com). Overall, organized crime ended up harming society and had a contributing factor to the Great Depression. .
Prohibition was not the only popular activity taken away from the citizens of the United States. When gambling was made illegal in 1909, Arnold Rothstein jumped at the opportunity to start illegally loaning money to other mobsters who needed funding. Rothstein "had a citywide organization specializing in illegal gambling and loansharking [] with severe physical penalties for those who failed to make their payments on time" (thefinertimes.com). By 1929, Rothstein had become the person to which other crime figures turned when they needed financing. After Rothstein had built a citywide operation, he took advantage of the opportunities that opened up to him. Max Greenberg, a popular bootlegger, soon approached Rothstein for business propositions combining two of America's most desperate addictions: gambling and alcohol. Greenberg had been transporting scotch from Canada across the Detroit River when he decided he needed to "expand his operations and needed a loan of $175,000. Rothstein would finance the operation and give Greenberg and his associates a share of the profits" (history.com). After countless voyages across the Atlantic, and filling many warehouses, there was a close call with the law. Rothstein ended his partnership with Greenberg, but continued to finance bootlegging operations for the purpose of accruing enormous amounts of profit.
These "gangs" set up territories because of conflicts with demarcation. As one gang enters another gang's territory, violence enters as well. The most popular gangster in the 1920's, xAl Capone, was known for his bloodthirsty violence against other gangs attempting to move into his territory. Capone eliminated nearly all leadership from the north side gangs, leaving only George Moran, the controler of the North side gangs.