Pirated DVD Industry Linked to Organized Crime

An article released on May 4th, 2007 claims that the industry of pirating DVD's is a lucrative business whose profits may be funding various organized crime networks and terrorism. Most people consider pirating DVD's as a victimless crime, yet the money they are spending on purchasing these DVD's may be supporting criminal organizations.
"Compared to other forms of crime, DVD piracy offers criminals high returns and relatively low risk in terms of penalties. It is an attractive option for organized crime groups, who use the trade in DVD piracy to launder cash and fund other forms of crime." (PiracyIsACrime.com)
This high return/low risk business is an easy way to launder or gain profit. Yet, even if the suspects are caught the penalties are less severe than in other illegal operations. Which makes the pirated DVD industry an easy money maker for organized crime.
Most people consider purchasing a pirated DVD as a victimless crime. However, most people do not know that the money they are saving buying these DVD's may be contributing to criminal activity in their area.

Stockholm Economy Hampered by Mafia

On May 4, 2007 a report was released that concluded that organized crime is "putting the brakes on growth in the Stockholm region." A top notch ferry and flight connections and made the region a popular transit area for some criminal networks that are preparing to branch out into other European regions.
The report was headed by Marie Eriksson, who manages a gender equality project at Stockholm's county administrative board. Its findings are the result of a collaborative effort between police in Stockholm and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency's Baltic unit.
According to the report, the organized crime networks of today have little in common with the mafia image most people are familiar with. Today's organized criminal networks more closely resemble multinational companies with their goods, services, divisions and employees. And one of the most lucrative divisions focuses on human trafficking.
The report refers to 51 attempts in the last three years to break up human trafficking operations involving prostitution in the Stockholm region. These raids showed that groups involved in human trafficking often also have connections to the weapons and drugs trades.
Marie Eriksson has proposed a number of preventive measures designed to ward battle all forms of organized crime. More financial resources should be made available, and local and regional groups involved in tackling the problem should work closer together.

Japan's Crime Ring Responsible for Mayor's Death

A popular mayor in Japan was killed recently by a person linked the Japan's underworld. Mayor Kazunaga Ito, who went by the name of Itcho Ito in public life, was killed in a brazen attack in front of crowds of commuters at the city's main train station. The motive for the slaying is still under investigation, but the shooter, 59 year-old Tetsuya Shiroo, is said to be a member of Suishinkai, a local branch of Yamaguchi-gumi, Japan's largest organized crime group.
It is still unclear what caused Mr. Shiroo to kill the mayor, but rumors have been circulating that the killing was money-related and had to deal with a car accident. From 2003 to 2005, Mr Shiroo had visited City Hall almost 30 times demanding up to 2,7 million yen ($23,000) for damages to his car that he claimed were from an accident at a city construction site.
Lawyers have said such requests for reimbursement are a typical form of extortion. Yet, the fact that Mr. Shiroo hasnt mentioned the matter in two years has left people wondering whether this was his true motive.
Public outcry over the killing has lead to people demanding that the police do something about the organized, underground crime syndicates. Japan is said to have the largest population of organized crime members in the world.

Internet Gambling Raid had ties to Mafia

A news source out of Phoenix, Arizona is reporting that an online gambling ring had ties to the Gambino and Columbo crime families. Investigators are calling it one of the largest of its kind in the nation. Dubbed "Operation High Stakes", Maricopa County Sheriff's detectives arrested dozens of people after a long, two year undercover investigation. The illegal Internet gambling ring was centered in Phoenix and detectives claim that the operation had ties to the Gambino and Columbo crime families. Over $140 million dollars in assets were seized including over 30 vehicles ranging from BMW's to a Rolls Royce Phantom valued at $340,000. Investigators said the main players have been arrested, but "Operation High Stakes" was just beginning. The investigation will now move into phase two and detectives will start contacting the people who made deal or bets with the operation and possibly arrest them.

Steven Seagal harassed by German Mafia

Steven Seagal claims in a lawsuit that the German mafia and other "underworld figures" are trying to hatch an extortion plot against him. These people have threatened to assault the 51 year-old actor and destroy his "reputation in the movie industry." The situation began in 2001 after Seagal rented a Berlin villa from Edeltrud Vorderwuhlbecke for the filming of "Half Past Dead." The complaint alleges that after filming the movie, Vorderwuhlbecke and other unnamed figures accused the film crew of seriously damaging the property. Seagal is claiming he has suffered from "severe anxiety, emotional distress, and humiliation" as a result of the extortion plot. Yet, this isn't the first time Seagal has run into the mafia.

Federal prosecutors in New York last June charged Seagal's former partner, Julius Nasso, and several Gambino crime family figures with attempting to extort $150,000 per film from the actor, who is expected to testify as a government witness.

Now that's interesting.

Mafia Soldiers Support Bush-Cheney

On October 25th 2004 two Colombo family soldiers, John Staluppi & John Rosatti, were confirmed to have supported four more years of the Bush-Cheney Whitehouse. "Schedule A, Itemized Reciepts" confirm that both Staluppi and Rosatti each gave two thousand dollars each (the maximum individual donation) to the GOP canidates. The FBI identified Staluppi and Rosatti, who are both multimillionare car dealership owners, as members of the Colombo crime family.

The two Bush supporters are prized Colombo family "earners" who helped finanace an insurgent Colombo faction that once sought to dethrone imprisoned boss, Carmine "the snake" Persico. This plan was later rejected after talking with there mob superior. The duo's role within the crime family has been discussed in 1993 FBI debriefings.

Henry Hill involved in real drug bust

Henry Hill is a mobster made famous by the box office hit movie: "GoodFellas." In the movie (and in real life) Henry Hill works his way up the mafia ladder only to get busted by the police and fearing for his life, testifies against his mafia "friends. After his testimony, Henry Hill disappears into the witness protection program and begins his new life, sort of.
On March 21, 2005, "our favorite degenerate Mafia informant" was arrested while living in the middle of nowhere, North Platte, Nebraska. He is facing "felony charges for allegedly possessing cocaine and methamphetamine" according to County Court Records. Hill, now 61, waived a preliminary hearing in connection with the case. Due to his prior run-ins with the law, Henry Hill, has been rumored to have been kicked out of the witness protection program. He has even been so bold as to go on the Howard Stern radio show for a live interview. Yet, most of the callers just wanting to criticize him or call him a "rat."