gangsters

Hamilton Nolan · 12/09/15 04:35PM

The heirs of notorious gangster Meyer Lansky want to be compensated for the seizing of Lansky’s Havana casino by revolutionary forces in 1959. “Cuba owes my family money,” says the grandson of the racketeer who helped prop up the dictator whose corruption drove Cubans to revolution.

Attention, Young Criminals: Please Stop Bragging on Facebook

Hamilton Nolan · 09/19/13 10:32AM

As social media influencers, we here at Gawker.com are, needless to say, widely revered by young urban gang members. It is to the that we offer this public service announcement: stop talking about all your crimes, on the internet. Okay?

Please God No More Boston Gangster Movies

Hamilton Nolan · 02/05/13 06:03PM

Today, in movie news, we learn that Johnny Depp will be playing the role of notorious Boston gangster Whitey Bulger in an upcoming film based on Bulger's life. This should not be confused with the other Whitey Bulger Boston gangster movie that Ben Affleck will be making after he makes a movie based on a Dennis Lehane novel that is also about Boston gangsters.

L.A. Gangsters Taking Gangster Movie Tips to Heart

Hamilton Nolan · 12/30/09 01:08PM

"You see African-Americans dealing with Hispanics on obtaining narcotics and weapons. We're seeing Hispanic gang members involved with the Eastern European criminal figures," said Robert W. Clark, acting special agent in charge of the criminal division of the Los Angeles field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "Where they see opportunities to collaborate, they do."

Future Of Gotti Clan Rests In The Hands Of Bad Rapper

Hamilton Nolan · 08/05/08 04:52PM

Now that gangster heir John "Junior" Gotti has been arrested by the feds once again, how will his three nephews-stars of the reality show Growing Up Gotti-support themselves? CollegeOTR reports that middle son John is in college somewhere, and young diet book author Frank has had some troubles with drugs. That means the family's big hope is 22-year-old Carmine Gotti, who's trying for a career in hip hop. He's signed on the Ruff Ryders label despite the fact that he sounds like he was just taught how to rap last week by somebody who, themselves, did not know how to rap. You can listen to two of his blazin' hot tracks here, both of which concern how much he would enjoy getting to know you, girl. Would you like to see a few of C. Gotti's publicity photos that are prime candidates for inclusion in the Guide To Young Italian-American Male Stereotypes? Click through, then!

Junior Gotti Arrested On Mob-Related Charges, Shockingly

Hamilton Nolan · 08/05/08 08:41AM

John "Junior" Gotti-son of the late Gambino family crime boss John Sr. and brother to Growing Up Gotti star Victoria-was arrested this morning on murder conspiracy charges, reportedly "in connection with a drug smuggling ring and 3 prior mob-hits." Gotti was tried twice before for the 1992 attempted murder of talk show host Curtis Sliwa, but got off both times, and had seemed to be poised for a quiet retirement in his Long Island home. Junior's only previous stint in prison-from 1999 to 2005-came after he was convicted of shaking down Scores, the favorite strip club of New York's celebrity and media elite:

British Geraldo Meets British Tony Soprano

Hamilton Nolan · 07/18/08 10:01AM

Can there ever be too many British gangster movies? The answer is no. So we fully support the new documentary A Very British Gangster, which is being released in the US today. Not only has the filmmaker, Donal McIntyre, been described as "the British answer to Geraldo Rivera," but the subject of the film, Manchester crime boss Dominic Noonan (pictured), has been compared to Tony Soprano, and his English thugs are accused of having bad teeth and being reminiscent of Trainspotting. It's satisfying to see every single English crime journalism cliche in one place. But the film itself sounds entertaining; anything starring a guy who gets his point across by chopping off the heads of rivals' pets can't be all boring. The trailer is after the jump.

Reporter-Threatening Japanese Gangster: One Scary Dude

Hamilton Nolan · 06/02/08 05:49PM

Some secret Japanese government files have emerged about Tadamasa Goto, the Yakuza gangster boss who's threatened the life of American reporter Jake Adelstein and his family. And—we hate to say it—but it really sounds like Goto is not a guy you would want to be threatening your life. The file notes that he both pays off reporters and "will seriously and relentless threaten whoever is responsible for unfavorable coverage." Duh! Well uh, he's not really brutal, is he?

US Surgeons Save Japanese Gangster, Who Can Return To Menacing Reporters

Hamilton Nolan · 05/30/08 09:10AM

Earlier this month we told you about Jake Adelstein, the American reporter who spent 15 years covering organized crime in Japan and who now, unfortunately, finds himself and his family marked for death by an angry gangster. Adelstein's tormentor, Yakuza boss Tadamasa Goto, has been very sick lately; Adelstein's hope was that Goto would pass away, so he could return to America to be with his family without fear of assassination. Well, bad news: it's been revealed that Goto and three of his henchmen got precious, lifesaving liver transplants in Los Angeles (while many others died waiting). Thanks, science!

Reporter Marked For Death By Japanese Mob: It's Not As Cool As In Movies

Hamilton Nolan · 05/12/08 09:17AM

Jake Adelstein is an American reporter who spent the last 15 years covering Japanese organized crime for that nation's largest paper. I have to admit I always thought the Japanese yakuza crime syndicates were some overblown fantasy movie creation, but turns out they're actually very real, 80,000 strong, and they want to kill Jake Adelstein. You learn something new every day! Adelstein got along with the cops and the gangsters fine for a while, until he tried to break a scoop about the "John Gotti of Japan" flying to the US for a liver transplant. "Erase the story or be erased," said the gangsters, dramatically. So Adelstein decided to hold off on the story until things blew over. But that plan didn't quite work out: