Þ His real name was Alfonso Capone, but he shortened it to Al.

Þ Born in Brooklyn in 1899. His origin was Italian.

Þ Joined his first gang when he was 11.

Þ next gang - Five Pointers gang. There he was trained in racketeering (organisert pengeutpressing) by Johnny Torrio.

Þ Johnny Torrio wanted to kill the boss of Chicago’s red light district, and also his uncle, BIG JIM, because Big Jim refused to let Torrio create a bootlegging racket (spritsmugler business) after the Volstead Act (the act of bringing prohibition on alcohol)went into effect. Torrio needed help from Capone to kill Big Jim, and after they’d did that, Torrio ruled his uncle’s former district. Al Capone became Torrio’s right hand.

Þ In 1925, Torrio got gunned down, i.e. he had to much preassure on him, so he left the racketeering business and gave his 50 million dollars to Capone.

Þ Then Capone was the boss, and his major business were brothels, (bordell), bootlegging rackets. This quickly made him a multi-millionaire, especially because he was given a initial capital of 50 million dollars.

Þ His rivals tried to kill him several times, and on Feb. 14th, 1929, known as the infamous St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, he and his gang stroke back. He gruesomely executed many of his enemies. Some of his enemies were: Dion O’Bannion, who in addition to be gangster, was flower seller, and George ’Bugs’ Moran. His best known enemy was Eliot Ness, who was lucky enought not be to killed by Capone.

Þ By this time, an IRS investigator, Elmer Irey, had built a case against Capone that was strong enough to convict him on tax evasion charges. In 1930 Capone was sent to Alcatraz, the former prison on an island outside San Fransisco. He was supposed to be there for 11 years, but after nine years, in 1939, he was let out because they found out he suffered from an advanced case of syphilis.

Þ He spent his last years of his life on his Palm Beach, Florida, resort. Semi-retired gangsters brang him fictional i.e. fake reports of how his rackets were doing.

Þ He died of a brain decease in 1947.

Þ Over a 100 murders could be traced back to Capone, either he performed them himselves or being the one giving the orders.