Garbage business of the American Mafia

• The garbage business of the American Mafia

We all know that in the sphere of mafia interests include drug and arms trafficking, prostitution and smuggling. However, the criminal world is more multifaceted than we can imagine. It sounds strange, but the garbage business is also a major source of enrichment mafia families.

the United States, where only 5 percent of the world's population, produces 30 percent of all debris. Until the end of the XIX century, the problem of its harvesting and utilization did not stand badly - waste is simply thrown into the river or piled in heaps. But an active industrial development and population growth has forced the city government to reflect on the problem - large and medium-sized US cities began to sink in the garbage, and it was a real disaster.

Despite all the talk and promises, the municipal authorities were in no hurry to invest in the recycling of household waste, as this activity was considered initially unprofitable. The first investment in this business is, oddly enough, began to make mafia family Cosa nostra, who became rich during the "dry law" in the production and smuggling of alcohol.

Carlo Gambino

The largest contribution to the garbage issue made in the mid-1920s, the Gambino clan. That you understand how firmly family occupied this niche, it should be said that in the early 1990s, the main man junk US industry remained former personal driver Carlo Gambino James Failla.

The groundwork was done in the distant 20s - that's when the first contracts for the removal and disposal of household waste have been concluded. Success in business is directly linked to the friendship of trade unionists and the mafia - the beginning of XX century, the leaders of the workers' organizations often turned to their families for help, mostly physical. Fighters underworld shtrekbreyherami help fight and defend their point of view, from a position of strength at rallies and strikes. This led to what is already in the early 30-ies of all union leaders scavengers in New Jersey took people one way or another connected with the mafia. They were simply in the office of the director of factories and municipal officials, and appointed them to an interesting price of garbage collection. If the manager began to balk, then immediately began the strike scavengers fragrant with all the attendant consequences.

But it was not all the problems associated with waste management. Bought Mafia health inspectors were immediately to the obstinate and recalcitrant directors and officers discharged huge fines. After such "educational work" manager himself came to pay homage to the bosses and unions agreed on the most predatory conditions.

Close cooperation with the inspection of waste allowed trade unions and the Mafia feel full masters of the situation. If earlier landfills for waste organized far outside the city, then the entry in the business mafia scavengers became easier to negotiate by bribes or threats of placing dumps directly on the outskirts. This significantly reduces transportation costs, as well, on the experience of people who live in garbage dumps grandiose gangsters and their business partners did not care.

The members of the Gambino crime family

Appearing first in New Jersey such scheme began working in most major American cities - New York, Chicago, Detroit. Of course, in the garbage mess the police intervened and members of the Gambino clan began hunting. However, on the side of the Mafia were the best lawyers bought witnesses and intimidation tactics, so police action nor to no avail.

John Gotti, in the second half of the XX century led the Gambino family, repeatedly accused of racketeering and other serious crimes, but every time I came out of the courtroom a winner. Teflon Baron, and it was under this moniker know Gotti in the United States, and confidently beat off the attack of the tax police, unsuccessfully tried to accuse him of concealing income and fraud. No one could prove that the annual income of the head of the richest mafia US family is more than 30 thousand dollars a year, which consistently declared John, including a simple plumber in the municipal office. The success of the law enforcement agencies to come only in the early 1990s, when the prosecutor Rudolph Giuliani and Michael Chertoff failed to obtain readings Samy "Beck" Gravano - one of the henchmen of John Gotti. Due talkativeness Gravano was able to put the head of the Gambino crime family to prison for life. John Gotti died of cancer in prison in Springfield, and the position of the mafia in the garbage business seriously deteriorated.

Garbage business - highly profitable business. Only in New York, the turnover of the industry in the late 90's was $ 1 billion a year. Companies associated with the Mafia, serves about 250,000 objects, ranging from the Empire State Building and finishing small cafe on the outskirts of the metropolis.

US - the largest "producer" in the world of garbage

After the defeat of the Empire garbage Gambino prices garbage began to coordinate with the Office of the consumer markets, but it was only a semblance of legality. In fact, the bosses of mafia unions exposed to clients the price of 40-50 percent higher than agreed and they were forced to accept.

To those who are not satisfied with this state of affairs, the mafia severely punished. In 1989, the gangsters Lucheze family shot of two carriers who refused to work at inflated prices. Sam waste market was closed to outsiders and work in this area could only those who received the good mafia families.

In January 1993, a refuse collection company Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI) from Houston tried to go to the market in New York. After the signing of the first contract director found on your lawn a severed dog's head in the mouth of which was enclosed a note with the text "Welcome to New York."

But this time Lucheze not with those contacted - one of the owners of the BFI, William Rukelshaus in the past served as the Attorney General, as well as for a long time worked in high positions in the FBI. Another in his place would run away back to Houston and forgot the way to New York, but not him. Rukelshaus hooked his numerous contacts and began to squeeze Cosa nostra with garbage metropolitan market and tried to crush a business for themselves. The mayor of the city of David Dinkins was too shy to become an ally in the fight against the mafia families, but the Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, once made a career in the war with the clan of the Gambino gladly supported the former colleague.

secret operation with the introduction of human Morgenthau was developed in the trash gang. Agent by the name of Paul Vassil took a position of control of the business center at Water Street, 55. The building is owned by the fund Alabama Retirement Systems, whose owner could not refuse the DA. Newly-born manager of a course of lectures on his specialty and headed the department of 43 people.

The same business center fund Alabama Retirement Systems on Water Street, 55

In a short time the agent has become an authority in real estate circles and his expert opinion on the property were often published in professional journals. Angelo and Vincent Ponte, who controlled garbage collection on Water Street, Vass invited to lunch - approaching deadline for signing new contracts for annual maintenance of the building, which he ran.

Vassil refused prices proposed by the Mafia and announced the launch of the tender, which was attended Houston BFI. If Alabama Retirement Systems paid trash criminal group for waste disposal of 100 thousand dollars a month, the BFI has exposed the price of 120 thousand dollars a year.

Italians met again with the agent and asked him to reveal the price offer the Houston company. He went to meet them and told the gangsters all their information. Angelo and Vincent Ponte immediately offered Paul Vassiliou bribe of 10 thousand dollars for the preservation of the contract. Of course, the conversation carefully recorded on tape and Morgenthau appeared irrefutable evidence of criminal activity Italians.

landfill in the vicinity of New York

Judging by the fact that neither Angelo nor Vincent were behind bars, they started to cooperate with the FBI and passed all the criminal schemes, which were related. It is interesting, but the agent who worked under the name of Paul Vassil so was involved in business related to real estate, that immediately after the operation is completed resigned from the police and started real estate business.

Mafia clans ceased to exert pressure on the former clients, but began a covert war against BFI. Early in the morning the car mafia came to BFI items and took the trash. They were expecting far and as soon as the empty garbage Houston company was leaving back home, the trash back into place. Immediately thereafter, a health inspector arrived, the owner write out a serious penalty overflowing garbage site.

"Smelly Dutchman" - a barge with the New York garbage, leaving the city

Also, a car owned by mafia groups, pushed off the road trucks BFI. So much so, that the buses went through the city, accompanied by police cars. But not all recognize the correctness and Rukelshausa Morgenthau - many in the town thought that the large corporation simply presses a family business in several Italian families involved in the removal of debris more than one generation.

So much so, that Morgenthau accused of involvement in the garbage business and lobbying interests of the BFI. The same fate befell the new mayor of New York - Rudolph Giuliani, who, unlike his predecessor, is actively involved in the fight against Italian families.

Law and order in the garbage collection is still there. Under pressure Giuliani City Council passed a bill, according to which each contractor before it is admitted to tender, it is checked for involvement in the mafia clans.

This way of dealing with the criminal scheme has proved very effective, and six months later, dozens of companies working in the market, not only left without a contract, but also lost their licenses. It seems everyone should be happy - and defeated evil in the garbage disposal prevailed idyll. Certainly not - the service prices continue to rise as the market remained almost without competition and controlled corporations.

Some older clients companies for garbage collection with sadness state that is not able to accurately determine what is best - when you're robbing the Gambino family, or when bills are sent cunning thugs of Browning-Ferris Industries.