Will this ‘thing’ Ever Really Come to an End? Reviewing US v. Aiello et al., an FBI-Lead Star-Studded La Cosa Nostra Case

Criminal proceedings against America’s La Cosa Nostra dominated headlines and captured the public’s attention in the late 80’s and early 90s. However, they have all but disappeared from scene, with many declaring La Cosa Nostra to a ‘thing’ of the past. This commentary reviews the case US v. Aiello et al., an FBI lead indictment into a multi-year, multi-million-dollar fraud scheme carried out against participants in illegal gambling, specifically, backroom poker games. Of interest, the fraud was supported by advanced digital technologies and the cooperation of La Cosa Nostra – seemingly contradictory phenomena. The events of US v. Aiello et al. recount a noteworthy resilience, continuity, and, simultaneously, evolution in the five families’ activities and modi operandi. In particular, the following questions are addressed: is La Cosa Nostra returning to the crime scene, in what form, and in cooperation with whom.