The history of the US government working with organized crime dates back, at least, to the days of World War II when they needed information in preparation for the invasion of Sicily.  The intelligence apparatus had relatively few reservations about working with less than upstanding sources.  Operation Paperclip is sufficient evidence that this continued after the hostilities were over.  Castro's takeover of Cuba was another case where the interests of the intelligence community and organized crime ran in the same direction as the new dictator closed down some very profitable casinos in Havana.  As Daniel Marvin revealed, the Special Forces people were often dispatched to take out troublesome people overseas, but they refused to do such jobs on American soil.  This is where the connection between the intelligence community and organized crime became mutually beneficial.  By law, the CIA was forbidden to operate domestically, however as James Angleton pointed out, it was ridiculous to expect a secret intelligence agency to operate strictly to by the laws written for the civilian population... especially when the interests of the government and the bad guys aligned so well.   Quotes