But former prosecutors said the mafia's influence and activities have changed since its heyday in the 20th century, when blood-soaked tabloid covers bearing news of mafia hits, business shakedowns, and blockbuster trials were the norm.

You can picture the scene. Tucked somewhere between the glitter and grit of Manhattan, a room wafting smoke with the rhythm of a poker game seemingly like any other: Cards whisper against felt, chips click in steady tempo,

An explosive indictment accuses basketball stars and bookies of conspiring with four of New York’s Five Families to rig illegal, high-stakes poker games across the country with high-tech devices — with threats of violence against the marks in debt to the fraudulent scheme.

Damon Jones: Former NBA player and assistant coach for Los Angeles in 2022-23. Jones is accused of supplying inside information to allow a network of conspirators to place winning bets on games. And like Billups, he is also accused of helping to lure wealthy people to participate in poker games.

A Mississippi native was indicted in connection to a scheme to use inside information from National Basketball Association (NBA) players and coaches to profit from illegal betting activity. Prosecutors said Marves Fairley,

Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier are facing money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy charges in connection with federal gambling-related investigations.

Philadelphia vs. The Mafia, shows the mob era of Philadelphia when, in 1991, a power vacuum was created after the fall of Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo.

From machete fights in California fields to hijacked railcars in the Bronx, organized crime transformed the humble artichoke into a lucrative—and violent—black-market prize.

A MARTÍNEZ, BYLINE: Last year, I got to speak with Louis Ferrante for the first time. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST) LOUIS FERRANTE: I was a criminal from when I was 13. I led a hijack and heist crew of armed robbers within the Gambino crime family.

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