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Maffia (Noun)

A secret terrorist group in Sicily; originally opposed tyranny but evolved into a criminal organization in the middle of the 19th century.

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.

The Sicilian Mafia originated in the 19th century as a response to foreign tyranny and oppressive government, but soon degenerated into organized crime.
Their system was organized, highly hierarchical and dictatorial, somewhat akin to that of a corrupt feudal baron in maffia history.
Its American version eventually rose to prominence through a mixture of protection rackets, blackmail and ultimately large-scale organised crime like human trafficking, within various neighborhoods having sizable populations of immigrants of Italian descent in the maffia.
Most notable was Charles 'Lucky' Luciano, widely considered to be the father of modern maffia around the world and powerful ganglords like Gambino, in particular.
He entered a 'no contest' plea, which avoided exposing confidential information regarding other mafia participants still walking freely out on streets without as yet receiving such government issued sanctions due.

A crime syndicate in the United States; organized in families; believed to have important relations to the Sicilian Mafia.

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.

The American Maffia has been involved in various forms of organized crime, including extortion, loan-sharking, and trafficking.
During the Prohibition era, the Maffia saw a significant rise in power and influence, as they controlled much of the bootlegging trade.
The infamous Five Families in New York City are often considered to be the foundation of the American Maffia, with roots dating back to the early 20th century.
Law enforcement agencies have long suspected that the American Maffia has ties to the Sicilian Mafia, with many high-ranking members having family connections to Sicily.
The FBI has been working to dismantle the Maffia's operations for decades, using tactics such as undercover agents and wiretaps to bring leaders to justice.