Manuel Medrano is a former member of the Arizona Mexican Mafia, also known as the New Mexican Mafia, a US prison gang. He was in and out of the Arizona Department of Corrections for 20 years and served time for armed robbery and drug trafficking. Medrano speaks with Business Insider about the gang structure and hierarchy, as well as ties to the cartels. He covers gang tattoos, language, and rivalries with the Border Brothers. He also talks about the loose alliance the gang had with the Aryan Brotherhood. Medrano discusses corrupt prison guards and offers his opinion on mass incarceration and US drug policy. Medrano now runs Phase Two of Life, an Arizona-based charity. He also runs the YouTube channel Chronicles, where he speaks to former gang members. The Mexican Mafia, also known as La Eme, originated in 1957 in the California prison system. According to law enforcement, the gang is splintered into the New Mexican Mafia, founded in Florence, Arizona, around 1974, and other factions. Many prison gangs in the US take the name Mexican Mafia, including the Mexikanemi, or Texas Mexican Mafia. Find out more: phasetwooflife.org https://www.youtube.com/c/CHRONICLES1 00:00 - Intro 00:27 - Joining the Gang 02:57 - The Rules 06:06 - The Expansion 07:14 - The Hierarchy 08:29 - The Rivalries 11:18 - On the Street 13:57 - The Money 16:45 - The Recruitment 18:17 - The Codes 21:02 - The Guards 25:13 - The Sting 30:06 - The Aftermath 32:08 - The Future 33:47 - Credits MORE HOW CRIME WORKS VIDEOS How Prison In Russia Actually Works | How Crime Works | Insider https://youtu.be/ZVgHfUaI3LY How Counterfeit Rolexes Actually Work | How Crime Works | Insider https://youtu.be/TzEi95mhVI4 How Car Theft Actually Works | How Crime Works | Insider https://youtu.be/EHevgEKGwhY ------------------------------------------------------ #mexicanmafia #crime #insider Insider's mission is to inform and inspire. Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: https://www.businessinsider.com/ Insider on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/insider Insider on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insider Insider on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thisisinsider Insider on Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Insider/2708030621 Insider on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@insider How US Prison Gangs Actually Work (New Mexican Mafia) | How Crime Works | Insider