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Former U.S. President, Bill Clinton stated: The Gangster Disciples Were The Most Organized Gang, Ever.

GANGSTER DISCIPLES:

Larry Hoover, pictured above (born on November 30, 1950 in Jackson Mississippi) was once one of the most powerful gang leaders in the United States.  According to the DEA, the Gangster Disciples, allegedly operated a drug network throughout the country worth $100 million a year and are described as one of the largest, and best organized gangs in the history of the United States.  There are allegedly 50,000 members of the Gangster Disciples in the Chicago area alone. And many more members operate in at least thirty-five states.

Allegedly, the drugs were shipped to Chicago by the Cali and North Beach cartels of South America who dealt with distribution cells servicing the gang. The income from this illegal enterprise was allegedly laundered in the Cayman Islands or through shell companies and bogus business fronts promoting growth and development, in the community.

In the early 1970's, David Barksdale organized a coalition of street gangs in the Englewood neighborhood into a unified body, which he called The Black Gangster Disciple Nation.  Barksdale was seriously wounded in an ambush and died five years later of his injuries.

Larry King Hoover was considered smarter and more resourceful than other gang leaders, he would eventually take over the leadership role in the gang, which would later be renamed, the Gangster Disciples. 

Hoover favored a formalized approach to gang management.  His verbal instructions took on the form of a business memoranda, titled, Blueprint Of The New Concept, just like a corporate C.E.O., or bank president might use to communicate with subordinates.  Hoover also formed a executive board called, The Brothers Of The Struggle.  The pyramid structure that Hoover put in place is like something you would find in a large corporation.  Only this pyramid, based on the latest, and most innovative theories of Japanese management was designed by Larry Hoover from inside an Illinois state prison.  This structure had many tiers of mid-management.

Hoover was enamored with the organizational style of Jeff Fort, when Fort built the Blackstone Rangers, a Woodlawn gang, into a criminal force to be reckoned with back in the 1960's.  Fort and his sidekick Eugene Bull Hairston organized about 250 neighborhood kids into an efficient army of shakedown artists and extortionists who terrorized the local business community.

If one drug cell was busted by the DEA, Hoover had it set up, where it was virtually impossible for authorities to trace nearby avenues of the supply because the local drug movers were not told about the existence of other cells in their domain.

Hoover became so powerful, he could demand $200,000 in one day from his gang and expect to receive it.

For the past 25 years, Larry Hoover, has run the gang from Joliet State Prison in Illinois.

Hoover was arrested in the 1983 with six associates on drug conspiracy and extortion charges.  They were found guilty and Hoover received a 200-year sentence.

Authorities referred to Hoover as the new Al Capone.  Adding,  Hoover's enterprise was of such staggering proportions it was no longer a street gang.  It was the new face of organized crime in a changing world. Their are thugs, assassins and dope dealers.

Hoover and 39 of his henchmen were eventually indicted for running a criminal enterprise from the Vienna Correctional Center in downtown Illinois.  Visitors unwittingly taped instructions given by Hoover via tiny transmitters secretly embedded (by authorities) in visitor badges.  On the tapes, Hoover revealed the extent of his control over a multi-million-dollar drug distribution network run by him in prison.  The indictments materialized from these recordings.

Imprisoned Disciples, are instructed by Hoover to work and study hard to complete their G.E.D.'s and learn law principals from law books available in the prison library.

Hoover originally formed the Disciples on the south side of Chicago; they still have a strong presence there and in other Midwest cities.  They are allegedly part of a coalition of gangs which include: The Black Disciples, Maniac Latin Disciples, Spanish Cobras, the Simon City Royals and many others.

Symbols used by the Gangster Disciples include a six-pointed star (there is no connection to the Jewish symbol) in remembrance to one of the originators David Barksdale.   The gang?s colors are royal blue and black.

Allegedly, their main rivals are the Vice Lords, and Black P. Stones.

Hoover envisions the day when he can unite all of the gangs into a vast monolithic criminal empire, with himself at the throne.

Today, the Gangster Disciples, are still active, up and down the Mississippi River basin in nine states and they continue to build on a nationwide membership base.

Side Note: Former Gangster DiscipleHarold Noonie G. Ward is coming to the big screen. The Noonie G. Story, portrays Ward's ascent into Chicago's entertainment, business and political worlds.  Ward was a former high-ranking member of the Gangster Disciples.  He gave up the gangster life to pursue legitimate businesses throughout Chicago.

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BLACK MAFIA FAMILY:

*The trial is pending in the following case against ?The Black Mafia Family.? Individuals are innocent

Over the last several years, billboards sitting high above the Atlanta skyline boldly announced, The World Is Ours. These messages came to the city via the self-proclaimed Black Mafia Family, widely known as BMF.  A hip-hop empire that had direct links to Mexican based drug trafficking organizations.

This syndicate was conceived and managed by brothers Terry and Demetrius Flenory (pictured above).   The brothers took their bold mantra from the popular gangster movie, Scarface, starring Al Pacino as a Cuban refugee who rises to the top of the Miami cocaine empire during the 1980's.  In some ways, their lives imitated art, with their million-dollar parties, fleet of luxury cars and ready access to drugs, weapons, bling and women.

Authorities say that in order to make their business dealings look legit, the Flenory's also managed a rap music label, BMF Entertainment. Investigators add that BMF Entertainment, had worked because it's run as a family business that had grown into a profitable, corporation-like enterprise over the past 20 years but underneath it all, the product was-drugs.

BMF members engaged in a lavish lifestyle, members were often seen driving luxury European sports cars on screen and in music videos. There were also known to blow upwards to $100,000 in strip clubs in one night and they threw extensive and enormously expensive industry parties and birthday bashes for their member in Atlanta, complete with rented displays of exotic animals. They also displayed the BMF, logo on ice sculptures. BMF, was reported to own at least one luxury car dealership. Reportedly, the BMF, crew out spent an entire football team at an upscale gentlemen's club.

DEA investigators claim, BMF, was responsible for one of the largest black run cocaine distribution conspiracies nationwide. Police say-members used vehicles with hidden compartments to transport cash from cocaine sales.

According to authorities, BMF, was an extensive criminal organization that delved in the world of hip-hop, music and entertainment. It was founded in the 1980's in Detroit, Michigan and has since spread nationwide. During a two-year investigation of the organization, it was revealed that members were known to have operated in 11 states, including: Michigan, California, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Missouri and even Sinaloa, Mexico where they worked with the Malverde Mafia.

The association of   BMF, members and high-level leadership with famous rap stars began to garner attention. BMF, commanded a high level of respect in the hip-hop community and there was an unspoken code of respect and fear associated with the group. During Superbowl weekend and the NBA playoffs, young men tried to impress girls by saying they were BMF.

In October of 2005, authorities broke up the Black Mafia Family, crime ring. The DEA says the trafficking ring laundered more than $270 million dollars over 15 years of operation. Thirty people were arrested and face charges that include conspiracy, drug possession with intent to deliver and money laundering. During the raid, the DEA seized $3 million in cash, assets and weapons as well as 2 kilograms of cocaine. Prior to the raid, 17 members had been arrested and $11 million in cash and assets had already been seized.

Authorities also revealed, the crew bought more than $1 million worth of winning lottery tickets at inflated prices in an effort to launder the cash through legitimate means. They would then use the winnings to purchase homes and vehicles, hiding the fact that the true source of the money was drug sales.

They also bought and leased luxury cars and real estate through false names to conceal the source of their money. The indictment states, the crew used their ties to rap stars to find luxury car brokers.

Authorities said- they will seek forfeiture of 10 homes, 18 vehicles and $1.2 million that was already confiscated. The homes are located in the Detroit and Los Angeles areas.

On March 9, 2006, Baby Blue, the younger brother of BMF recording artist Bleu Da Vinci was shot and killed. He had made the news previously for allegedly stabbing the nephew of R&B singer Bobby Brown during an altercation.

Investigators say the BMF, a drug enterprise, was able to run smoothly, in part because of the Flenory's connection to Craig Petties (pictured above).

Petties was a major dealer who authorities say moved over a thousand kilos of cocaine in Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia. Petties is currently a fugitive on the U.S. Marshal's 15 Most Wanted List.

Craig Petties lived the good life. He had it all. Three homes, 20 cars and millions of dollars stashed away. Deputies say Petties acquired his wealth from selling drugs. Petties is very flashy and likes to attend awards shows and Superbowl weekend draped in bling. He also loves expensive high-end cars, especially Ferraris and Lamborghini's.

Deputies add, he is one of the biggest known drug smugglers in Memphis. He is also known for bringing in 18-wheelers full of drugs across the border into the U.S. To date, agents have seized more than forty kilograms of cocaine and more than 600 pounds of marijuana. Cops say Petties is also part of a gang called Gangster Disciples.

Petties is also wanted for questioning in the murder of one of his associates, Antonio Big Wayne Allen.

Petties is alleged to have contacts in Mexico who may assist him in evading capture. It is believed that-Petties and his girlfriend, a black female, and their two children are with him.

     Toree Sims                David Warner

Shortly after the indictments were handed down for the BMF, organization, member, Toree Deneal Sims disappeared, avoiding capture. Cops say, Sims was responsible for distributing 10-20 kilos of cocaine every week in Kentucky.   His main suppliers were the Flenory brothers. Investigators say Sims escaped in a fully loaded BMW convertible.

David 'Super Dave'Warner, was a kingpin who headed his own 25-soldier organization. He was another alleged BMF associate, who was wanted for distributing more than 8,000 kilograms of marijuana and 500 kilograms of cocaine. Warner lived a life of luxury. He enjoyed collecting custom jewelry, racecars, motorcycles and Tennessee walking horses.  He also attended sporting events. A few short months after Warner was named to the U.S. Marshal's 15 Most Wanted List. Mexican authorities confirmed that Warner was living in a gated upscale community outside of Mexico City.  The cops moved in and arrested him on July 9, 2005.

Update: Recently, popular hip-hop jeweler, Jacob The Jeweler Arabov was arrested and charged with money laundering and released on $100,000 bail. Jacob was also charged with conspiracy to launder over $270 million for the Black Mafia Family, or BMF.  Authorities claim, Jacob also conspired to distribute over 476 kilos of cocaine for BMF.  A spokesman for Jacob claims the arrest is a misunderstanding.

Sources: America's Most Wanted and Wikipedia

RED HOOK PROJECTS CREW:

Right out of New Jack City a 153-person drug gang was busted for running their operation out of the 'Red Hook Housing Projects,' in Brooklyn, New York. They were indicted on conspiracy charges that accuse them of cooperating as one enormous narcotics trafficker to peddle heroin and cocaine in the Brooklyn housing projects.  Sixty-nine of the people belonged to five closely linked families. The oldest suspect is a 61-year old woman while the youngest is a 16-year old boy.

At a news conference, the Brooklyn district attorney, described what he called an unusual criminal enterprise.  He said the accused divided up drug territories covering 34 buildings in the Remeeder, Unity, and Long Island Baptist housing projects in East New York. Authorities say the drug organizations of crews, were especially difficult to investigate because of their blood ties.

The total revenue of the gangs, which operated for two years, was $11 million. A 35-foot boat and seven luxury vehicles were seized from the suspects, including a Cadillac Escalade and a van with a plasma television and satellite dish.   Police say, the boat and vehicles may have been useful in the drug trade to attract customers to covert meeting places.

A resident of the Remeeder projects said, the drug crews in her building protected residents from rival crews in nearby neighborhoods. The people who got arrested are the same people who protect us and our kids, she said.  Nobody here feels more safe after the arrests.

A lead investigator said, each drug crew was headed by brothers in one of the five families and populated throughout by cousins from all five.

Then you have fathers and sons, mothers and sons, and that grandmother, Annie Yates, has her grandson in the organization. And within each crew, there were others layers of family.  You might have a wife and a husband in different crews.

The crews were allegedly led by Johnny Collado, Victor Adams and Andre Coulter, whose crew was the largest at 35 members. Authorities declined to identify the leaders of the other two crews because their indictments are sealed.  The drug trafficking operation lasted from Jan. 1, 2002 to August 6th, 2004.

The district attorney has pursued a number of cases involving gangs organizing huge drug trades within housing complexes.  In 2002, 61 indictments led to the breakup of five gangs that had terrorized the Cypress Hills projects.

Source: New York Times

SUPREME TEAM:

Kenneth Supreme McGriff (pictured above) is a former New York drug lord and leader of the notorious Supreme Team crew.  McGriff served ten years for a 1989 drug conviction, when he was released, the authorities allege, he financed hip-hop label Murder, Inc.  In his heyday, McGriff made tens of millions of dollars.  He is currently awaiting trial with several other men for a litany of federal crimes, including: murder, drug dealing and money laundering.  One of the most feared black gangsters of any era, McGriff is alleged to have orchestrated the shooting of rapper 50 Cent, several years ago.  Federal authorities are currently seeking the death penalty against McGriff.

HOLLYWOOD KINGPIN:

Michael "Harry O" Harris (above left) dominated the Los Angeles drug scene in the 1980's. He was known as the premiere black drug kingpin in Hollywood. Harris continues to insist-he put up $1.5 million in 1991 (while incarcerated for 26 years on drug offenses) to finance Death Row Records.

Company CEO Suge Knight denies his claims but Harris says, Knight cut a deal with Interscope Records, which left him out in the cold, he still feels betrayed. Harris feels he's entitled to half the label's profits. Since then, lawsuits have been flying back and forth between Harris, his ex-wife Lydia (above, center) and Suge Knight.

Lydia would win a substantial judgment against Knight but she also admits she did accept a lower payment of $1 million dollars recently.