Mobbed-up soccer hooligans create chaos in southern Europe
This summer, all eyes are on North America as Canada, Mexico, and the United States host the 2026 World Cup. The “beautiful game,” as soccer (or football) is sometimes called, tends to bring people together who otherwise would never cross paths. For instance, citizens of Lawrence, Kansas, welcomed the Algerian national team to set up their home base in the University of Kansas town during the global tournament. But the sport has a dark side, too. Though most fans only want to cheer for their team and enjoy the game, a small subset takes their diehard support a little too seriously, ...
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They don’t just kill each other
Innocent victims of Mob violence are one of the most underreported aspects of organized crime. This is due in part…
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The Buffalo Mafia’s ill-advised art thefts
“Art Collection Is Looted; Loss Put at $1.3 million,” read a headline in the August 22, 1968, edition of the…
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Artifact Spotlight: Alternative liquor products from Prohibition
When Prohibition started on January 17, 1920, beer brewers, liquor distillers and winemakers were in a predicament. The 18th Amendment…
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‘The Green Felt Jungle,’ published 60 years ago, rattled Las Vegas
When The Green Felt Jungle was published 60 years ago, the book created a stir by detailing Mob influence and…
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Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar killed 30 years ago this month
Warning: This blog contains graphic images that some readers may find disturbing. Thirty years ago this month, the bloody reign…
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Ninety Years Ago Today, Prohibition Ended at 2:32 p.m. Pacific Time
On Tuesday, December 5, 1933, the unprecedented repeal of a constitutional amendment went into effect, officially relegalizing intoxicating liquors in…
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Artifact Spotlight: Frank Gusenberg’s Colt .38 Special Revolver
This Colt Detective .38 Special was the only firearm found at the crime scene of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. This snub-nosed revolver was the go-to sidearm for lawmen and lawbreakers alike.
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