Last updated April 2019

Illegal demands for the transfer of property, money, and valuables are prosecuted by law if accompanied by threats. What to do if you are extorted money, we will consider in this article.

The essence of extortion

To incur criminal liability under the article for extortion of money, it is sufficient for the criminal to make demands supported by threats. Moreover, if the threats are not carried out, but remain real for the victim, the crime still exists.

Eg, if, after threats over the phone about beating and demanding money, the victim is waited every day in an alley with a bat, then the threat will be considered real.

Extortion can be through threats:

• use violence. In this case, threats can be made not only to the owner of the required money, but also to his loved ones and relatives, who also become victims in the case.
• destroy or damage valuable property;
• cause other harm, which is significant for the victim.
• spread any unpleasant information about the victim or his relatives.

Eg, there are cases when a threat to disseminate information about the victim’s non-traditional sexual orientation is used to transfer money. Regardless of whether this information corresponds to reality, the crime of extortion exists.

It is important to understand that during extortion, it does not matter whether the victim agreed to transfer the required property to the criminals. The corpus delicti is completed from the moment the illegal demand is presented.

What can they demand?

In addition to money and property, criminals may demand the right to own something or even freedom from debt.

• For example, attackers demand that ownership of real estate be transferred, i.e., they force the apartment to be “transferred” to one of the extortionists. In this case, the actions of the guilty persons will involve extortion of especially valuable property, and the court has the right to impose punishment up to fifteen years in prison.
• In another case, if the victim is forced under threat to write a receipt for the return of the debt (when in fact the money has not been returned), that would also be extortion.

Please note that the subject of the claim can be not only cash, but also money in bank accounts, as well as electronic funds.

How can they demand

The forms of criminal requirements are different.

If the demands are illegal, i.e. demand money that a person really doesn’t owe?

There may be threats and demands by telephone, in person, through strangers, by sending letters by mail, the Internet, or a quick message system. If the demands are illegal (that is, the extortionists do not have the right to demand), then such actions will comply with Article 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

What if they demand your money?

Consider a situation where a person owes a certain amount of money, but does not pay it back. The person who borrows money, largely out of desperation, takes extreme measures: he meets the debtor at the entrance, beats him, and demands his money back. In this case, there is no extortion, but still such actions on the part of the creditor are illegal: he will be prosecuted for arbitrariness.

What if collectors demand money?

The case for microfinance organizations or banks has nothing to do with arbitrariness. It is well known that the activities of such persons are not always legal, since arson of the debtor’s property is no longer an isolated occurrence. The law in these situations protects the rights of debtors, qualifying the actions of debt collectors as extortion.

What measures to take against ransomware

What to do if they extort money? First of all, don't panic. Secondly, if the demands are illegal, then you need to contact the police and write a statement about extortion of money.

To the head of the police department_____
______(what) district of the city________
Petrova I.I.,
residing at ____________ (specify)
Tel._______________(specify)

STATEMENT

I ask that I.A. Zakharov be held criminally liable for extortion. and Zakharova E.A., who for a month, starting from 01/01/2016. They extort money from me in the amount of 200,000 rubles. These persons know that I sold the car and I have money.

Zakharov I.A. his requirements and Zakharov E.A. reinforced with verbal threats of physical violence, and today I was beaten by them in entrance No. 1 of building No. 1 on the street. Lenin city ________________ (specify). I would like to inform you that there is video surveillance in the indicated entrance, so Zakharov’s actions were recorded.

I was injured ____________ (specify what).

On criminal liability for knowingly false denunciation in accordance with Art. 306 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, I have been warned.

Appendix: inspection report.

Date___________signature, Petrov I.I.

Question:
Where exactly, that is, which police department should I go to if they extort money?

Practice shows that the best option here would be to contact the police department at your place of residence, sometimes (if the demands are made in relation to real estate or other valuable property) - at the location of the required item.

What will help in proving extortion

The following information can prove extortion:

• if you receive calls from intruders, then their audio recording will be significant evidence, similarly, recording a direct conversation on a voice recorder;
• details of calls from your mobile phone;
• testimony of witnesses who witnessed the demands (or heard them, know about them);
• letters, both on paper and printed from email, in which you are threatened;
• if you have been injured, you must;
• if a bank extorts money through its representatives, you can send an official letter to the credit institution, where you indicate all the claims (see). Bank employees are required to put an acceptance mark on the copy of the letter - this document can subsequently be used as evidence of the bank’s awareness of the illegal actions of its employees.

What is the punishment for extortion?

• Extortion without qualifying criteria, that is:
  • the demand of one person with a threat of violence may result in punishment in the form of 4 years imprisonment,
  • in some cases - restriction of freedom for the same period.
• When extortion is committed by several persons or threats of violence are carried out, the punishment is increased to seven years.
• If a person extorts particularly valuable property, the value of which exceeds one million rubles, or money in this amount, then the punishment will be severe - up to fifteen years in prison.
• Sometimes extortion is associated with a demand for ransom for a kidnapped and detained person, then the actions of the perpetrators will include several elements of especially serious crimes, and accordingly, the punishment will be harsher.

Extortion of a bribe by a government official

Crimes related to extortion of a bribe by an official are particularly difficult to prove. In such cases, it is better to contact the FSB authorities in order to competently organize the collection of evidence confirming the statements of demands by civil servants. It is especially advisable to involve these law enforcement agencies in a situation where a police officer is extorting money.

In this case, FSB officers organize full technical control of who is extorting money using special equipment. Tagged funds can also be used for an imaginary bribe in order to consolidate the evidence base.

Question answer

Question:
Three people extorted money from me at the same time: one made demands, another beat me, the third threatened to set fire to the house, which of them will be prosecuted?

According to the explanations of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, the actions of all persons in your situation fall under the criteria of “extortion by a group of persons.” It does not matter that only one of the criminals made demands: since the actions of all were aimed at obtaining a sum of money from the same victim, their intent will be considered the same. The actions of each extortionist corresponded to his role, which was agreed upon in advance between the participants.

Question:
When the bandits extorted money from me, their actions were not limited to threats: they beat me severely, the consequences were sad - a brain injury, a severely damaged leg. What threatens them?

Caused by extortionists is covered by the corpus delicti provided for in Art. 163 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. If you are beaten, minor or moderately injured, the criminals face up to seven years in prison. If the experts concluded that serious harm to your health was caused, then the sanction of the article will be increased to fifteen years in a maximum security colony.

Question:
Collectors have been calling me every day for a year, demanding a debt, but they haven’t made any threats, will there be extortion?

In your situation, there is no extortion in the actions of collectors, since they are not supported by threats. At the same time, you have the right to go to court with a claim for compensation for harm to health if you consider the actions of bank representatives to be illegal and to have caused you this harm.

Question:
Several people are extorting money from me, uttering threats, calling me in turns once or twice a month, are there several crimes in their actions?

If several persons extort the same money, then, regardless of the number of calls, their actions will involve one episode of extortion, since the demands are aimed at one subject of the crime from the same person.

If you have questions about the topic of the article, please do not hesitate to ask them in the comments. We will definitely answer all your questions within a few days. However, carefully read all the questions and answers to the article; if there is a detailed answer to such a question, then your question will not be published.

71 comments

With crime. You can study martial arts for decades, have many connections, have a knife in your pocket, and a knife in your bosom, but if you experience fear when meeting a bandit, you will have to admit yourself. All that remains is to do everything he asks and give everything he demands. They got scared and lost.

Talk little, but don't be silent. Some criminals try to get attached to words. If a person is scared, then any word can be taken out of context, because of which the bandit will be very “offended.” However, under no circumstances should we remain silent. This can make you numb at the moment when you need to actively act.

Don't be afraid to use force. Bandit is different from bandit and it is not always worth trying to solve the problem peacefully. If in front of you is a person with “empty” eyes who has nothing to lose, it is better to hand over your wallet or other property that he demands. Life is more valuable. If in front of you is a beginner, insecure representative of petty crime, and you are confident in your abilities, have impressive dimensions, a well-placed blow, or have the right to carry a weapon, then you don’t have to get lost and act according to the usual scenario for him. At the moment when the enemy “accelerates” and begins his intimidating speech, you can sharply cool the enemy’s ardor with an accurate strong blow or a technical throw. Again, it is worth clarifying that this should be done only if you are confident in yourself and see that you are not facing the most dangerous person from the criminal world.

Defuse the situation. Again, not in the case when your life is really under threat, but in a situation where they are trying to intimidate you, you can portray something unusual that the bandit does not expect from you. Start talking some nonsense loudly and clearly, dancing, singing, while looking with a crazy look at your opponent. Few people want to get involved with abnormal people, so you can break the usual stereotype of a failed bandit in this way. If everything does not go according to plan, there is no shame in running away if possible, or without a twinge of conscience giving what is required.

Unfortunately, anyone can become a victim of crime. Even if you are very careful and avoid crime-prone areas, you are not immune from attacks. Confidence that you can cope with this will help you remain calm and, perhaps, save not only your health or even your life.

Instructions

Remember that most crimes are committed for material gain. Most often, the attacker wants to get your money, bank cards and other valuables and escape from the scene of the crime as quickly as possible. Do everything he asks of you quickly and without arguing. The sooner the robbery ends, the sooner you will be safe. There are no such things that cost your health, remember this. Not even the most expensive earrings or watches can replace your lungs, eyes or kidneys. And even more so, there is no object comparable to your or someone else’s life.

Don't look the robber in the face. If the attacker is not wearing a disguise, he may be afraid that you will remember him and then identify him, he may be nervous, and your direct gaze will only irritate him. Don't look above his body. At the same time, try to remember the characteristic features - weight, height, what he is wearing, whether he has an accent, whether his speech is correct. Focusing on the signs will help you stay calm and keep your mind occupied. The glances you give him should be quick and subtle, never meeting his eyes.

Talk to the attacker politely and a little apologetically, as if he is your best client and is upset about a purchase or contract. Don’t take a condescending tone, don’t be offended by insults, rise above them, don’t react to provocations, remember that this is how the criminal “warms up” himself, and don’t give him a reason to resort to direct violence.

Resist the urge to fight or flight. Your resistance or flight may cause your attacker to become more aggressive and he may lose control. Move to active resistance only when you or those with you are actually subject to physical violence. If you have protective equipment - a stun gun, pepper spray, etc. - only take them out when you are completely confident that you can use them quickly and without hesitation. Raise the alarm only when you are sure that you are not in danger. If you call for help and the criminal panics, this may result in him using physical force or a weapon.

If you are attacked indoors, do not prevent the burglar from leaving. There is no need to try to detain the thief, it is better to quickly get to safety and call law enforcement agencies. Remember that actors who fight in movies have stunt doubles, but you don't.

According to Russian law, an extortionist bears criminal liability for his actions. The types of punishments vary depending on the degree of premeditation. But the victim is not always able to prove the fact of extortion, and the criminal remains unpunished. Therefore, you need to be vigilant about how to deal with ransomware.

Instructions

Keep your personal information “locked”, do not tell secrets to strangers. Be especially careful when leaving information about yourself and your loved ones on social networks and the Internet in general. This will reduce the possibility of extortion.

  Borrow from a moneylender?
Of course, you can get a loan from a bank. But there is also a more dynamic financial institution - moneylenders. They lend money quickly and without unnecessary formalities. True, the slightest deviation from the rules of the game, which are dictated by them, can be incredibly expensive.
Easy Money
We advise you in all cases in life when you need money to apply for a loan only to a bank. Yes, it takes a long time, yes, the registration of collateral or guarantees involves many formalities, but, above all, it is safe.
Nevertheless, we understand that in some situations people have turned and will turn to private moneylenders. In this case, at least, it is necessary to know the main rules of communication with them, first of all, in order to avoid dangerous situations into which you can end up naively.
So, you need money and you have not found any other way to get it other than turning to a private moneylender. Finding a moneylender through newspaper advertisements is a hopeless task. This is understandable: not only potential borrowers may be interested in loans, but also official regulatory authorities, and unofficial ones - bandits. Therefore, moneylenders prefer to call themselves private entrepreneurs, do not appear in the press and sometimes respond to advertisements like: “I’ll take a loan. On your terms.”
But most often, the meeting between a potential client and a money lender occurs through a recommendation. I decided not to change the established tradition and look for a lender through friends. After interviewing a dozen of my friends, I, to my surprise, found out that almost everyone has a similar person in mind.
Negotiations with my potential creditor took the intermediary, an acquaintance of mine, three minutes. That same day he made an appointment for me at a cafe on Chistye Prudy.
“Just please don’t say that the interest is too high,” the friend warned, “otherwise he’ll just turn around and leave. Moreover, he’s never seen you before. You’re going on my recommendation, and if anything happens, they’ll ask you.” me". Next, I listened to a whole lecture about the rules of the game in the usurious field. It turned out that Andrey (that’s the moneylender’s name) takes interest at a fixed rate: if I undertake to return the money after three months, then 1.5% will accrue per day (45% per month). Naturally, in foreign currency.
He can accept “jewelry” or a car as collateral. But Andrei is most willing to give loans against consignments of goods. It is risky to get involved with gold and a car, since they may turn out to be stolen, and checking them through familiar police officers is unnecessary trouble (although they say that Andrei can check everything). But some tea, it turns out, doesn’t need to be checked and is easy to sell. The goods themselves will have to be taken to a warehouse with which Andrey has a “mutual understanding”: it will be possible to take it back only after the money is returned.
...The next day, at exactly noon, my friend and I sat down at a cafe table. Trying to hide my excitement, I turned my head around and wondered what a real moneylender might look like, and not one read in a book.
A few minutes later, two people approached the table. They didn’t look like “brothers” or underground millionaires: ordinary young people in formal suits. There was a discreet dialogue over lunch. More precisely, Andrei asked questions, I did my best to pretend to be calm and at ease.
— Do you know the terms of the deal?
- In outline.
— What can you offer in return? (I realized that we were talking about collateral.)
— I have a new “nine”. Family jewels. Silver plate. Icons.
— Icons are not needed. Troubles happen to them. My man will appreciate the gold and dishes. Let's go to the notary together to draw up a general power of attorney for the car. When you repay the debt, get it back.
— How much can I count on?
“Nine”—$7,500,” Andrei counted out loud, “tomorrow we’ll evaluate the rest.” Then I will tell you the exact amount. But no more than half the cost.
Then we exchanged a couple of meaningless phrases and agreed on the place of the next meeting.
The moneylenders said goodbye and left. I had to pay for what I ate and drank during the conversation.
Since the "nine", like the jewelry, was a figment of my imagination, I had to abandon the second meeting. They took the refusal calmly, assuring me that if I ever needed help, I could count on them.

Outlaw
Well, we are convinced of one thing - moneylenders lend money quickly and without any formalities. The amount, according to intermediaries, is limited only by the value of the collateral. However, some moneylenders, working exclusively on the recommendations of trusted people, can give money without collateral.
Marina K., moneylender: I lend money at interest only to those people I trust. It doesn’t matter to me whether a person has a Moscow registration, but I need to know the addresses of his relatives and friends. So that I can find my debtor at any time of the day. Actually, I will demand the money owed to me from them if he runs away from me.
My calculation is simple: after 3 months you repay the loan plus the same amount. I don’t give more than $25,000 - this, in my opinion, is the limit after which a person can take a risk and run away with the money.
Well, if the client delays the return of money, penalties have to be applied. They are individual in each case. One day I was paid back a month late. The car was given as compensation. As a rule, everything is resolved peacefully - I try to avoid quarrels with clients, you never know who is behind them. All they have to do is contact the police, and they’ll put me in jail.
According to lawyers, the article of the Criminal Code “Illegal Entrepreneurship” may be applied to those who are engaged in unlicensed activities (this is what usury is).

According to Article 171 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, illegal entrepreneurship, which is associated with the extraction of income on a large scale (more than 16 million rubles), is punishable by a fine in the amount of 300 to 500 minimum wages (25 million 47 thousand rubles and 41 million 745 thousand rubles), or mandatory work for a period of 180 to 240 hours, or arrest for a term of 4 to 6 months, or imprisonment for a term of up to three years.

However, the moneylenders themselves do not stand on ceremony with their clients if something happens. There are strict rules of the game here: if you don’t pay, you’ll be punished.
Kirill K., victim: It so happened that within two days I needed to get $20,000. There was no question that it would be possible to obtain a bank loan during this period. Then my friend advised me to contact a moneylender. The terms were quickly agreed upon: he gives me the required amount without collateral, and a month later I return $24,000. On the appointed day I was unable to return the full amount. There were no calls from my lender for two weeks. Then he just came to visit. Not alone. And with people who demanded the return of $40,000.
Naturally, I refused. And not because I’m so brave, I just didn’t have that kind of money. It is not difficult to imagine how events developed further. They knew what school my daughter went to and where my wife worked. As a result of our long communication, I had to move from a two-room apartment to a one-room apartment and sell my car. All proceeds went to pay interest.
Unfortunately, this is a very typical situation. It's quite difficult to figure out. As a rule, the police try not to get involved in such conflicts. In the end, the person himself chose an informal way to solve his financial problems. And the creditor always has in his hands a debt obligation certified by a notary.
But this does not mean at all that you should refuse police protection if you do become a victim of a moneylender’s “attack.” You can justify your appeal to law enforcement agencies by the fact that you are being threatened or extorted money. In this case, it is up to the investigator to prove how much you owe and how much you actually paid. Although, of course, the investigation will take not only time, but also your nerves. And most likely, it will only delay the payment of the debt.
Against this background, the prospect of obtaining a bank loan seems much more attractive.
By the way, the bankers themselves are confident that private moneylenders are not their competitors. And they are, of course, right, although it is also true that even in countries with developed economies, a market niche for private moneylenders remains, although it is, of course, very insignificant compared to the bank loan market.

Moneylender's counter
What conclusion can be drawn from what we have learned? Finding a moneylender and convincing him to lend money is not that difficult. Questioning friends and acquaintances, as a rule, brings the desired results - they will lead you to the moneylender.
If you take money and leave collateral, most likely your relationship with the lender will be peaceful. Didn't return the money - didn't get the property back. There is, of course, a possibility that the moneylender himself will take your wealth somewhere and you will definitely lose. But none of those we interviewed could remember such a case.
It’s another matter if the money is given to you without collateral - on your word of honor. In fact, no one is interested in the word of honor. Your relatives and close people are the object of influence of the moneylender’s “employees”. As the moneylenders themselves believe, those who work without collateral are the most natural bandits. For each day of late payment, the client is charged unimaginable interest. At the same time, the “knockout team” is activated. Her work is paid separately. At the expense of the client. Perhaps no one knows how many unlucky borrowers lost their apartments and cars.
By the way, some of the moneylenders practice the following method of placing a client “on the counter”. On the day of payment, the creditor simply disappears. He goes to the country, to another city, and just doesn’t answer the phone. A week later he appears and states that the deadline has long passed and now he has to pay a fine. As you understand, conversations like “it’s your own fault” in such a situation require great courage.
In our cautious opinion, if you happen to turn to a moneylender, then in any case you should not take money from him without collateral. The risk of losing everything is too great.

Alevtina ZHUKOVA

Came across:

A man came to me for help. For obvious reasons, I won’t mention his real name. Let it be a woman. Let's call her Galina Petrovna. So, Galina Petrovna fell into a debt hole. A difficult life situation forced her to take out her first loans. Then, either due to financial illiteracy, or because of persistent calls from banks, Galina Petrovna, in order to cover current payments, began to refinance - using gift credit cards, cashing out consumer loans, etc. and so on.

The result is more than 20 loans from banks: Home-Credit, OTP-Bank, Vostochny Express Bank, Renaissance Capital, Russian Standard, Ural Bank for Reconstruction and Development (interest on these banks is from 30 to 80% per annum). Having added up the monthly payments, I was horrified - 98 thousand rubles. per month. By the time of settlement of all loans, Galina Petrovna must pay the amount of 2 million 400 thousand rubles.

Now let's look at Galina Petrovna's income. Salary - 18 thousand rubles. Anyone who was able to finish studying at least to the third grade of a comprehensive school can conclude that with such an income it is impossible to pay off loans, and Galina herself understands this. How to live further? What to do? So far, Galina Petrovna sees no other way out but to commit suicide...

What advice will we give to Galina Petrovna? Or should we look at the situation first? Let's take a quick look.

Galina Petrovna - she is not a victim in this story. She is a fool who got what she deserved. All these nice and round" either due to financial illiteracy, or due to persistent calls from banks “In fact, it’s a screen. For those around her. Galina Petrovna knew very well about the serious interest from the first loans. And she knew very well about this later, when she collected the rest, bringing the number of banks to 20.

Galina Petrovna took the easiest path. I couldn’t find a second, third, or fifth job, I couldn’t borrow from anyone—I just took and took out loans. It's so easy and simple. I took it and now the money is in my hands. I spent some on pleasant things, gave some to another bank - so as not to twitch - and my life was smooth.

Galina Petrovna among banks is like a pig in someone else's garden. I internally understood that I shouldn’t trample the beds, eat carrots, cucumbers and tomatoes - the owner might come out and specifically kick me. But it’s all so delicious, so the pig will eat until he faints and fall asleep in the garden, only to wake up from a pitchfork in the ass.

Galina Petrovna, who lived beautifully on other people's money, with pathos" sees no other way out but to commit suicide". That's great. A good way out. The fewer people like Galina Petrovna take out bad loans, the less banks will factor into the interest the probability of such Galina Petrovna.

Good luck, Galina Petrovna. In principle, there are a lot of banks - you look - where you’ll be lucky to pick up a break.

I have seen hundreds of such stories. In my memory, only one person got out. And he didn’t just get out, but actually closed all his debts and now he’s only flying forward. But here you need character and an iron will. And it’s not a fact that it’s enough.

You have to pay for everything. For a beautiful car that you drive and for which you did not pay, you will have to pay. And for the apartment you live in, for a fur coat and other benefits - if you own something, but didn’t buy it, didn’t steal it or didn’t give it as a gift - you will have to pay.

Debts are different. It happens that a business goes bankrupt, that a fire ruins, or that there is a gang attack. And it happens like with Galina Petrovna. I feel sorry for the first, don't care about the second.

UPD. Yesterday my girlfriend went to deliver toys, food and money to a friend’s girl. Her husband abandoned her and her young child and went to his mistress. No money, no job (I had to leave because of the child, he is constantly sick). The need is terrible. The girl doesn’t take out any loans, she’s trying to get out. These are the ones I respect. By the end of the week, we will buy winter clothes for the child (also a girl, she has nothing to wear) and take him there. Yesterday the child saw toys in his hands for the first time in his life. You should have seen both of their eyes. So that.

The profits of organized crime are very difficult to quantify because fraudsters go to great lengths to hide their earnings.

Also, the meaning of the term "organized crime" is quite vague. Anything from a sprawling drug cartel to a handful of car thieves can be classified as organized crime groups, and the strength of connections within criminal organizations varies greatly around the world.

Some groups, such as the Japanese yakuza, have a clear hierarchy and structure, which allows economists and law enforcement in Japan to attribute much higher incomes to yakuza gangs than to criminal organizations in other countries.

Let's look at the 5 largest criminal groups in the world and how they made their capital:

1. Yamaguchi-gumi
Revenue: $80 billion

The largest known gang in the world is the Yamaguchi-gumi, one of the groups that are collectively referred to by the term "yakuza", roughly equivalent to the commonly known term "mafia". The Yamaguchi-gumi make the bulk of their income from drug trafficking, says Hiromitsu Suganuma, a former police chief in Japan. Two other important sources of income are gambling and extortion, followed by "dispute resolution". The Yakuza has hundreds of years of history and is the most centralized gang in the world. Whereas other East Asian gangs, such as the Chinese triads, are a loose conglomerate of criminals tied together primarily by family relationships, the yakuza are organized into "complex hierarchies" and gang members, once initiated, are required to renounce all other obligations of allegiance in favor of yakuza. Even as the Japanese government has stepped up pressure on the yakuza in recent years, this centralized structure makes it easy to link the activities of this one gang to a huge amount of income.

2. Solntsevskaya lads
Revenue: $8.5 billion

Russian mafia groups are on the opposite side of the organizational spectrum from the yakuza: they are practically decentralized. The group consists of 10 independent “brigades” that operate relatively independently of each other. However, the organization's resources are pooled; its money is managed by a council of 12 people who regularly meet in different countries around the world, often disguising their gatherings as various celebrations. According to rough estimates, the number of this group is about 9 thousand people, and it receives its main income from drug and human trafficking. Russian organized crime in general is heavily involved in the heroin trade coming from Afghanistan: Russia is believed to consume about 12% of the world's heroin, while the country's population represents only 0.5% of the world's population.

3. Camorra
Revenue: $4.9 billion

Although the position of the Italian-American mafia in the United States has been greatly weakened in recent decades as a result of the activities of US law enforcement agencies, the Italian mafia is still quite strong in its country of origin. Despite years of efforts by ordinary citizens, journalists and government officials, local authorities in Italy remain closely linked to various mafia groups, and a 2013 study by the Center for Joint Research on Transnational Crime and the Catholic University found that mafia activities generate income in amounting to $33 billion, which is mostly shared by the 4 largest mafia organizations in Italy. The Camorra is the most successful of these organizations, earning about $4.9 billion a year from activities ranging from "sexual exploitation, arms and drug trafficking, counterfeiting, gambling... loan sharking and extortion," the report says. The Camorra has existed for many years. This group is based in Naples and has been active since the 19th century, initially appearing as a prison gang. As its members were released, the gang gained strength in the political strife of the 1800s. in Italy, providing security and security services to political organizations in the poorest sections of society.

4. 'Ndrangheta
Revenue: $4.5 billion

The 'Ndrangheta is based in the Italian region of Calabria and is the second largest group in the country in terms of income. Although the gang is involved in many activities similar to the Camorra, the 'Ndrangheta has built its reputation through international connections with South American cocaine traffickers and controls much of the transatlantic drug market that supplies Europe. The 'Ndrangheta is also expanding its presence in the United States and assisting the Gambino and Bonnano crime families in New York. In February this year, Italian and American police jointly arrested dozens of members of the 'Ndrangheta and Gambino clan and charged them with crimes related to the transatlantic drug trade.

5. Sinaloa Cartel
Revenue: $3 billion

Sinaloa is Mexico's largest drug cartel and is one of several groups that act as intermediaries between South American drug producers and the insatiable American market. The White House Drug Enforcement Administration says Americans spend about $100 billion a year on drugs, and the RAND Corporation says about $6.5 billion of that goes to Mexican cartels. With about 60% of the market, Sinaloa earns about $3 billion a year. Although the organization's leader was arrested in February, the group appears to have avoided the bloody legacy battle that has brought down many organizations after their leaders have left their seats.