mobster
Organized crime figure
A mobster is a member of an organized crime syndicate, especially the Italian-American Mafia.
The term evokes the gangster era of the 1920s and 1930s but applies to contemporary organized crime as well: The mobster ran gambling operations across three states.
Mobster carries connotations of violence, loyalty codes, and criminal enterprise conducted like business.
Criminal vow of silence
- Cosa NostraSicilian criminal organization
- code of silenceTacit agreement against disclosure
- vendettaProlonged retaliatory conflict
- blood oathVow sealed by bloodshed
initiation · respect · loyalty · honor · family · territory · turf · sit-down
Workplace superior
- underbossCriminal organization's deputy
- godfatherMale baptismal guardian
- capoString-shortening clamp device
- consigliereMafia boss's trusted counselor
don · kingpin · crime lord · lieutenant · captain · soldier · associate · made man
Organized crime participant
- extortionistOne who demands payment through threats
- loan sharkIllegal high-interest moneylender
- smugglerIllegal goods transporter
- bootleggerIllegal liquor trafficker
hitman · enforcer · money launderer · bookie · fence · bagman · triggerman · wheelman
Famous for negativity
- infamousHaving a terrible reputation
- wantedLonged for
- fugitiveOne fleeing authorities
- indictmentFormal charge from jury
RICO · FBI · witness protection · informant · rat · snitch · turncoat · trial
Uproar, scam, or paddle
- shakedownForceful extraction of payment
- heistOrganized large-scale theft
- protectionGuarding against harm
- smugglingIllegal covert transport
bootlegging · loan sharking · money laundering · gambling · speakeasy · front business · contraband · trafficking
omertà
Criminal vow of silence
- Cosa NostraSicilian criminal organization
- code of silenceTacit agreement against disclosure
- vendettaProlonged retaliatory conflict
blood oath · initiation · respect · loyalty · honor · family · territory · turf · sit-down · commission
boss
Workplace superior
- underbossCriminal organization's deputy
- godfatherMale baptismal guardian
- capoString-shortening clamp device
consigliere · don · kingpin · crime lord · lieutenant · captain · soldier · associate · made man · button man
racketeer
Organized crime participant
- extortionistOne who demands payment through threats
- loan sharkIllegal high-interest moneylender
- smugglerIllegal goods transporter
bootlegger · hitman · enforcer · money launderer · bookie · fence · bagman · triggerman · wheelman · safecracker
notorious
Famous for negativity
indictment · RICO · FBI · witness protection · informant · rat · snitch · turncoat · trial · conviction
racket
Uproar, scam, or paddle
- shakedownForceful extraction of payment
- heistOrganized large-scale theft
- protectionGuarding against harm
smuggling · bootlegging · loan sharking · money laundering · gambling · speakeasy · front business · contraband · trafficking · kickback
- Mob MediaThe Godfather, Goodfellas, The Sopranos, Scarface, Casino
- Chicagothe Loop, Chicago, Chicago River, Lake Michigan, Wrigley Field
- Crookscrook, swindler, fraudster, embezzler, con artist
- Outlawsoutlaw, bandit, desperado, highwayman, robber
- roguesrogue, rogues, scoundrel, scoundrels, rascal
- rule breakersrulebreaker, transgressor, violator, offender, lawbreaker
mobsterpolice officer
Law enforcement agent
cop · law enforcement · FBI agent · detective · prosecutor
mobstersaint
Canonized holy person
hero · philanthropist · pillar of the community · humanitarian · do-gooder