NCJ Number
55879
Date Published
1979
Length
179 pages
Annotation
THE SCOPE OF A MAFIA FAMILY'S ILLEGAL ENTERPRISES AND LEGITIMATE BUSINESS INTERESTS ARE DETAILED IN THIS CASE STUDY OF AN ITALIAN ORGANIZED CRIME GROUP OF ABOUT 75 MEN, 1 OF 24 GROUPS HELD TO BE THE CORE OF COSA NOSTRA.
Abstract
FOCUSING ON THE BENGUERRA FAMILY (A PSEUDONYM), THE NARRATIVE OUTLINES THE LOOSE ORGANIZATIONAL INTERACTION BETWEEN THE MAJOR ORGANIZED CRIME FAMILIES, DETAILS THE ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE BENGUERRAS AND DISCUSSES THE FAMILY'S ILLICIT ACTIVITIES, THE NATURE OF AND MOTIVATION FOR CAPITAL DIVESTMENTS INTO THE LEGITIMATE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AND THE ROLE PLAYED BY CRIMINAL 'SKILLS' IN THE PURSUIT OF THE LEGAL ENTERPRISE. THE BENGUERRA FAMILY EPITOMIZES THE HIERARCHICAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE DESCRIBED AS CHARACTERISTIC OF ITALIAN ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS, ALTHOUGH ITS FORMAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE IS NOT THE SAME AS ITS ECONOMIC STRUCTURE THE GROUP IS NOT A FIRM; THAT IS, A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE OWNED AND CONTROLLED AS A UNIT. INSTEAD, THE GROUP HAS WITHIN IT SEVERAL FIRMS INVOLVED IN NUMBERS GAMBLING AND LOANSHARKING; SOME OF THE MEMBERS WHO DO NOT HOLD POSITIONS IN THE FORMAL HIERARCHY HAVE LARGER ILLEGAL MARKET BUSINESSES THAN THOSE WHO DO. THE FORMAL STRUCTURE INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS: BOSS, UNDERBOSS, COUNSELOR, TREASURER, AND 10 'CAPOS' (HEADS OF GROUPS). UNDER THE CAPOS ARE THE LOWEST RANKING MEMBERS. NUMBERS GAMBLING IS THE FAVORITE ILLICIT ENTERPRISE OF THE GROUP, FOLLOWED BY LOANSHARKING. A MAJORITY OF THE FAMILY MEMBERS ALSO MAINTAIN LEGITIMATE INTERESTS IN EATING AND DRINKING PLACES, OTHER RETAIL TRADES AND SERVICES, THE MANUFACTURING AND WHOLESALING OF FOOD AND KINDRED PRODUCTS, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING SERVICES, VENDING MACHINES AND RELATED BUSINESSES, CASINOS, PROPERTY, STOCKS AND BONDS, INVESTMENTS IN MIAMI, FLA., AND FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL ESTATE INTERESTS. MEMBERS OF THE GROUP ENTER INTO LEGITIMATE BUSINESS AS THEY PLEASE AND RARELY USE VIOLENCE IN THE CONDUCT OF LICIT ENTERPRISE. HOWEVER, NONVIOLENT CRIMINAL MEANS DO COME INTO PLAY, INCLUDING THE CORRUPTION OF OFFICIALS AND THE LAUNDERING OF ILLEGAL FUNDS THROUGH LEGAL FRONTS. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND INDEX.