Ins And Outs Of Omertà

The following guest post is courtesy of The Mob Wife, an online merchant that offers high-quality clothing, home décor, and accessories at affordable prices.

For more information, click here.

The website offers a vast array of products, and we do mean vast: coffee cups, beach blankets, necklaces, phone cases, t-shirts, slippers, fleece jackets, canvas paintings, clocks, sculptures, shower curtains, rugs, and on and on.

The mob figures prominently in the design of many of the items, either as an image of a well-known gangster (or non-Mafia villain) or mob-like quote that maybe wasn't exactly in The Godfather, but hey, it coulda been....The "Carlo Gambino" bomber jack proclaims: "Judges, lawyers, and politicians have a license to steal. We don't need one."  (Our all-time favorite is the "Carlo Gambino is Calling and I Must Go" waterproof pillow.)

The Cosa Nostra, the Sicilian Mafia; the ’Ndrangheta, the Calabrian Mafia; and the Camorra, the Campania Mafia—Italy’s primary organized crime groups, but not its only ones—are sworn secret societies almost certainly based on the Freemasons. The original organizations sprang up in the various geographical regions of Italy in the mid- to late-nineteenth century and, as the multitudes believe, truly dwelled in secrecy and the shadows. 

The original organizations were disrupted repeatedly and have evolved significantly over time, especially in the post-World War II period (though the original Neapolitan Camorra died even before World War I). The name Cosa Nostra (“our thing”) wasn’t adopted in Sicily—or the United States—until the 1960s, and the Calabrian Mafia didn’t acquire its ’Ndrangheta name (it means “manliness” or “courage”) until 1955. 

Italy’s three Mafias are not directly related nor are they identical to one another: They have different structures, different rituals, and different terminologies. They do share some of the same criminal jargon—such as Omertà—and tended to commit the same daily criminal activities, primarily extortion and smuggling. And, throughout their histories, the Mafias of Italy have communicated with and learned from one another.

Omertà, many believe, is the iron code of silence, the stark choice between life and death. In some cases, the Mafia’s law certainly has lived up to its ferocious reputation. But not always, and that holds true throughout the history of the term: The historical record clearly evinces that, in various cases when the right kind of pressure was applied, Omertà has been broken repeatedly. 

If one believes that Omertà is dead today, then one must recognize that it was never truly alive.

“Far from respecting an ancient silence, mafiosi have been talking to police since they first went into business,” John Dickie writes in Mafia Brotherhoods. “That is one reason why so many of the underworld’s darkest secrets are still there in the archives for us to unearth. And … why mafia history is often more about misinformation and intrigue than … violence and death.”

In the United States, Omertà held up remarkably well during much of the 20th century, at least until the RICO act, which arrived in 1970, but wasn't applied effectively against the Mafia until the 1980s and 1990s. Finally, the Feds had the tool that gave them the power and the ability to take the Mafia families apart and toss high-level wiseguys, the bosses, into prison for decades.

In the US, during the induction ceremony, the top wiseguys generally enumerate the Mafia’s inviolable rules and protocols, Omertà, the code of silence, being the foremost principle, which absolutely forbids any level of cooperation with law enforcement, including informing, or ratting, on anyone in the underworld.

The Omertà code is a cornerstone of the The Mob Life and is frequently portrayed in popular media as a fundamental aspect of mobsters' and other organized criminals' lifestyles.

Who would use the Omertà code?

Members of organized crime groups: Members of organized crime groups such as the Mafia, the Yakuza, and other similar organizations are the primary users of the Omertà code.​ ​These groups frequently operate in secrecy, and the code is used to protect the group from law enforcement and other outsiders.

Criminal associates: In addition to members of organized crime groups, criminal associates who work with these groups can use the Omertà code. Individuals who provide services such as money laundering, weapon trafficking, and other illegal activities are included. These associates may not be formal members of the group, but they follow the code to protect themselves and their colleagues.

Informants: Informants who work with law enforcement may be subject to the Omertà code as well. This is due to the fact that they may have valuable information about the inner workings of criminal organizations, but are sworn to secrecy in order to protect their own and their loved ones' safety.

Finally, members of organized crime groups, criminal associates, and informants who work with law enforcement are the primary "users" of the Omertà code--by breaking it. It is a strict code of silence intended to protect these people and organizations from law enforcement and outsiders. Although the code has been portrayed in popular media as a pillar of the criminal underworld, it is important to remember that it is illegal, and those who violate it face serious consequences.

What does Omertà mean in slang?

In slang, "Omertà" refers to the code of silence commonly associated with organized crime, where individuals swear never to reveal any information to law enforcement or outsiders about the inner workings or activities of their group. The word is used to refer to a commitment to secrecy and a willingness to protect the interests of one's criminal associates, even at the risk of personal harm or legal consequences. In this context, Omertà is often used as a term for loyalty and a sense of honor within the criminal underworld.

What is an Omertà example?

An example of Omertà in action would be a member of an organized crime group who is questioned by law enforcement about the group's illegal activities. Despite being faced with potential legal consequences, the individual remains silent and does not reveal any information about the group, upholding their commitment to the code of Omertà.

Another example would be a criminal associate who is approached by law enforcement and asked to testify against their associates. Despite being offered immunity or reduced charges, the individual refuses to cooperate and remains loyal to the criminal organization, adhering to the principles of Omertà.

In both cases, the individuals involved are demonstrating their commitment to the code of Omertà, which requires them to maintain secrecy and protect the interests of their criminal associates, even in the face of legal or personal consequences.

Gambino Family and Omertà Code

The Gambino crime family is one of the most notorious and powerful organized crime groups in the United States (though, according to the FBI, the Genovese crime family is perhaps the most powerful of the Five Families). The Gambino family is part of the American Mafia, also known as La Cosa Nostra, and has a long history of criminal activities. And with the Sicilian faction in control of the Gambinos, the concept of Omertà is probably stronger today than it otherwise would be.

For more information, click here.

The Gambino family is also known for its strict adherence to the Omertà code, a code of silence that is commonly associated with organized crime. The Omertà code requires members of organized crime groups to maintain strict secrecy about the inner workings and activities of their group and to never reveal any information to law enforcement or outsiders. This code is considered a cornerstone of the criminal underworld and is often portrayed in popular media as being a fundamental aspect of the lifestyle of mobsters and other organized criminals.

The Gambino family has a long history of using the Omertà code to protect itself and its activities from law enforcement. This has allowed the Gambino family to maintain a high level of power and control within the criminal underworld, even as law enforcement has attempted to disrupt and dismantle the group.

In recent years, the Gambino family has faced significant challenges, including numerous high-profile arrests and the decline of traditional organized crime activities. Despite these challenges, the Gambino family has managed to maintain its power and influence, in part due to its strict adherence to the Omertà code. This has allowed the Gambino family to keep its inner workings and activities hidden from law enforcement and the public and has allowed the group to continue its criminal activities with relative impunity.

The Omertà code has been instrumental in allowing the Gambino family to maintain its power and control within the criminal underworld and has allowed the group to protect itself and its activities from law enforcement. However, the strict code of silence also has negative consequences, including perpetuating the criminal activities of the Gambino family and hindering law enforcement efforts to dismantle the group. The Omertà code remains an important aspect of organized crime and is a significant challenge for law enforcement and society as a whole.

Charles ​Lucky ​L​uciano and Omerta code

Charles Lucky Luciano is considered the father of modern organized crime in the United States (even though he appears to have snitched early in his career, after he was caught red-handed dealing drugs). He was a notorious American mobster who rose to power in the 1920s and 1930s as the head of the National Crime Syndicate. Luciano is credited with revolutionizing the American Mafia and transforming it into a centralized and powerful organization that dominated organized crime in the country for many years.

For more information, please click here.

One of the key aspects of Luciano's legacy is his role in establishing the Omertà code, a code of silence that is commonly associated with organized crime. The Omertà code requires members of organized crime groups to maintain strict secrecy about the inner workings and activities of their group and to never reveal any information to law enforcement or outsiders. This code is considered a cornerstone of the criminal underworld and is often portrayed in popular media as being a fundamental aspect of the lifestyle of mobsters and other organized criminals.

Luciano saw the importance of the Omertà code in maintaining the power and control of the Mafia. He believed that the code of silence was necessary to protect the Mafia from law enforcement and to ensure that its members remained loyal to the organization. Luciano's strict enforcement of the Omertà code helped to establish the Mafia as a powerful and influential organization that dominated organized crime in the United States for many years.