General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

[funkster]

I didnt realize a CI said he was made.

Yes, and Panozzo is only a “Menza” as his mother was of Ukrainian and “hillbilly” ancestry.

Well you can certainly see the hillbilly in him lol

[Snakes]

I didnt realize a CI said he was made.

I should clarify that this C.I. was probably Hollingshead and that he "had the impression" that Panozzo was made. Your mileage may vary on that statement.

[PolackTony]

I didnt realize a CI said he was made.

I should clarify that this C.I. was probably Hollingshead and that he "had the impression" that Panozzo was made. Your mileage may vary on that statement.

If it were a made guy saying this we would obviously take it very seriously, but even still, if it really was Hollingshead I would think that his opinion still means something. Goes to strengthen the inference that Panozzo is made (and I’m of the opinion that he most likely is) even if it’s not a clincher.

[Wiseguy]

The idea there is plenty of evidence for Outfit involvement in drugs over the past 20+ years simply isn't true. Not if you actually go back and examine the cases - or lack of them - over that time period. Which most aren't willing to do.

Not sure what DiFronzo having a son OD has to do with anything other than to just be a distraction. Or Carpellis dad calling him a drug dealer, for that matter. The marijuana grow bust DiFronzos brother was involved in was from the 1990s. Same for the Messinos. Plescio was also from the 1990s. The 1980s, really.

People bring up the PK crew. They were a robbery crew, first and foremost. Not drug traffickers, per se. They did move into robbing drug stash houses and obviously, when they got their hands on drugs, they sold them. They weren't going to just leave the drugs or flush them down the toilet. But when it comes to any claim the Outfit has had a lot of involvement in drug trafficking in the last 20 years, the PK crew is a somewhat misleading example.

The DeFillipis/Catalano case is a better example of what we've seen in Chicago over the past 20 years. A guy here or there, with loose connections, dealing. Unlike New York, you don't see these cases in big numbers. And you don't see any made members (the few left) involved.

And speaking of members, I'd have to see a lot more convincing evidence that Panozzo ever sniffed a button.

[PolackTony]

People bring up the PK crew. They were a robbery crew, first and foremost. Not drug traffickers, per se. They did move into robbing drug stash houses and obviously, when they got their hands on drugs, they sold them. They weren't going to just leave the drugs or flush them down the toilet. But when it comes to any claim the Outfit has had a lot of involvement in drug trafficking in the last 20 years, the PK crew is a somewhat misleading example.

I don’t think you’re wrong that they were primarily a robbery crew (and robbery/burglary has been a staple for the C-Notes since way back, along with drugs, albeit the latter more in terms of street level distribution). They were equal opportunity predators, of course, so guys like Panozzo had their hands in a lot of pots. My point has been that if they were regularly ripping off significant quantities of drugs, that seems to amount to more than an ad hoc level of involvement in drugs, though they were not solely or even primarily a “drug operation”. Likely they used their close ties to major street gangs to offload the product that they ripped.

The DeFillipis/Catalano case is a better example of what we've seen in Chicago over the past 20 years. A guy here or there, with loose connections, dealing. Unlike New York, you don't see these cases in big numbers. And you don't see any made members (the few left) involved.

I think the Catalano/DeFillipis thing was most likely the outline of an underlying Outfit-connected pill mill operation, given that one of these guys was found with a ~300 pill Rx from Joe Giacchino in his glove compartment. There are many gaps in our understanding of what happened here obviously, as one of these guys never turned up and the other is a cold case murder. So my views on the matter are a belief, of course, one that I think is warranted and reasonable but certainly not a proven fact.

And speaking of members, I'd have to see a lot more convincing evidence that Panozzo ever sniffed a button.

Fair enough. If it were an even/or proposition and I were forced to place a bet, I’d bet that Panozzo was made. That’s just my current belief or suspicion, again. The CI statement that Snakes referenced helps to strengthen my belief, but it’s far from confirmatory. I certainly wouldn’t be shocked if Pinocchio never got his button. Your skepticism isn’t unwarranted here either.

[Dave65827]

One question I have is with the cooperation of Hollingshead wouldn’t there have been more arrests? Maybe I’m missing something but I’m pretty sure he was around more people than the Pannozo crew. Not to mention that suspect hit Norberto Valentez? I think there would be been more indictments or something I remember reading it

[PolackTony]

One question I have is with the cooperation of Hollingshead wouldn’t there have been more arrests? Maybe I’m missing something but I’m pretty sure he was around more people than the Pannozo crew. Not to mention that suspect hit Norberto Valentez? I think there would be been more indictments or something I remember reading it

I dunno, the extent and implications of Hollingshead’s cooperation remains a question for me. I suspect that they may have been trying to work a case up the food chain against Vena. Either that’s still in the pipes somewhere, or it “died on the vine” for whatever reason. Could be that they just didn’t have enough from Hollingshead to put anything on Vena or Spina, and he wasn’t able to provide them with more on Bobby and Paulie than what came out in the P-K sting bust and aftermath.

[SolarSolano]

One question I have is with the cooperation of Hollingshead wouldn’t there have been more arrests? Maybe I’m missing something but I’m pretty sure he was around more people than the Pannozo crew. Not to mention that suspect hit Norberto Valentez? I think there would be been more indictments or something I remember reading it

I dunno, the extent and implications of Hollingshead’s cooperation remains a question for me. I suspect that they may have been trying to work a case up the food chain against Vena. Either that’s still in the pipes somewhere, or it “died on the vine” for whatever reason. Could be that they just didn’t have enough from Hollingshead to put anything on Vena or Spina, and he wasn’t able to provide them with more on Bobby and Paulie than what came out in the P-K sting bust and aftermath.

Hollingshead's role from my view was exaggerated - I don't think he was ever around DiFronzo and higher-ups. I was told he was from Grand Avenue not Taylor Street and I think a lot of these goofy mob sites kind of blew that all out of proportion. I do know he was close to the Spina family and you can see that in court docs - why nothing has come out of this, may simply be because Chris and his brothers know how to run things legitimately enough to avoid getting pinched - they won this case and multiple others against drivers who complained of shitty trucks - this is a good overview of what they would do and I expect still are to an extent:
https://casetext.com/case/lewis-v-chica-trucking-inc


re: Drugs and the Outfit - no one is comparing them to NYC or anyone else for that matter. But certainly, the Outfit is involved in drugs. Polchan and plenty of other guys in Sarno's crew all had cocaine charges on their records - these guys are lowlifes - they look at drugs as a liquidity option.

[Coloboy]

It seemed the feds really had it out for Grand Ave about 6 or 7 years ago, and I have to think Vena was the ultimate target. They busted Panozzo and his crew, that shit with Mandell was related to Vena, busted Chuckie Russell. I think the feds knew those guys were up to some serious old school street shit and they were a prime target.

My question is do Vena/Spina have anyone left in that crew? Besides Bobby Dominick can we think of any active/confirmed guys that are still doing their thing?

[SolarSolano]

It seemed the feds really had it out for Grand Ave about 6 or 7 years ago, and I have to think Vena was the ultimate target. They busted Panozzo and his crew, that shit with Mandell was related to Vena, busted Chuckie Russell. I think the feds knew those guys were up to some serious old school street shit and they were a prime target.

My question is do Vena/Spina have anyone left in that crew? Besides Bobby Dominick can we think of any active/confirmed guys that are still doing their thing?

Spina's brothers John and (Anthony?) and probably some younger kids and guys we've never heard of if I had to guess. I really don't know anyone associated with the Outfit under 40 at this point to be honest.

[PolackTony]

One guy that I wonder about is Bobby Panozzo Jr, as he was released from prison and is reputed to be a high-ranking C-Note (allegedly he’s calling shots for the Ohio & Leavitt Notes, which if true wouldn’t surprise me in the least). Even with his Italian surname, he is only 1/4 Ital and thus presumably wouldn’t ever be made (assuming just for the sake of argument that they’re even making guys anymore).

[Snakes]

Hopefully have some good stuff coming soon. Will be sure to share anything interesting I find.

[Antiliar]

Just some notes:
Names................................ Ancestral Place of Birth
Fiore Buccieri....................... San Pietro Guarana, Cosenza (father); Monte Luvito [possibly Monte Oliveto, Tuscany] (mother)
John (Jack) Cerone.................Muro Lucano, Potenza
Sam Battaglia.......................Termini Immerese
Johnny Genero (Annerino)........Termini
Anthony Capezio................... Muro Lucano
Joseph D'Andrea................... Pizzone, Molise
Bruno Roti Sr........................Simbario, Vibo Valentia
Frank (Skid) Caruso................Termini
Frank Rio............................Oliveto Citra, Salerno
Nick Circella........................San Bartolomeo in Gallo, Benevento, Campania
Rocco Potenzo......................Laurenzana, Potenza
Rocco (Gramps) DeGrazia........Trivigno, Potenza
Fischetti bros.......................San't Angelo dei Lombardi, Avellino
Rocco Fanelli.......................Ricci, Campobasso

[PolackTony]

Just some notes:
Names................................ Ancestral Place of Birth
Fiore Buccieri....................... San Pietro Guarana, Cosenza (father); Monte Luvito [possibly Monte Oliveto, Tuscany] (mother)
John (Jack) Cerone.................Muro Lucano, Potenza
Sam Battaglia.......................Termini Immerese
Johnny Genero (Annerino)........Termini
Anthony Capezio................... Muro Lucano
Joseph D'Andrea................... Pizzone, Molise
Bruno Roti Sr........................Simbario, Vibo Valentia
Frank (Skid) Caruso................Termini
Frank Rio............................Oliveto Citra, Salerno
Nick Circella........................San Bartolomeo in Gallo, Benevento, Campania
Rocco Potenzo......................Laurenzana, Potenza
Rocco (Gramps) DeGrazia........Trivigno, Potenza
Fischetti bros.......................San't Angelo dei Lombardi, Avellino
Rocco Fanelli.......................Ricci, Campobasso

Thanks for posting. Fits the genealogies that I have for all of these guys, FWIW. I know why you think that the Buccieri brothers’ mother, Luigina Cesario, may have been Toscana, but I’m pretty sure that the “Monte Luvito” thing is a misspelling of Motta di Rovito, a frazione of Rovito (“Ruvítu” in Calabrisi), Cosenza. From what I have from her and her family’s arrival in the US in 1902, they were from Rovito, Cosenza.

Further, I suspect that the Buccieris may have been cousins of some sort to Santo “Sambo” Cesario, whose family was from Rovella, Cosenza, very close to Rovito. Even if the kinship wasn’t close, given that they were all Cosentini from Taylor St, they may have considered themselves “cousins”.

[PolackTony]

Also, I’ve mentioned this before, but so many people from Trivigno, Potenza settled in Chicago that they were given the nickname “Trivies” in Chicago’s Italian communities back in the day (similar to how people from Ricigliano, Salerno were called “Richies”). There were some other Outfit guys from Trivigno, but I’m spacing on who exactly at the moment and don’t have my notes handy.