Alcatraz East Exhibit – RICO: Prosecuting the American Mob

When you think of the American mob and organized crime, names like Al Capone, John Dillinger, and John Gotti come to mind. It will also conjure up RICO (the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act) for those who know crime history. Both are an important part of the country’s crime history and will be featured in a temporary exhibit at Alcatraz East Crime Museum, called “RICO: Prosecuting the American Mob,”

The temporary exhibit will share details about what the mob was, where the influence was felt, and more. There will also be authentic artifacts on display, including a bowtie belonging to Meyer Lansky, a barstool from the Little Apalachin Conference, and a baseball cap that belonged to John Gotti. 

The exhibit will also share with guests how the government employed the RICO Act to bring down the leaders of the mob. The law defines 35 offenses connected to an enterprise, including racketeering, gambling, bribery, mail and wire fraud, and murder. Museum guests will learn about the mob’s rise to prominence in the country and how the RICO Act took it on and brought down some of the most well-known organized crime families in New York City.

The temporary exhibit will run from September 15, 2023, through December 15, 2023. The exhibit will be included in the regular admission fee.