Organized crime is the greatest
criminal phenomenon of our time. From Al Capone, who boldly claimed his
bootlegging activities were a public service, to John Gotti, the
“Teflon don” who died in prison, these criminals have garnered
headlines and captured the public imagination with their flamboyant
lifestyles and colorful attitudes. Immortalized in books, movies, and
popular television shows like The Godfather and The Sopranos, these
gangsters, godfathers, hitmen, and dons have taken their place in
criminal mythology, but the reality of their underworld endeavors is
something entirely different.