A Crime Lord, sometimes known as a crime boss, crime lady, kingpin, or mob boss, is the head and in charge of a criminal organization, gang, or mob. They frequently have complete authority over the criminals and mobsters in the organizations and are widely feared and/or respected by their underlings due to their willingness to control any command such as killing people and in order to exert power and profit from illegal activities in which the organization is involved, viewing it as ''business"[1].
They have tremendous control over a system of crimes such as smuggling, assassinations, extortion, money laundering, fraud, loan sharking, and other crimes through dealing. The High Table has seats for the twelve most powerful crime lords who represent well-known crime organizations under the Elder. Most crime lords are associated with the Table and work under them, while some of them don't, but likely have a slight connection with them such as the bosses from the Tarasov Mob.
The Underworld[]
Crime lords are recognized for their wealth and influence, with their capability to maintain connections in the criminal underworld and enforcers or assassins working for them. Most crime lords are seen having their own personal assistant or right-hand person to help them with their businesses. Some mobs like the Mafia had families in their own way. With members climbing into the ranks within the mob as a crime boss or a caporegime. Becoming a family member entails accepting secret rituals, and tight networks of loyalty. Many mobsters who have turned against these criminal syndicates will result in death. Notable crime families include the Tarasovs and the D'Antonios.
The Continental Hotel is likely owned by crime bosses such as Winston Scott, Cormac O'Connor, and Julius. Knowing that the hotel is a safe haven for underworld criminals, they serve them with their own currency coin in order for them to be accepted inside. John Wick was known to have connections with bosses such as Viggo Tarasov, whom he worked for as a hitman for their mob, the Camorra siblings, Santino and Gianna, Continental managers Winston and Julius, a former enemy who turned ally known as the Bowery King and the Director, John's stepmother and head of the New York branch of the Ruska Roma.
Large criminal organizations represented at the High Table such as the Ruska Roma and the Camorra, are shown to be more powerful than other organizations and gangs under them with their position to be involved in any High Table events such as the duels by joining with their represented crest for each Table organization. Crime lords are known to have rivalries with other gangs and organizations, allowing them to take out one another in terms of their business. Furthermore, most mobs can even kill their own members without empathy. Even at the High Table, crime bosses are possibly allowed to murder one member within or under the Table. For example, German crime boss Killa Harkan, was payed by the Marquis de Gramont to assassinate Pyotr, the head of the German branch of the Ruska Roma.
Unique crime bosses such as the Bowery King, hailing beneath society with his agents and spies working for him disguised as homeless people as their purpose is not on business-related works but on information and tracking targets in plain secrecy. Another unique crime lord was Vincent de Gramont, a very wealthy aristocrat who had a nobility title and led his own elite organization known as the Myrmidons, who serve as enforcers and underlings. Still, a lot of crime bosses with their organized crime are running the underworld along with assassins and other mysterious people involved within this society.
Known Crime Lords[]
- Winston Scott
- Cormac O'Connor
- The Bowery King
- The Director
- Katia Jovonovich
- Julius
- The Elder
- Viggo Tarasov
- Abram Tarasov
- Santino D'Antonio
- Gianna D'Antonio
- Killa Harkan
- Vincent Bisset de Gramont
- Pyotr