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Mobbed-up soccer hooligans create chaos in southern Europe

July 15, 2026

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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Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, one of the defendants named in today’s indictment, was arrested this morning. The NBA has suspended Billups indefinitely. Erik Drost / Creative Commons

FBI indictments link New York mobsters, professional athletes in two cheating schemes

If you thought the traditional Mob was dead, think again. The FBI on Thursday announced sweeping indictments implicating members of…

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‘Beer Baron’ Dutch Schultz gunned down 90 years ago

On October 23, 1935, Dutch Schultz was shot in a Newark restaurant along with three of his associates. In the…

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Bookmaker Matthew Bowyer arrives at a Santa Ana, California, federal court for sentencing on August 29, 2025. Earlier that month, he pleaded guilty to his illegal gambling-related charges. AP Photo / Jae C. Hong

Mathew Bowyer, bookie for baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter, vows to turn his life around

As he prepared to begin serving a federal prison sentence for booking sports bets illegally, Mathew Bowyer pledged never to…

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Con man “Count” Victor Lustig, pictured here in federal custody, had his career cut short in August 1935. Courtesy of Cipollini Collection

The long con of underworld grifter ‘Count’ Victor Lustig

The sensational exploits of Depression-era con artist Victor Lustig are now underworld legend. But many oft-told tales overlook his surprising…

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Alleged former Philadelphia Mafia boss Joey Merlino rebrands himself as restaurant owner

Joey Merlino, a 63-year-old convicted felon and reputed former Philadelphia Mafia boss, has become a social media personality while also…

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In Mafia: The Old Country, a new release from 2K Games, you play as Enzo Favara, center, who rises through the ranks of the Sicilian Mafia in the first decade of the 20th century. 2K Games

Grounded in history, ‘Mafia: The Old Country’ is a game you can’t refuse

The Mob movie may be experiencing a lull, evident by the lukewarm receptions to this year’s The Alto Knights and Mob Cops,…

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Since getting out of prison in 2024, Owen Hanson has reconnected with his former USC teammates and coaching staff. Here he poses with Tino Dominguez, USC’s equipment manager for the last 35 years. Courtesy of Owen Hanson / @theofficialcakid

Owen Hanson goes from cartel kingpin to selling frozen protein bars

At one time Owen Hanson, a former University of Southern California national championship football player, was making millions as a…

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