ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Irish-American organized crime

Irish-American organized crime refers to groups or gangs of people from Irish descent who participate in criminal activities in the United States. These criminal activities include things like extortion, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, and even murder.

Imagine a group of people who work together to do bad things. They might have special handshakes and secret codes to communicate with each other. Well, Irish-American organized crime is when a group of people, who have Irish heritage, come together to do bad things and make money.

One reason why some Irish-Americans turned to organized crime was because they faced discrimination and poverty when they first arrived in the United States. They were often looked down upon and struggled to find good jobs. They felt left out and wanted to find ways to make money and gain power.

These Irish-American criminals would often start by engaging in small crimes like stealing, but as they became more organized, they would move on to bigger and more dangerous activities. They formed groups known as gangs or mobs which would operate in certain neighborhoods or cities.

One famous Irish-American organized crime group was called the Irish Mob. They were known for their involvement in illegal activities like bootlegging, which means making and selling alcohol when it was illegal. They would also control businesses by forcing store owners to pay them money each month for "protection" from other criminals. This is called extortion.

Another way Irish-American organized crime groups made money was through illegal gambling. They would run secret casinos or betting operations where people could gamble their money. Because gambling is illegal in many places, these criminals would often bribe the police or politicians to look the other way, meaning they would pay them money to not get caught.

Drug trafficking was another major source of income for these organized crime groups. They would smuggle drugs like cocaine or heroin into the United States and then sell them to people who wanted to buy them. This is very dangerous because drugs can harm people's health and even lead to addiction.

Sometimes, these Irish-American criminals would also use violence to get what they wanted. They would have fights with other rival gangs or even kill people who got in their way. This is very bad and against the law.

Over time, law enforcement agencies like the police and the FBI worked hard to stop these Irish-American organized crime groups. They arrested many of the members and put them in jail for their illegal activities. Today, these criminal organizations are much less powerful and prominent than they once were.

In conclusion, Irish-American organized crime refers to groups of people with Irish heritage who come together to do illegal activities like extortion, illegal gambling, drug trafficking, and violence. These criminals wanted to make money and gain power, especially when they faced discrimination and poverty. Thankfully, law enforcement has worked hard to bring these criminal activities to an end.