Protection racket
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A protection racket is an extortion scheme whereby a powerful entity or individual coerces other less powerful entities or individuals to pay protection money which allegedly serves to purchase protection services against various external threats.
Those who do not buy into the protection plan are often targeted by criminals. These crimes are typically thought to originate from the organization itself. When a person or group refuses to pay for protection, word is put out that they are outside of the local organization's protection (these organizations often exist in the absence of a trusted police force) and that the person or group in question is therefore free game for freelance criminals or the organization itself.
The protection money is typically collected by a "bag man". Although the organization might be particularly coercive in obtaining protection money, it is usually careful to shelter its "mark" from attacks by competitor organizations that similarly attempt to solicit or threaten the targeted individuals or businesses. Disputes between organizations concerning territory consequently arise from two competing organizations attempting to extort from the same "clients".
[edit] Real-world examples
- In the United Kingdom in the 1950s and 60s the Kray twins ran protection rackets in the East End of London.[1]
- In Russia during the 1990s most businesses had to pay some form of protection money (known as krysha, the Russian word for "roof") to Russian mafia gangs.[2]
- In Sicily, Italy, it is estimated that around 80% of businesses of the city of Palermo pay pizzo, or protection money, to the Mafia.[3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Metropolitan Police Service - The Kray twins - jailed in 1969
- ^ The Washington Post Banditry Threatens the New Russia 2 May 1997
- ^ BBC News - Couple plans 'mafia-free' wedding 1 April 2009
