Hells Angels
| Abbreviation |
|
|---|---|
| Founded | March 17, 1948 |
| Founder | Otto Friedli |
| Founded at | Fontana, California, U.S. |
| Type | Outlaw motorcycle club |
| Headquarters | Oakland, California, U.S. |
Region | Worldwide (592 charters in 66 countries) |
| Membership | 6,000 |
Key people | Sonny Barger |
| Website | Official website |
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is an international outlaw motorcycle club founded in California whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Common nicknames for the club are the "H.A.", "Red & White", and "81". With a membership of over 6,000, and 592 charters in 66 countries, the HAMC is the largest outlaw biker club in the world.
The Hells Angels have a history of involvement in organized crime, such as drug trafficking, and engaging in violent conflict with other outlaw motorcycle clubs. Involvement in organized crime and violence has historically extended to the organization's most senior leadership. Many police and international intelligence agencies, including the United States Department of Justice, the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada, the Australian Federal Police, and Europol, consider the club an organized crime syndicate.