Frank Costello was an Italian-American Mafia gangster and crime boss who had a net worth of $150 million at the time of his death in 1973. That's the same as $1 billion in today's dollars after adjusting for inflation. At the peak of his success, his illicit empire generated the equivalent of $60 billion (after adjusting for inflation) in revenue.

Known as "The Prime Minister of the Underworld," Costello was less interested in violence and more in politics, connections, and long-term influence. He served as head of the powerful Luciano crime family (later known as the Genovese family) and helped shape the modern American Mafia's structure, including the formation of the national "Commission" that oversaw inter-family relations. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Costello preferred diplomacy over bloodshed and cultivated alliances with business and political leaders, effectively blurring the lines between legitimate power and criminal enterprise. His ability to operate both in the shadows and in respectable society made him a unique figure in Mafia history, and his life helped inspire multiple Hollywood portrayals of the suave, strategic mob boss archetype.

Early Life

Frank Costello was born Francesco Castiglia on January 26, 1891, in Lauropoli, a village in southern Italy's Calabria region. His family immigrated to the United States when he was four years old, settling in East Harlem, New York City. Like many poor Italian immigrant families at the time, the Castiglias faced harsh economic conditions, and young Frank quickly gravitated toward the local street gangs that dominated his neighborhood. By his teenage years, he was already committing petty crimes, including robbery and assault.

In 1918, after multiple arrests, he was sentenced to a year in prison. Upon his release, Costello decided to give up violent street crime and focus on more profitable and sophisticated forms of criminal activity. Around this time, he began using the name "Frank Costello," a more Americanized version that helped him blend into legitimate society. He soon joined the powerful criminal organization led by Charlie "Lucky" Luciano and embarked on a career that would define the next three decades of organized crime in America.

Rise in Organized Crime

Costello's rise coincided with the Prohibition era, when the nationwide ban on alcohol created massive opportunities for bootlegging. Working under Luciano and alongside associates like Meyer Lansky and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, Costello managed large-scale liquor smuggling and distribution operations. His calm demeanor, intelligence, and gift for negotiation set him apart from more violent contemporaries.

By the early 1930s, Costello was deeply involved in Luciano's national crime syndicate, helping to reorganize the fragmented Mafia families into a structured system with clear territories and leadership. When Luciano established the Mafia's governing body—the Commission—after the bloody Castellammarese War, Costello became one of its most trusted members. His influence extended beyond organized crime, as he forged relationships with politicians, judges, and police officials, particularly through control of gambling interests in New York and Louisiana.

Creative Commons via Public Domain

The Prime Minister of the Underworld

Costello's reputation for diplomacy and strategy earned him the nickname "The Prime Minister of the Underworld." While others sought dominance through violence, Costello preferred persuasion, money, and political power. He built extensive gambling operations across the country, from New York to New Orleans, and maintained a low profile that kept him out of the public eye—until the late 1940s.

When Lucky Luciano was imprisoned in 1936, Costello became acting boss of the Luciano family. Under his leadership, the organization shifted its focus from bootlegging to more sustainable ventures like gambling, construction, and labor racketeering. Costello's era was one of relative peace and prosperity within the Mafia, and he became the public face of organized crime during the early postwar years.

In 1951, his national prominence peaked during the televised Kefauver Hearings, a U.S. Senate investigation into organized crime. Millions of Americans watched as Costello testified, often refusing to answer questions and famously walking out when pressed too hard. Although he was never convicted of major crimes during this period, the hearings cemented his image as the archetypal mob boss—polished, calculating, and untouchable.

Decline and Power Struggles

Despite his political connections and careful image, Costello's position began to erode in the 1950s. The ambitious Vito Genovese, who had long resented Costello's leadership, returned from exile in Italy and began plotting to take control of the family. In 1957, Genovese ordered a hit on Costello. The would-be assassin, Vincent "Chin" Gigante, shot Costello outside his Manhattan apartment but only grazed his head. When questioned, Costello refused to identify his attacker, reportedly telling police, "I know who it was. No hard feelings."

After the attempt, Costello decided to retire from active leadership, effectively ceding power to Genovese. He remained a respected elder statesman within the Mafia but gradually withdrew from criminal operations. In later years, he focused on his legitimate investments, including real estate and stock holdings, which provided him with substantial income and protection from further prosecution.

Later Life and Legacy

Frank Costello lived quietly in retirement during the 1960s and early 1970s, maintaining his residence at the luxurious Waldorf Towers in Manhattan. Though semi-retired, he continued to wield influence behind the scenes and was often consulted by younger mob leaders for advice. Costello died on February 18, 1973, at the age of 82.

His legacy endures as one of the most complex and influential figures in organized crime history. Unlike the more violent figures who followed him, Costello demonstrated that money and connections could be more powerful than guns. He helped institutionalize the Mafia's infiltration of politics and legitimate business, laying the groundwork for decades of organized corruption. His life inspired numerous fictionalized portrayals, including the character of Vito Corleone in "The Godfather" and Frank Costello (played by Jack Nicholson) in "The Departed," whose name was an intentional nod to the real mob boss.

Frank Costello's career remains a study in the intersection of crime, power, and respectability—a man who rose from a poor immigrant background to become one of the most politically connected gangsters in American history, and one who proved that sometimes the most dangerous weapon in organized crime was not violence, but influence.

Read more: Frank Costello Net Worth

Kenneth Petty is best known for his relationship with rapper Nicki Minaj, with whom he shares a long history dating back to their teenage years in Queens. The couple rekindled their relationship in 2018, married in 2019, and welcomed a son in 2020, affectionately nicknamed "Papa Bear." While Minaj has described their bond as deeply personal and grounding, Petty has remained a polarizing figure due to his criminal record and ongoing legal troubles. He has nevertheless become a fixture in Minaj's public life, from appearing in her music videos to joining her at major fashion and music industry events. His story is one of a complicated legacy — marked by serious crimes, ongoing controversies, and his prominent place in the orbit of one of the most famous artists in the world.

Early Life

Kenneth "Zoo" Petty was born in Queens, New York, in April 1978. He grew up in the same neighborhood as Nicki Minaj, and the two first met as teenagers while attending LaGuardia High School. They briefly dated before losing touch, and while Minaj launched her rap career, Petty's young adulthood was marked by serious legal issues. Despite the divergence of their paths, their early connection would eventually lead them back to one another decades later.

Marriage to Nicki Minaj

Petty and Minaj reconnected in 2018 and quickly made their romance public. By October 2019, they were married, with Minaj confirming the union in an Instagram post in which she revealed she had hyphenated her name to Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty. The marriage was initially low-key, but Minaj repeatedly defended her choice of partner against critics who pointed to Petty's criminal record. She has emphasized their bond as one of mutual understanding and history, often noting that he knew her before fame and fortune. In 2024, the couple celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary, with Minaj calling their relationship "love at first sight."

Fatherhood

In July 2020, Minaj announced she was expecting her first child with Petty, and on September 30, 2020, they welcomed a son, known publicly as "Papa Bear." Minaj has often said motherhood gave her life new meaning, and both parents have shared glimpses of their child's life, from themed birthday parties to appearances in high-profile magazine shoots. Despite the secrecy around his real name, "Papa Bear" has become a beloved figure among Minaj's fans. Petty has leaned into fatherhood, often seen as a steady figure in his son's life amid the glare of public attention.

Getty

Legal Issues

Kenneth Petty's past and ongoing legal battles have defined much of his public image. His record stretches back to the 1990s and has continued into the 2020s, ensuring frequent media scrutiny.

1995 – Attempted Rape Conviction: At age 16, Petty was convicted of attempted rape in the first degree for an assault on a then-16-year-old girl. He was sentenced to 18–54 months in prison and served four years. As a result, he remains a level two registered sex offender in New York State.

2002 – Manslaughter Conviction: In 2002, Petty was involved in the shooting death of Lamont Robinson. Initially charged with second-degree murder, he accepted a plea deal and pled guilty to first-degree manslaughter in 2006. He was sentenced to ten years in prison and served seven before being released in 2013. He remained on supervised release for five years after his release.

2020 – Failure to Register as a Sex Offender: After relocating to California with Nicki Minaj, Petty was arrested in March 2020 for failing to register as a sex offender. He posted $100,000 bail and initially pled not guilty, but in September 2021, he changed his plea to guilty during a virtual hearing. In July 2022, he was sentenced to one year of house arrest, three years of probation, and fined $55,000.

2021 – Jennifer Hough Lawsuit: In August 2021, Jennifer Hough, the victim in Petty's attempted rape case, filed a harassment lawsuit against Petty and Minaj. She claimed the couple attempted to pressure her into recanting her original testimony, allegedly offering money and applying intimidation tactics. While the claims against Minaj were dropped in January 2022, the case against Petty has remained active.

2023 – Probation Violation: In September 2023, Petty threatened rapper Offset, the husband of Cardi B, on social media. The act violated his probation, leading to a sentence of 120 days of house arrest.

Life with Nicki Minaj

Despite his turbulent past, Petty has remained a constant presence in Minaj's personal and professional life. He has appeared in her music videos for "MEGATRON" and "Hot Girl Summer," accompanied her to high-profile events, and supported her during very public feuds with other artists, including Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, and Dez Bryant. Minaj has consistently defended him, emphasizing their shared history and her happiness in the relationship. For her, his presence represents grounding and loyalty, though for critics, it remains a source of controversy. As a result, Kenneth Petty has become an unavoidable figure in Minaj's narrative — a man defined as much by his past convictions as by his role as her husband and the father of her child.

Read more: Kenneth Petty Net Worth

Andrew Luster is a convicted serial rapist and former cosmetics heir who has a net worth of -$10 million. Andrew Luster once stood to inherit part of the Max Factor fortune. Luster is now infamous for fleeing justice, being captured by bounty hunter Duane "Dog" Chapman, and serving decades in prison for drugging and raping multiple women. In 2003, he was convicted in absentia on 86 counts of rape and sexual assault. Originally sentenced to 124 years in prison, his sentence was later reduced to 50 years. Luster has spent over two decades behind bars and has since filed for bankruptcy.

Early Life and Max Factor Heir

Andrew Luster was born on December 15, 1963, into wealth and privilege. He is the great-grandson of Max Factor, the legendary cosmetics magnate who founded the Max Factor Company, a brand long associated with Hollywood glamour. As a member of the Factor family, Luster grew up with significant financial resources and access to elite social circles.

Despite his family legacy, Luster largely avoided the spotlight until his criminal actions brought international infamy. He led a relatively quiet life in Mussel Shoals, a small coastal community near Ventura, California, where he lived in a beachfront home and portrayed himself as a laid-back surfer and trust fund recipient.

FREDERICK M. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images

Crimes and Arrest

In the late 1990s, Luster began using his wealth and anonymity to facilitate a series of sexual assaults. He preyed on young women, often in party or dating settings, secretly drugging them with GHB, a powerful sedative often referred to as the "date rape drug." The attacks took place in his home, and Luster meticulously recorded the assaults on video.

In 2000, a college student from Santa Barbara came forward to police, alleging that Luster had drugged and raped her. When authorities searched his home, they uncovered what prosecutors later described as a "sadistic treasure trove" of evidence — including video recordings of Luster sexually assaulting multiple unconscious women. He was ultimately charged with 86 counts, based on the abuse of at least three women.

Trial, Flight, and Capture

Luster's trial began in early 2003 in Ventura County. During the proceedings, he posted bail and fled the country, disappearing before the case concluded. The trial continued without him, and Luster was convicted in absentia on all counts, receiving a 124-year prison sentence.

Six months later, in June 2003, Luster was located in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and captured by Duane "Dog" Chapman, a then-unknown bounty hunter. The high-profile arrest catapulted Chapman to fame and became the basis for his hit reality TV series "Dog the Bounty Hunter." Luster was extradited back to the U.S. to begin serving his sentence.

(Photo by Anacleto Rapping/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Sentence Reduction and Parole Efforts

In 2013, a judge reduced Luster's sentence to 50 years, citing flaws in the original sentencing process. Despite the reduced sentence, Luster remained incarcerated at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla, California.

In 2016, California voters passed Proposition 57, which allowed non-violent offenders to be considered for early release after serving half their sentence, provided they demonstrated good behavior. At the time of Luster's conviction, rape of an incapacitated person was not legally classified as a violent crime. As a result, he became eligible for parole earlier than expected.

Luster has applied for early release multiple times. While a two-member parole panel approved his release in 2023, the decision was reversed by the full parole board following opposition from the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. In April 2025, Luster is again seeking release, with his latest maximum release date set for October 31, 2026.

Public Backlash and Victims' Rights

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko has repeatedly opposed Luster's release, calling him a "present danger to society." Nasarenko has criticized Luster for continuing to minimize his crimes, including falsely claiming during parole hearings that his victims consented to taking GHB. Two of Luster's victims won multimillion-dollar civil judgments against him, and he later filed for bankruptcy.

A 2023 change in California law now classifies rape of an intoxicated or incapacitated person as a violent crime. Had Luster been convicted under this revised law, he would likely not be eligible for parole until at least 2034.

Current Status

As of 2025, Andrew Luster remains incarcerated, with his parole request pending. If granted, he is expected to be released into Ventura County, where he was originally convicted. He will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. His hearing is being conducted by videoconference and is not open to the public.

Once a wealthy heir, Luster is now one of the most reviled sex offenders in California history. His case continues to raise questions about sentencing laws, parole eligibility, and justice for victims of sexual violence.

Read more: Andrew Luster Net Worth

Michael Franzese is an American former mobster and captain of the Colombo crime family who has a net worth of $4 million. Michael Franzese is the son of reputed Colombo underboss John "Sonny" Franzese. Michael dropped out of college to become a caporegime (captain) of a crew for the Colombo family. He was involved in the gasoline bootlegging rackets and sold millions of gallons of gas with the Russian Mafia. Michael was listed as #18 on "Fortune" magazine's "Fifty Most Wealthy and Powerful Mafia Bosses" list in 1986 and made more money than anyone else for a crime family since Al Capone. He partnered with booking agent Norby Walters and extorted a role for Walters in Michael Jackson's U.S. tour. He also co-founded Motion Picture Marketing.

Franzese was indicted on 14 counts of racketeering, counterfeiting, and extortion from the gasoline bootlegging racket in 1986 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison and $14 million in restitution. Michael was released in 1989, but he was sentenced to four years in 1991 for violating probation and was released in 1994. Franzese is the founder and chairman of the Breaking Out Foundation and is a motivational speaker. He has published the books "Quitting the Mob" (1992), "Blood Covenant" (2003), "The Good, the Bad and the Forgiven" (2009), "I'll Make You an Offer You Can't Refuse" (2011), "From the Godfather to God the Father" (2014), and "Mafia Democracy" (2022). Michael was portrayed by Joseph Bono in the 1990 film "Goodfellas," which earned seven Academy Award nominations.

Early Life

Michael Franzese was born Michael Grillo on May 27, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York. He is the son of Cristina Capobianco-Franzese and Colombo crime family underboss John "Sonny" Franzese. Michael originally believed that Sonny had adopted him after Cristina divorced Frank Grillo, who he thought was his biological father. Michael used the surname Grillo until the age of 18. Sonny was married with three children when he impregnated 16-year-old Cristina, who was a cigarette girl at Manhattan's Stork Club at the time. Cristina married Frank Grillo to avoid the scandal of having a child out of wedlock, but after the mob agreed to let Sonny divorce his wife, he married Cristina. Michael moved to Long Island at one point, and he dropped out of college after Sonny was sentenced to 50 years in prison in 1967 for robbing a bank. On Halloween night in 1975, Franzese became a made man under acting boss Tommy DiBella, taking a blood oath and swearing omertà. In 1980, Michael was a caporegime of a 300-person crew.

Bootlegging

In 1981, Franzese teamed up with Lawrence Salvatore Iorizzo and set up 18 Panama-based stock-bearer companies. Under Panama law, wholesale companies could sell gasoline tax-free to other wholesale companies. Michael worked on the gas scheme with the Russian Mafia in Brooklyn. After the wholesale gas was sold to one company, it was shipped to a different company, and a dummy company would sell the gas on paper and forge tax documents for the company the gasoline was sent to. When enforcement agents would try to collect taxes from the dummy company, it would declare bankruptcy. This gasoline made up between one-third and one-half of the gas that was sold in the New York metropolitan area. According to officials, Iorizzo made $45,000 per month off of the scheme, while Franzese made more than $1.25 million per month because he kept 75% of the profits. However, an associate later testified that Michael actually made $1 million per week, and Franzese said that he made up to $8 million per week at one point. Revenue officials estimated that the scheme led to $250 million in gasoline tax being stolen in New York per year. Michael later took the bootlegging scheme to Florida.

Career

In the 1970s, Franzese began getting involved in legitimate business, and he had a stronghold on businesses such as restaurants, car dealerships, auto repair shops, nightclubs, video stores, travel agencies, and movie production companies by the mid-1980s. By 1980, Michael's firm had partnered with booking agent Norby Walters, and Franzese was tasked with intimidating prospective and existing clients as well as meeting with the agents of clients Walters had problems with. In 1981, Michael extorted a role for Norby on Michael Jackson's U.S. tour. In 1983, the FBI began investigating boxing promoter Don King's connections to organized crime and recruited Franzese to introduce King to an undercover agent with the alias Victor Quintana. Quintana was supposed to give King the impression that he was interested in buying his way into the world of boxing in an attempt to get Don to reveal his criminal associations. However, Quintana didn't follow through with hundreds of thousands of dollars, so the investigation collapsed. In 1985, Walters launched a sports management agency, and Franzese was a silent partner in the venture. Michael also served as the president of the film production company Miami Gold, which produced 1986's "Knights of the City."

Indictment and Prison

Michael was acquitted of racketeering charges in April 1985, and a few months later, he was charged with extortion and counterfeiting in relation to the gasoline bootlegging scheme in New York and Florida. He was indicted on 14 counts in New York and 177 counts in Florida. His partner in the scheme, Lawrence Salvatore Iorizzo, had been sentenced to five years in prison, and he testified against Franzese and others who were involved in the illegal operation. In March 1986, Michael pleaded guilty to one count each of tax conspiracy and racketeering conspiracy, and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay nearly $15 million in restitution on the federal charges, so he agreed to sell his assets, including a New York mansion and the Miami Gold production company. After reaching a plea deal on the state charges, Franzese was sentenced to nine years in prison for the Florida racketeering charges and ordered to pay $3 million to Florida. His Florida prison sentence would run concurrently with his federal prison sentence. In 1989, Michael testified against Norby Walters in exchange for immunity from prosecution in Walters' case, which involved Norby convincing college athletes to sign illegal representation contracts. After Walters was found guilty, Franzese was granted parole after serving 43 months in prison. However, he violated his probation requirements and was sentenced to four years in federal prison in December 1991. During that imprisonment, a prison guard gave Michael a Bible, and Franzese subsequently became a born-again Christian. During his time in prison, Michael was in solitary confinement for three years.

(Photo by Jeff Gritchen/Digital First Media/Orange County Register via Getty Images)

After Prison

After his release from prison in November 1994, Franzese retired from the mob the following year and moved to California with his family. He had received several death threats as well as contracts on his life, including one that was allegedly approved by his father, Sonny.

Michael has gone on to become a motivational speaker, giving speeches at prisons, schools, and other venues. He has also spoken at Christian churches and conferences. In 2002, Franzese appeared in HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" and stated, "A few players from the Yankees had some gambling issues. They got into trouble, couldn't pay the debt and eventually I got involved. [I] spoke with them and said, 'You gotta work this out, get the money, borrow the money, do what you have to do. And if all else fails, I got another way for you to make it up: You're gonna help us win a game.'" He added, "We'd tell them: 'Whatever it is you have to do . . . and if that ball comes to you and the game is on the line, you don't catch the ball." A spokesman for the Yankees organization denied the claims and said that Michael's accusations were "absolutely beyond belief."

In 2013, Franzese was featured in the documentaries "The Definitive Guide to the Mob" and "Inside the American Mob," and in 2014, the autobiographical biopic "God the Father" was released in movie theaters in 20 U.S. cities. He appeared in the 2017 film "Let There Be Light" as a reformed mobster, and he hosted the 2018 stage musical "A Mob Story" at Las Vegas' Plaza Hotel & Casino. In 2019, Michael co-founded the pizza restaurant franchise Slices Pizza, and in 2022, he founded Franzese Wines, which produces and sells Armenian wines. He was featured in the docuseries " Fear City: New York vs The Mafia" (2020) and "American Godfathers: The Five Families" (2024), and in 2020, he created a YouTube channel, which has more than 1.6 million subscribers as of this writing.

Personal Life

Michael has been married twice. He has been married to Camille Garcia since 1985, and they have welcomed seven children together. Camille is a Christian, and she was influential in Michael's decision to leave the mafia. In 2010, Michael's brother John Jr. testified against their father, Sonny, in a racketeering case. John Jr. helped the authorities by wearing a wire during conversations with Sonny. Michael said that Sonny felt "sick" over being betrayed by his son and that John Jr. had been a "nobody in the mob life." Franzese added, "He did it for the money. There's no other reason." Sonny received an eight-year prison sentence and was released at the age of 100 in 2017. He passed away three years later.

Real Estate

Franzese previously lived in an $18 million home in Corona Del Mar, California. The 8,341-square-foot estate includes six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, and an elevator, and an infinity edge pool sits on the .26-acre property. He appears to have been a renter of that home, paying around $8,000 per month. In June 2021, he paid $2.89 million for a home in Newport Beach, California.

Read more: Michael Franzese Net Worth

Rayful Edmond was a former drug kingpin who had a peak net worth of $50 million. Rayful Edmund was considered by many to be responsible for the introduction of crack cocaine to the Washington, D.C., area in the 1980s.

At his peak, he was reportedly grossing $2 million per week through a sophisticated drug distribution network that connected Colombian cocaine suppliers to the streets of D.C. Known for his business acumen and strategic mind despite his young age, Edmond revolutionized the district's drug trade by establishing direct connections with Colombian cartels and introducing crack cocaine to the city on an unprecedented scale. His empire's dramatic rise and fall exemplified both the devastation of the crack epidemic and law enforcement's efforts to combat it.

He was arrested in 1989, along with 28 associates, 11 of whom were members of his own family, and sentenced to life in prison. He continued to deal drugs while in prison, and after being convicted, again, became a government informant. Through his participation, he was removed from prison and placed in the witness protection program. In 2021, his sentence was reduced to 20 years from life due to the "unparalleled magnitude" of his cooperation. Rayful Edmond died on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at the age of 60, at a halfway house in Miami.

Early Life

Born on November 26, 1964, in Washington D.C., Rayful Edmond III grew up in a family already involved in the drug trade, with both parents reportedly dealing drugs. He began his criminal career as a teenager, starting as a street-level dealer before quickly demonstrating an exceptional ability to organize and expand drug operations. By his early twenties, Edmond had built a sophisticated operation that employed hundreds of people, including many young teenagers as lookouts and street-level dealers.

Rising Empire

While still a teen, Edmond met D.C. drug kingpin Cornell Jones and began to make key drug connections. Through Edmond's knowledge of his own neighborhood, he created what he called The Strip, a series of back alley escape routes to escape the police when necessary. Edmond soon wanted to expand his reach, and in April 1987, while on a trip to Las Vegas, he met a Los Angeles drug dealer named Melvin Butler, who could supply him with Colombian cocaine at bargain prices. What began as one shipment turned into hundreds of kilos a month.

What set Edmond apart from other drug dealers was his business approach and connections. He established direct links with Colombian cocaine suppliers, particularly the Trujillo-Blanco organization, bypassing traditional middlemen and increasing his profits significantly. He was known for his flashy lifestyle, designer clothes, and luxury cars, becoming something of a local celebrity in D.C.'s neighborhoods. Despite his notoriety, he maintained a reputation for avoiding violence whenever possible, preferring to solve problems through negotiation.

John Thompson Agreement

In the 1980s, Georgetown University basketball players were seen hanging out with Rayful. Upon finding out, basketball coach John Thompson III called a meeting with Rayful and requested he stay away from his players. Rayful complied.

Peak & Fall

By 1989, nearly 60 percent of the city's drug market belonged to Edmond. The city's murder rate had nearly doubled in three years, and the D.C. police began to wage a war on drugs—Edmonds being their primary target. After a string of wiretappings, investigations into Edmond's finances, testimony from informants, and confessions of members of his drug ring, Edmond was arrested in 1989. He was sentenced to two life terms for a number of federal offenses.

While in prison, Rayful befriended the son of Cocaine Godmother Griselda Blanco. Through this connection, Rayful continued running his drug operation.

He later struck a deal with law enforcement to become a government informant. Through his corporation, Edmond secured the early release of his mother, who had been sentenced to 14 years for her participation in her son's operation.

Read more: Rayful Edmond Net Worth

Carlo Gambino was a Sicilian-born American mob boss who had a net worth of $70 million at the time of his death. That's the same as around $400 million in today's dollars, after adjusting for inflation. Carlo Gambino led the Gambino crime family in New York City. By the 1960s he had more than 500 soldiers and the family was generating an astonishing $500 million a year in illicit revenue. In the late 1950s, he took over the Commission of the American Mafia and continued to play a central role in organized crime until he died from a heart attack in 1976. In his over 50 years as a mobster, Gambino served only 22 months in prison. He was convicted on charges of tax evasion.

Early Life

Carlo Gambino was born on August 24, 1902 in Palermo, Italy into a family associated with the Sicilian Mafia. His parents were Felice and Tommaso, and he had two brothers named Gaspare and Paolo. In late 1921, Gambino came to the United States as a stowaway on the USS Vincenzo Florio. Making his way to New York City, he joined his cousins the Castellanos and worked for a trucking company owned by their family.

Castellammarese War and Aftermath

In New York City, Gambino joined a criminal organization run by fellow Sicilian-born mobster Joe Masseria. He had a number of run-ins with the law after that, but managed to get away clean. By the early 1930s, Masseria had gotten into an acrimonious rivalry with head of the Castellammarese crime family Salvatore Maranzano. The feud culminated in the violent Castellammarese War, which ended with Masseria's murder in 1931. Subsequently, Maranzano organized the Five Families of the American Mafia in New York; they were headed by himself, Joe Profaci, Tommy Gagliano, Charles Luciano, and Vincent Mangano. Gambino joined the family headed by Mangano. Toward the end of 1931, Maranzano was killed and a governing body for organized crime was established. That body later became known as the Commission.

(Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Imprisonment

In 1937, Gambino was arrested and imprisoned for tax evasion. He served 22 months behind bars in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, marking the only period in his criminal career in which he was incarcerated.

Gambino Crime Family

In 1951, Vincent Mangano was murdered on the orders of Albert Anastasia. Later, in 1957, Gambino allegedly ordered Anastasia's murder. He subsequently took over the Mangano crime family, renaming it the Gambino crime family. After that, mob boss Vito Genovese organized the Apalachin meeting, a historic summit of the American Mafia held at the home of mobster Joseph Barbara. Authorities caught wind of the meeting and descended on the area, resulting in the detention of over 60 mafiosi. The incident helped confirm to the public the existence of massive organized crime in the United States. Not long after the bungled Apalachin meeting, Gambino and Charles Luciano allegedly paid a Puerto Rican drug dealer to falsely implicate Genovese in a drug deal. Genovese was consequently sentenced to 15 years in prison, and died in custody in early 1959. At this time, Gambino took over the Commission, and grew his crime family considerably. Under his leadership, he had 500 soldiers and more than 1,000 associates. In 1962, following the marriage of Gambino's son and Tommy Lucchese's daughter, Lucchese gave Gambino some control of his rackets at New York's Idlewild Airport. Together, the pair controlled the majority of organized crime in New York.

In 1963, mob boss Joseph Bonanno attempted to assassinate several of his rivals on the Commission, including Gambino and Lucchese. With the assistance of Joseph Magliocco, he enlisted hitman Joseph Colombo to do the deed. However, Colombo ended up revealing the plot to his targets, foiling the plan. The other mob bosses realized Bonanno and Magliocco were colluding, causing Bonanno to flee to Canada while Magliocco was forced to answer for himself to the Commission. Colombo ended up taking over Magliocco's family. Gambino continued his criminal exploits throughout the 1960s, and partnered with Meyer Lansky to control gambling interests in Cuba.

Carlo Gambino arrested in 1970 (Getty Images)

In 1970, he was arrested and indicted on charges of conspiring to hijack an armored car; however, he was released on bail and never brought to trial due to his ill health. There were also deportation proceedings brought against Gambino that were scuttled on account of his health. After Gambino died in 1976, he was succeeded as head of his family by his brother-in-law Paul Castellano.

Personal Life and Death

Gambino was married to his cousin Catherine Castellano from 1932 until her death in 1971. They had four children together: Thomas, Joseph, Carlo, and Phyllis.

On October 15, 1976, Gambino died from a heart attack at his home in Massapequa, New York. He was 74 years of age.

Read more: Carlo Gambino Net Worth

Charles Cosby is an American former cocaine dealer who has a net worth of $100 thousand. Charles Cosby began selling drugs in his late teens. He contacted Griselda Blanco, one of the most infamous members of the Medellin Drug Cartel, while she was in jail. They began exchanging letters and phone calls, and she helped him widen the scope of his cocaine dealing business and drastically increased his income. They began a romantic relationship as well. He severed ties with Griselda after she came up with a plot to kidnap John F. Kennedy Jr. Blanco was imprisoned until 2004, then she was deported to Columbia. Charles was featured in the 2008 documentary "Cocaine Cowboys II: Hustlin' With the Godmother," and he published the book "Hustling with the Godmother: My Life and Times with Griselda Blanco" in 2021.

(Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for CineVegas)

Early Life

Charles Cosby was born on December 22, 1967, in Fresno, California. He grew up in Oakland with three older siblings. In a post on BlogUnion.com, Cosby stated, "From what I've been told by mother we were an idyllic family that attended church, went on camping trips and took family vacations. But with father's homosexual affairs coming to light coupled with his increasing drug use, the marriage fell apart – and so did our lives."

Charles attended Brookfield Elementary School and James Madison Middle School, and he was "an above average student." In middle school, he began thinking about pursuing a career as a lawyer, but while attending John C. Fremont High School, he started dealing drugs and "went from aspiring to defend criminals to becoming a criminal."

Angela Weiss/Getty Images

Career

In 1991, Cosby began writing to drug lord Griselda Blanco (aka the "Cocaine Godmother") in prison. After Charles started visiting Griselda in prison, she decided to bring him into her drug smuggling operation. In the documentary "Cocaine Cowboys 2," Cosby stated, "I was a millionaire 45 days after meeting her." In 1995, the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office subpoenaed Charles, and he lied about how much money Griselda had been making, saying that "she was making $2 million when it was actually 50 times that."

Cosby cut ties with Blanco after her former hitman Jorge "Rivi" Ayala agreed to testify about murders that Griselda had ordered. Blanco was potentially facing a death sentence, and she tried to organize a high-profile kidnapping, John F. Kennedy Jr., planning to use him as a negotiating tool to secure her release from prison. Charles has said that he was uncomfortable with the plan. The kidnapping never happened, but the case against Griselda fell apart after Rivi was involved in a phone sex scandal with a secretary working for the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office. Blanco was released from prison in 2004, two years after suffering a heart attack. She was deported back to Colombia, where she was assassinated in 2012.

In 2021, Cosby published the book "Hustling with the Godmother: My Life and Times with Griselda Blanco." "New York Times" bestselling author Mark Ebner wrote the book's foreword, and he said of the book, "Charles Cosby was a kid from East Oakland, stoking dreams of one day running a crack cocaine empire. Miami-based Colombian femme fatale Griselda Blanco was the most notorious, brutal female drug trafficker the world had ever seen. Stars crossed and they aligned – in love, and the unholy drug game. No spoilers, but one of these two survived – as a role model for generations to come."

Personal Life

Charles spoke to "The Sun" about his relationship with Griselda Blanco, stating, "We first met when I was in my early twenties and she was in her late forties. She was an older woman but very attractive. She had hazel eyes, a beautiful smile and deep dimples in her cheeks. When I first set eyes on her, it was surreal. I don't know if you've been to a Rolling Stones concert but the electricity was comparable." Cosby later began seeing another woman, and Blanco subsequently ordered his assassination. Charles told "ITV This Morning" in 2024, "She tried to have me killed because I cheated on her. She hired an investigator to track me who uncovered my web of lies and deceit and betrayal, so she tried to have me killed. I was in my Corvette. I was about two miles from my mom's house in California and two guys pulled up beside me in a Mustang and started shooting at me. Luckily, I was wearing a bulletproof vest and it absorbed four bullets." Griselda had previously been married three times, and all three husbands were assassinated, reportedly on Blanco's orders.

Read more: Charles Cosby Net Worth

Anna Sorokin, also known as Anna Delvey, is a con artist and convicted fraudster who has a net worth of $50,000. Anna Sorokin infamously pretended to be a wealthy heiress to gain access to the elite New York City social world. Sorokin gained widespread recognition due to various articles, podcasts, and television episodes about her story, as well as through the hit Netflix miniseries "Inventing Anna."

From 2013 to 2017, she deceived and defrauded multiple major banks, hotels, and individuals of $275,000, resulting in a prison sentence that lasted for a little over two years. She ultimately paid $198,000 in restitution to her victims. Netflix paid Anna $320,000 for her life rights and to act as a consultant on its series.

Early Life and Education

Anna Sorokin was born on January 23, 1991 in Domodedovo, Moscow Oblast in what was then Soviet Russia. Her mother owned a small convenience mart, while her father worked as a truck driver. In 2007, the family moved to North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, where Sorokin's father became an executive at a transportation company. After the company became insolvent in 2013, he opened an HVAC business. Sorokin was educated at the Catholic grammar school Bischöfliche Liebfrauenschule Eschweiler. Following her graduation, she moved to London to attend the art school Central Saint Martins, but soon dropped out and returned to Germany.

Career Beginnings

In 2012, Sorokin briefly worked as an intern at a PR company in Berlin. After that, she moved to Paris, France, where she interned for the fashion magazine Purple. It was during that time Sorokin began using the pseudonym Anna Delvey.

Fraudulent Activity

In 2013, Sorokin traveled to New York City for New York Fashion Week. Preferring the city to Paris, she chose to stay and fraudulently worm her way into the elite NYC social scene. To do this, Sorokin conceived of a private members' club and art foundation named after her alias, called the Anna Delvey Foundation. Her proposal included leasing the six-floor Church Missions House as a multipurpose events venue and art studio. During this time, Sorokin posed as a wealthy heiress in order to get into exclusive events, frequently bragging about her alleged fortune and castigating those she felt were inferior. She made many acquaintances with other notable people, and used Microsoft Word to make false bank statements and various other financial documents purporting to verify her wealth. In late 2016, Sorokin submitted her false documents as part of a loan application for $22 million to City National; when she was denied, she applied for a loan from Fortress. She continued to provide a variety of fake information to financial institutions, including email addresses. Sorokin went on to purchase luxury clothes, electronics, cosmetics, and even her own personal trainer, and to stay at various upscale hotels.

Due to her lavish spending, Sorokin ran out of money by early 2017. She deposited $160,000 worth of fraudulent checks in a Citibank account, and booked a return charter flight on a business jet to attend the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway in Omaha, Nebraska. That May, Sorokin took a luxury trip to Morocco that was mostly funded by her acquaintance Rachel Williams, whom she falsely told she would reimburse. After contacting other acquaintances who were never repaid by Sorokin, and who had all been regaled with different stories about the origin of her wealth, Williams realized she was being conned. Returning to New York, Sorokin attempted to scam a few luxury hotels where she stayed, and was ultimately evicted. She was now homeless, and under investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney for bank fraud.

(Photo by Mike Coppola/AD/Getty Images for ABA)

Arrest and Indictment

In a sting operation planned by NYPD officer Michael McCaffrey, Sorokin was arrested in October of 2017 in Malibu, California. McCaffrey was assisted by Sorokin's longtime acquaintance Rachel Williams, with whom he arranged a lunch meeting with Sorokin outside of the addiction treatment facility where Sorokin was staying. Some weeks after her arrest, Sorokin was indicted by a grand jury on multiple counts of grand larceny.

Conviction and Imprisonment

Sorokin's trial began in March of 2019 in New York City. A little over a month later, the jury declared Sorokin guilty of eight charges. She was subsequently sentenced to four to twelve years in state prison, issued a $24,000 fine, and ordered to pay $199,000 in restitution. During the trial, Sorokin was incarcerated at Rikers Island, where she was cited 13 times for misbehavior. After the trial, she was imprisoned at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women before being transferred to Albion Correctional Facility. Having served a little over two years of her sentence, Sorokin was released on parole in February of 2021. However, six weeks later, she was taken into custody by ICE agents for overstaying her visa. In late 2022, Sorokin was granted a $10,000 bail and released from prison to be put on house arrest.

In the Media

Because of her stranger-than-fiction story, Sorokin has been the subject of books, podcasts, and television series. In 2019, her acquaintance Rachel Williams published the book "My Friend Anna," which chronicles the women's experiences together. Sorokin's story has also been featured in episodes of such television shows as "American Greed," "Generation Hustle," and "20/20," as well as on the podcast "Fake Heiress." Her greatest exposure arguably came with the 2022 Netflix miniseries "Inventing Anna," created by Shonda Rhimes. In the series, Sorokin is portrayed by Julia Garner, who earned Emmy, SAG, and Golden Globe Award nominations for her performance. Also in 2022, Sorokin signed a deal to star in a reality television series about her post-prison life.

Read more: Anna Delvey Net Worth

Bugsy Siegel was an American mobster who had a net worth of $8 million at the time of his death, which is the same as around $100 million today after adjusting for inflation. He is known for being one of the most infamous and feared gangsters of his time. Bugsy Siegel was known for his influence in the National Crime Syndicate and his integral role in developing the Las Vegas Strip. He also co-founded the organized crime group Murder, Inc. and did bootlegging during Prohibition. In 1947, Siegel was shot and killed by a sniper while sitting in his girlfriend Virginia Hill's Beverly Hills mansion. He was 41 years old at the time of his death.

Early Life

Bugsy Siegel was born as Benjamin Siegel on February 28, 1906 in Brooklyn, New York City as the second of five children of a poor Jewish immigrant family. His parents were Jennie and Max. Siegel got into crime early in life; restive in school, he left to join a gang on Manhattan's Lower East Side. He mostly committed thefts until meeting Moe Sedway, with whom he launched a protection racket. Siegel's criminal record grew steadily during his teenage and young adult years, with charges including armed robbery, murder, and rape.

The Bugs and Meyer Mob

Shortly after the beginning of Prohibition, Siegel was recruited by mobster Meyer Lansky to form the Jewish-American street gang the Bugs and Meyer Mob. In the early 20s, the group worked with Charles "Lucky" Luciano and his right-hand man Frank Costello. The Bugs and Meyer Mob recruited skilled gunmen, supplied bootleggers with stolen trucks, facilitated illegal gambling operations, and handled hits for various bootleg gangs in New York and New Jersey. Ultimately, the group was responsible for helping to decimate or subordinate most of its rival Italian-American gangs.

Getty

Murder, Inc.

Following the Castellammarese War and the assassination of mob boss Salvatore Maranzano, Luciano created the Commission and established a Jewish-Italian criminal alliance that would become known as the National Crime Syndicate. Soon after this, Siegel and Lansky disbanded the Bugs and Meyer Mob and helped co-found Murder, Inc., the enforcement arm of the Syndicate. During its activity from roughly 1929 to 1941, Murder, Inc. carried out many hits.

In his years with Murder, Inc., Siegel faced only one conviction; he was arrested in early 1932 in Miami for gambling and vagrancy. After this, Siegel got into a major dispute with the Fabrizzo brothers, who had tried to assassinate him for sending their boss, Waxey Gordon, to prison. In response, Siegel hunted them down and killed them. Among his other notable murders, he killed rival loan sharks Louis and Joseph Amberg in 1935, and helped kill Harry Greenberg in 1939. For the latter homicide, Siegel was jailed before being acquitted on account of insufficient evidence in 1942.

Move to California

Under serious threat of reprisal from his enemies, Siegel was sent to California in the late 30s. In Los Angeles, he quickly got to work developing gambling rackets, teaming up with Jack Dragna and Mickey Cohen. Siegel used the money he made to help start a drug trade route from Mexico. Additionally, he took control of several offshore casinos and a prominent prostitution ring. Siegel built up his profile to the point he became a bona fide star who was welcomed into the upper echelons of Hollywood society. He associated with such celebrities as Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, and Jean Harlow, as well as with major studio executives such as Jack Warner and Louis B. Mayer. Siegel was notorious for taking loans from movie stars without paying them back.

Las Vegas

In the mid-40s, Siegel relocated to Las Vegas, where he saw many opportunities for gambling. He soon took control of the Flamingo Hotel from William R. Wilkerson, whom he coerced into the sale under threat of death. Subsequently, the Flamingo became syndicate-run. The operation experienced numerous setbacks from the get-go, including loud construction noise, a broken air conditioning system, unfinished luxury rooms, and bad weather. By early 1947, the Flamingo shut down. However, Siegel got a second chance and got to work on renovations and generating positive PR. The Flamingo reopened a couple months later and started turning a profit.

Personal Life and Death

Siegel married his childhood sweetheart, Esta Krakower, in early 1929. Together, they had two daughters named Millicent and Barbara. However, due to Siegel's prolific womanizing, the couple divorced in 1946. During the decade, Siegel was romantically involved with actress Wendy Barrie and organized crime figure Virginia Hill.

On June 20, 1947, Siegel was sitting with his associate Allen Smiley in the Beverly Hills home of Virginia Hill when a sniper shot him multiple times through the window. He was killed instantly. No charges were made, and the killer was never identified. Photos of his corpse were published in papers across the country, and his connection to Las Vegas propelled that city into the national spotlight.

Legacy

As one of the first "celebrity" gangsters, Siegel remains an outsize, mythic figure in the popular imagination. He has been depicted countless times in movies and television, perhaps most famously in Warren Beatty's 1991 biographical drama "Bugsy," with Beatty playing Siegel. He was also depicted on the television series "Boardwalk Empire," "Mob City," and "The Making of the Mob: New York."

Read more: Bugsy Siegel Net Worth

Casey Anthony is a murder suspect who was charged with killing her two-year-old daughter Caylee in 2008. Casey Anthony has a net worth of $10,000. In her trial in mid-2011, she was acquitted of her murder and abuse charges but was found guilty of four misdemeanor counts of lying to law enforcement. The trial and verdict attracted intense scrutiny and outrage throughout national and social media, and later became the focus of a docuseries on the Peacock streaming service.

Casey Anthony was born March 19, 1986 in Warren, Ohio. Throughout childhood, Casey reportedly developed a pattern of lying, including deceiving her parents into thinking she was graduating from high school when she was really short of credits to graduate. When she was 19, she hid her pregnancy (with Caylee) from her parents. When the pregnancy was discovered she refused to reveal the identity of the father, though she later pointed to several young men, including a fiancé who died in a car crash. The true identity of the father remains unknown.

Casey moved back in with her parents and another string of lies ensued, including saying she had a job at Universal Studios.

On July 13, 2009, her parents Cindy and George Anthony discovered that Casey's towed car had a terrible smell in the trunk. Soon after, Casey told her parents she left Caylee with a nanny who then disappeared with Caylee (a whole month prior to Casey telling her parents). The story of the nanny also proved untrue. 31 days after the disappearance of Caylee, the child's disappearance was finally reported to the police. As the search intensified, Casey was arrested when pictures of Casey partying and getting a tattoo that read Bella Vita (beautiful life, in Italian) surfaced—pictures taken during the time Caylee was missing. Casey was back in jail only eight days after being released—this time for forging checks and using a friend's credit card without authorization.

Though the prosecution painted Casey as a dishonest, unfit mother, they could not convince the jury that she was guilty of murdering Caylee and Casey was acquitted in July of 2011. The aftermath of the trial brought about a slew of legislative bills in several states for Caylee's Law, a law that would make it a felony for a parent or legal guardian not to report a missing child within a certain period of time.

Bankruptcy

In January 2013, Casey filed for bankruptcy citing $800,000 in liabilities. She listed around 80 creditors and reported zero income at the time. Her biggest debt, $500,000, was owed to her criminal defense attorney Jose Baez. She also owed $145,000 to the Orange County Sheriff's Office and $70,000 to the IRS.

Early Life

Casey Anthony was born on March 19, 1986 in Warren, Ohio to George and Cindy. Growing up, she established a habit of constantly lying; among her biggest lies was telling her parents that she was graduating from high school. At the age of 19, Anthony got pregnant but concealed the news from her parents. She later refused to reveal the identity of the father when the pregnancy was discovered. Anthony went on to lie about her employment, claiming that she was working at Universal Studios.

Disappearance of Caylee

In June of 2008, then living in Orlando, Florida with her parents, Casey Anthony left with her two-year-old daughter Caylee. When she returned a month later, Caylee was nowhere to be seen. Anthony's mother Cindy reported the girl missing to police, and said that Casey's car smelled of a dead body. An investigation ensued, during which Casey repeatedly lied to detectives that her daughter had been kidnapped by a nanny. Investigators would later find Caylee's skeletal remains inside a laundry bag in a forested area near the Anthony family's home.

Arrests and Charges

Anthony was arrested for the first time in July, and was charged with lying to law enforcement, child neglect, and obstruction of a criminal investigation. She spent a month in jail before being released on bond. In October, Anthony was indicted by a grand jury on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, and was arrested without bond. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Getty

Trial and Verdict

Anthony's trial took place from May to July of 2011, lasting for six weeks in total. The prosecution pursued the death penalty, claiming that Anthony sought to free herself from parental obligations by murdering her daughter, which she accomplished by using chloroform and applying duct tape over Caylee's nose and mouth. Meanwhile, the defense countered by alleging that Caylee had accidentally drowned in the family's swimming pool and that Anthony's father George had disposed of the body. The defense team posited that Anthony's chronic lying stemmed from her dysfunctional upbringing, including alleged sexual abuse by her father.

At the conclusion of the trial in early July, the jury found Anthony not guilty of the charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child. However, it did find her guilty of four misdemeanor counts of lying to law enforcement. Because she had credit for time served, Anthony was released on July 17, 2011. Two of her misdemeanor convictions were later overturned by a Florida appellate court in early 2013.

Media Coverage

Anthony's trial and eventual verdict drew intense media attention across the United States, becoming the main topic of many television talk shows. The story was also featured on such newsmagazine programs as "Dateline" and "20/20," ultimately growing into one of the biggest national news draws at the time. Meanwhile, on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, the public expressed strong outrage at the not-guilty verdict, comparing it to the similarly egregious outcome of the O. J. Simpson murder trial. However, others defended the verdict on account of a lack of definitive evidence. In 2022, the murder case and trial were the subjects of a docuseries on the streaming service Peacock. In the three-part series titled "Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies," she shared her version of what she says led to Caylee's death, blaming her father in a theory conflicting with the defense's original statement that the child drowned in the family pool. Anthony goes on to say she still has so many questions but no answers.

Post-Trial Life

Soon after her trial verdict, Anthony left for an undisclosed location. A little over a month later, she was ordered to return to Florida to serve a year of supervised probation for a prior, unrelated check-fraud conviction. In early 2013, Anthony filed for bankruptcy. Later in the year, she settled out of court with the non-profit organization Texas EquuSearch, which had sued her for employing its services to find Caylee when Anthony already knew Caylee was dead. In the "Casey Anthony: Where the Truth Lies" docuseries, it was revealed that in the years following her trial, Casey had been working for her defense lawyer, Pat McKenna, and living with his family as she attempted to get back on her feet. It was later reported that McKenna sold the beach home they shared together for around $1 million and that Casey Anthony has been living a low-profile life in West Palm Beach, Florida, ever since. Anthony continues to be largely shunned by the public and the media.

Read more: Casey Anthony Net Worth