MAFIA

A mafia is a type of organized crime syndicate whose primary activities are protection racketeering, arbitrating disputes between criminals, and brokering and enforcing illegal agreements and transactions. The term “mafia” derives from the Sicilian Mafia. Mafias often engage in secondary activities such as gambling, loan sharking, drug-trafficking, prostitution, and fraud.

When used alone and without any qualifier, “Mafia” or “the Mafia” typically refers to either the Sicilian Mafia or the American Mafia and sometimes Italian organized crime in general.