Goroohe Ma
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[edit] Persian mafia
Goroohe Ma (Our Group) is a Persian crime family that control organised crime activities based in Las Angeles (California) and Las Vegas (Nevada). They are referred to by many as the Persian Mafia. Although they are based in Las Angeles and Las Vegas, Goroohe Ma's operations extend to all parts of America, Europe, Iran, and some areas of Australia. Activities conducted by Goroohe Ma include hijacking, piracy, insurance fraud, stock market fraud, gambling, money counterfeiting, loan sharking and more.
[edit] History of Goroohe Ma
Goroohe Ma has recently made headlines. It was started by Payam Monadi in 1999, but wasn't officially recognised as an organised crime family until 2003. From 1999 to 2002, Goroohe Ma (which was called the Monadi Family at the time) consisted of 6 members, which included Payam, his brother Hooman, and four of their cousins (Habib, Mohammad, Ramon and Mansour). During this period, the family only conducted business in Las Angeles, with the occasional big deal in Las Vegas.
In February 2003, Mjid, the first non-blood related member was recruited into the family. Majid and Payam had been best friends since high school. By June 2003, the Monadi Family changed its name to Goroohe Ma and began introducing new members into the family. Payam was initially against recruiting members that were not part of the immediate family because he believed that they would not remain loyal to the family, and therefore increased the risk of the family being indicted.
To become a potential member of Goroohe Ma, the person wishing to join must be pure Iranian (both parents must be Iranian), and must also be fluent in Farsi.
In 20004, Goroohe Ma expanded its operations to Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Atlanta, and New York City.
By 2005, the Persian Mafia was one of the most feared families in the Underworld. Goroohe Ma was slowly expanding, however, it was still much smaller than the Gambino and Bonanno family. In January 2006, there was evidence linking Goroohe Ma with organised crime activities in Sydney, Australia.
It is believed that Goroohe Ma consists of over 100 members worldwide, which include Payam Monadi (the Don), Hooman Monadi (the Underboss), Habib Tajik (the Consigliere), 12 Captains, and 85 soldiers.
[edit] Activities of the Family
Goroohe Ma is typically involved in the following criminal activities:
Hijacking cargo ships and trucks
Robbery
Insurance fraud (False Insurance Claims)
Stock Fraud (insider trading; pump and dump scams)
Motor vehicle theft
Credit card fraud
Money Counterfeiting
Bootlegging (trading in untaxed alcohol)
Buttlegging (trading in untaxed cigarettes)
Loan sharking
Bookmaking
Gambling
Arms dealing
People smuggling
Garbage Collection Monopolies
Big-rigging
Extortion
Control of Labour unions
Money Laundering
Bribery
Piracy
Oil Refinery Monopolies
Goroohe Ma avoids the highly profitable drug business due to the severe penalties imposed. For the same reason, Goroohe Ma never uses its own people to carry out 'hits'. Murders are usually outsourced to other gangs and family's for a hefty price.
Goroohe Ma's most profitable activities are illegal gambling, hijacking, and stock fraud.
[edit] In Pop Culture
In the 1995 movie Clueless, a Persian Student describes the Persian Mafia
"and that's the Persian Mafia. You can't hang with them unless you own a BMW or a Cellular Phone"
In the HBO series The Sopranos, Tony and his crew refer to Phil Leotardo as 'Shah' (Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the former King of Iran)
Tony Soprano: "Our friend the Shah"
Phil Leotardo: "Tony says that I look like the Shah of Iran"
