1. muckzulo

    muckzulo Member

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    Mafia Lifestyle?

    Discussion in 'Research' started by muckzulo, Mar 6, 2016.

    I'm in need of some serious help with understanding the mafia lifestyle. I've done some research about the mob, but still having a hard time understanding the full scope of it.

    Can someone explain Racketeering? lol And please give me a simple example of it cuz the other stuff i found doesnt give me a clear one.

    And is it a good idea to show every time one mafia family plans to attack another mafia family shipment goods to steal them or is it best to just tell it?

    And any other infrmation on the mafia lifestyle would be greatly appreciated cuz i know im missing ALOT of beats.
     
  2. Laura Elisabeth

    Laura Elisabeth New Member

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    Racketeering is when organized groups run illegal businesses, known as “rackets,” or when an organized crime ring uses legitimate organizations to embezzle funds.

    As for the attacks, it depends. If I were you I would explain what happens in the big, important ones. As for other attacks maybe just tell the reader, or using a line that infers an attack could be quite effective.

    The best thing to do is to watch mafia films, maybe have a look at the 'golden twenties' period. Just after that, or during it, I can't quite remember there was a lot of gang violence.
     
  3. Oscar Leigh

    Oscar Leigh Contributor Contributor

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    It's up to you as to how wide the scope of your story. But I doubt every move is going to have room in your plot; no room left for the personal stories of member's.
     
  4. muckzulo

    muckzulo Member

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    What wuld be considered illegal businesses?

    And yeah its not many mafia films that tackles the mob, the ones i came across was more fcused on the police character trying to stop them.

    I've seen docu on the mexican cartels and new york five familes....but i be still feeling like im missing some imprtant stuff....
     
  5. muckzulo

    muckzulo Member

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    True!.... Now i read that Mob members did things to make they money "Legal", do you know what some of those things were?
     
  6. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Hand in hand with racketeering is the concept of conspiracy. Here's a boilerplate excerpt on the topic from a translation project I had not long ago. This is how the U.S. Feds view the topic:

    ... Under U.S. law, in other words, the act of combining and agreeing with one or more persons to violate a law of the United States is a crime in and of itself. Such an agreement need not be formal and may be simply an oral understanding. A conspiracy is deemed to be a partnership for criminal purposes, in which each member or participant becomes the agent or partner of every other member. A person may become a member of a conspiracy without full knowledge of all of the details of the unlawful scheme or the names and identities of all the other conspirators. If a defendant has an understanding of the unlawful nature of a plan, and knowingly and willfully joins in that plan on at least one occasion, that is sufficient to convict him of conspiracy, even if he had not participated before and even if he played only a minor part.
     
    Oscar Leigh and Lifeline like this.
  7. Laura Elisabeth

    Laura Elisabeth New Member

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    http://people.howstuffworks.com/mafia5.htm

    Have a look at that link, it explains the mafia much better than I could and uses some good examples.
     
  8. Oscar Leigh

    Oscar Leigh Contributor Contributor

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    That's money laundering. I think it's mainly through investment?
     
  9. muckzulo

    muckzulo Member

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    Thanks!
     
  10. ddavidv

    ddavidv Senior Member

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    A friend of mine (who sadly died a few months ago) wrote a fiction book based on his knowledge of the mafia. John was a newspaper man and investigated the mob during his tenure at the Philadelphia Inquirer. Though a fiction story it is only slightly blurred from reality. From The Dead by John Hilferty is available on Amazon and may be worth reading for you. It takes a few chapters to really get into but I ultimately found it a really good story.
     
  11. Oscar Leigh

    Oscar Leigh Contributor Contributor

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    Apparently they move it around a bit through the various fronts to make it less obvious where it ends up in the end.
     
  12. Raven484

    Raven484 Contributor Contributor

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    As far as Mafia lifestyle, there are two ways you could go.
    You could write them as the media and movies portray them, a lifestyle of money and power that is somehow loved by those around them. Almost making them out to be heroes.
    Or you can be more realistic and point out that they are nothing but organized thieves that prey on society. They are the scum of the earth stealing everything they can. They prey on the weak vices we all have, gambling, women, and drugs. They would sell their mothers to make a buck.
    Bad part about telling the truth about them puts you in a little danger.
    I've seen all the Godfather movies and ones like them, I liked the Soprano's and the Wire. But they glorify the criminal element to their stories. When I watched them, I was always fascinated how people loved them, even to the point where they wished they could be them.
    It is kind of sad if you think of it. But money and power is what our society treasures today. Maybe someday this will change, but not now. Good luck with your story.
     
  13. JLT

    JLT Contributor Contributor

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    I think that's right. Popular avenues are things that don't require an actual transfer of goods whose inventory can't be checked and compared with revenue ... things like theaters and laundromats. I've heard that the movie "Deep Throat" was financed by Mafia money and shown in Mafia-controlled porn theaters, and its supposedly huge revenue from "showings" was actually money laundered from illegal operations and posted as ticket sales.
     
  14. Oscar Leigh

    Oscar Leigh Contributor Contributor

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    So the Godfather? Scarface? Have you not seen or heard of those? Those are two of the most famous mob movies and they focus on the criminals.
     

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