The Chicago La Costa Notr History

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Unlike the New York organized crime scene which consists of the Five Families, the Chicago mob consists of only one family known as the Outfit. The outfit dates to the times of Al Capone and has traditionally stayed away from drug trafficking crimes and focused on loan-sharking and online gambling (The Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2011).
The Chicago La Costa Notra: History The Outfit can be traced to the early 1900’s with an increase of Italian immigrants in Chicago. Prior to prohibition multiple street gangs were involved in criminal activity throughout the city. Additionally, a scheme was brought to Chicago from Italy known as the “Black Hand”. It involved threatening residents with violence unless money was paid; the extortion letters were stamped with a hand in ink. Some black hands joined forces and created organized criminals (American Mafia History, ND).
The Outfit obtained power and control in the 1920’s. Giacomo “Big Jim” Colosimo obtained solid control over portions of the criminal world and ran hundreds of brothels. Giovanni “Papa Johnny” Torrio wanted The Outfit to explore the business of underground liquor operations upon the implementation of prohibition; when Colosimo refused, …show more content…

During this time, Al Capone gained more power and provided beer and liquor to the public of Chicago. He also began to utilize political influence and had a puppet candidate elected as the mayor of Cicero. Dion O’Banion and his Irish-American gang ruled the north and The Outfit ruled the south. O’Banion had been hijacking Torrio’s and Capone’s liquor and in 1924 the tension erupted following a bust of a brewery owed by the three. The incident led to O’Banion being shot in his flower shop. The violence between the North Side gang and The Outfit led to the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. The massacre was ordered by Capone and carried out by two hitmen and left seven dead (Lyman & Potter,

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