Some of the most notorious outlaw biker clubs in the world are based in Illinois. These clubs are involved in a wide range of illegal activities, such as drug dealing, extortion, murder, and crime.
There is evidence that these groups have fought violently with other groups, law officials, and citizens in the past. Here is a list of some of Illinois’s most dangerous biker gangs:
Outlaws MC
With roots going back to 1935 in McCook, Illinois, the Outlaws MC is the oldest outlaw biker club in the world. With more than 3,000 members in 275 groups in 23 countries, it is the third-largest gang in the world, after the Hells Angels and the Bandidos. The FBI and Canada’s Criminal Intelligence Service both call the Outlaws an “outlaw motorcycle gang.”
The Outlaws and the Hells Angels have been rivals since the 1960s. Conflicts over territory, markets, and respect have been common in their relationship. There have been many deaths on both sides of these fights. The Outlaws also have ongoing fights with the Mongols, the Pagans, and the Sons of Silence, three other biker gangs.
Many well-known crimes have been linked to the Outlaws, including the bombing of the Hells Angels base in Montreal in 1974, the killing of a police officer in Wisconsin in 1994, the killing of a rival gang member in Florida in 2002, and the killing of eight Bandidos members in Ontario in 2006.
Mongol Nation
The Mongol Nation is a fairly new biker gang in Illinois, but they have quickly made a name for themselves as a tough and violent group. The gang was started in 1969 in Montebello, California, by Hispanic soldiers who were turned down by other biker clubs. It has since grown to include members from 14 states and several countries.
Police think that the Mongol Nation is one of the most criminal outlaw biker gangs in the United States. They deal drugs, mostly methamphetamine, and commit crimes like theft, attack, murder, and racketeering. People say that the gang committed hate crimes against African Americans and Jews.
A fierce competition with the Hells Angels has led to violent clashes, like the fight at the Laughlin River Run in 2002, the shootout at Harrah’s Casino in 2008, and the stabbing at the Denver Coliseum in 2011. Tensions with the Outlaws got worse in 2022, and a neighborhood war between the two groups led to a shooting in a bar on Chicago’s Southwest Side.
Peckerwoods
The Peckerwoods are an all-white outlaw biker club that was founded in 1987 in Santee, California. They are connected to the Aryan Brotherhood, a white racist prison gang. In Illinois, the club shares its beliefs and symbols and goes by the name Midwest Peckerwoods.
The Peckerwoods are known for their violent and racist behavior toward people of color, especially African Americans and Hispanics. They are involved in crimes like drug and weapon trafficking, burglary, theft, and murder. The club has had fights with the Hells Angels, the Mongols, and the Vagos, all of which are rival biker gangs.
The Peckerwoods are becoming a bigger threat to law enforcement because they are spreading their reach and power in the Midwest. A Mongols member was killed in Illinois in 2005, a Hells Angels member was killed in Arizona in 2009, and a Vagos member was killed in Nevada in 2010. The club is linked to these high-profile crimes.
Conclusion
In summary, Illinois is home to among of the world’s most infamous outlaw biker groups, which engage in a wide range of illegal activities, including drug selling and murder. The Outlaws MC, which dates back to 1935, has a historical history, but younger organizations such as Mongol Nation and Peckerwoods present current law enforcement issues.
Rivalries with other gangs, notably the Hells Angels, lead to deadly fights, making these criminal groups a chronic threat to public safety and law enforcement throughout the state.