In the l980s a group of Israel s set up one of the most lucrative crime
syndicates in New York City s history. The gang s rackets ranged from
drug dealing to contract killing and were dubbed the "Israeli Mafia" by
the tabloids. They butted heads with the Italian Mafia, killed Russian
gangsters and pulled off the biggest gold heist in the history of NYC s
Diamond District. Ron Gonen, a successful cocaine dealer, wanted to end
his life as a career criminal and focus on caring for his wife and
infant daughter but Johnny Attias, a cold-blooded killer head of the
Israeli mob, had other plans. Ron was pressured into joining the Israeli
Mafia or become one of its victims. He paid a heavy price for his
crimes. When he messed up, he went to jail. When he really messed up, he
was nearly killed. In the end, after three decades as a gangster, he had
nothing to show for it. The book doesn t glorify Ron Gonen or the
criminal life. It reveals the workings of one of the most successful
Israeli gangs ever to operate on American soil. This is simply the story
of one of those gangsters."