For Decades, Federal Government Co-Opted Mob Rackets
Jimmy Breslin, in his fantastic book, "The Good Rat," notes how many rackets the Mafia had formulated and profited from were made illegal by the Feds -- then co-opted by the Government.
Play Lotto? There's your version of the Italian lottery, which was operated as a racket by the American Mafia. The Italians who'd come up with the nickels and dimes to play the lottery had to be able to trust in the game, so winning numbers had to be credibly chosen. In some places, the winning number was determined by the last digit of that day's New York bond sales. The money the mafia made from these illegal lotteries was used to finance more profitable enterprises, such as loan sharking and, to the mob's ultimate detriment, drug dealing.
Today, many state lotteries offer similar "daily numbers" games, relying typically on mechanical devices to draw the number. The state's rake is typically 50% rather than the 20%-40% of the mafia numbers games. The New York Lottery and Pennsylvania Lottery even use the words "Numbers" and "Daily Number", respectively, according to Wikipedia.
"Despite the existence of legal alternatives, some gamblers still prefer to play with a bookie for a number of reasons," Wikipedia notes. "Among them are the ability to bet on credit, better payoffs, the convenience of calling in one's bet on the telephone, the ability to play if under the legal age, and the avoidance of government taxes."
Ever pay $2 or $3 just to be able to gain access to your own cash through an ATM machine? There, Breslin notes, is your "shy," as in the fat interest rate paid to loansharks when a loan comes due.
According to Mafialife Chris, on his mafialifeblog.com: Mafia Talk Radio #3: The Government IS The Mafia!: "There are tons of cases where the government stopped the mob from racketeering certain industries, and took the businesses over for themselves. Do they take the mob’s ideas when the mob comes up with a racket that works, and lock the criminals up for doing the same crime they organize later on in a slightly different way to call it their own?"
The Government IS The Mafia! he cries out, his hyperbole more-than justified.
Click here to listen to Chris and his "crew," which include former real-life wiseguys, as they discuss this issue of the government co-opting mafia rackets to suck more cash out of the American public.
The shows are recorded in the Brooklyn area on Sunday morning. "Come visit us while we record our show. We are at Caffe Balezza from 9am-noon. They are located at 7909 18th Avenue. Ask for Mafialife Chris, and I will make sure they make you a cappuccino that is the best you have ever tasted," Mafialife Chris says.
Play Lotto? There's your version of the Italian lottery, which was operated as a racket by the American Mafia. The Italians who'd come up with the nickels and dimes to play the lottery had to be able to trust in the game, so winning numbers had to be credibly chosen. In some places, the winning number was determined by the last digit of that day's New York bond sales. The money the mafia made from these illegal lotteries was used to finance more profitable enterprises, such as loan sharking and, to the mob's ultimate detriment, drug dealing.
Today, many state lotteries offer similar "daily numbers" games, relying typically on mechanical devices to draw the number. The state's rake is typically 50% rather than the 20%-40% of the mafia numbers games. The New York Lottery and Pennsylvania Lottery even use the words "Numbers" and "Daily Number", respectively, according to Wikipedia.
"Despite the existence of legal alternatives, some gamblers still prefer to play with a bookie for a number of reasons," Wikipedia notes. "Among them are the ability to bet on credit, better payoffs, the convenience of calling in one's bet on the telephone, the ability to play if under the legal age, and the avoidance of government taxes."
Ever pay $2 or $3 just to be able to gain access to your own cash through an ATM machine? There, Breslin notes, is your "shy," as in the fat interest rate paid to loansharks when a loan comes due.
According to Mafialife Chris, on his mafialifeblog.com: Mafia Talk Radio #3: The Government IS The Mafia!: "There are tons of cases where the government stopped the mob from racketeering certain industries, and took the businesses over for themselves. Do they take the mob’s ideas when the mob comes up with a racket that works, and lock the criminals up for doing the same crime they organize later on in a slightly different way to call it their own?"
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| Mafialife Chris |
The Government IS The Mafia! he cries out, his hyperbole more-than justified.
Click here to listen to Chris and his "crew," which include former real-life wiseguys, as they discuss this issue of the government co-opting mafia rackets to suck more cash out of the American public.
The shows are recorded in the Brooklyn area on Sunday morning. "Come visit us while we record our show. We are at Caffe Balezza from 9am-noon. They are located at 7909 18th Avenue. Ask for Mafialife Chris, and I will make sure they make you a cappuccino that is the best you have ever tasted," Mafialife Chris says.
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