Gangs in Grand Theft Auto IV and Episodes from Liberty City

This page lists all the gangs, mafias and other criminal organizations around Liberty City and the Alderney State in Grand Theft Auto IV and Episodes from Liberty City.

Gangs

Italian Mafia

Liberty City Mafia Families

Gambetti Crime Family

The Gambetti Crime Family are the strongest and most powerful of the Liberty City Cosa Nostra families. They were led by Sonny Cangelosi until his death in 1978, when he was succeeded by Jon Gravelli, who led the Gambettis until his own death in 2008. They are based in Broker, Dukes, and Algonquin.

During the events of GTA IV, the Gambetti crime family came into conflict with the Korean Mob, Ancelotti Crime Family, and the Rascalov Family.

Pavano Crime Family

The Pavano Crime Family are primarily based in Algonquin. The family is said to be controlled by 60-year-old Mary Valvona, along with her 40-year-old ex-lover Arthur Zapulla who is the family's official consigliere. During the events of GTA IV, the Pegorino crime family boss Jimmy Pegorino looked at the Pavano family as a way of getting a seat on The Commission.

Messina Crime Family

The Messina Crime Family is the third most-powerful of the Mafia families based in Liberty City. The family is believed to be led by Harvey Noto, who was able to establish himself at the top of the organization after a long and bloody power struggle.

Lupisella Crime Family

The Lupisella Crime Family is the fourth-most powerful Mafia family of Liberty City and part of Commission. The family operates in Bohan. They are led by Mark Lupisella, also known as "Loopy" due to his remarkably low IQ.

Ancelotti Crime Family

The Ancelotti Crime Family is the fifth-most powerful of the Mafia families, led by Giovanni Ancelotti. Despite being the most heavily featured and most plot-involved of the five families, the Ancelotti crime family is the weakest of the Five Families. Around the 1970s, the Ancelottis started a war with the Gambetti crime family, and eventually with the Messina crime family.

During the events of GTA IV and The Ballad of Gay Tony, the Ancelottis are still in a war against the Gambettis, the Messinas, and the Pegorinos.

Pegorino Crime Family

Pegorino Family leadership in meeting with the don.

The Pegorino Crime Family, led by mobster Jimmy Pegorino, was an Italian-American mafia family based in the state of Alderney. Other important members in the organization included captain (or caporegime) Ray Boccino and associate Phil Bell. During the events of GTA IV, Pegorino hired the hitman Niko Bellic, which eventually led to the organization's downfall.

Eastern European Gangs

Russian Mafia

Petrovic Mafiya

The Petrovic Mafiya, led by Kenny Petrovic, is part of the Russian organized crime operating primarily in Liberty City, and is probably the biggest Russian organized crime family in the U.S. It plays a minor role in GTA IV, yet serves as the protagonist's affiliation in its multiplayer.

The syndicate is involved in all types of criminal activities, including drug trade, vehicle thefts and racketeering.

Faustin/Rascalov Mafiya

The Faustin Mafiya, later known as the Rascalov Mafiya, is part of the Russian organized crime operating primarily in Liberty City, and appears as the main antagonist gang as the Rascalov Mafiya in GTA IV. They are led by Mikhail Faustin and eventually by Dimitri Rascalov.

After the murder of their associate Vladimir Glebov is discovered by Mikhail Faustin and Dimitri Rascalov, they send Andrei to capture Niko Bellic and his cousin Roman. Faustin murders Andrei in rage for bringing the two to his house, while giving Niko a choice to work with the Mafiya, to which Niko agrees so that Roman will live. At this point, Dimitri starts indirectly using Niko to help him become the new leader of the Mafiya.

Bulgarin Crime Syndicate

The Bulgarin Crime Syndicate is led by Ray Bulgarin, a high profile figure in global organized crime, and affiliated with Rascalov Mafiya, and appears as the main antagonist gang in The Ballad of Gay Tony. Bulgarin's gang seems to be merged with Rascalov's gang, since the two are old friends and loyal partners. Human trafficking serves as the main source of income for the gang.

Albanian Mob

The Albanian Mob is based in the Little Bay neighborhood of Bohan. Their operations include loan-sharking, blackmailing, extortion, and working as hired thugs for larger organizations such as the Ancelotti Family.

African-American Gangs

Hustlers

North Holland Hustlers

The North Holland Hustlers are an African-American street gang operating in northern Algonquin, that specialize in dealing crack cocaine, but, as the name suggests, is probably involved in all types of criminal activity. The gang also might have ties to the Pavano Family through Joe Corrola, who supplies dealers in North Holland with heroin.

East Holland Drug Gang

The East Holland Drug Gang is a crack cocaine and heroin distribution crew of hustlers and drug dealers, based in the East Holland housing projects. Their leader, Clarence Little, is the head of crack cocaine and heroin distribution in East Holland, who also makes money through pimping. One of his clients was Francis McReary, the deputy police commissioner. Francis McReary, worrying about his reputation, wanted his relationship with Clarence Little to be a secret. At some point, Clarence started to blackmail Francis, who eventually hires Niko Bellic to eliminate him and his gang.

Latin Gangs

Spanish Lords

The Spanish Lords are a Puerto Rican gang that operates throughout South Bohan, Cerveza Heights, East Holland and Alderney City. In The Ballad of Gay Tony, they engage Luis, Armando and Henrique in drug wars. Ironically though, Northwood Dominican Drug Dealers can be seen socializing with Spanish Lords in the Spanish Lords territories.

A notable former member of the gang is Manny Escuela, who turns out to be a community leader and cut his connections with the criminal underworld.

Northwood Dominican Drug Dealers

The Northwood Dominican Drug Dealers is a part of a drug dealing operation led by Willy Valerio. The small crew looks more likely to be a Dominican part (or counterpart) of the Puerto Rican Spanish Lords, as they usually spawn in the some of the same territories.

They look similar to members of the Spanish Lords, but with slight differences. Members of the gang wear heavy coats (that can be either black, red or yellow), baseball caps and head bandanas.

Biker Gangs

The Lost MC

The Lost Motorcycle Club is an outlaw motorcycle club operating primarily out of Acter, Alderney State. The vice president (later president) of the Alderney chapter, Johnny Klebitz, is the protagonist in The Lost and Damned. Their main rivals are the Angels of Death Motorcycle Club.

Angels of Death

The Angels of Death Motorcycle Club is an outlaw motorcycle club operating in Algonquin, Liberty City, where they frequently hang out at their clubhouse located in North Holland. They appear as the main antagonist gang in The Lost and Damned. Their leader, Lester Arnold (a.k.a. Arnie Lester), is believed by the LCPD to be the leader of the Liberty City chapter of the Angels of Death Motorcycle Club.

The Angels of Death are identifiable by their distinctive back patch, featuring their signature "Winged Skull" with three rockers; a top rocker with the club name, a bottom rocker of the city (e.g. Liberty City, Los Santos), and an "MC" rocker placed just right of the skull. They dress like stereotypical bikers, wearing decorated leather or denim cuts, Perfecto-style leather jackets, red flannel shirts, gang T-shirts, bandanas, jeans or leather pants, and motorcycle boots.

Uptown Riders

The Uptown Riders are an African-American outlaw motorcycle club that operates throughout Northwood and North Holland in Algonquin, and Hove Beach in Broker. It was founded some time before 2008. They describe themselves on their website as "a group of urban riding enthusiasts".

Their members include Malc and DeSean and their headquarters are in Northwood, Algonquin. The club rides Japanese and Italian sport bikes.

Eastern Asian Gangs

Liberty City Triads

The Liberty City Triads are the main Chinese crime syndicate operating in Liberty City. They operate out of the Chinatown district in Algonquin, as well as parts of Dukes in Liberty City, prominently in Cerveza Heights.

They are mostly involved with drug shipping. The LCPD database states that there are three different sets of the Triads. The most important group of Triads are under Hsin Jaoming and his son Chan Jaoming. Another group is led by Wu "Kenny" Lee. The third group, which makes a cameo appearance, is controlled by Zhou Ming. The Jaoming Family is said to supply the Angels of Death and the Korean Mob with narcotics.

Korean Mob

The Korean Mob are a collection of Korean criminal gangs and syndicates that operate out of Alderney City, Alderney. Their primary operations appear to be counterfeiting and drug dealing. The LCPD database suggests a business relationship between them and the Triads.

Yardies

The Yardies, sometimes only referred to as the Jamaicans, are a loose coalition of Jamaican posses that operate out of the Beechwood City/Schottler area of Broker and the Willis area of Dukes, Liberty City. One of the posses is led by Real Badman and his underboss and best friend, Little Jacob.

McReary Crime Family

The McReary Crime Family is a family of Irish-American criminals based throughout Liberty City, headed by the McReary brothers Gerald, Derrick and Patrick. They play a large role in Grand Theft Auto IV.

Most of the gang members were also irresponsible with their money, choosing to spend it on drugs, alcohol, and women rather than saving it and using it to expand the family's interests. As a result, the gang consists of mostly hired guns, drug dealers and bank robbers. Senior family member Gerald McReary has been in and out of prison over the years, significantly damaging any stability the gang hoped to maintain.

Jewish Mob

The Jewish Mob is a Jewish crime syndicate which deals in diamond trading. Isaac Roth, a Hasidic Jew, appears to be the boss of the operation, with Mori Green, an Orthodox Jew, as the underboss and his right hand man. All members of the Jewish Mob wear suits with ties and jeans. The LCPD database states that Roth, Green and the Jewish Mob in general make frequent deals with African warlord Claude Wome, a dealer in conflict diamonds.

Skinheads

The Skinheads are a small-time gang operating in Liberty City. They are depicted as low-level drug peddlers, car thieves, and thugs with serious drug habits. They are most commonly found in the more deprived parts of Algonquin, although pockets of them can be found all over the city. Known members include Jimmy Kand and Marty Boldenow.

They appear to have a working relationship with the Petrovic Mafiya. They can also be seen on the streets of Beechwood City talking to Jamaicans. Marty Boldenow is also protected by members of the Yardies, armed with Assault Rifles.

Luca's crew

Lucas's Crew in garbage collector disguise.

Luca's crew is a small team within the Alderney-based Pegorino crime family, headed by Luca Silvestri, a soldato in the family. Luca often works with two enforcers of the Pegorinos, Joseph DiLeo and Johnny Barbosa, known as "Joe Tuna" and "Johnny Spaz", respectively. By 2008, Luca's crew answers directy to Ray Boccino, the caporegime of the Pegorinos.