alphonse gabriel "al" capone (january 17, 1899 – january 25, 1947) was an italian-american criminal mastermind. he grew up in brooklyn and moved to chicago where he led a crime syndicate in the prohibition-era that was known as the "capones". the capones were known for smuggling, bootlegging liquor and prostitution in chicago, illinois from around the 1920s until 1931. capone's organized crime reign ended in 1931, when he was put on trial for federal income tax evasion. found guilty, capone was sentenced to 11 years in prison.