The Most Infamous Female Gangsters In History

History is strewn with historical figures that committed heinous crimes, from everyday citizens and royal leaders who mistreated their subjects to power-hungry individuals who started an all-out war. Still, very little do we speak about famous figures in organized crime. Racketeers have been ransacking communities since the dawn of time. 

A few names come to mind when thinking of the typical gangster. Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel, and John Dillinger are just a few names that spring to mind. However, more often than not, it's only the men that are spoken about when thinking of organized crime. Although not as prominent as their counterparts, a few women in the course of history made their mark as infamous female gangsters.

Helen Gillis is one of the most notorious gangsters of all time

Helen Gillis was the wife of an infamous gangster and racketeer who went on a crime spree during the 1930s. Most commonly known as Baby Face Nelson, Lester Nelson was an American gangster who spent most of his career robbing banks. Helen had the perhaps unfortunate pleasure of marrying Lester in 1928 before later testifying against her husband's partner after his life was taken during a shootout with the police. Having not been heavily involved in her husband's escapades, Helen was still listed among the most wanted in the country. 

Opal "Mack Truck" Long was made infamous because of her size

Also being a member of John Dillinger's crew of racketeers, Opal Long was most commonly referred to as Mack Truck. Although no one called her that to her face, it became her nickname and was a reference to her size. She went along with the crime spree being a member of the "terror gang." Although she was not physically robbing banks, Opal was known to be more of an accomplice than anything else. She used to cook and clean for the gang, ensuring their hideout was spotless.

Stephanie St. Clair was infamous for her numerous enterprises

Stephanie St. Clair was an American crime boss who made her living during the 1920s. She was known most by her nickname "Queenie," but was also referred to as Madame St. Clair. Stephanie spent her days helping out her community by abusing policy banking. This was a way of investing and gambling and made her a nice living, but also aided in helping her community when black people were not allowed to invest legally.

Bonnie Parker goes down as the most known female American gangster

Probably known as one of the most infamous female gangsters in the world, the name Bonnie doesn't mean much without the addition of her partner, Clyde. The infamous duo was a pair of bank robbers in the 1930s who evaded police for a long time. However, their crime spree ended abruptly when they both lost their lives in a gruesome shootout with police in 1934.

Their names are forever remembered, being mentioned in movies and TV shows and sometimes even having their own full-length feature films. Although not mentioned a lot, several infamous female gangsters played a significant role in the making of their male counterparts. They were even sometimes noted to be just as dangerous.