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The Sicilian Mafia or Cosa Nostra (Italian: [ˈkɔːza ˈnɔstra, ˈkɔːsa-], Sicilian: [ˈkɔːsa ˈnɔʂː(ɽ)a]; "our thing" [3]), also referred to as simply Mafia, is a criminal society and criminal organization originating on the island of Sicily and dates back to the mid-19th century. It is an association of gangs which sell their ...
LCN: abbreviation for La Cosa Nostra. lupara bianca: a journalistic term to indicate a Mafia slaying done in such a way that the victim's body is never found. made man: an inducted member of the family. make one's bones: gain credibility by killing someone. mock execution: to whip someone into shape by frightening them.
The term was coined by the press and is informal; the criminal organizations themselves have their own names (e.g. the Sicilian Mafia and the related Italian-American Mafia refer to their organizations as "Cosa Nostra"; the "Japanese Mafia" calls itself "Ninkyō dantai", but is more commonly known as "Yakuza" by the public; "Russian Mafia ...
To become member of the Mafia or Cosa Nostra (both the original Sicilian Mafia or the Italian-American offshoot often known as the "American Mafia") – to become a "man of honor" or a "made man" – an aspiring member must take part in an initiation ritual or initiation ceremony. The ceremony involves significant ritual, oaths, blood, and an ...
The best-known Italian organized crime group is the Mafia or Sicilian Mafia (referred to as Cosa Nostra by members). As the original group named " Mafia ", the Sicilian Mafia is the basis for the current colloquial usage of the term to refer to organized crime groups.
At the Mafia's peak, there were at least 26 cities around the United States with Cosa Nostra families, with many more offshoots and associates in other cities. There are five main New York City Mafia families, known as the Five Families: the Gambino, Lucchese, Genovese, Bonanno, and Colombo families. The Italian-American Mafia has long ...
Capo dei capi (Italian: [ˈkaːpo dei ˈkaːpi]; "boss of [the] bosses"), capo di tutti i capi (Italian: [ˈkaːpo di ˈtutti i ˈkaːpi]; "boss of all [the] bosses") or Godfather (Italian: padrino) are terms used mainly by the media, public, fiction writers and law enforcement community to indicate a supremely powerful crime boss in the Sicilian or American Mafia who holds great influence ...
The 'Ndrangheta has existed for as long as the better-known Sicilian Cosa Nostra, but was only designated as a Mafia-type association in 2010 under Article 416 bis of the Italian penal code. [ 6 ] [ 10 ] Italy's highest court of last resort, the Supreme Court of Cassation , had ruled similarly in March 2010.