Al Capone was one of the most famous criminals in American history.
He came from an immigrant family.
His parents came from Italy and his father was a barber.
As a boy, he belonged to a street gang.
He quit school after finishing the sixth grade.
He built his career as a crime boss in Chicago.
He became boss at 26 when the previous leader was nearly killed.
His crime organization made a lot of money, more than 100 million dollars a year.
Most of the money came from illegal activities, especially the sales of illegal liquor.
His organization was also involved in gambling and prostitution.
Capone was a flashy dresser who enjoyed being famous.
He protected himself by bribing police and public officials.
Though he was involved in the deaths of many, he was never convicted of a serious crime.
When he was finally arrested, it was for minor crimes.
In 1929, he and his bodyguard were arrested for carrying deadly weapons.
For that they were sentenced to a year in prison.
Capone was released in 9 months for good behavior.
