Crime boss

A crime boss is one who is in charge of an organization whose primary objective is the acquisition of wealth and power through illegal means. Crime bosses come in all shapes and sizes and their personal circumstances and ambition may guide them towards the type of crime boss they wish to be. Few start out as the leader of a criminal organization, and most rise through the ranks either through recognition of their own merits, or they inherit it as a member of a crime family. The different types of criminal organizations may include corporate ties, drug cartels, organized crime, or smaller gangs.

In fiction

 * Pulp Fiction: In the 1994 action film Pulp Fiction, the character of Marsellus Wallace was the leader of a crime cartel based out of Los Angeles County, California. The exact nature of Wallace's organization is unclear, but it appears that he was the leader of a racketeering mob, who also rigged sporting events. Marsellus himself was quite successful and had business dealings as far across the country as Florida. As a crime boss, Marsellus Wallace sent two of his hitmen, Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield, out on a mission to retrieve a highly valuable briefcase from a group of young associates. He also pressured washed up boxer Butch Coolidge into throwing a fight, and later went after Butch when Butch turned the tables on him.