Many mobsters were immigrants from Italy, Ireland, and Russia, and they were involved in bootlegging as well.  Bootlegging in big cities such as Chicago and New York brought huge profit to mobsters. During the Prohibition, people and speakeasies relied on mobsters to get their supplies of alcohol. Speakeasies stocked up on alcohol to last for years, and much of their supply was from mobsters. Mobsters typically smuggled and stole alcohol from stores before the Prohibition, and got it from other sources during the Prohibition. People easily gave up their alcohol because the mobsters would threaten them with severe consequences like murder for victims and their families. Some famous mobsters who made money off of bootlegging were Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, and Arnold Rothstein.  Overall, bootlegging was a very easy and efficient way for mobsters to get money during the Prohibition.