Interesting.Coloboy wrote: ↑Tue Feb 01, 2022 9:38 am In the interest of stimulating conversation, I'm going to share some personal anecdotes on the current outfit. Take it for it is, I have nothing to prove here, just thought it may be interesting to share a perspective.
My grandfather is 90 years old, 1st generation Italian American, grew up around Grand Ave, and currently still resides in his home in Elmwood Park, where he has lived for the past 60 years. Refuses to move out. He has breakfast every Sunday with a group of "old timers"...all Italians, and has always been socially connected to outfit figures. He was the one who stimulated my interest in the outfit, and eventually led me to sites like this one. He still has a bookie, if that helps you visualize the kind of guy we are talking about. Never was an outfit guy, but knew D'Amico, Joey Lombardo, and a few others socially. I pick his brain all the time, mostly on older stuff. Calls them "mustaches" when referring to outfit guys.
His take on the current outfit is that they are "mostly legit", but they are still around. Says the real outfit guys all own several businesses like restaurants, construction companies, car washes, real estate, insurance companies, etc. The young guys and associates are the ones directly doing the remaining illegal work like bookmaking, loan sharking, credit card scams, extortion, etc. The "legit" made guys finance much of it, and get kicked up to. He even calls it a "Wop Business Club" jokingly. They all lend money to each other, invest in businesses, etc. Says there will always be an outfit because there are always at least some young guys who want to make a quick buck.
Essentially it seems to me that there is a small core group of made men left, who on the surface operate legit biz, but still profit from and finance illegal activities. The young guys do most of that type of activity and strive to get to the level of the older made guys. Violence seems to be way less common, but of course I'm sure there are pockets still capable.
It my educated guess that they are still making guys every once in a while. I would not be surprised if it was a situation where once you are made, you are essentially a partner in the "club", getting a small piece of everyone's businesses. Could be one of the reasons they are so careful about who gets brought in.
Having lived in EP for most of his life, he was an acquaintance of DIfronzo as well. Says that he was the #1 boss from the early 90's through early 2010's before the Alzheimer's crippled him. Says basically everyone who is the know in the area was aware of that and that is was un-questioned.
I personally see not much in the way of convincing evidence of them still making members. But even assuming they have, the declining numbers over the years show it's not keeping up with attrition.
It also brings up a point that I mentioned in another thread. Once the small core of made members in the Outfit are dead, by definition the Outfit is gone, regardless of who else is still alive or what they're involved in.
Even now, I think much of what gets labeled as "the Outfit" is quasi-legit associates, descendants of dead members or associates who are a part of legit society but may have been given a job, union position, etc.