General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

[SolarSolano]

Name doesn't ring a bell, but Frank Ciangi was named as one of Monteleone's collectors on the West Side. He was also Monteleone's driver for a time.

There was a Red Cigangi who was a Melrose Park guy around the Bastone's.

[PolackTony]

I certainly think the Lombardo involvement with drugs is plausible, especially considering his gang ties. Part of me also feels like he may have done this "off the record," especially if he was on the outs with Outfit higher-ups. Just a theory.

That's absolutely possible, we don't know for sure how the overall admin felt about these things or if Joey was planning on using this as a power move to eventually try to become boss (who knows). What does seem clear is that Cicero was also involved in similar stuff, but I'm not sure when that started. My belief is that apart from DiFronzo's feelings about street rackets, EP didn't need these sorts of moves as they were the crew most tied to the zips (though I think it's possible that Cicero also had ties in that direction).

[Coloboy]

And who knows, these drug plays could have been related to the fact that Accardo died the year before. Just speculation, but maybe it opened things up to explore those revenue sources.

[Snakes]

And who knows, these drug plays could have been related to the fact that Accardo died the year before. Just speculation, but maybe it opened things up to explore those revenue sources.

Well, all of their traditional rackets took a hit at this time, so turning to other sources of revenue may have been a necessity. Juice and protection rackets drying up? Shake down drug dealers. You're not peddling them directly, but still making a profit off of it by giving them permission to operate in a certain area.

[PolackTony]

And who knows, these drug plays could have been related to the fact that Accardo died the year before. Just speculation, but maybe it opened things up to explore those revenue sources.

Well, all of their traditional rackets took a hit at this time, so turning to other sources of revenue may have been a necessity. Juice and protection rackets drying up? Shake down drug dealers. You're not peddling them directly, but still making a profit off of it by giving them permission to operate in a certain area.

I think that a more serious move towards using the street gangs probably started in this period for the reasons that you’ve stated. After his time in the can and emerging to a different reality on the 90s, this move would make perfect sense for Lombardo to attempt to rebuild a power base for himself. He’s the kind of guy who I just don’t see as being content to sit around in semi retirement smoking cigars in the alley behind his building all day.

In terms of drugs in general, the move I strongly believe came earlier, under Carlisi if not Aiuppa. I’m not convinced at all that Accardo had the final say on this by the 80s. I don’t mean exacting street tax from dealers or engaging with street gangs who were primarily involved in street-level distribution operation, however. I mean higher up the food chain, trafficking. As always, made guys weren’t going to be directly involved in the operation of the racket.

[PolackTony]

And who knows, these drug plays could have been related to the fact that Accardo died the year before. Just speculation, but maybe it opened things up to explore those revenue sources.

Well, all of their traditional rackets took a hit at this time, so turning to other sources of revenue may have been a necessity. Juice and protection rackets drying up? Shake down drug dealers. You're not peddling them directly, but still making a profit off of it by giving them permission to operate in a certain area.

I think that a more serious move towards using the street gangs probably started in this period for the reasons that you’ve stated. After his time in the can and emerging to a different reality on the 90s, this move would make perfect sense for Lombardo to attempt to rebuild a power base for himself. He’s the kind of guy who I just don’t see as being content to sit around in semi retirement smoking cigars in the alley behind his building all day.

In terms of drugs in general, the move I strongly believe came earlier, under Carlisi if not Aiuppa. I’m not convinced at all that Accardo had the final say on this by the 80s. I don’t mean exacting street tax from dealers or engaging with street gangs who were primarily involved in street-level distribution operation, however. I mean higher up the food chain, trafficking. As always, made guys weren’t going to be directly involved in the operation of the racket.

Worth noting that it seems that Chuckie English was connected to the Huron and Hoyne LKs when he was killed in the 80s. I think clearly the case of a guy who was out of the loop and trying to rebuild by taking advantage of what opportunities for illegal income he probably had. Also interesting to note that the HH Kings were the immediate and most vicious enemy of the Ohio and Leavitt C-Notes (the Salas bros, who supposedly were tied to English, were former C-Notes who defected and opened an LK chapter in the 80s basically in what had been C-Note territory for decades).

[Antiliar]

Unrelated question....I will be in vegas in March for work. Anyone been to the Mob Museum? Worth the trip?

I've been to it. It has some interesting material. If you can go when there's a speaker or an exhibition, that's even better.
Scott D and Scott Burnstein are both on the Advisory Council.

[PolackTony]

In the interest of fomenting further discussion, especially in light of some of the info that we've been discussing as of late, I decided to post some excerpts from John Hagedorn's 2015 book "The Insane Chicago Way". Hagedorn had two Outfit members as sources (along with a number of senior members from the Latin Folks gangs, as Hagedorn has conducted research with Chicago gang members for decades). Hagedorn's primary source was "Sal Martino", allegedly a member of the Grand Ave crew. Another member source is called "The Don" (hopefully not The Don of ANP fame, lol), an older member. I'll post a number of pages from the text.

From the Introduction:

[PolackTony]

Excerpts from Hagedorn discussing the C-Notes and Lombardo. For context, Joey Bags was a Puerto Rican C-Notes leader who in the early 90s was the chief of the Ohio & Leavitt chapter and was also claimed to have been an Outfit associate under "Sal Martino".

[Snakes]

I forgot about another piece of information which I read a few months back. It stated that Sicilians and Sacred Crown (southern Italian mafia-type organization) were selling cocaine with the permission of the Chicago Outfit. They obtained the cocaine from sources in Texas and Florida and paid a street tax to a redacted name for distribution rights. Not sure why they'd redact William Messino's name, but it could be someone else who collected for drugs on behalf of the Outfit. These crews were running about 50-60 kilos of coke a month.

[PolackTony]

I forgot about another piece of information which I read a few months back. It stated that Sicilians and Sacred Crown (southern Italian mafia-type organization) were selling cocaine with the permission of the Chicago Outfit. They obtained the cocaine from sources in Texas and Florida and paid a street tax to a redacted name for distribution rights. Not sure why they'd redact William Messino's name, but it could be someone else who collected for drugs on behalf of the Outfit. These crews were running about 50-60 kilos of coke a month.

Good timing on this. Recently Cavita shared a 1993 FBI report on OC in Illinois with me. This report contains the information that you reference here and goes a good way toward fleshing out and confirming some of the things I was trying to piece together in the Zips thread. The FBI had intel that in the 80s and early 90s members of all four Italian mafia organizations were in Chicago — Cosa Nostra, Sacra Corona Unita, Nuova Camorra Organizzata, and the ‘Ndrangheta. The report specified that the FBI knew of three cocaine crews working on “behalf” of Chicago LCN composed of members or affiliates of Cosa Nostra and SCU from Sicily and Puglia and that together they were moving an estimated 50-60 kilos a month. They also have a redacted name for an ‘Ndrangheta member who “heads Chicago area ‘Ndrangheta activities” based on info from Italian authorities. They name three redacted NCO members living or operating in Chicago (one lived in Berwyn), including a “capo” of an NCO clan tied to Jackie Cerone, Jr (I’ve suspected for some time now that the Cerones have links to Italian OC). One of the other NCO members was Carmine Esposito, a high-ranking NCO member who was deported in 1987 when he was caught lamming it in Chicago working as a chef at Bravissimo Restaurant in River North.

The report also contains info about Sicilians in Rockford and WI but Cavita would be the man to discuss that.

[funkster]

Were Hagedorn's sources ones he spoke to in the 90s, or as recently as when he published the book in 2015?

Side note, that 4901 Roosevelt spot still looks like a shady social club lol

[PolackTony]

Were Hagedorn's sources ones he spoke to in the 90s, or as recently as when he published the book in 2015?

Side note, that 4901 Roosevelt spot still looks like a shady social club lol

In the 2000s. He says that "Sal Martino" approached him in 2010 to discuss writing a book and by this point "Sal" was in his 60s and considered semi-retired. He stated that his other source, "The Don" was also an older semi-retired member from a Sicilian mafia lineage who approached a short time before "Sal", so sometime in the 2000s.

That spot on Roosevelt definitely has "the look". Just needs an old sign that states "S.A.C.".

[PolackTony]

I forgot about another piece of information which I read a few months back. It stated that Sicilians and Sacred Crown (southern Italian mafia-type organization) were selling cocaine with the permission of the Chicago Outfit. They obtained the cocaine from sources in Texas and Florida and paid a street tax to a redacted name for distribution rights. Not sure why they'd redact William Messino's name, but it could be someone else who collected for drugs on behalf of the Outfit. These crews were running about 50-60 kilos of coke a month.

I'm thinking the redacted name may have been D'Amico. Just my take.

[Snakes]

Were Hagedorn's sources ones he spoke to in the 90s, or as recently as when he published the book in 2015?

Side note, that 4901 Roosevelt spot still looks like a shady social club lol

I can't believe these places used to be strip joints lol