Organized crime in the digital age. From criminal online platforms to cybermafias

• In Event: WG Organized Crime and Criminal Networks Panel 3. Organized crime in the digital age

Abstract

In the digital age of Web 4.0 and the platform society, cyberspace has become increasingly central not only to the organization of social life, politics, work, and business but also to the dynamics of criminality. In recent years, investigators and cybersecurity experts have observed both a rise in the operations of structured cybercriminal groups and a growing online presence of traditional mafias. This presentation aims to analyze this emerging phenomenon by investigating how organized crime is changing in a digital society. Drawing on research based on extensive judicial documentation, the analysis will examine a diverse range of cases, focusing primarily on two distinct types of online criminal groups: digital platforms used for criminal purposes (e.g., cryptomarkets and online pedophile communities) and mafia groups that have turned to various online illicit activities, such as gambling and banking fraud. The discussion will explore the organizational structures, activities, and power dynamics that characterize these forms of organized cybercrime. By relying on selected case studies, the presentation will highlight these two evolving trends within organized crime that raise new conceptual and analytical challenges. Ultimately, the goal is to offer critical reflections on traditional concepts of organized crime in the context of ongoing digital transformations.

Author

• Lorenzo Picarella, University of Turin