Gangs in Liberty City Stories shift control as Toni Cipriani moves through the city, with Family and street crew turf changing between the early and later campaign.
Role
Major Gangs
Major Gangs entries and their turf, look, and specialty within the game world.
Leone Crime Family
The Leone Crime Family is an Italian-American criminal organization led by Salvatore Leone in 1998. The Leones are based primarily in Portland's Saint Mark's district, with Salvatore's Gentlemen's Club serving as their headquarters.
- Role
- Major Gangs
- Territory
- Saint Mark's
- District
- Portland
- Leader
- Salvatore Leone
- Specialty
- Mafia family
- Gang color
- Black
Sindacco Crime Family
The Sindacco Crime Family is an Italian-American mafia family based in Liberty City and Las Venturas. During the events of the game, they are led by their Don, Paulie Sindacco.
- Role
- Major Gangs
- Territory
- Hepburn Heights; Fort Staunton
- District
- Portland; Staunton
- Leader
- Paulie Sindacco
- Specialty
- Mafia
- Gang color
- Grey
Forelli Crime Family
The Forelli Crime Family is an Italian-American mafia family based in Liberty City. During and after the events of the game, they are led by their Don, Franco Forelli.
- Role
- Major Gangs
- Territory
- Fort Staunton
- District
- Staunton
- Leader
- Massimo Torini proxies
- Specialty
- Mafia
- Gang color
- Black
Sicilian Mafia
The Sicilian Mafia is an unnamed Cosa Nostra family that, during the events of the game, is led by Salvatore Leone's unnamed uncle, Uncle Leone.
- Role
- Major Gangs
- Territory
- Staunton
- District
- Staunton
- Leader
- Massimo Torini
- Specialty
- Sicilian branch
- Gang color
- Black
Yakuza (3D Universe)
The Yakuza is a Japanese criminal organization based in Liberty City. During the events of the game, they are led by Kazuki Kasen.
- Role
- Major Gangs
- Territory
- Torrington
- District
- Staunton
- Leader
- Kazuki Kasen
- Specialty
- Protection
- Gang color
- White
Role
Minor Gangs
Smaller or mission-tied crews that appear less often but still shape specific jobs or districts.
Liberty City Triads (3D Universe)
The Triads are a Chinese gang based in Portland, Liberty City.
- Role
- Minor Gangs
- Territory
- Chinatown
- District
- Portland
- Specialty
- Heroin
- Gang color
- Blue
Colombian Cartel
The Colombian Cartel are a powerful Latin-American drug syndicate and street gang based in Liberty City. During the events of the game, they are believed to be led by Miguel.
- Role
- Minor Gangs
- Territory
- Fort Staunton
- District
- Staunton
- Leader
- Miguel
- Specialty
- Drug cartel
- Gang color
- Grey
Diablos
The Diablos are a Latin American gang based in Hepburn Heights, Liberty City. During the events of the game, they are led by El Burro.
- Role
- Minor Gangs
- Territory
- Hepburn Heights
- District
- Portland
- Specialty
- Street gang
- Gang color
- Red
Uptown Yardies
The Uptown Yardies, also simply known as the Yardies, are a Jamaican gang based in Newport, Liberty City. During the events of the game, they are led by King Courtney.
- Role
- Minor Gangs
- Territory
- Newport; Staunton
- District
- Staunton
- Leader
- King Courtney
- Specialty
- Drug trade
- Gang color
- Green
Southside Hoods
The Southside Hoods are a prominent Shoreside Vale street gang divided into two factions: the Purple Nines and the Red Jacks.
- Role
- Minor Gangs
- Territory
- Wichita Gardens
- District
- Shoreside
- Specialty
- Street gang
- Gang color
- Red
Liberty City Bikers
The Liberty City Bikers are an outlaw motorcycle club based in Portland, Liberty City. During the events of the game, they are led by Cedric Fotheringay, known as "Wayne".
- Role
- Minor Gangs
- Territory
- Cedar Grove
- District
- Shoreside
- Specialty
- Biker gang
- Gang color
- Black
Avenging Angels
The Avenging Angels are a group of vigilantes based in Liberty City. During the events of the game, they are led by Jesus Sentenz.
- Role
- Minor Gangs
- Territory
- Portland
- District
- Portland
- Specialty
- Vigilantes
- Gang color
- White
Liberty City Car Jacking Gangs
The Liberty City Car Jacking Gangs are an alliance of small-time vehicle thieves opposed by the Avenging Angels. Their leadership and base are never identified.
- Role
- Minor Gangs
- Territory
- Citywide
- District
- All districts
- Specialty
- Car theft
How gangs shape the map
Territory is the main clue. A gang that holds a district appears more often there, drives its favored cars through the streets, and posts members near mission givers or safe areas. Crossing a border can flip the crowd from neutral to hostile without any story trigger.
Colors and clothing confirm the faction before a weapon is drawn. Jackets, hats, and vehicle paint read faster than the minimap when traffic is dense or night has fallen.
Respect, missions, and hostility
Many entries in this era use a respect or loyalty system. Helping one gang can lower standing with its rivals and change which phones ring and which bosses trust you. That is why the same district can feel quiet in one chapter and tense in the next.
Mission ties matter when a job asks for a gang car or a specific neighborhood. Knowing which faction drives which vehicle saves a long search, especially where spawn points cluster near industrial yards, docks, or housing blocks.
Using the comparison fields
Leader, territory, district, gang color, symbol, gang car, and specialty stay together per row so you can compare factions at a glance. Specialty explains what the group does rather than where it parks, while territory and district explain where you will meet it. If a row shows no value for a field, that detail was not documented for this title rather than missing from the game.
FAQ
How do I tell gangs apart on the street?
Use clothing color, gang car, and district. A faction that favors a car or color in one neighborhood will repeat that pattern near its turf.
Why is a gang hostile without a mission trigger?
Territory and story progress decide hostility. Crossing into rival turf or advancing the story can flip a district from neutral to aggressive.
Do gangs affect available missions?
Yes. Boss phones and mission givers tie to specific crews, so respect or chapter progress changes who offers work and where the phone rings.
What does specialty tell me?
Specialty describes the crew business, such as narcotics, protection, arms, or political cover. It explains why a gang holds a particular district, how it looks and why it holds it.
Why are some fields blank?
A blank means that detail was not verifiable for this title. The row keeps the verified fields and leaves the rest empty rather than guessing.