Mafia

The term "Mafia" refers to criminal organizations that engage in arbitration of disputes and enforcement of illicit agreements through threat or violence. These organizations often engage in secondary activities such as gambling, loan sharking, drug-trafficking, prostitution, and fraud. The term originated with the Sicilian Mafia, but has expanded to include other organizations, such as the Russian Mafia, Japanese Mafia, and Chinese Mafia. The 'Ndrangheta, originating in Calabria, is considered the richest and most powerful Mafia in the world. The word "Mafia" is derived from the Sicilian adjective mafiusu, meaning "swagger" or "boldness," and was popularized by a 1863 play that described a Palermo prison gang. The term is often used informally and is not officially used by the organizations themselves, who refer to their groups as "Cosa Nostra," "Ninkyō dantai," or "Triads."learn more on wikipedia