Outlaw Empires

Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter explores the complete story of an iconic American outlaw dynasty: the Crips. Insiders tell a story of escalating turf battles, danger, violence, and ever-diminishing unity as the gang grew in size and power.

American soldiers returning from WWII longed for the excitement and shared purpose of battle. They banded together in motorcycle clubs, spawning a dynasty and the popularization of the American biker gangs. The dynasty lives to this day, though it has moved beyond just the exhilaration of the ride, to include violence and drug dealing.

From the 1800s to the early 1970s, Irish street gangs waged war for control of Boston's underworld. One infamous member, James "Whitey" Bulger, emerged as a lethal and legendary force. His disappearance and saga of betrayal made him one of the world's most wanted men.

They're the most notorious crime empire of all time, bound by profound bonds of blood and family. How the Gambino family became one of America's most powerful crime syndicates, only to be taken down by one of their own, is among the most gripping tales in modern history.

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.

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. But as the decades passed, it widened its influence outside of prison walls, and cultivated an empire of crime that uses drugs, weapons and intimidation to gain influence.