--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wherever there's opportunity, the mafia…" description: "\"Wherever there's opportunity, the mafia will be there.\" — Johnny Kelly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/johnny-kelly-43823_mafia_wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-w_2429570.jpg" --- # Wherever there's opportunity, the mafia will be there. ![“Wherever there's opportunity, the mafia will be there.” quote by Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/johnny-kelly-43823_mafia_wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-w_2429570.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/johnny-kelly-43823_mafia_wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-w_2429570.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/johnny-kelly-43823_mafia_wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-w_2429570.jpg) > “Wherever there's opportunity, the mafia will be there.” [Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wherever opportunity arises, organized crime will seek to exploit it, highlighting the pervasive nature of mafia influence. **In simple terms:** Mafia follows opportunity. Key Takeaway Guard opportunities against exploitation. Themes crime opportunity corruption Mood cautious serious Type political warning When to use this quote - business ventures - political reforms - community projects Key Concepts organized crime economic incentives Questions to Reflect On - How can societies protect opportunities from mafia infiltration? - What safeguards deter organized crime? A Different Perspective Not all opportunities attract criminal interest. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Mafia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mafia/) [Opportunity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity/) [Opportunity Mafia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opportunity-mafia-263767/) ## Related quotes > [I'm very proud of being Italian-American, but people don't realize that the mafia is just this aberration. The real community is built on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chazz-palminteri/i-m-very-proud-of-being-italian-american-but-people-don-t-realize/) [Chazz Palminteri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chazz-palminteri/) > [The evolution of government from its medieval, Mafia-like character to that embodying modern legal institutions and instruments is a major part of the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/the-evolution-of-government-from-its-medieval-mafia-like-character-to/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [Unless you are absolutely positive that your wife has no connection to the Mafia, even three or four times removed, do yourself a favor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-d-pistone/unless-you-are-absolutely-positive-that-your-wife-has-no-connection/) [Joseph D. Pistone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-d-pistone/) > [You would go and play away in the south of Italy and there were Mafia people with their guns, it could be dangerous, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-di-canio/you-would-go-and-play-away-in-the-south-of-italy-and-there-were-mafia/) [Paolo di Canio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-di-canio/) > [I hate school. I'm dropping out and becoming a drug dealer. I'll join the mafia too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-school-i-m-dropping-out-and-becoming-a-drug-dealer-i-ll-join/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Stupid I-tai, bring a knife to a gun fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stupid-i-tai-bring-a-knife-to-a-gun-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you get to political machines that can control a state, then you're really into organized crime - almost. You're fighting a political mafia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/when-you-get-to-political-machines-that-can-control-a-state-then-you/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [International affairs is very much run like the mafia. The godfather does not accept disobedience, even from a small storekeeper who doesn't pay his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/international-affairs-is-very-much-run-like-the-mafia-the-godfather/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [As long as I could remember I always wanted to be a gangster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hill/as-long-as-i-could-remember-i-always-wanted-to-be-a-gangster/) [Henry Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hill/) > [“I was standing by the car when two police officers showed up in the alley, very interested in me and the BMW in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomas-adam-nyapi/i-was-standing-by-the-car-when-two-police-officers-showed-up-in-the/) [Tomas Adam Nyapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomas-adam-nyapi/) > [I spent much of my prison time reading. I must have read over 200 large books, mostly fictional stories about the American pioneers, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frazier-glenn-miller-jr/i-spent-much-of-my-prison-time-reading-i-must-have-read-over-200/) [Frazier Glenn Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frazier-glenn-miller-jr/) > [“They have secret weapons that break the heart of innocents, elevate stress levels, shoot down to make it look guilt. They can burn from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-karvouni/they-have-secret-weapons-that-break-the-heart-of-innocents-elevate/) [Maria Karvouni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-karvouni/) > [Some newspapers in Britain have become closer to these kind of mafia families. They wield an incredible power. They choose our governments, they choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/some-newspapers-in-britain-have-become-closer-to-these-kind-of-mafia/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [If you think about the traditional mafia stories we grew up on, it is always about the death of criminal organisations - things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/if-you-think-about-the-traditional-mafia-stories-we-grew-up-on-it-is/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [A rumor that followed me forever was that my family was in the mafia. For years I had to live with it. They'd call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuliana-rancic/a-rumor-that-followed-me-forever-was-that-my-family-was-in-the-mafia/) [Giuliana Rancic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuliana-rancic/) ## More by Johnny Kelly > [People think that it's their sovereign right to download music and not have to pay for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/people-think-that-it-s-their-sovereign-right-to-download-music-and/) [Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) > [P.C. is just too Big Brother - telling me how I should act and feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/p-c-is-just-too-big-brother-telling-me-how-i-should-act-and-feel/) [Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) > [Usually when attorneys are assembling a jury, they're just looking for sheep that are easily impressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/usually-when-attorneys-are-assembling-a-jury-they-re-just-looking-for/) [Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) > [Autumn is my favorite season.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/autumn-is-my-favorite-season/) [Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) > [I've been dying to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/i-ve-been-dying-to-play/) [Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) > [I'm 84 years old. Don't let the altar-boy face fool you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/i-m-84-years-old-don-t-let-the-altar-boy-face-fool-you/) [Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) > [I grew up in Brooklyn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/i-grew-up-in-brooklyn/) [Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) > [I don't like the idea that the government has so much of a say in things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/i-don-t-like-the-idea-that-the-government-has-so-much-of-a-say-in/) [Johnny Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) [Explore all 9 Johnny Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/) ## More Mafia quotes > [I'm very proud of being Italian-American, but people don't realize that the mafia is just this aberration. The real community is built on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chazz-palminteri/i-m-very-proud-of-being-italian-american-but-people-don-t-realize/) [Chazz Palminteri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chazz-palminteri/) > [If you think about the traditional mafia stories we grew up on, it is always about the death of criminal organisations - things like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-watkins/if-you-think-about-the-traditional-mafia-stories-we-grew-up-on-it-is/) [James Watkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-watkins/) > [Some newspapers in Britain have become closer to these kind of mafia families. They wield an incredible power. They choose our governments, they choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/some-newspapers-in-britain-have-become-closer-to-these-kind-of-mafia/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [“They have secret weapons that break the heart of innocents, elevate stress levels, shoot down to make it look guilt. They can burn from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-karvouni/they-have-secret-weapons-that-break-the-heart-of-innocents-elevate/) [Maria Karvouni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-karvouni/) > [I spent much of my prison time reading. I must have read over 200 large books, mostly fictional stories about the American pioneers, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frazier-glenn-miller-jr/i-spent-much-of-my-prison-time-reading-i-must-have-read-over-200/) [Frazier Glenn Miller, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frazier-glenn-miller-jr/) > [“I was standing by the car when two police officers showed up in the alley, very interested in me and the BMW in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomas-adam-nyapi/i-was-standing-by-the-car-when-two-police-officers-showed-up-in-the/) [Tomas Adam Nyapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomas-adam-nyapi/) > [As long as I could remember I always wanted to be a gangster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-hill/as-long-as-i-could-remember-i-always-wanted-to-be-a-gangster/) [Henry Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-hill/) > [International affairs is very much run like the mafia. The godfather does not accept disobedience, even from a small storekeeper who doesn't pay his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/international-affairs-is-very-much-run-like-the-mafia-the-godfather/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [When you get to political machines that can control a state, then you're really into organized crime - almost. You're fighting a political mafia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/when-you-get-to-political-machines-that-can-control-a-state-then-you/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [Stupid I-tai, bring a knife to a gun fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/stupid-i-tai-bring-a-knife-to-a-gun-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I hate school. I'm dropping out and becoming a drug dealer. I'll join the mafia too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-hate-school-i-m-dropping-out-and-becoming-a-drug-dealer-i-ll-join/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You would go and play away in the south of Italy and there were Mafia people with their guns, it could be dangerous, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-di-canio/you-would-go-and-play-away-in-the-south-of-italy-and-there-were-mafia/) [Paolo di Canio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-di-canio/) > [Unless you are absolutely positive that your wife has no connection to the Mafia, even three or four times removed, do yourself a favor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-d-pistone/unless-you-are-absolutely-positive-that-your-wife-has-no-connection/) [Joseph D. Pistone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-d-pistone/) > [The evolution of government from its medieval, Mafia-like character to that embodying modern legal institutions and instruments is a major part of the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglass-north/the-evolution-of-government-from-its-medieval-mafia-like-character-to/) [Douglass North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglass-north/) > [A rumor that followed me forever was that my family was in the mafia. For years I had to live with it. They'd call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuliana-rancic/a-rumor-that-followed-me-forever-was-that-my-family-was-in-the-mafia/) [Giuliana Rancic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuliana-rancic/) [Browse all 312 Mafia quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mafia/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wherever there's opportunity, the mafia will be there.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johnny Kelly" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-will-be-there/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Mafia" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-will-be-there/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/johnny-kelly-43823_mafia_wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-w_2429570.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/johnny-kelly-43823_mafia_wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-w_2429570.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/227/johnny-kelly-43823_mafia_wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-w_2429570.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wherever there's opportunity, the mafia will be there.” — Johnny Kelly", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Johnny Kelly", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-kelly/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wherever there's opportunity, the mafia will...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-will-be-there/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-kelly/wherever-there-s-opportunity-the-mafia-will-be-there/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```