Gangster Al Capone during federal court proceedings in 1931. Black and white photograph. Alphonse Gabriel Capone ( January 17, 1899 - January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname Scarface, was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the Chicago Outfit. His seven-year reign as a crime boss ended when he went to prison at the age of 33