Mafia (noun)

1. A secret criminal organization, typically one involved in organized crime, originally in Sicily.
2. A powerful group of people who control and influence a particular sphere or activity.

Origin:

Early 19th century: from italian, literally "boldness, swagger", from mafiusu "bold, swaggering", from mafio "bold".

Examples:

1. The police arrested several members of the mafia for racketeering.
2. The mafia controlled the city's construction industry.
3. The mafia's influence in the government was well known.
4. The mafia had a stranglehold on the local businesses.
5. The mafia's power was broken after a series of high-profile arrests.