Top5 Powerful Female Gang Leaders In History That Was Famous For Their Crime

In this article we will explore powerful female gang leaders in history. While men are often seen as gang leaders, women have also led powerful criminal empires. So let’s know about notorious female crime bosses.

5) Pearl Elliott

One of the powerful female gang leaders in history is Pearl Elliott was a famous Madam connected to notorious criminals during the prohibition era. Born in Hillisburg, Indiana, she had a troubled life and married several times before engaging in criminal activities. In the late 1920s, she ran a brothel in Cooko, Indiana, attracting police attention and facing frequent arrests. In 1929, authorities raided her home, charging her with operating a house of ill-repute, but the case was later dismissed.

Her criminal connections deepened when she became involved with bank robber Harry Pierpont, sheltering him and his gang after their escape from prison in 1933. By late 1933, Elliott was linked to John Dillinger’s gang, allegedly serving as their Treasurer. She was placed on the Public Enemies list and had a net worth of $40,000 after Dillinger’s death. Unfortunately, her life declined due to illness, and she spent her final days at her mother’s house.

4) Bonnie Parker

One of the powerful female gang leaders in history is Bonnie Parker, born in 1910 in Texas, met Clyde Barrow in 1930. After a troubled marriage, she partnered with Clyde in crime, helping him escape prison. Together, they engaged in a violent crime spree, accumulating $73,000 in stolen assets and causing numerous deaths. Bonnie was imprisoned for two months after a failed robbery but returned to crime with Clyde. Eventually, they were ambushed and killed by police in 1934.

3) Sandra Ávila Beltrán

One of the powerful female gang leaders in history is Sandra Ávila Beltrán, known as one of the most infamous female drug lords, emerged from a family entrenched in the drug trade in Mexico. Her connections with notable drug figures helped her build a vast empire, trafficking significant quantities of cocaine internationally. Her operations earned her a net worth of $15 million.

However, she was arrested in 2007, extradited to the U. S. in 2012 on drug trafficking charges, and later experienced various controversies during her imprisonment. After serving time in both countries, she was released and currently resides in Guadalajara.

2) Sister Ping

One of the powerful female gang leaders in history is Sister Ping, born in 1949 in Fujian Province, China, was a notorious human smuggler who operated from 1984 to 2000. She ran a large smuggling ring that brought over 3,000 people into the United States, earning over $40 million. Initially, her operation relied on forged documents for commercial flights, but it grew significantly after the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, leading her to use cargo ships to transport large groups.

Despite legal challenges, including a prison term for smuggling in Canada, she expanded her sophisticated network and hired armed enforcers. Her operation ended in 2000 when she was arrested in Hong Kong and extradited to the U. S. In 2006, she was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison and faced cancer in her final years.

1) Griselda Blanco

One of the powerful female gang leaders in history is Griselda Blanco, known as the cocaine godmother, led a $2 billion drug empire, primarily dealing cocaine in Miami during the 1970s and 1980s. Born in Colombia, Blanco’s life was steeped in violence as she got involved in crime at a young age. She dealt marijuana before moving into cocaine and faced multiple challenges, including the murder of her husbands tied to the drug trade.

Blanco was arrested in 1985 for cocaine trafficking but maintained influence even while imprisoned. She pleaded guilty to multiple murders in 1998 and was released in 2004 due to health issues. Blanco’s life ended violently in 2012 when she was killed by a motorcycle assassin in Medellin.