From Kurt Sutter, creator of hit TV series Sons of Anarchy, comes an explosive true-crime series exploring the formation of some of the most notorious criminal organisations in history. OUTLAW EMPIRES investigates six iconic American outlaw dynasties that have left an indelible impact on society, incorporating detailed re-enactments and no-holds-barred accounts from significant figures to shine an illuminating light on the underbelly of crime.
1. CRIPS:The Crips were founded in South Central L.A. on the principles of self-protection and pride. But insiders tell a story of escalating turf battles, danger, violence and ever-diminishing unity as the gang grew in size and power.
2. IRISH MOB: From the 1800s to the early 1970s, Irish street gangs waged war for control of Bostons underworld. By 1972, they had called a truce. One man, James Whitey Bulger, emerged from that truce to become a lethal and legendary force.
3. NUESTRA FAMILIA: Established in the California prison system as a way for members from Northern California to fend off violence from the Mexican Mafia. Nuestra Familia has become renowned for its unparalleled secrecy and highly regimented recruitment and training methods, a virtual gangster university.
4. OUTLAW BIKERS: Returned WWII soldiers banded together in motorcycle clubs, spawning an outlaw dynasty that has grown for generations. The dynasty lives to this day, though it has moved beyond just the exhilaration of the ride, to include violence and criminality.
5. ITALIAN MAFIA: Notorious and respected,bound by profound bonds of blood and family. How the Gambino family became one of Americas most powerful crime syndicates, only to be taken down by one of their own members, is among the most gripping tales in modern history.
6. ARYAN BROTHERHOOD: An unexpected outgrowth of the racial desegregation of the late 1960s, the Aryan Brotherhood had its origins in American prisons, where inmates joined forces to protect themselves from other racial groups.