Genna (crime family)

Genna crime family

Former boss Angelo "Bloody Angelo" Genna
Founded by	Anthony D'Andrea
Founding location	Chicago
Years active	1919–1930
Territory	Based in Chicago's Little Italy
Ethnicity	Italian, Sicilian
Criminal activities	Racketeering, extortion, bootlegging, illegal gambling and other crimes
Allies	The Chicago Outfit, Unione Siciliana
Rivals	The North Side Gang

The Genna crime family, was a Prohibition era crime family in Chicago. From 1921 to 1925, the family was headed by the six Genna brothers, known as the Terrible Gennas. These brothers were Sicilians from the town of Marsala and operated from Chicago's Little Italy and maintained control over the Unione Siciliana. They were allies with fellow Italian gang the Chicago Outfit. After a bloody war led to their demise in the 1920s, the gang was eventually absorbed by the Chicago Outfit.

Anthony D'Andrea was a Sicilian Mafia boss in Chicago's Little Italy. His closest allies were the Genna brothers, who operated illegal gambling clubs and salons in his territory. In 1919, D'Andrea became president of the Chicago chapter of the Unione Siciliana, an organization dedicated to helping poor Sicilian immigrants. D'Andrea wanted more political power, and ran to become alderman of Chicago's 19th Ward, which included Little Italy. This started the Aldermen's Wars between D'Andrea and John Powers, an Irish saloon-keeper who was the sitting alderman. On May 11, 1921, D'Andrea was shot and killed while entering his apartment.

The Genna brothers consisted of six Sicilian brothers: "Bloody" Angelo, Antonio "The Gentleman", Mike "The Devil", Peter, Sam, and Vincenzo aka "Jim". In 1919, the Gennas became involved in bootlegging; they obtained a federal licence to legally manufacture industrial alcohol, which they sold illegally. The Genna brothers operated from Chicago's Little Italy, which was located west of the Chicago Loop.