joe",...
(1923-present), at large - Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov (1949-present), international fugitive since 2002.
- Robert TrimboleRobert TrimboleRobert Trimbole was an Australian businessman, drug baron and organised crime boss whose alleged involvement in the disappearance of anti-marijuana campaigner Donald Mackay and involvement in drug trafficking in the Griffith, New South Wales area, led to a royal commission, a Coroner's inquest and...
(1931-1987), natural causes - John "Peanuts" TronoloneJohn TronoloneJohn "Peanuts" Tronolone was a Cleveland, Ohio mobster who succeeded crime boss James Licavoli as head of the Cleveland branch of the Licavoli Crime Family. Tronolone ran the Cleveland family following the Licavoli-Nardi gang wars from 1985 until 1991.Born in Buffalo, New York, Tronolone was...
(1910-1991), natural causes - Koose Muniswamy VeerappanVeerappanKoose Muniswamy Veerappan commonly known as Veerappan, was a notorious dacoit, or robber bandit, of India. He was active for a period of years in a broad swath of land covering 6,000 km² in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu...
(1952-2004), killed by law enforcement. - Vincenzo VirgaVincenzo VirgaVincenzo Virga is the boss of the Trapani Mafia family and mandamento since 1982, when the previous boss, Salvatore Minore, was murdered....
(?-present), serving life sentence in prison - Giuseppa "Giusy" VitaleGiusy VitaleGiuseppa Vitale better known as Giusy is the sister of Mafia bosses Leonardo, Michele and Vito Vitale from Partinico . Giusy took over the command over the clan when her brothers were in prison or fugitives, despite the formal Mafia rule that excludes the participation of women in the criminal...
, currently enrolled in the Italian Witness Protection Program. - Vito VitaleVito VitaleSalvatore "Vito" Vitale also known as Fardazza is a member of the Sicilian Mafia. For a while he was considered the heir of Totò Riina and was closely connected to Leoluca Bagarella.-Mafia career:...
(1958-present), serving life sentence in prison - Michele "The Madman" ZazaMichele ZazaMichele Zaza was a member of the Neapolitan Camorra who was also initiated in the Sicilian Mafia. He was known as "’O Pazzo" due to his outspoken and improbable public pronouncements...
(1945-1994), natural causes
See also
- List of crime bosses convicted in the 21st century
- List of criminal enterprises, gangs and syndicates
- List of Italian-American mobsters
- List of fictional crime bosses
External links
- Mob Life: Gangster Kings of Crime — slideshow by Life magazine