what is bd gang

The Black Disciples (BDs) is a large street gang based in Chicago, Illinois. The gang was formed in 1958 by a group of young teenagers from Hyde Park, Englewood, and Kenwood who came together as friends to create an alliance to combat their enemies. The BDs arose from the splintering of a larger gang, the Black Gangsters Disciples, and currently has as many as 300 sets, each with 30-40 members and a similar organizational structure. The lowest-ranking members in each set or dynasty are soldiers or representatives, while the permanent leadership ranks include Minister, Assistant Co-Minister, and the Demetrius. The top living boss is King Shorty, also known as the crowned king. The BDs are involved in various criminal activities such as arms trafficking, burglary, extortion, drug trafficking, illegal gambling, kidnapping, money laundering, murder, racketeering, robbery, and theft. The gang sponsors drug selling and syndicated gambling, and ritualized violence maintains internal discipline. The BDs pose less of a threat than more centralized gangs due to their nature and their inability to keep many older members. However, its top leadership makes a good living off its type of youth slavery and by opening up new operations in new geographical areas.