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The Top 5 Most Powerful Female Gangsters in History

The Top 5 Most Powerful Female Gangsters in History

It is a myth that men gangster has dominated the world. There are a number of female gangsters throughout history. Actually, females gangsters are much more capable when it comes to crime. Matter of facts, Prison sentence, Mob Bosses and Drug Kingpin still run their racket with the help of their female partner.

In America, omnipresent organized crime seems to be well rooted, this fact has given a number of women the opportunity to replace men and become criminal bosses. There is a lot of deadly women who have broken the ranks. Here are the Top 5 Most Powerful Female Gangsters in History.

  1. Griselda Blanco

Griselda Blanco was born in 1943. At a very early age, she became involved in various criminal activities and eventually became the head of cocaine trafficking. Blanco’s smart street and cruel streak helped her climb to the top of the infamous Medellin Cartel, nicknamed the “Queen of Cocaine” and the “Black Widow.”

Griselda Blanco, Bio, Age, The Top 5 Most Powerful Female Gangsters in History
Griselda Blanco, Britannica

Further, Blanco was imprisoned by federal officers in 1985 after years of investigations. She spent nearly two decades in jail. In 2012, at age 69, she was shot to death in Colombia.

Crime Report

Born and Raised by abusive mother, Ana Lucía Restrepo, Griselda turned her life into crime and prostitution at a very young age. She quickly became associated with the notorious Medellin Cartel of Colombia, helping to drive Colombian cocaine across the U.S., primarily to New York, Miami, and Southern California states.

Moreover, Leaders of the organization were able to smuggle vast amounts of cocaine throughout the border using special undergarments, which were designed and manufactured by Blanco.

The ‘Queen of Cocaine’

Blanco left Colombia for New York in the mid-1970s. By this time, a large trafficking empire was run by the notorious drug trafficker, her place in the industry growing to a level connects her to drug lords like Pablo Escobar. But the U.S. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was on the trail of Blanco as part of a wide-ranging “Operation Banshee” investigation.

Blanco and much more than 30 of her partners in crime were charged on federal drug conspiracy charges in 1975 after officials detected a reported 150 kilograms of cocaine. In addition, Blanco’s continued participation in the Colombian drug trade. Also, she has contributed to her participation in several other crimes in her time in the United States of America.

 2. Virginia Hill

Hill was born on August 26, 1916, in Lipscomb, Alabama. She grew up with her sibling, physically abused by her drunkard father. Moreover, while working in the restaurant Hill met Joseph Epstein, bookmaker and mafia financier member Jake Guzik.

Virginia Hill, Bio, Early life, The Top 5 Most Powerful Female Gangsters in History
Virginia Hill, Mob Museum

Winning the mob’s confidence, Hill operated in collaboration with Charles Fischetti, cousin, and bodyguard of Al Capone. Subsequently, Virginia was asked to find classified information concerning the Lucky Luciano mafia family in New York, and particularly about Joe Adonis.

Virginia Hill Facts

Hill became the mistress of Adonis and was involved in the gambling and money laundering rackets of his gang. She met the key Luciano family member, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel in New York and the two of them had a brief meeting.

Moreover, Hill continued working for mobsters and often transferred their cash into banks in Switzerland. Hill has reportedly made repeated suicides in the weeks following Siegel’s assassination. She was soon under investigation for tax evasion, charging her $161,000.

Virginia spent the rest of her life with her only friend, son Peter Hauser, in various places in Europe. Hill tried to ask for money from Epstein and Adonis but obviously did not get any. Besides, she is taken care, by her son who worked as a waiter.

Read More: Frida Kahlo: The Legacy of Mexico’s Greatest Artist

3. Ma Barker

Ma Barker was born on October 8, 1873, in Ash Grove, Missouri. Moreover, she had four children Herman, Lloyd, Arthur, and Fred. With the help of Alvin, Karpis Ma formed the Barker- Karpis gang, 1931. Matter of fact, on 16 January 1935, FBI agents shot and killed Ma and Fred in Oklawaha, Florida.

Barker–Karpis Gang

The Barker- Karpis Gang was one of the cruel criminal gangs, spanning from 1931-1935. After getting paroled Fred and Alvin Karps became a partner in crime. Moreover, the head of the gang Barker ma helped the boys in the crime, operating anonymously.

 

Ma Barker - Murderer, Age, Bio, Early life, The Top 5 Most Powerful Female Gangsters in History
Ma Barker – Murderer, Biography

Fred and Alvin convicted series of burglaries. Also, murdering town’s Sheriff, C. R. Kelly and robbing department in West Plains, Missouri they became very famous. Further, Fred, Alvin and three accomplices robbed the Minneapolis Northwestern National Bank on March 29, 1932, and made a quick getaway.

Ma’s son Doc was paroled in September 1932 on a murder conviction. The Barker gang was back at full force and more threatening than ever. They quickly arranged to rob the Third Northwestern National Bank in Minneapolis, with Ma’s blessing. The result was a brutal police shoot-out. It only served to strengthen their public image as the most vicious criminal gang in America.

4. Stephanie St. Clair aka Queenie

Stephanie Saint-Clai aka Madam Queen was born on December 24, 1897, American gambler and criminal. In the 1930s, she went to war with the infamous Jewish gangster Dutch Schultz over the control of gambling in Harlem. Also, She exposed several NYPD officials publicly for corruption by placing news heading about the bribes that she has given.

Stephanie St. Clair, Bio, early life, The Top 5 Most Powerful Female Gangsters in History
Stephanie St. Clair, Montray Kreyol

Queen and her partner, Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, made a massive fortune in black New York. Matter of fact, more than forty people lost their lives in violence including the killer of Harlem numbers operators.

Also, Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson, former lieutenant and St. Clair, became the representative of the Mafia in Harlem. In 1969 Stephanie St. Clair died quietly at the age of 72 in Harlem.

5. Arlyne Brickman

Arlyne Brickman was born in 1933, in East Harlem to her Jewish parents. Brickman spent her childhood admiring the glamor and thrills of Virginia Hills. Additionally, she worked as a drug dealer, number runner and loan shark. Yet the huddle for her rank in a Sicilian run crime syndicate was because of Jewish heritage.

Arlyne Brickman, Bio, Early life, The Top 5 Most Powerful Female Gangsters in History
Arlyne Brickman, Pinterest

Arlyne earned a colossal amount of fortune which boost her name and fame. Years later, Brickman turned informant after her daughter was harassed by a loan shark. Her subsequent spying and witness statements led Anthony Scarpati and other racketeering associates to conviction. In 1992, in Mob Girl, Brickman told her story: A Woman’s Life In the Underworld.

Also See: The Glamorous Life of Model Gigi Hadid

 

 

 

 

About the author

Saugat G

I am an IT engineer & Guitarist but my passion for writing draws my attention.
Talking about my hobby, I am a travel freak, recently, I have been to Queen of Lake (Rara) for my vacation.

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