Former G-Man William Ouseley calls recent mob-type activity the work of wannabes

William Ouseley, a retired FBI agent who has written about organized crime in Kansas City, says that recent indictments do not signal that La Cosa Nostra is making a comeback.

Ouseley, the author of Open City: True Story of the KC Crime Family 1900-1950, spoke to the Downtowners group on Wednesday. Ouseley sketched the history of organized crime in Kansas City, from Big Jim Pendergast‘s arrival through Nick Civella‘s affiliation with the Teamsters union.

During the Q&A portion, Ouseley was asked about the Mafia’s current state. Ouseley, who spent 21 years investigating organized crime, downplayed the recent breakup of an illegal sports betting operation. “There are wannabes out there,” he said.