Louis "Lepke" Buchalter, center, an archetypal American gangster of the 1930s, standing in court during sentencing. Louis "Lepke" Buchalter ( 6 February 1897 &ndash 4 March 1944) was a Jewish-American mobster of the 1930s

A gangster is a criminal who is, or at some point almost invariably becomes, a member of a persistent violent crime organization, such as a gang. A violent crime or crime of violence is a Crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim "Crime syndicate" redirects here For the DC Comics group of villains see Crime Syndicate. Gangsters redirects here For the computer game see Gangsters (video game. As an adjective it can be used as an unflattering depiction of the violent and devious methods commonly used by mobsters, and the derived form gangsterism implies such methods as practice or habit. " Mobster " is a slang term for a person who participates in Organized crime, which is known as belonging to "the Mob" The term gangster is most commonly used in reference to members of the criminal organizations associated with the American offshoot of the Italian Cosa Nostra, the Mafia (sometimes called the Mob), and the American prohibition, such as the Chicago Outfit and the Five Families, and individuals such as Al Capone and Bugsy Siegel. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Mafia (also known as Cosa Nostra) is a Sicilian Criminal Secret society which is believed to have first developed in the mid-19th century In the United States, the term Prohibition refers to the period from 1920 to 1933 during which the sale manufacture and transportation of alcohol for consumption The Chicago Outfit shortened to " the Outfit " is a Crime syndicate based in Chicago Illinois, USA. The Five Families are the five major Italian-American Mafia crime families which have dominated Organized crime in New York City since the 1930s Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone (January 17 1899 &ndash January 25 1947 commonly nicknamed Scarface, was an Italian American Gangster who Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel

Gangsters are typically organized criminals who are actively engaged in crime as a group activity or enterprise for power, pleasure, or profit. The visibility of activities of gangsters can range from the low-level such as drug-trafficking or protectionism, which are prone to be "under the radar", to the in-your-face spectacular, such as the UK's multi-million Brinks Mat robbery. The illegal drug trade or drug trafficking is a global Black market consisting of the cultivation manufacture distribution and sale of illegal Drugs A protection racket is an Extortion scheme whereby a powerful entity or individual coerces other less powerful entities or individuals to pay protection money The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Brinks Mat Robbery occurred on 26 November 1983 when six robbers broke into the Brinks Mat warehouse at Heathrow Airport, England Gangsters often run their operations as businesses insofar as they offer a "product" or "service", albeit an illegal one, or, as is sometimes the case, a legitimate business operating as a front for criminal activity.

American gangster Frank Costello, testifying before the Kefauver Committee, during an investigation of organized crime. Frank Costello, born Francesco Castiglia (January 26 1891—February 18 1973 was a New York gangster who rose to the top of America's underworld controlled Between 1950 and 1951 the Kefauver Committee, officially the Senate Special Committee to Investigate Crime in Interstate Commerce, held all of America's attention

Some gangsters, sometimes called thugs, engage in extortion, intimidation, and bribery to wield influence over labor unions. Extortion, outwresting, or exaction is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person Unlawfully obtains either money property or services Intimidation (also called cowing) is intentional behavior "which would cause a person of ordinary sensibilities" fear of Injury or Harm. Bribery, a form of pecuniary corruption is an act usually implying money or gift given that alters the behaviour of the recipient in ways not consistent with the duties of that person A trade union or labour union is an organization of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas such as wages hours and working conditions forming They are also known for attempting to manipulate the decisions of civil institutions, such as court cases and political elections. An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office

Gangsters are sometimes romanticised in popular culture in films such as The Godfather series and shows like The Sopranos. The Godfather is a 1972 Crime drama film based on the 1969 novel of the same name by Mario Puzo and directed The Sopranos is an American Television drama series created by David Chase. In the controversial gangsta rap genre of music the term "gangster" is associated with having power and being street smart, being admirable. For the Ice T album see Gangsta Rap (album. Gangsta rap is a term originated by the mainstream media to describe a certain subgenre As a result of this the term "gangster" is sometimes used (probably somewhat facetiously) as a compliment.

Some well known gangsters include Ma Barker, Al Capone, Mickey Cohen, Ellsworth Johnson, Johnny Dio, John Gotti, Bugs Moran, Bernardo Provenzano, Ronnie and Reggie Kray, Ronnie Biggs, Bugsy Siegel and the Latin Kings. Kate "Ma" Barker ( October 8, 1873 – January 16, 1935) was a legendary American criminal from the " public enemy Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone (January 17 1899 &ndash January 25 1947 commonly nicknamed Scarface, was an Italian American Gangster who Meyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen ( September 4 1913 in Brooklyn New York – July 29 1976 in Los Angeles, Johnny Dio (born John Dioguardi) ( April 28, 1914 – January 12 1979) was a mafioso and union boss in the Lucchese John Joseph Gotti Jr ( October 27, 1940 &ndash June 10, 2002) commonly known by the media as "The Dapper Don" and "The George Clarence "Bugs" Moran was born Adelard Cunin on August 21 1891 according to his biographer (see BugsMoran Bernardo Provenzano (born January 31, 1933 in Corleone, Italy) is a member of the Sicilian Mafia ( Cosa Nostra Reginald "Reggie" Kray ( 24 October 1933 &ndash 1 October 2000) and Ronald "Ronnie" Kray ( 24 October Ronald Arthur Biggs better known as Ronnie Biggs (born August 8, 1929) is an English Prisoner who is known for escaping from prison Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel