Overview

Public corruption goes hand in hand with organized crime. From paying police officers to look the other way to buying off politicians to land lucrative contracts, the Mob has infiltrated some of America’s most essential institutions. The Mob collaborated with Jimmy Hoffa’s Teamsters Union to finance Las Vegas casino projects. The Chicago Outfit got its hands dirty in the 1960 presidential election. La Cosa Nostra families in New York controlled a range of industries, from garment manufacturing to the cement companies. Mobsters even conspired with the CIA to try to assassinate Cuban strongman Fidel Castro.

Gallery

Politicians and mobsters have a long history of collaboration and corruption.

John F. Kennedy’s assassination remains an intriguing mystery to this day. Speculation persists that the Mob orchestrated the president’s murder.

Mob bosses used union and other contacts to help Democratic candidate John F. Kennedy win the presidency in 1960.

These pins show support for Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy on their Inauguration days.

These pins show support for candidates in the tight race between Kennedy and Nixon in the 1960 election for President. At that time, you had to be 21 to vote.

Teamsters Union boss Jimmy Hoffa disappeared in 1975 in Michigan and his body was never found. Most experts believe he was the victim of a Mob hit.

Jack Ruby shot Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. Ruby had ties to the Mob.

Jackie Presser, leader of the Teamsters Union from 1983-1988, had many Mob ties while also serving on President Ronald Reagan’s transition team.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro didn’t like the American Mob’s influence in his country and kicked them out when he took over.