The Corporation

The Corporation chronicles the rise and fall of Cuban American organized crime in the United States from the 1950s through the 1980s. This non-fiction account focuses on José Miguel Battle Sr. and the gambling empire he built after fleeing Cuba during the Castro revolution. The narrative tracks Battle's transformation from a Cuban police officer to the leader of "The Corporation," a criminal network that dominated the numbers racket across multiple states. Battle's organization operated with a complex mix of violence, political connections, and strategic alliances while maintaining deep ties to both anti-Castro movements and various criminal enterprises. T.J. English draws from court records, police files, interviews, and other primary sources to document The Corporation's activities across decades. The book reconstructs key events, operations, and conflicts while explaining the broader historical context of Cuban exile communities in the United States. The book reveals how political upheaval, immigration, and organized crime intersected during a pivotal period in Cuban-American relations. Through Battle's story, English examines themes of exile, power, cultural identity, and the American Dream's darker manifestations.

Readers value the deep research into Cuban organized crime and the connections drawn between Cuba, Florida, and New York's criminal networks. Many note the book reads like a thriller while maintaining historical accuracy. Readers appreciate the focus on individuals' stories and personal accounts that bring the history to life. Multiple reviews highlight English's ability to explain complex criminal enterprises in an understandable way. Common criticisms include: - Too many characters to keep track of - Narrative sometimes jumps between timeframes - Some sections become repetitive Average Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (300+ ratings) Sample reader comments: "Reads like a movie script but it's all real" - Goodreads reviewer "Could have been shorter without losing impact" - Amazon reviewer "The personal stories of Cuban exiles added depth that statistics alone couldn't provide" - LibraryThing review

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🔸 Author T.J. English spent three years conducting research for the book, including extensive interviews with Cuban exiles in both Miami and New Jersey who were directly involved in the Cuban criminal underworld. 🔸 The Corporation, also known as "The Cuban Mafia," maintained such strong ties to the CIA during the Cold War that some of its members were trained by the agency for the Bay of Pigs invasion. 🔸 José Miguel Battle Sr., the Corporation's leader, started as a vice cop in Havana under Batista's regime before building a $1 billion criminal empire in the United States centered around an illegal lottery called "bolita." 🔸 The organization's power was so extensive that it operated gambling operations in New York, New Jersey, and Florida while maintaining connections with criminal groups in Latin America and Spain. 🔸 The book reveals how the Corporation managed to operate for over 40 years despite multiple federal investigations, primarily due to its deep political connections and sophisticated money laundering operations through legitimate businesses.