Organized Crime

Behind every smart man is a smarter woman. Rocco Perri was the Al Capone of Canada. Without him, the American market of alcohol would be a little...dry. Rocco is frequently cited as the most successful bootlegger of Canada, however, for one important reason: his wife, Bessie Perri. If Rocco was the King of Bootlegging, Bessie was the obvious queen. With page-turning suspense, this gritty book looks at the brains behind Canadian bootlegging and how her cutthroat ways forever changed the landscape of both prohibitions.

Some ministers preach...some get locked and loaded. Reverend Spracklin was a gangster's worst nightmare. Known to the press and public as the 'Fighting Parson', he and his handpicked squad of dry agents burst into the roadhouses of Essex County with pistols drawn and fists clenched. They chased liquor-laden vehicles through dark city streets and along rough country roads, and intercepted rumrunners on the Detroit River in their high-powered speedboat, the Panther II. The minister went, often alone, into the most dangerous nightspots of 1920s Windsor, and responded to opposition by punching, not preaching. He thought nothing of carrying around a stack of blank search warrants and filling them out himself as needed. He could not be scared or bought, and he survived one assassination attempt after another. It was only when a roadhouse owner who also happened to be a long-time enemy died at his hands that the campaign was finally stopped. His life is told in this short book.

The Original Public Enemy of the F.B.I. Before John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Baby Face Nelson made the term "Public Enemy" famous, there was Alvin Karpis, one of the ruthless leaders of the Barker-Karpis gang. It was him that J. Edgar Hoover first thought worthy of the title Public Enemy In a page-turning style, this true crime book traces his criminal origins from his young days as a bootlegger to his ultimate demise.

Did the mafia kill JFK? Sam Giancana is one of the most famous gangsters in U.S. history, with rumored links to the CIA and President Kennedy. But was he really involved in the assassination attempt on Fidel Castro and the assassination of J.F.K.? This thrilling bio gives you all the details on one of America's most fascinating underworld figures.

Does Canada have a mob? Find out inside! It's no secret that organized crime is everywhere. From Japan and Italy to Israel and Mexico, there seems to be no place on earth where an organized crime family doesn't exist. You may think that one of the few safe places left is friendly, welcoming Canada, which many believe is so safe that people there always leave their doors unlocked. Think again. This book delves into the often ignored but nevertheless bloody world of Canadian mobs. You'll meet the Rizzutos, a powerful family with connections to the legendary Five Families of the American Mafia. Then there's the Cotroni family formed by Vic "the Egg" Cotroni, an ex-wrestler with ties to the Ndrangheta. You'll also learn about their connections to the blood-soaked Quebec Biker War, where the Hell's Angels and the Rock Machine battled for 17 years and claimed 150 lives. And just wait until you get to Toronto! Prepare to be shocked by the true story of organized crime in Canada. It proves that there is truth to the expression, "it's the quiet ones you have to watch."

Al Capone. Scarface. America's most infamous gangster. His name has become synonymous with Prohibition, power, and the ruthless rise of organized crime in the early twentieth century. But behind the headlines and legends lies the story of a man shaped by poverty, ambition, and the brutal realities of immigrant life in America's cities.From his early years in the crowded neighborhoods of Brooklyn to his apprenticeship under Johnny Torrio and Frankie Yale, Capone's journey was forged in the crucible of gangland New York. He learned the rules of loyalty, intimidation, and survival long before his move to Chicago placed him at the epicenter of an empire built on bootlegging, bribery, and bloodshed.This book brings readers into the smoky speakeasies and violent back alleys of Prohibition-era America, where Capone rose to lead the powerful Chicago Outfit. It explores how he mastered the business of vice, navigated political corruption, and projected an image that inspired both fear and fascination. His story is not just about crime-it is about the rise of a figure who embodied the contradictions of the American Dream: opportunity and desperation, wealth and violence, charisma and terror.Drawing on historical detail, Organized Crime: Al Capone paints a vivid portrait of the man behind the myth. It follows his path from ambitious street tough to underworld kingpin, revealing how his power was built, how it was challenged, and how his eventual downfall became a defining moment in American history.Whether you are a true crime reader, a history enthusiast, or someone captivated by the legends of the Prohibition era, this book offers an uncompromising look at one of the most notorious figures to ever walk America's streets.Step inside Capone's world. Witness the rise of organized crime. And discover the man who came to define it. S. R. Blackwell is a historian, investigative researcher, and chronicler of the world's most notorious criminal empires - at least, that's the polite way of putting it. Behind the pen name lies a lifelong fascination with the shadows of history: the deals struck in back rooms, the whispered threats that changed the fate of cities, and the figures who built empires outside the law.Blackwell's passion for true crime began in the archives of dusty public libraries, sifting through forgotten newspaper clippings and yellowed trial transcripts. Over the years, this hobby evolved into a meticulous research practice that draws on police files, court records, and rare first-hand accounts from journalists, detectives, and even reformed underworld figures.Known for combining academic rigor with a storyteller's flair, Blackwell's books place readers in the smoke-filled clubs of London in the Kray twins' era, on the streets of Prohibition Chicago with Al Capone, in the mountain hideouts of the Sinaloa Cartel, and in the hidden villas of Sicilian Mafia dons.When not writing, Blackwell travels extensively, visiting historic crime scenes and speaking with local historians to bring texture and authenticity to each work. His aim is not to glorify criminality, but to reveal the social, political, and economic forces that allow it to thrive - and to explore the enduring cultural fascination with those who live by their own rules.The Global Organized Crime History series is Blackwell's signature project: an ambitious, multi-volume exploration of the world's most infamous underworld organizations, blending history, biography, and investigative detail into compelling nonfiction narratives.