The Aryan Brotherhood is the most ruthless, vicious, and unrelenting gang ever formed. They live by a code of violence and make goods out of death, drugs, prostitution and firearms.
The Brotherhood is a white supremacist prison gang called the Aryan Brotherhood or AB Brand. They have been a plague on the American prison and society at large for decades, and there seems to be no end to their nefarious activities. Although they make up about 1% of the total prison population, about 20% of crimes committed in prisons are committed by them.
The AB dates from the mid 1960s. They are said to have descended from an Irish biker gang, ‘The Blue Bird Gang’, an all-white prison gang formed to combat racist prison gangs created by the desegregation of US prisons. Their original goal was to rally and protect inmates of the Caucasian (white) race against notable black prison gangs such as the “Black Guerrilla Family”. However, this ideology has shifted to sheer profitability as the AB has been known to collude with gangs of other races for financial gain from drug trafficking, murder, inmate prostitution, etc.
Founder and leader of the Aryan Brotherhood
The origins of the AB brand can be traced back to San Quentin Prison, however, it became a major figure in its early years under Barry Mills and Tyler Bingham, who served multiple life sentences. These two were instrumental in creating and developing the gang’s power structure in 1980. Under them, the gang’s influence spread from federal to state prisons across America and beyond the prison walls.
In 1980, the AB brand developed a military-style hierarchical leadership structure such as presidents, vice presidents, majors, captains and lieutenants. They have a twelve-member council, elected by majority vote, equivalent to a three-member commission. This tight and efficient power structure has made the gang more powerful, dangerous and deadly. Some of its previous leaders, at some point referred to as generals, include: Barry Byron Mills, Larry Bryan, John Greschner, and Steven Stainless Cooke
This gang operates differently from the rest. The major crimes and atrocities they are most known for are prison prostitution, drug trafficking (mainly methamphetamines), armed robbery, kidnapping, arson, murder for hire, etc.
The office of the three-man commission was manned by the following people:
1. Michael Thompson : Who began his sentence in the 1970s. He faced a 7-year prison sentence for murdering two people. He headed the California branch of the commission from 1978 to 1983 before defecting and becoming an essential witness for the prosecution. He has testified in various court cases and assisted the authorities in fighting prison gangs and violence
2. Tyler Bingham : Born in 1947, of part Jewish descent, is known for his thick mustache and flowing beard with a Star of David tattoo. He and Barry Mills are currently serving 4 life sentences and serving on the federal commission
3. Barry Mills : Nicknamed “Baron”, he is primarily number one in the AB hierarchy. He served 4 life sentences before being found dead in his cell on July 8, 2018, the day after his 70th birthday.
Symbols and tattoos related to the Aryan Brotherhood
Members of the Aryan Brotherhood are identified with different types of symbols and tattoos. The main entry-level tattoo for a new member (referred to as an estate) is the brand patch, which consists of a shamrock, the letters “AB”, lightning bolts, and the number “666”.
As a member grows through the ranks (usually by beating guards or killing a black or Hispanic inmate), they earned other tattoos such as:
- The eagle “war bird”
- SS Blitz – to knock someone down
- Red Flash – to assassinate someone
- The Nazi swastika
- An iron cross
However, absent members are ordered to ink out their tattoos or burn them off by force.
The Brotherhood lives by a very strict code of “Blood in Blood out”. This means that membership in the gang is a lifetime commitment and the only way out is in a coffin. At the inauguration, each estate signs a form with sponsors and guarantors attesting to this and is made to take an oath.
Other facts
They communicate with the 400 year old binary system and have strict and different rules and constitutions. Members are expected to adhere to, comply with and conform to these when reviewing.
Treason by a member sanctions the death penalty.
Most of them are held in solitary confinement and kept away from other inmates because of their brutal personality.
Women are not allowed to be members, but some have been noted to support the gang’s ideologies.
All members are expected to donate a portion of their proceeds to a common gang purse during their gatherings.