Polish-American organized crime
Polish-American organized crime has existed in the United States throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Although not as well known as Cosa Nostra or Irish and Russian crime groups, the Polish Mob has a presence in many urban Polish American communities.
Prohibition-era
During Prohibition, many Polish-American criminal gangs took advantage of the opportunity to make money through the illegal sale of alcohol. In Chicago, Joseph Saltis and Jake Guzik allied themselves with Al Capone's Chicago Outfit. However, fighting Capone was the North Side Gang, which, while mostly Irish-American, had a large Polish presence as well, with Hymie Weiss having Polish heritage.In New Jersey, Mickey Duffy, the son of Polish immigrants, was a prominent figure in the supply of illicit liquor to Philadelphia. He owned several breweries in southern New Jersey.
The infamous gangster Meyer Lansky, associate of Lucky Luciano, was a Polish Jew.
Joseph Filkowski led a mostly Polish bootlegging ring in Cleveland, Ohio, along with gangster Joseph Stazek. In Pittsburgh, Paul Jarwarski was also a prominent figure, carrying out the first armored car robbery.
In Buffalo, New York, John "Korney" Kwiatkowski led a gang called the "Korney Gang" that was involved in multiple murders and robberies.
Philadelphia and New York Polish Mobs
Philly Polish Mob (Kielbasa Posse)
The Philadelphia Polish Mob, known as the Kielbasa Posse, are a Polish American organized crime group operating from the Port Richmond area in Philadelphia. Named after the Polish word for sausage, the gang is made up of Polish immigrants living in Port Richmond, Kensington, North Philadelphia, Northeast Philly, Bucks County, and South Jersey, as well as second-generation Polish Americans.The gang moved into territory occupied by Irish, Russian, and Italian Mafia outfits, namely the trafficking and dealing of ecstasy, and are said to have moved into bookmaking and loansharking operations as well. They would meet several times a week at a local Polish bar. Many residents in the Port Richmond area of Philadelphia can tell of multiple accounts where these so-called gang members have caused trouble. They do not have a good relationship with the K&A Gang who controls most of Northeast Philly, because the Northeast is predominantly Irish. According to local residents, they are not well known and the older Polish residents of the neighborhood choose to ignore the existence of the gang.