Italy’s Mafia Uses TikTok to Rebrand and Reach Followers

A new study finds Italy’s crime clans are using TikTok to rebrand themselves, turning mafia codes into emojis, viral trends, and livestream “matches”—some even used to launder money.

Italy’s mafia is increasingly moving from silence to spectacle—using TikTok to glamorise criminal life, recruit followers, and experiment with new forms of money laundering. It only takes one emoji to spread a mafia message. Researchers found striking similarities between Italian and Mexican criminal strategies, including the use of music, luxury imagery, emojis, and viral trends to attract followers and build identities.

That’s the conclusion of a new report by Fondazione Magna Grecia, an Italian think tank and research foundation, titled “Mafias in the Digital Age.” The study analysed more than 6,000 TikTok posts published between 2023 and 2024, including videos, user profiles, emojis, music tracks, hashtags, and brands. 

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