Four Suspects in Their 60s Steal 2.5 Billion Won Worth of Jewelry
Expert: "Aging Trend in American Crime Organizations Underway"
It has been revealed that all suspects involved in the daylight masked armed robbery at a jewelry store in New York, USA, are in their 60s.
The New York Times (NYT) reported on the 10th (local time) that the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York indicted five suspects, including Vincent Cherchio (69), for armed robbery incidents that occurred in Manhattan, New York, and other locations last January.
They threatened employees with guns at jewelry stores in New York and New Jersey, smashed display cases with hammers, and stole jewelry before fleeing. The value of diamonds and other precious metals stolen from four jewelry stores amounts to $2 million (approximately 2.59 billion KRW).
Except for a 25-year-old man hired as a driver, all four suspects who committed the robbery at the jewelry stores are in their 60s.
The prosecution stated, "All of them have been confirmed to have connections with the Lucchese family, a mafia group in the Kansas City area." They have served multiple prison terms for various charges including murder, robbery, and theft.
The ringleader, Frank DiPietro (65), was sentenced to 19 years after killing a grand jury witness in a drug case related to the Lucchese family in 1999. Co-defendant Vincent Spagnuolo (65) also admitted to murder charges in 1979 and was sentenced to 10 years. Cherchio, the oldest at 69, and DiPietro were released seven years ago.
Experts analyze that "the aging of American criminal organizations is progressing," and "in the case of the mafia, it has become rare for members to become full-fledged before their 50s."
One reason cited is that as sports betting and other former sources of criminal organization funds have become legalized, younger members have fewer means to establish their positions within the organizations.
Former federal prosecutor and mafia expert Eli Honig said, "There is no mafia preparing for old age," adding that economic issues are also why the mafia cannot leave crime even as they grow older.
The NYT reported, "As the mafia ages, it is not uncommon for defendants in court to use canes, wheelchairs, or oxygen masks, or to appeal for leniency due to old age or treatment for chronic illnesses."
Meanwhile, Japan, where severe aging is a social problem, is also experiencing this phenomenon among violent group members known as "Yakuza."
In Japan, in 2020, members aged 50 and over accounted for 51.2% of violent group members, surpassing half for the first time. Those aged 70 and above increased sharply from 2.3% in 2006 to 10.7%, a 4.6-fold rise, while members in their 20s and 30s decreased significantly to 4.3% and 14%, respectively.
This phenomenon is attributed to the overall aging of society and the designation of ordinances in 2011 by local governments that disadvantage former violent group members. Once designated as a specified violent group member, opening bank accounts, issuing credit cards, subscribing to insurance, and activating mobile phones become impossible.
As a result, while younger generations rarely join, middle-aged members who face bleak prospects if they leave the criminal organizations tend to remain, accelerating the aging trend.
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