20th Century Gangsters

Rank the Most Wicked 20th Century Gangsters

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 1 
Pablo Escobar
(Colombian Drug Lord)
Pablo Escobar
273
Birthdate: December 1, 1949
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Rionegro
Died: December 2, 1993

A notorious Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar was the founder and leader of the infamous Medellín Cartel. His drug cartel monopolized the cocaine trade into the United States and he became one of the wealthiest criminals ever in history. Dubbed "The King of Cocaine", he left behind a controversial legacy upon his death at the age of 44.

 2 
Al Capone
(Gangster, Co-Founder & Boss of the 'Chicago Outfit' Crime Family)
Al Capone
99
Birthdate: January 17, 1899
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: January 25, 1947

Al Capone, also known by the nickname Scarface, was one of the most notorious American gangsters who controlled the organised crime in Chicago between 1925 and 1931. He was known for violence and cruelty in eliminating rival gang members, the most infamous incident being the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. His life inspired numerous books and films.

 3 
Ronald Kray
(Gangster Involved in Organised Crime in the East End of London, England, from the late 1950s to 1967)
Ronald Kray
52
Birthdate: October 24, 1933
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Haggerston, London, England
Died: March 17, 1995

Ronald Kray was a British criminal involved in organized crime in the East End of London in the 1950s and 1960s. Along with his twin brother, Reggie, he ran a gang that was notorious for committing murders, armed robberies, and arson among other criminal activities. The brothers were arrested in 1968 and sentenced to life imprisonment.

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 4 
Whitey Bulger
(Crime Boss)
Whitey Bulger
26
Birthdate: September 3, 1929
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: October 30, 2018

Whitey Bulger was an Irish-American FBI informant and organized crime boss. His arrest and subsequent trial exposed FBI handler John Connolly who had helped Bulger in return for the latter's information about the Patriarca crime family. Bulger's life and work inspired the 2015 film Black Mass. Many fictional TV and film characters have also been inspired by Whitey Bulger.

 5 
Lucky Luciano
(Father of the Modern Organized Crime in the United States)
Lucky Luciano
40
Birthdate: November 24, 1897
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Lercara Friddi, Italy
Died: January 26, 1962

An Italian-born gangster, Lucky Luciano is regarded as the father of modern organized crime in the US; he served as the first boss of the Genovese crime family. He also played a key role in the rise of the National Crime Syndicate. His life and style inspired several films, television series, and books. His eponymous biopic was released in 1973.

 6 
John Dillinger
(American Gangster and Bank Robber)
John Dillinger
60
Birthdate: June 22, 1903
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Died: July 22, 1934

A gangster of the Great Depression era, John Dillinger led a group known as the "Dillinger Gang". His gang was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations. He was a master evader and escaped the police’s attempts to capture him many times. He was finally shot to death by the authorities in 1934.

 7 
John Gotti
(American Gangster and Boss of the 'Gambino Crime Family')
John Gotti
53
Birthdate: October 27, 1940
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
Died: June 10, 2002

John Gotti was the boss of the Gambino crime family, described as America's most powerful crime syndicate. It made millions per year from criminal activities like racketeering, loan sharking, drug trafficking, prostitution, extortion, pornography and illegal gambling. The FBI convicted him in 1992 and he was sentenced to life in prison without parole and later died of throat cancer.

 8 
Henry Hill
(American Mobster Who was Associated with the Lucchese Crime Family)
Henry Hill
45
Birthdate: June 11, 1943
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: June 12, 2012
Henry Hill was a mobster from New York’s Lucchese crime family, who later testified against his former associates. His life inspired the book Wiseguy: Life in a Mafia Family and the film Goodfellas. He was associated with crimes such as gambling, drug trafficking, and high-profile robberies at the JFK Airport.
 9 
Bugsy Siegel
(American Mobster Who was a Driving Force Behind the Development of the Las Vegas Strip)
Bugsy Siegel
19
Birthdate: February 28, 1906
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: June 20, 1947

Notorious mobster Bugsy Siegel held significant influence within the Italian-American Mafia and was regarded as a “celebrity gangster.” Good-looking and charismatic, he was an enigmatic figure. He played a key role in the development of the Las Vegas Strip. Noted for his prowess with guns, he met a grisly end when he was shot dead in 1947.

 10 
James Burke
(Mobster)
James Burke
13
Birthdate: July 5, 1931
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: April 13, 1996
 11 
Carlo Gambino
(Italian-American Crime Boss of the Gambino Crime Family)
Carlo Gambino
16
Birthdate: August 24, 1902
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Palermo, Italy
Died: October 15, 1976

Carlo Gambino was an Italian-American kingpin of the famous Gambino crime family. He took over the Commission of the Mafia after the incarceration of Vito Genovese in 1959. Although he was involved in organized crime for more than five decades, he was imprisoned for only 22 months for a tax evasion charge. Carlo Gambino is often portrayed in crime films.

 12 
Frank Costello
(Crime Boss and Member of the Luciano Crime Family)
Frank Costello
7
Birthdate: January 26, 1891
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Cassano allo Ionio, Italy
Died: February 18, 1973

Frank Costello was an Italian-American kingpin of the famous Luciano crime family. After serving as a trusted consigliere for the Luciano crime family under Lucky Luciano, Costello became acting boss in 1937 when underboss Genovese fled to Italy, while Luciano was imprisoned. However, he retired in 1957 to avoid an altercation with Genovese, who wanted to rule the crime family.

 13 
Meyer Lansky
(One of the Most Financially Successful Gangsters in American History)
Meyer Lansky
26
Birthdate: July 4, 1902
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Grodno, Belarus
Died: January 15, 1983
Meyer Lansky, or the "Mob's Accountant,” was key to the formation of the National Crime Syndicate along with Charles "Lucky" Luciano. A member of the Jewish mob, he built a worldwide gambling empire that included casinos in Las Vegas. Hyman Roth from The Godfather Part II was based on him.
 14 
Butch Cassidy
(Train, Bank Robber and the Leader of a Gang of Criminal Outlaws ‘Wild Bunch’)
Butch Cassidy
20
Birthdate: April 13, 1866
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Beaver, Utah, United States
Died: November 7, 1908

Train and bank robber Butch Cassidy was the leader of a gang of criminal outlaws known as the "Wild Bunch" in the Old West. The son of ranchers, he ran away from home as a teenager and became involved in a life of crime. He started with minor criminal offenses and eventually became a much-feared robber.

 15 
Joe Gallo
(Mobster)
Joe Gallo
21
Birthdate: April 7, 1929
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: April 7, 1972

Italian-American gangster Joe Gallo, nicknamed "Crazy Joe,” was part of New York’s Colombo crime family. Initially an associate of the Profaci crime family, Gallo was later involved in the First Colombo War. He was suspected of launching an attack on Joseph Colombo and was shot dead on his 43rd birthday.

 16 
Frank Lucas
(Drug Trafficker)
Frank Lucas
37
Birthdate: September 9, 1930
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: La Grange, North Carolina, United States
Died: May 30, 2019
Frank Lucas was a notorious drug trafficker from the 1960s and the 1970s. Legends state that he bought drugs from the "Golden Triangle" and smuggled them into the U.S. using the coffins of servicemen. His 70-year prison sentence was commuted to a 5-year sentence, after he became an informant.
 17 
Paul Castellano
(American Crime Boss and Head of the Gambino Crime Family)
Paul Castellano
13
Birthdate: June 26, 1915
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: December 16, 1985

Popularly known as the Howard Hughes of the Mob, Paul Castellano was the head of the Gambino crime family. He played such a prominent role in the American underworld that he was later portrayed in several films, such as Gotti, Witness to the Mob, and The Big Heist

 18 
Mickey Cohen
(American Gangster)
Mickey Cohen
10
Birthdate: September 4, 1913
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: July 29, 1976

Mickey Cohen was a gangster who became involved with the Chicago Outfit before running multiple businesses like casinos, nightclubs, gas stations, and floral shops. His association with the underworld and his violent methods make him a popular choice for gangster character in crime films; he has been portrayed by popular actors in films like Bugsy, L.A. Confidential, and Gangster Squad.

 19 
Dawood Ibrahim
(Criminal)
Dawood Ibrahim
97
Birthdate: December 27, 1955
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Khed Ratnagiri, Bombay State

A mobster and drug dealer most wanted by India, Dawood Ibrahim heads the organized crime syndicate popularluy known as D-Company. He was named No.3 on The World's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives by the FBI in 2011. He is wanted on the charges of terrorism, murder, targeted killing, extortion, and drug trafficking among other crimes.

 20 
Vito Genovese
(American Mobster and Head of the Notorious 'Genovese Crime Family')
Vito Genovese
17
Birthdate: November 21, 1897
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Tufino, Italy
Died: February 14, 1969
Italian-born American mafia leader Vito Genovese was an associate of Lucky Luciano. Genovese was part of the Castellammarese War and was instrumental in the rise of organized crime in the U.S. He later led the Luciano crime family, which became known as the Genovese crime family.
 21 
Vincent Gigante
(Mobster)
Vincent Gigante
16
Birthdate: March 29, 1928
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: December 19, 2005
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 22 
Anthony Spilotro
9
Birthdate: May 19, 1938
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: June 14, 1986
Anthony Spilotro, or Tony the Ant, was a gangster who was part of the Chicago Outfit. He led the Hole in the Wall Gang, which he had created in Las Vegas, and also managed the illegal casino business of the Outfit. He ended up being murdered by his opponents.
 23 
Albert Anastasia
(One of the Founders of the Modern American Mafia and Co-founder of 'Murder, Inc' Crime Group)
Albert Anastasia
14
Birthdate: February 26, 1902
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Parghelia, Italy
Died: October 25, 1957
Italian-American mobster Umberto "Albert" Anastasia, or Anastasio, co-founded the American Mafia and later co-established Murder, Inc. Nicknamed The One-Man Army, he later became the boss of the Gambino crime family and also began controlling the New York waterfront. He was killed on the orders of Carlo Gambino and Vito Genovese.
 24 
Stanley Williams
(Criminal)
Stanley Williams
22
Birthdate: December 29, 1953
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
Died: December 13, 2005
 25 
John A. Gotti
(Gangster)
John A. Gotti
15
Birthdate: February 14, 1964
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
 26 
Anthony Salerno
(Mobster)
Anthony Salerno
5
Birthdate: August 15, 1911
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: July 27, 1992
 27 
Carmine Persico
(American Mobster and Boss of the Colombo Crime Family)
Carmine Persico
12
Birthdate: August 8, 1933
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: March 7, 2019

Gangster and mafia boss Carmine Persico, also known as The Snake, Junior, and Immortal, led the New York-based Colombo crime family for a long time. He had been convicted for a number of crimes, including racketeering and loan-sharking and was serving a 139-year sentence when he died in 2019.

 28 
Salvatore Maranzano
(Italian-American Mobster, Mafia Boss)
Salvatore Maranzano
12
Birthdate: July 31, 1886
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Castellammare del Golfo, Italy
Died: September 10, 1931
Italian crime lord Salvatore Maranzano was associated with the organized crime sector of Castellammare del Golfo of Sicily. A Cosa Nostra leader, he later joined the Bonanno Crime Family of New York. He initiated the Castellammarese War and formed New York’s Five Families. Lucky Luciano got him murdered.
 29 
Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo
41
Birthdate: August 1, 1930
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Badiraguato Municipality

Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo is a convicted Mexican drug lord. He led a now-defunct criminal group called the Guadalajara Cartel alongside Rafael Caro Quintero and Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo. In 1982, the Drug Enforcement Administration indicted him in a money laundering operation, but he fled back to Mexico where he was finally arrested in 1985.

 30 
Danny Greene
(American Mobster)
Danny Greene
8
Birthdate: November 14, 1933
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Died: October 6, 1977

Mobster Danny Greene was an associate of Cleveland-based gangster John Nardi in the 1970s’ gang war, in which they set off car bombs. Greene served as the president of the International Longshoremen's Association and also had his own gang, named the Celtic Club. He was assassinated in a car-bomb attack.

 31 
Dutch Schultz
(American Gangster)
Dutch Schultz
12
Birthdate: August 6, 1901
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
Died: October 24, 1935
American mobster Dutch Schultz had a difficult childhood and grew up to control the New York-based bootlegging and the numbers racket businesses. He was threatened by mobster Lucky Luciano’s gang and also faced two tax evasion trials. His attempt to kill prosecutor Thomas Dewey got him murdered by the Commission.
 32 
Joseph Colombo
(Mafia Boss)
Joseph Colombo
19
Birthdate: June 16, 1923
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: May 22, 1978
 33 
Frank Nitti
(Italian-American Gangster and Body Guard of Al Capone)
Frank Nitti
14
Birthdate: January 27, 1886
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Angri, Italy
Died: March 19, 1943

Frank Nitti was an Italian born-American mobster and one of Al Capone's main henchmen. Renowned for his leadership skills, Nitti succeeded Al Capone to become the boss of the Chicago Outfit. His life and work inspired the 1988 biopic Nitti: The Enforcer.

 34 
Sammy Gravano
(American Mobster Best Known as the Underboss of the 'Gambino Crime Family')
Sammy Gravano
27
Birthdate: March 12, 1945
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Sammy Gravano, also known as “Sammy the Bull,” was initially part of the Colombo crime family and later the underboss of the Gambino crime family. He became a government witness against John Gotti, the Gambino family boss. He was also involved in the murder of Gambino boss Paul Castellano.
 35 
Angelo Bruno
(Sicilian-American Gangster Who was the Boss of the Philadelphia Crime Family)
Angelo Bruno
11
Birthdate: May 21, 1910
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Villalba, Sicily, Italy
Died: March 21, 1980

Sicilian-American mobster Angelo Bruno led the Philadelphia crime family for 20 years. He was known as The Gentle Don or The Docile Don due to his dislike for violence. He was killed by a shotgun blast in his car, and his murder caused a mob war for 4 years.

 36 
Sam Giancana
(American Mobster Who was Boss of the 'Chicago Outfit' from 1957 to 1966.)
Sam Giancana
10
Birthdate: June 15, 1908
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: June 19, 1975

Sam Giancana was an American gangster. From 1957 to 1966, Giancana was the boss of the Chicago Outfit. He played a major role in the Central Intelligence Agency's plot to kill Cuban leader Fidel Castro as the CIA sought his help in their bid to assassinate Castro. Over the years, Giancana has been depicted in films, TV series, and literature.

 37 
Tony Accardo
(Gangster)
Tony Accardo
11
Birthdate: April 28, 1906
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: May 22, 1992
 38 
Ma Barker
(Matriarch of the Barker Family)
Ma Barker
13
Birthdate: October 8, 1873
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Ash Grove, Missouri, United States
Died: January 16, 1935
 39 
Joseph Bonanno
(Italian-American Crime Boss of the Bonanno Crime Family)
Joseph Bonanno
11
Birthdate: January 18, 1905
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Castellammare del Golfo, Italy
Died: May 11, 2002

Italian-American crime boss Joseph Bonanno was the leader of the Bonanno crime family for almost four decades. Introduced to organized crime as a child, he proceeded to become one of the youngest-ever bosses of a crime family at just 26. He successfully evaded arrest for many decades. He lived a long life and became a writer in his later years.  

 40 
Roy DeMeo
(Italian-American Mobster in the Gambino Crime Family of New York City)
Roy DeMeo
11
Birthdate: September 7, 1940
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: January 10, 1983

Roy DeMeo was an Italian-American gangster in the Gambino crime family of New York City. He was the leader of the DeMeo crew, a gang notorious for committing a series of brutal murders. He was involved in various illegal endeavors and was a silent partner in a peep show/prostitution establishment. His bullet-ridden body was found under mysterious circumstances in 1983. 

 41 
Carmine Galante
(Gangster)
Carmine Galante
7
Birthdate: February 21, 1910
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: July 12, 1979
 42 
Johnny Torrio
(Gangster)
Johnny Torrio
16
Birthdate: January 20, 1882
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Irsina, Italy
Died: April 16, 1957
 43 
Joe Masseria
(Italian-American Mafia Boss of ‘Genovese Crime Family’)
Joe Masseria
16
Birthdate: January 17, 1887
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Menfi, Italy
Died: April 15, 1931

Joe Masseria was an Italian-American Mafia boss who controlled the Genovese crime family from 1922 to 1931. He was killed in the Castellammarese War, which was fought for control over illegal activities in New York City. Since his death, Joe Masseria has been portrayed in several films like The Valachi Papers, Lucky Luciano, Mobsters, and Lansky.

 44 
Sundance Kid
(Criminal)
Sundance Kid
7
Birthdate: 1867 AD
Birthplace: Mont Clare, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: November 7, 1908

Sundance Kid was the nickname of Harry Alonzo Longabaugh, an outlaw and member of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch in the American Old West. He first met Cassidy around 1896 and became part of his gang. As a Wild Bunch member, Sundance Kid participated in several train and bank robberies. He is believed to have been killed in 1908.  

 45 
Veerappan
(Indian criminal)
Veerappan
66
Birthdate: January 18, 1952
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Gopinatham, Mysore State, India
Died: October 18, 2004
 46 
Bugs Moran
(American Gangster and Bootlegger)
Bugs Moran
16
Birthdate: August 21, 1893
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
Died: February 25, 1957

Bugs Moran was an American gangster whose rivalry with Al Capone, the co-founder of the Chicago Outfit, is regarded as one of the most notorious rivalries in the history of the American Mafia. Over the years, Moran has been depicted in many films, including The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, Al Capone, and Gangster Land. 

 47 
Sal Magluta
(Kingpin who ran South Florida from the 1970s to 1990s)
Sal Magluta
6
Birthdate: November 5, 1954
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Cuba
 48 
Nicky Barnes
(Former crime boss, active in New York City during the 1970s)
Nicky Barnes
6
Birthdate: October 15, 1933
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Harlem, New York, United States
Died: June 18, 2012
 49 
John Franzese
(American Mobster Who Was a Member of the Colombo Crime Family)
John Franzese
6
Birthdate: February 6, 1917
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Naples, Italy
Died: February 24, 2020

John Franzese was a mobster who served as the underboss of the infamous Colombo crime family from 1963 to 1967. In 2005, he once again became the underboss of the crime family until he was convicted in 2011. Franzese was 100 years old at the time of his release; he was the only centenarian in federal custody at that time.

 50 
Frank Capone
(Gangster)
Frank Capone
14
Birthdate: July 16, 1895
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: April 1, 1924