How did huge mob bosses that “everybody knew” was a mob boss, or criminal running the place, etc, get away with it?
In: Other
In the US you can’t convict somebody of “being a mob boss.” The state needs to point to a specific crime they committed, and then prove that in court (beyond a reasonable doubt.) Most mob bosses didn’t actually commit crimes themselves, and when they did, they’d be sure to have several guys willing to testify that they were out to dinner in another city or something at the time. Also, witnesses against the boss were sometimes paid off or threatened into not testifying (or simply murdered.)
Al Capone and Frank Nitti, among others, were finally convicted of tax evasion, because the government was able to prove that they hadn’t filed income tax returns, and that they had received money. Both of those things were fairly easy to prove.
Today, the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization) act makes it easier to prosecute mob bosses, because the government can prove that the organization itself commits crimes, and then they can prosecute the leaders. That didn’t become law until 1970, though.
Latest Answers