How Did Al Capone Contribute To The Rise Of Organized Crime
Al Capone was born on 17th January 1899 in Brooklyn, New York to an Italian immigrant family. By the age of 12 he had dropped out school and joined a notorious street gang belonging to Johnny Torrio, the Five Points Gang. Due to introduction of prohibition, he became arguably the most successful and well-known figure in organised crime.
After murdering two and hospitalising one rival gang members, in 1919 Capone moved to Chicago. He intimidated Johnny Torrio’s rivals within the city to try and get them to hand over their territory. A year after he had moved Prohibition was introduced. This intensified gang wars, due to the new opportunity gangs had to make large sums of money by supplying illegal alcohol. Capone worked as Torrio’s right-hand …show more content…
Whereas before, under Torrio, the gang had negotiated with rivals, Capone preferred turf wars and in total he had an estimated 700 gangsters that committed over 300 murders. Within two years he was estimated to be earning $60 million a year just from alcohol sales in his speakeasies while his other operations earned him another $45 million dollars. Capone insisted that he never forced to enter any of his speakeasies and believed he was a businessman that supplied people with what they wanted, but he did force people to further his power on Chicago. He forced the public to vote for certain politicians that were bribed and working for him. The most notable of politicians was Chicago’s major “Big” Bill Thompson, who allowed the Capone to function untouched in Chicago.
Al Capone was arrested and sentenced to 11 years in prison in 1932 but it was not for the racketeering or murder, it was for tax evasion. Although he had a sort of celebrity status, there was never enough evidence to arrest him as people were too scared. One example was in 1926 when he was arrested for 3 murders but was released as no-one would testify, scared that if he was found not guilty they would be
After murdering two and hospitalising one rival gang members, in 1919 Capone moved to Chicago. He intimidated Johnny Torrio’s rivals within the city to try and get them to hand over their territory. A year after he had moved Prohibition was introduced. This intensified gang wars, due to the new opportunity gangs had to make large sums of money by supplying illegal alcohol. Capone worked as Torrio’s right-hand …show more content…
Whereas before, under Torrio, the gang had negotiated with rivals, Capone preferred turf wars and in total he had an estimated 700 gangsters that committed over 300 murders. Within two years he was estimated to be earning $60 million a year just from alcohol sales in his speakeasies while his other operations earned him another $45 million dollars. Capone insisted that he never forced to enter any of his speakeasies and believed he was a businessman that supplied people with what they wanted, but he did force people to further his power on Chicago. He forced the public to vote for certain politicians that were bribed and working for him. The most notable of politicians was Chicago’s major “Big” Bill Thompson, who allowed the Capone to function untouched in Chicago.
Al Capone was arrested and sentenced to 11 years in prison in 1932 but it was not for the racketeering or murder, it was for tax evasion. Although he had a sort of celebrity status, there was never enough evidence to arrest him as people were too scared. One example was in 1926 when he was arrested for 3 murders but was released as no-one would testify, scared that if he was found not guilty they would be