Is Chicago the Organized Crime Capital? (city hall, gangs, moving)

[sittingduck41]

Obviously Chicago has an extensive history with Italian and Irish crime syndicates. I've heard about Polish and Russian syndicates moving in as well. The street gangs here are the biggest and most organized in the country.

So would you say Chicago is the organized crime capital in the US? If not, what is?

[Drover]

I can see this thread going in several different directions, few of which are constructive...

*sits back with a bowl of popcorn*

[noid_1985]

Sure look at all of the political corruption in city hall- organized crime goes way beyond the mob and gangs imo. If we aren't the capital we sure are the trendsetters..

[k.smith904]

Yup.

[whatsthebigdeal]

The biggest syndicate of them is City Hall. The corruption in this city is astronomical. Alderman have been accused of making deals with gang leaders so that they can intimidate those in their territory into voting for the alderman, police have been found to actually be gang members who infiltrated the force for intel. Sure organized crime exists in this city, but it only exists because the elected officials turn a blind eye, or in some cases help carry it out.

[Paxtonian]

New York City is the big show in organized crime. Chicago is endemic, though.

[Irishtom29]

Originally Posted by sittingduck41

Obviously Chicago has an extensive history with Italian and Irish crime syndicates.

Irish syndicates? I think that overstates it. There were many Irish bootlegging gangs but they were independants that fought each other for territory and most became allied with Capone and then died out as they were absorbed into the Outfit or when the end of Prohibition cut business opprotunities for gangsters. And younger Irish found little interest in that form of crime anyway.

Irish gangsters included Lake and Drugan, the West Side O'Donnels, the South Side O'Donnels (who were destroyed by another Irish gangster Frank McErlane of the Saltis-McErlane gang. McErlane, who killed more people than smallpox, was the first gangster to use a Tommy gun when he bushwhacked Spike O'Donnel at 63rd and Western) and the Guilfoyles.

The North Side gang originally headed by Dion O'Banion is called Irish but actually contained Italians, Poles, Jews and Germans. Bugs Moran who later headed that gang was Polish despite his Irish handle. Hymie Weiss was Polish too though many mistakenly think he was a Jew.

[Lookout Kid]

This thread is silly. I'm tired of the gangster voyeurism. Chicago really isn't that much different from any other large American city in terms of organized crime. We do have the elderly "Outfit", but they seem to be largely diminished. I'd be more worried about the Russian and Polish mafia groups.

[RichMonk]

Heh, the old Chicago mobsters got nothing on MS13 and the like. Those kids are screaming nuts and are growing at an alarming pace.

[Lookout Kid]

I feel like everyone has been watching Gangland on A&E. That show is silly sensationalism. But they do get some good footage.