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The Mafia is a secret criminal organization that wields great economic and political control over large segments of Sicilian society and operates both criminal and legitimate enterprises in the United States. It is believed to have originated during Sicily's late ....

Middle of Essay
.... countryside. When the Fascists fled Sicily during the Allied invasion of World War II, the Mafia--the only remaining governing structure--worked closely with U.S. forces. Today it dominates much of the business and industry in Sicily's cities. With the Sicilian immigrations of the late 19th century, the Mafia began to operate in several large U.S. cities. Two of the strongest mafia gangs in New York where controlled by Joe "The Boss" Masseria and Salvatore Maranzano. They were known as the "Mustache Petes". During the period of Prohibition (1920-33), it monopolized the trade in bootleg liquor and controlled loan sharking, gambling, and prostitu ....