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The Untold Story That Will Change How You See Organized Crime
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Apr 7, 2025
Journey deep into the secretive world of the Yakuza, Japan's legendary crime syndicate whose origins date back to the 17th century. Witness their intricate traditions - from full-body tattoos to the haunting ritual of yubitsume. Discover how these shadowy organizations evolved from outcasts to powerful forces in post-WWII Japan, maintaining corporate offices while controlling vast criminal enterprises. A fascinating exploration of honor, violence, and power in Japan's criminal underworld. Inside the Billion-Dollar Mafia Empire: The Untold Story That Will Change How You See Organized Crime Inside the Yakuza: Japan's Ancient Criminal Underworld Exposed
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0:00
did you know that at their height
0:02
certain crime families had estimated
0:04
annual earnings in the billions of
0:06
dollars rivaling the fortunes of
0:09
legitimate multinational
0:11
corporations across decades and even
0:14
centuries organized crime has woven
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itself into the fabric of societies
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worldwide capitalizing on vice
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corruption and secrecy Today we uncover
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the twisted history and dark secrets of
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these formidable
0:31
organizations Welcome to our in-depth
0:33
exploration of organized crime families
0:35
powerful syndicates that have shaped
0:37
histories and scarred communities all
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over the globe From the infamous five
0:41
families of New York to the fearsome
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Yakuza of Japan our story today delves
0:46
into betrayal loyalty and the relentless
0:48
pursuit by law enforcement Our journey
0:52
through their hidden past reveals not
0:54
just how these empires rose to power but
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why their shadows persist even now In
1:01
the early 20th century many citizens
1:04
recognized that criminals were
1:06
exploiting systemic weaknesses gaps in
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policing ineffectual legislation and
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crucially rampant corruption in
1:15
political circles Law enforcement faced
1:18
overwhelming obstacles Limited resources
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deep-seated bribery and the persistent
1:25
wall of silence known as Omea in
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Italian-Amean
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communities Efforts to infiltrate these
1:33
families stumbled time and again on
1:36
account of bribed officers and judges
1:39
frightened witnesses or entire
1:41
neighborhoods living under the criminal
1:43
sway The public's relationship with
1:46
these figures was and sometimes remains
1:50
ambivalent Legal crackdowns and
1:52
sensational trials highlight the extreme
1:56
violence these families encourage
1:58
Murders racketeering smuggling and more
2:02
Yet popular culture think The Godfather
2:05
Goodfells or various TV dramas has often
2:08
romanticized the mobster's life painting
2:12
characters as flawed anti-heroes rather
2:15
than unabashed villains This complicated
2:18
perception can lead to public reluctance
2:21
to cooperate fully with law enforcement
2:24
In some cases mob bosses were admired
2:27
for their ability to provide certain
2:29
forms of street justice or community aid
2:33
Free turkeys at Thanksgiving for
2:34
instance further reinforcing local
2:37
loyalty or silence
2:40
To truly understand the challenges in
2:42
dismantling these syndicates we must
2:44
examine the historical tapestry of
2:47
organized crime the roots of mob power
2:50
the pivotal moments that shaped their
2:52
fates and the ongoing tugof war between
2:55
criminals and the authorities Organized
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crime extends far beyond any single city
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or family but few exemplify its story
3:06
better than the Italian-American mafia
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in New York
3:10
Beginning in the late 19th century and
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early 20th century Italian immigrants
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particularly from Sicily brought to the
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US both their quest for opportunity and
3:21
some oldworld criminal traditions Across
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the Atlantic in Japan the Ninkyod Danti
3:28
better known as the Yakuza had followed
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an even older tradition with origins
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dating as far back as the 17th century
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Organized crime generally signifies a
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structured group carrying out illegal
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activities extortion bootlegging drug
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trafficking money laundering on a
3:49
continual basis thriving through ties to
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business government or corrupt law
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enforcement Hierarchies reinforce
3:58
loyalty and families manage to control
4:01
large territories and economies with the
4:04
help of intimidation and tradition
4:07
Yet as we shall see specific catalysts
4:10
also shaped the destinies of these
4:13
organizations In the United States
4:16
prohibition 1920 to 1933 became a gold
4:20
mine for gangs seeking to supply illegal
4:23
liquor During this era men like Al
4:26
Capone in Chicago and the earliest form
4:29
of the five families in New York took
4:32
hold of illicit liquor distribution and
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turned it into an organized empire On
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the other side of the world post World
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War II devastation gave the Yakuza an
4:44
opening to embed themselves in Japan's
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rebuilding economy Our dive into this
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hidden world will focus primarily on the
4:52
American mafia their lifespan and key
4:56
turning points in their structure Yet
4:59
we'll also glance across oceans to see
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how other major syndicates thrived
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internationally Part one the rise of the
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American mafia By the dawn of the 20th
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century roughly 2 million Italian
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immigrants had arrived in the United
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States many settling in impoverished
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urban neighborhoods like lower
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Manhattan's Malbury Street Among them
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were individuals familiar with local
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protection rackets in Sicily framed as a
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means of community self-p policing and
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mutual aid but often culminating in
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extortion and violence Some of these
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Sicilian customs evolved into the
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foundation of the American mafia In the
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1900s a wave of extortion letters often
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signed with a crude imprint of a black
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hand terrorized the Italian-American
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population Italian immigrant criminals
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menace local shopkeepers and wealthier
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community members demanding payments or
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tribute in return for safety This
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practice set the stage for the more
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structured criminal networks that would
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soon follow Then in 1920 the 18th
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amendment ushered in prohibition banning
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the manufacture sale and transport of
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alcohol While lawmakers aimed to curb
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alcoholism and social decay the policy
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instead generated a lucrative black
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market Italian-American gangs Irish mobs
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and Jewish syndicates all jockeyed for
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territory each seeking to control
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bootleg operations worth millions Men
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like Alons Al Capone in Chicago emerged
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as the Prohibition era's most iconic
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figure At one point believed to earn
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over $100 million a year from
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bootlegging gambling and prostitution
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his flamboyance the brutality of events
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like the 1929 St Valentine's Day
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Massacre and his subsequent arrest for
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tax evasion in
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1931 remain symbolic of that period Part
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two the birth of the five families The
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structure of the modern American mafia
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took shape largely due to the efforts of
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Charles Lucky Luchiano By the early
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1930s internal strife most notably the
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Castellamares War had left many old
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guard bosses like Joe the Boss Maseria
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and Salvator Marenzano dead Recognizing
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the futility of continued warfare
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Luchiano and his allies crafted a new
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system to share power and profits more
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evenly reducing intergang violence He
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established the commission a council
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formed by the heads of several major
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families the future five families of New
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York plus representatives from Chicago
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and elsewhere spanning from around 1931
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onward It aimed primarily to settle
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disputes and enforce rules across the
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families Key figures rose in tandem with
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this new structure Charles Lucky
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Luchiano born in Sicily in 1897 arrived
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in America as a child He rose through
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the ranks via bootlegging and alliances
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with Jewish and Irish gangsters After
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facing a prostitution conviction in 1936
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he was deported to Italy in 1946 but
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remained influential from afar Vto
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Genovves who gave his name to the
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Genovves family and Carlo Gambino who
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eventually led the Gambino family to
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become one of the most powerful blocks
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post WallU also played pivotal roles The
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social and political climate of the time
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shaped mob
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activities The Great Depression drove
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many ordinary people to desperation
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Local gangsters offered loans jobs or
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protection sometimes being perceived as
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necessary evils in communities where
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formal institutions failed Corrupt Tam
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Hall politics in New York City further
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cultivated an environment where bribery
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for contracts licenses or police
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cooperation was rampant While the
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Roosevelt administration famously
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targeted depression era criminals like
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John Dillinger and Bonnie and Clyde the
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mafia's secretive culture and strong
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local support made it far more resistant
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to infiltration Part three consolidation
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and expansion 1940s to
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1950s With World War II raging from 1939
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to 1945 the US government grew anxious
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about waterfront sabotage Rumors persist
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that American intelligence sought help
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from mob linked union officials to
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secure east coast ports from foreign
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infiltration Although the extent of this
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cooperation remains elusive During the
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same period mobrun gambling narcotics
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and prostitution rackets flourished
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sustained by the longstanding
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arrangement of bribes to local law
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enforcement A defining blow to organized
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crimes cloak of secrecy took place on
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November 14th 1957 in Appalachin New
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York At the home of mobster Joseph
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Barbara dozens of prominent underworld
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figures had gathered to discuss gambling
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and narcotics distribution When local
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police discovered this suspicious
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meeting gangsters fled into the woods or
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attempted to slip away quietly Over 60
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were detained A moment that forcibly
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exposed the mafia to public scrutiny
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Media coverage of the Appalachin meeting
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compelled the FBI and the American
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public to acknowledge the mafia's
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national reach ending years of official
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denial In the fallout law enforcement
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agencies began collaborating more
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forcefully The Mlelen Committee hearings
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in the late 1950s and early 1960s
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brought union corruption and mafia
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infiltration of legitimate industries to
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light prompting demand for stronger
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legal mechanisms Part four the Yakuza
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and other global
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counterparts across the Pacific In Japan
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the Yakuza followed another long
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criminal tradition Though the American
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mafia found impetus in prohibition the
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Yakuza's roots stretch back to outcast
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groups of the 17th century Bodyguards
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gamblers traveling fairs who coalesed
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into organizations known Ninkio Danti By
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the early 20th century their presence
12:00
was embedded into Japan's socopolitical
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reality controlling gambling rings and
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some aspects of local governance After
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World War II as Japan rebuilt the Yakuza
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stepped in to offer jobs or monetary
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support to desperate citizens in
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parallel with American mobsters
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providing resources in impoverished
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neighborhoods They maintain a strict
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hierarchy under a patriarchal boss or
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oyabun while underlings swear deep
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loyalty as Kobun Identifiable by their
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intricate full body tattoos the Yakuza
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are also associated with Yubitsuma the
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ritual of severing part of a finger to
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atone for errors As with the American
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mafia they operated with the assistance
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of political connections and corrupt
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officials and penetrating these groups
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proved daunting for Japanese authorities
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The Yakuza's public corporate officers
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showcased their partial legitimacy in
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Japanese society making their legal
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suppression a uniquely complex endeavor
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Part five key mobing practices and
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dramas 1960s to 1980s
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Post World War II the five families
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shifted their focus to narcotic
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smuggling particularly heroin alongside
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gambling and labor union corruption
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Leadership changed hands frequently as
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bosses died or were imprisoned Joseph
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Bonano led the Banano family until
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internal feuds forced him into hiding in
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the 1960s fueling the so-called Banana
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War Thomas Tommy Laces guided the Lucasi
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family's lucrative garment center
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rackets until 1967 Whalo Gambino exerted
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quiet but expansive power until 1976 A
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critical turning point arrived in 1963
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when low-level mob soldier Joe Veli
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publicly confirmed the mafia's existence
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during Senate testimony revealing
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clandestine customs such as the
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induction ritual of becoming a maidman
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This testimony paved the way for future
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informants shattering the fabled Omea By
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the 1980s the Gambino family reached new
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peaks under the flamboyant John Goti
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known as the Teflon Dawn Goty allegedly
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orchestrated the murder of boss Paul
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Castellano in
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1985 outside Spark Steakhouse then
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claimed leadership He reveled in media
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attention parading in expensive suits
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and repeatedly evaded conviction often
14:42
through witness intimidation or jury
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tampering Some members of the public
14:47
viewed him with a degree of admiration
14:50
complicating law enforcement efforts
14:52
However in
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1992 Goty's luck ran out Wiretaps and
14:58
testimony by his underboss turned
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informant Salvator Sammy the Bull Graano
15:04
built an airtight case that ended with
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Goty's conviction and life sentence Part
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six legal tools and law enforcement
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breakthroughs A major shift in law
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enforcement strategy arrived in 1970
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with the Rakateeer Influenced and
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Corrupt Organizations Act RICO This
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legislation allowed prosecutors to
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charge mob bosses for the totality of
15:32
criminal acts carried out by their
15:34
organization linking conspirators across
15:37
multiple crimes Prior to RICO top
15:40
figures could claim plausible
15:42
deniability for violent acts executed by
15:46
subordinates Rico destroyed that shield
15:49
by criminalizing the very structure of
15:51
the criminal enterprise In tandem with
15:54
RICO the FBI introduced advanced
15:58
surveillance technology wiretaps and
16:01
hidden microphones in mob hangouts plus
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skillful undercover agents Crucially
16:07
more informants were swayed by the risk
16:10
of massive prison sentences or personal
16:13
danger should they remain loyal to the
16:15
syndicate Major turncoats such as Henry
16:18
Hill affiliated with the Lucesy family
16:21
and Sammy Graano revealed enough inner
16:24
workings to topple the mafia's upper
16:27
ranks Even so corruption was an ongoing
16:31
threat Dirty cops or compromised
16:35
prosecutors stymied or sabotaged
16:37
investigations
16:39
Community members too were fearful or
16:42
even aligned with local mobsters out of
16:44
a sense of duty or gratitude Overcoming
16:48
this cultural acceptance remained as
16:50
pivotal as winning legal battles Part
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seven International dimensions and the
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global drug trade Heroin smuggling was
17:00
one of the leading enterprises for
17:02
organized crime From the 1950s through
17:05
the
17:06
1970s the French Connection pipeline
17:09
funneled vast amounts of heroin from
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Corsacan gangs in Marseilles to the
17:14
American underworld It fueled violent
17:17
turf wars and generated enormous profits
17:21
When American and French authorities
17:23
eventually disrupted that route
17:25
criminals soon shifted operations to
17:28
Southeast Asia or Latin America
17:31
Globalization meant new alliances new
17:35
supply lines and more intricate money
17:37
laundering schemes On the Yakuza side
17:41
transnational expansion existed but they
17:44
often concentrated on controlling
17:46
domestic markets in Japan Criminal
17:49
pursuits ranging from corporate
17:52
blackmail to sex trafficking Police
17:55
crackdowns and new laws pressured the
17:57
Yakuza to adopt more covert white collar
18:01
methods Similarly posts Soviet Russian
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syndicates and Chinese triads exploited
18:08
weakened borders and institutions
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spreading their operations worldwide As
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each group adapted so did the agencies
18:16
determined to stop them Part 8 decline
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adaptation and modern-day echoes 1990s
18:24
till present John Goty's conviction in
18:27
1992 signaled a seismic shift
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demonstrating that the combined efforts
18:33
of RICO laws wiretaps and defectors
18:37
could dismantle formally impenetrable
18:39
hierarchies By the mid 1990s many top
18:43
bosses of the five families were behind
18:46
bars in witness protection or deceased
18:50
The flamboyant headlines of the mob's
18:52
golden age began to fade Yet these
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families did not vanish outright They
18:57
simply receded from public view adopting
19:00
a lower profile style to avoid undue
19:04
attention Modern technology poses both
19:07
advantages and
19:08
challenges Encrypted messaging and
19:11
cryptocurrencies grant new layers of
19:13
secrecy but digital communications leave
19:16
traces law enforcement can potentially
19:20
exploit Worldwide inter agency
19:23
collaboration has strengthened with
19:26
officials from multiple countries
19:28
sharing information about suspicious
19:31
transfers and crossber plots Culturally
19:35
these syndicates retain a strange allure
19:38
Popular films and series romanticize
19:41
mafiosi as complex figures torn between
19:44
family duty and moral compromise
19:47
In economically depressed areas some
19:50
criminals still posture as benefactors
19:53
providing material support to local
19:56
populations once again blurring the
19:59
moral lines for everyday citizens
20:02
Central to perpetuation is corruption
20:05
The unholy nexus between gangsters and
20:09
compromised officials corrods community
20:11
trust and undermines legitimate
20:13
governance Indeed if citizens suspect
20:17
that certain politicians or police
20:19
captains are on the mob's payroll
20:21
cooperation with legitimate authorities
20:24
dries up giving criminal enterprises
20:26
more room to operate If we must single
20:29
out a moment that revolutionized the war
20:32
against organized crime many experts
20:35
point to the
20:36
mid1980s commission trial Between 1985
20:40
and
20:41
1986 US Attorney Rudolph Giuliani
20:44
spearheaded a sweeping RICO case that
20:47
targeted the heads of the five families
20:50
simultaneously For the first time the
20:53
entire leadership body faced collective
20:55
charges for the organization's criminal
20:58
pattern Informant testimony wiretap
21:01
evidence and a national media spotlight
21:05
revealed how these bosses orchestrated
21:07
extortion labor racketeering and murder
21:10
from the top down Nearly all the
21:13
defendants received lengthy prison
21:15
sentences effectively decapitating a
21:18
major segment of the mafia's operational
21:21
chain The trial demonstrated that no one
21:24
not even the commission was beyond the
21:26
reach of these new prosecal powers In
21:30
exposing the dark secrets of organized
21:33
crime families we see a tapestry of
21:36
greed loyalty violence and cultural
21:40
identity From the chaos of prohibition
21:43
to the rise of modern cyber schemes
21:46
these syndicates have consistently
21:48
adapted even as law enforcement
21:51
sharpened its methods Their stories
21:54
offer a stark reminder of corruption's
21:56
power to erode communities but also the
22:00
resolve of societies that refuse to
22:03
yield to criminal intimidation The
22:06
deeper we delve into these histories the
22:08
clearer it becomes that the mafia and
22:12
similar groups impacted more than the
22:14
criminal underworld They influenced
22:17
labor practices commerce politics and
22:21
touched our collective
22:23
imagination While some might believe the
22:26
old school mafia is a thing of the past
22:29
their legacy endures in new more elusive
22:32
forms both on the streets and online
22:36
Have we learned from this history or do
22:39
we risk repeating old cycles of
22:41
corruption in new contexts one lesson is
22:44
clear Organized crime thrives where
22:48
institutions fail and inequality fers
22:52
Historic parallels such as the Great
22:54
Depression show how criminals can be
22:57
perceived as benefactors when official
22:59
resources fall short A similar dynamic
23:03
can play out today in distressed
23:05
neighborhoods across the world Law
23:07
enforcement has grown more sophisticated
23:10
utilizing digital forensics
23:13
anti-moneyaundering protocols and
23:15
international intelligence cooperation
23:18
Still criminals adapt shifting to
23:20
smaller cells forging crossber alliances
23:24
or embracing cuttingedge technology like
23:27
encryption and
23:29
cryptocurrency where oversight is weak
23:33
or officials can be bought these groups
23:35
will find a foothold Public sentiment
23:39
remains a key factor Media has elevated
23:42
many gangsters to folk hero status often
23:46
overshadowing the very real pain and
23:48
suffering inflicted on neighborhoods
23:51
It's crucial to remember that behind
23:54
every lorded outlaw are stories of
23:57
broken families terrorized shopkeepers
24:00
and entire communities living under the
24:02
threat of violence
24:05
Transparency strict regulation and
24:08
accountability stand as society's best
24:11
defenses Governments that tackle poverty
24:14
and corruption directly deprive
24:16
organized crime of its prime recruiting
24:19
grounds and avenues for
24:21
infiltration At an individual level
24:24
staying informed voting responsibly and
24:27
refusing to glamorize or make excuses
24:30
for criminal activity all help prevent
24:33
history's darkest chapters from
24:35
repeating Ultimately these stories of
24:38
capos and shootouts secret ceremonies
24:42
and coded loyalties illustrate more than
24:44
just episodes of true crime They reflect
24:47
the interplay between power desperation
24:51
and human nature Even as the American
24:54
mafia has diminished
24:56
invisibility global offshoots and new
24:59
models of organized crime continue to
25:02
evolve Our shared responsibility is to
25:06
remain vigilant Complacency would only
25:09
allow these shadows to lengthen ensuring
25:11
that the line between criminal
25:13
underworld and everyday life remains as
25:17
blurred as ever Thank you for joining us
25:20
on this journey into the hidden history
25:23
of organized crime families There is so
25:26
much more to explore and untangle so be
25:29
sure to share your reflections or
25:32
insights If you want to delve deeper
25:34
into true crime history be sure to seek
25:37
out further discussions and
25:39
investigations into the evolution of
25:42
rakateeering and how it continues to
25:44
shape modern criminal enterprises
25:47
Stay informed stay engaged and together
25:50
we can work toward a future where the
25:53
shadow of organized crime no longer
25:55
looms so Large
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