Al Capone was a notorious gangster who dominated organized crime in Chicago from 1925 to 1931. He was born on January 17, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in a large family. Capone dropped out of school at age 14 and became involved with street gangs. He became a member of Johnny Torrios gang and later became the crime czar of Chicago after Torrio retired to Italy. Capone ran gambling, prostitution, and bootlegging rackets and expanded his territories by gunning down rivals and rival gangs.

Capone was arrested several times for various crimes, including tax evasion, and was eventually convicted and sent to prison. While in prison, Capone showed signs of neurosyphilis and became increasingly debilitated. He was released after almost eight years of incarceration and spent the last years of his life at his mansion in Palm Island, Florida, with his wife and grandchildren. On January 21, 1947, Capone had a stroke and contracted bronchopneumonia. He suffered a cardiac arrest on January 22, and on January 25, surrounded by his family in his home, Capone died after his heart failed as a result of apoplexy. He was buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.