Transcript Document

Organized Crime: The role of
the Federal Government
Mike McCarry
Thesis Statement
“ The United States
Government has
taken action in
controlling forms or
organized crime in the
past, as they still do
in today’s modern
world, and as they
need to continue to
control in the future.”
Introduction to Organized Crime
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Organized crime is “any group having
some manner of a formalized structure
and whose primary objective is to obtain
money through illegal activities”.
Many different faces, from illustrious
Italian Mafia, Soviet Russians, Nigerians,
Chinese, Japanese, and European nations
such as Hungary and Romania
Past
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First organization of
criminals came to U.S
when Italian immigrants
arrived in early 1800’s
Cammora Mafia, Sacra
Corona Unita Mafia, and
Sicilian Mafia (which held
the most influence)
Began drug trafficking
and money laundering
Past
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Sicilian Mafia most
influential- money
laundering, racketeering,
drug trafficking became
easy to them
Not until early 1900’s that
federal and state law
enforcement took active
stance against organized
crime
Past- First Big Bust
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1929- Al Capone who
ruled an empire of
organized crime
Fed’s went to his house
to subpoena him as a
witness to another crime,
he told them he was sick
and was later seen
vacationing in the
Bahamas
Cited for contempt of
court, released on bail
Past- First Big Bust
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Arrested again for gun
possession, in jail for
short time
While in jail, FBI gained
enough evidence to
arrest him for failing to
pay income taxes
Locked up in Alcatraz for
11 years, died soon after
his release
This was first look at
aggressive stance against
organized crime in U.S
Past- R.I.C.O
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1970- Racketeering Influence and Corrupt
Organizations Act was passed
Gave authorities much more broad power
to target entire criminal enterprises
Now able to pin crimes on top “bosses” for
their connections in the crimes that they
ordered to be carried out by hit-men
Past- John Gotti
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Also known as “Teflon Don”, influential mobster of 1970’s-80’s
In and out of prison throughout life, important name for Gambino
crime family in New York
Break for FBI came in early 1980’s when wire taps gave away inside
information on criminal activities against Gotti
Past- John Gotti
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Gotti was seen driving away
from a crime scene where he
had ordered another Mafia
boss to be murdered
FBI built a strong case based
on video surveillance and wire
taps worn by Mafia informants
Arrested Gotti for racketeering,
extortion, jury tampering, and
murder
Gotti died in jail
Present
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Many ethnic groups began to take part in
organized crime
Asian criminal enterprise has been in US since
1900’s and evolved from Chinese Tongs- social
organizations formed by early Chinese
Immigrants
Now many Asian nations have joined together to
form a fairly strong group of organized criminals
The Asian nations that are involved are: China,
Japan, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam
Present
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The Asian criminal
enterprise conducts
crimes such as: extortion,
murder, kidnapping,
smuggling aliens, heroin
trafficking, and
counterfeiting goods
Fed’s have set up The
National Police Agency of
Japan Working Groupsdiscuss criminal
investigations dealing
with Asian crime groups
Present
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African crime groups are
developing quickly
Nations that are involved
include: Nigeria, Ghana,
and Liberia
Operate in over 80
countries and do most
crimes through new
technology and
communications
Heroin trafficking
Present
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African criminal
enterprise cost the United
States an estimated 2
billion dollars last year
through financial fraud
FBI set up The
Department of Justice
Nigerian Crime Initiative
in order to better
prosecute African
organized criminals
Despite hard work, the
group continues to grow
Future
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I believe there is a very
promising future for
organized crime in
America
Although crime
organizations may change
their methods, there will
always be some type of
illegal activities being
executed by groups of
criminals
Future
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Although laws were passed to make crimes such
as racketeering and extortion harder to commit,
other more complex crimes are beginning to be
executed by criminals such as: computer fraud,
tax fraud, and bank fraud
These crimes are being executed by means of
technology which makes it much harder to be
caught and prosecuted by law enforcement
Conclusion
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Organized crime will remain a
problem, regardless of the
efforts made by law
enforcement
All people want the same
thing: power, money and
security, all of which come
with organized crime
This, plus the consistent flow
of immigrants and minority
groups in the US, organized
crime will continue to be a
problem until the end of
government
Organized Crime Cartoons
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“As long as we are a society that rests on
greed, that neglects its poor and that
promotes materialism in the media, organized
crime in all of its aspects- no matter what
language it speaks- will continue to plunder
our nation” ~ William Kleinknecht