History
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The origin of "mafia" is not known for certain. According to one story, it began with the French invasion of Sicily in 1282, and the saying "Morte Alla Francia Italia Anela!" ("Death to the French is Italy's Cry!") or M.A.F.I.A.
The word was first published in 1862 in a play by Giuseppe Rizzuto, called "I Mafiusi della Vicaria" (The Mafia in the Vicarage") about a secret criminal group in the prisons of Palermo.
In Sicily, the word mafia tends to mean "manly", and used to be applied to someone without necessarily meaning they were a criminal.
Sicily has had to adapt to numerous invasions: Arabs in the ninth century, Normans in the 11th century, French in the 12th, Spanish in the 15th, as well as invasions by the Germans, Austrians and Greeks. Secret societies in the hills were needed to resist foreign rulers.
Joining the mafia is like joining a religion. It is a lifetime commitment, stronger than any ties to other religions, state or even family. You cannot retire from it.
Mafia leadership is called the "Cupola", like a board of directors, made up of bosses. The bosses of individual units are called "caporegime", and the workers are called "soldiers".
The American branch of the Mafia, named "La Cosa Nostra" (LCN) is believed to have been started by Don Vito Cascio Ferro, who fled to New York following the murder of banker Emanuele Notarbartolo in Sicily, in 1893. More mafioso fled to America during the 1920's, when Mussolini attempted to eradicate the mafia in Sicily.
When the Allies liberated Italy in World War II, they freed anti-Mussolini prisoners, including many Mafia. Some were installed in positions of power, and thus began to interweave politics and organized crime in Italy. The mafia moved from the rural hills to the cities of Sicily.
In 1957 at the Grand Hotel des Palmes, in Palermo, the Sicilian mafia met with representatives of the American La Cosa Nostra (LCN) to organized an international heroin trade. It was arranged that the Sicilians would run heroin into the United States and Canada, and the LCN would sell it.
Some of the same Sicilians were arrested at the Appalachian crime meeting in New York state, one month later.
As the profits from heroin poured in, the Sicilians set up outposts in South America, Mexico and many European countries.
The current (1996) leader of this narco-Mafia is thought to be Salvatore "Toto" Riina, currently in jail in Italy. His underboss is allegedly Bernardo Provenzano.
Riina is allegedly responsibly for at least 100 murders, including other Mafia clan members, judges and policemen. The most spectacular crimes attributed to him were the 1992 murders of magistrate Giovanni Falcone (along with his wife and bodyguards), and Falcone's colleague Paolo Borsellino (and 5 of his bodyguards). Falcone was killed when the highway blew up under him. Some believe that Falcone had uncovered links between the Mafia and the highest levels of Italian government.
Mob family Structure
National ruling body of La Cosa Nostra. It usually has had from nine to twelve bosses of LCN families.
Although it has the power to settle disputes among families, it does not have the power to impede on family's internal affairs.
1.Head of a family.
2.Trusted advisor, or family "counselor"
3.Underboss, second in command
4.Financial advisor
5.Captain,typically heads a faction of ten or more foot "soldiers"
6.A foot soldier, who carries out the everyday business of the family; a "made" member of the Mafia; has taken the secret oath-bound initiation.
7.Mafia associate, typically a non-sicilian, non-italian member