The Mystery of Chicago's "Zips": Potential links to Italian OC?

[PolackTony]

https://pin.it/4XZBmjC

The map looks like others I've seen published in Italy detailing oversees mafia operatives.

Looks like the information here on the Alleanza di Scondigliano and Licciardi clan having operatives based in Chicago was published in a 2009 book by Francesco Forgione: "Mafia Export: Come ’Ndrangheta, Cosa Nostra e Camorra hanno colonizzato il mondo". Forgione states that Camorra operatives owned a number of fashion boutiques in Chicago, though the exact years don't seem to be specified. The Alleanza formed in the 1990s, so anytime between then and 2009. Forgione also lists Aldo Cardellicchio and Giorgio Pelossi (discussed previously on this thread) as mafia operatives arrested overseas.

[PolackTony]

Cross-posting this from a thread Furio started on Camorra drug trafficker Umberto Ammaturo:

The son of a family with economic problems, he ends up in prison for the first time at the age of 14, once released began the cigarette smuggling in the 1960s, making a name for himself and making friends important Camorristi such as Antonio Spavone and Michele Zaza.

I wonder if Antonio Spavone was related to well-known Chicago singer and restauranteur Tony Spavone (Tony Spavone's Ristorante in Bloomingdale, IL). Tony Spavone came to Chicago as a kid in the 60s from Naples with his parents Giuseppe (also a longtime chef and restauranteur in Chicago) and Rita Spavone. The Spavone surname is not very common, so I think there's a decent chance they're related.

EDIT: Actually, this seems very possible. I note that Camorra boss Antonio Spavone was born 1926/05/15 and, per Wikipedia at least, was said to have fled to the US in the 1970s to undergo plastic surgery. I found a record for an Antonio Spavone resident in Chicago, birthdate 1926/05/15. Apparently, Antonio Spavone had a brother named Giuseppe, who fled to the US after being tortured by the police in Napoli.

FWIW, there are rumors that the Chicago Outfit used Tony Spavone's restaurant in the 1990s for making ceremonies, though to my knowledge those have not been substantiated. The place was an Outfit hangout back in the day, from what I know.

According to "Voce di Napoli", Antonio Spavone was hit in the face by a lupara blast from rival Sicilian mafiosi. He then stayed with his brother Giuseppe in the US while undergoing reconstructive surgery before returning to Napoli. Per a book on post-war Italy, "Constrostoria della liberazione" by Gigi Di Fiore, Antonio's brother Giuseppe Spavone was a member of a Camorra clan headed by "Gigino 'o Brigante" in the 1940s.

Seems pretty clear that Chicago's famous Tony Spavone is the nephew of notorious Camorra capo Antonio Spavone.

[PolackTony]

In 1966, the FBI received this intel from Rome concerning Michelangelo Chiacchio, mayor of the comune of Grumo Nevano and husband of Ricca's sister Luisa De Lucia. Rome told the FBI that their intel stated that Ricca hosted Michelangelo in NYC for a month:



Grumo Nevano is located north of the City of Napoli, by the notorious towns of Scampia and Secondigliano (i.e., "Gomorrah"-land). In 2017, Pietro Chiacchio, the mayor of Grumo Nevano was arrested on corruption charges. Also worth noting again that per information presented by the Italian Parliament, the Alleanza di Secondigliano Camorra group has had operations based in Chicago.

One of Ricca's other sisters, Clementina De Lucia, was married to Enrico Iervolino, who was the mayor of Ottaviano, the hometown of the De Lucia family, located on the eastern slope of Monte Vesuvio just east of Napoli City. Ottaviano was also ground zero for the formation of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata under Raffaele Cutolo, a native of Ottaviano. In the 2018 book "Mafia Violence: Political, Symbolic, and Economic Forms of Violence in Camorra Clans", it is noted that Salvatore La Marca (described as "the political wing of the Cutolos") rose to power under the administration of Iervolino:



Worth noting again here that in the 1980s/90s, the FBI had intel stating that leaders ("capos") of the Nuova Camorra Organizzata were residing in Chicago and Berwyn. One of these was Carmine Esposito (as noted on the "zips" thread), arrested in Chicago and extradited back to Italy to face charges related to 12 murders and heroin trafficking. Esposito was the capo of the De Sena clan (based in Acerra, the homeland of many Outfit members, from "Diamond Joe" to Solly D) and one of the top NCO leaders with the Cutolos. In true Chicago fashion, Esposito told the FBI when he was apprehended that his name was "John Michael Phelan", in a thick Napolitan' accent.

Cross-posting this from the other Chicago thread, as it is more relevant here.

Another thing to note about Carmine Esposito. When he was in Chicago, he was chef and co-owner with his wife (Giuseppina LaVentura) of Bravissimo, a very popular Italian restaurant located at Clark and Grand in River North. According to a 1987 article in the Chicago Reader, the liquor license at Bravissimo was held by an Agostino Siciliano, who told employees that he bred racehorses for a living. This was true, as in the late 80s Agostino Siciliano was banned by the IL racing commission after his horses tested positive for illegal drugs at the Hawthorne Racetrack. Siciliano was also the President of Bravissimo, Inc., incorporated in 1986. Looks like he was born about 1986, and today lives in Lake Barrington, so he seems to remain well off. Given his name (and his wife, Maria Siciliano), I think it's a good bet that he is from Italy himself, though I haven't confirmed his place of origin (I'd guess either Calabria or Puglia).

[PolackTony]

While on the subject of the NCO. According to Nicola Gentile, Paul Ricca was known as "il Comparello". This is an Italianized rendering of the Napulitan' term 'u Cumpariello. Cumpariello is a diminutive of cumpare, and is used to refer to a "godson" (which in Italian is figliocco), but in the context of Camorra clans, cumparielli are "acolytes" or members. According to NCO pentitto Francesco De Simone, after the blood oath ritual used by Cutolo/NCO for induction, initiates were referred to as cumparielli, signifying their "baptism" and membership in the Camorra.

[Antiliar]

I don't know if Gentile knew what Comparello meant in a Camorra context, but I think it's very probable that Ricca was a member. I also get the impression that Ricca didn't share his Camorra interest with the rest of the Outfit. Maybe back in the late Capone era it was distributed, but after that I don't see evidence that it spread to other Outfit members. Of course I could be wrong, it's just what I think based on what I read.

[PolackTony]

I don't know if Gentile knew what Comparello meant in a Camorra context, but I think it's very probable that Ricca was a member. I also get the impression that Ricca didn't share his Camorra interest with the rest of the Outfit. Maybe back in the late Capone era it was distributed, but after that I don't see evidence that it spread to other Outfit members. Of course I could be wrong, it's just what I think based on what I read.

Just thought it was worth pointing out the significance of the nickname, whether or not Gentile or any other LCN members understood it, as the recent posts touched on Ricca’s close relationships to powerful men in Ottaviano and the Scampia area and the later presence of top-level NCO figures in Chicago. One of the things that interests me is Ricca’s links to Naples during the latter period of his life. It’s in the 1960s/70s that Giuseppe Spavone and his brother, capo Antonio Spavone, fled to Chicago during a brutal war with a rival clan. Ricca obviously retained close ties to men who were influential politicians in Camorra strongholds up until the end of his life.

[Antiliar]

I don't know if Gentile knew what Comparello meant in a Camorra context, but I think it's very probable that Ricca was a member. I also get the impression that Ricca didn't share his Camorra interest with the rest of the Outfit. Maybe back in the late Capone era it was distributed, but after that I don't see evidence that it spread to other Outfit members. Of course I could be wrong, it's just what I think based on what I read.

Just thought it was worth pointing out the significance of the nickname, whether or not Gentile or any other LCN members understood it, as the recent posts touched on Ricca’s close relationships to powerful men in Ottaviano and the Scampia area and the later presence of top-level NCO figures in Chicago. One of the things that interests me is Ricca’s links to Naples during the latter period of his life. It’s in the 1960s/70s that Giuseppe Spavone and his brother, capo Antonio Spavone, fled to Chicago during a brutal war with a rival clan. Ricca obviously retained close ties to men who were influential politicians in Camorra strongholds up until the end of his life.

It's definitely interesting stuff. This is only the tip of the iceberg. I'm glad that you posted this info and created this thread.

[PolackTony]

I don't know if Gentile knew what Comparello meant in a Camorra context, but I think it's very probable that Ricca was a member. I also get the impression that Ricca didn't share his Camorra interest with the rest of the Outfit. Maybe back in the late Capone era it was distributed, but after that I don't see evidence that it spread to other Outfit members. Of course I could be wrong, it's just what I think based on what I read.

Just thought it was worth pointing out the significance of the nickname, whether or not Gentile or any other LCN members understood it, as the recent posts touched on Ricca’s close relationships to powerful men in Ottaviano and the Scampia area and the later presence of top-level NCO figures in Chicago. One of the things that interests me is Ricca’s links to Naples during the latter period of his life. It’s in the 1960s/70s that Giuseppe Spavone and his brother, capo Antonio Spavone, fled to Chicago during a brutal war with a rival clan. Ricca obviously retained close ties to men who were influential politicians in Camorra strongholds up until the end of his life.

It's definitely interesting stuff. This is only the tip of the iceberg. I'm glad that you posted this info and created this thread.

Thanks man, glad that you’ve found it interesting. There was clearly a lot happening that we are only just beginning to trace out. Another interesting point is that the Sacra Corona Unità was founded with the direct influence of Raffaele Cutolo and the NCO (organizing what were probably loose Pugliese criminal clans into a formalized Pugliese mafia structure) around 1981. But by the 1980s, the SCU was already operating in Chicago, essentially at their inception. I wonder very much about DiFronzo, as he was born in Capurso, Bari (where his mother was from, while his father was from Triggiano). As noted in an earlier post above, there was a capo in the SCU Palermiti clan (territory based around Triggiano and Capurso) named De Fronzo.

[Antiliar]

Thanks man, glad that you’ve found it interesting. There was clearly a lot happening that we are only just beginning to trace out. Another interesting point is that the Sacra Corona Unità was founded with the direct influence of Raffaele Cutolo and the NCO (organizing what were probably loose Pugliese criminal clans into a formalized Pugliese mafia structure) around 1981. But by the 1980s, the SCU was already operating in Chicago, essentially at their inception. I wonder very much about DiFronzo, as he was born in Capurso, Bari (where his mother was from, while his father was from Triggiano). As noted in an earlier post above, there was a capo in the SCU Palermiti clan (territory based around Triggiano and Capurso) named De Fronzo.

I can just imagine getting DiFronzo's FBI file to look for these SCU connections - only to find every page so heavily redacted that the only thing not redacted is the page number and FBI identification.

[PolackTony]

Thanks man, glad that you’ve found it interesting. There was clearly a lot happening that we are only just beginning to trace out. Another interesting point is that the Sacra Corona Unità was founded with the direct influence of Raffaele Cutolo and the NCO (organizing what were probably loose Pugliese criminal clans into a formalized Pugliese mafia structure) around 1981. But by the 1980s, the SCU was already operating in Chicago, essentially at their inception. I wonder very much about DiFronzo, as he was born in Capurso, Bari (where his mother was from, while his father was from Triggiano). As noted in an earlier post above, there was a capo in the SCU Palermiti clan (territory based around Triggiano and Capurso) named De Fronzo.

I can just imagine getting DiFronzo's FBI file to look for these SCU connections - only to find every page so heavily redacted that the only thing not redacted is the page number and FBI identification.

The redactions in Ricca’s files, where we’re dealing with redactions concerning guys who were dead 50 years ago, is headache enough, lol.

[B.]

Really interesting about the Comparello term. Gentile hated what the Camorra stood for but he was closely involved with the politics of Pittsburgh ones joining Cosa Nostra and knew some details about them. Ricca/Capone considered him a confidant during the Castellammarese War.

[PolackTony]

Gentile hated what the Camorra stood for

[PolackTony]

In the "General" Chicago thread, I noted that the license holder of the now-shuttered Cafe Cappuccino location on Grand Ave (near May St) was a Francesco Lappo. Lappo is a typical surname in Taranto. Both Cafe Cappuccino locations (Harlem Ave and Grand Ave) were known as Outfit hangouts and Aldo Cardellicchio was working at the Harlem Ave location when he was extradited back to Italy. Worth noting that one of the individuals charged in the early 90s gambling busts of these Italian social clubs was a Tomasso Lappo (from 08/05/1992 Tribune):



As a reminder, at the time of Giuseppe Vicari's murder in his Harlem Ave cafe, it was stated by LE that Vicari was associated with a Pugliese gambling faction in the Western burbs. Pedone is another Pugliese surname, while Fucarino I believe was probably Sicilian (the Fucarino surname seems to have been concentrated around Corleone and Prizzi). Gerardi is pretty widely distributed and could be from Sicily, Puglia, Campania.

As a follow-up here, given that Fucarino was probably from the Corelone/Prizzi area, the San LeoLuca di Corleone Society (founded in the early 1900s in Little Sicily, of course) today is headquartered in Addison, and a review of some family names has indicated to me that there were plenty of people that came to Chicago from Corleone post-WW2.

Cross-posting this from the "Chicago Hits" thread.

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=7179&p=180325&hili ... ne#p180325

Giacomo Ruggirello: Ruggirello was a Sicilian-born restaurateur who owned the popular Trattoria Ruggirello in the affluent North Shore suburb of Highwood. In September of 2010, Ruggirello was found dead in a house fire at his home in nearby Highland Park. Police discovered that earlier the same day Ruggirello's restaurant had been burglarized and its safe stolen. His death was ruled a homicide. Later in 2017, the Chicago Tribune reported that the FBI had overheard reputed Outfit associate and former CPD officer Steve Mandell discussing the fire the day that it occurred. Mandell is currently serving a life sentence in Florence ADMAX for a gruesome kidnapping/extortion/torture/murder plot of a Chicago businessman in 2012 (while awaiting trial in 2013 Mandell also tried to have a witness in his case killed). Another detail worth noting is that in 2013, the Tribune reported that shortly before his death Ruggirello had rewrote his will to disinherit his daughters and leave his estate to a friend, Vincenzo Governali of Corleone, Sicily (The Corleone mafia has of course had members by the last name Governali/Governale, including one time capo Antonio Governale).

According to other reporting by the Tribune, Giacomo Ruggirello's childhood friend from Corleone, Vincenzo Governali, came to Chicago for an extended stay with Ruggirello. After Governali departed back to Sicily, one of Ruggirello's friends (who would only speak to the Tribune anonymously) stated that Ruggirello began acting strangely, talking of having to pay off his debts and selling his restaurant. Also interesting that the Caffe Ruggirello in Corleone has been stated to have been a notorious mafia hangout in the past by a number of sources, and today is owned by Giovanni Ruggirello. In his 2012 obituary, Giacomo Ruggirello was stated to have had a brother named Giovanni. There are not millions of Ruggirellos in Corleone, and from what I can tell it may be one extended family. Ruggirello once told a local Lake County paper that his family owned a cafe back in Corleone, so it is very likely the same Ruggirellos. After Giacomo moved to Chicago in the 1970s, he operated a bakery for years in Cicero, and both Cicero and the Highland Park/Highwood area are of course part of the historic territorial sphere of the Cicero crew.

Worth noting again that Antonino Governale was alleged to have been the next in line to succeed Michele Navarra as capo of the Corleone family when he was abducted and murdered along with consigliere Giovanni Trombatore in 1957 by the Leggio faction of the family. As a side note, Leoluca Trombatore, longtime New Orleans member and cousin of Giuseppe Morello died in 1963. Some years later (not sure exactly when), Giacomo Ruggirello moved to New Orleans for a couple of years before returning to Chicago.

The idea that a psychopathic Jewish disgraced cop who was an associate of the Chicago mob may have murdered a guy in wealthy Highland Park over connections to the Corleonesi mafia would seem like something from a shitty B movie, but reality can be stranger than fiction.

[Patrickgold]

In the "General" Chicago thread, I noted that the license holder of the now-shuttered Cafe Cappuccino location on Grand Ave (near May St) was a Francesco Lappo. Lappo is a typical surname in Taranto. Both Cafe Cappuccino locations (Harlem Ave and Grand Ave) were known as Outfit hangouts and Aldo Cardellicchio was working at the Harlem Ave location when he was extradited back to Italy. Worth noting that one of the individuals charged in the early 90s gambling busts of these Italian social clubs was a Tomasso Lappo (from 08/05/1992 Tribune):



As a reminder, at the time of Giuseppe Vicari's murder in his Harlem Ave cafe, it was stated by LE that Vicari was associated with a Pugliese gambling faction in the Western burbs. Pedone is another Pugliese surname, while Fucarino I believe was probably Sicilian (the Fucarino surname seems to have been concentrated around Corleone and Prizzi). Gerardi is pretty widely distributed and could be from Sicily, Puglia, Campania.

As a follow-up here, given that Fucarino was probably from the Corelone/Prizzi area, the San LeoLuca di Corleone Society (founded in the early 1900s in Little Sicily, of course) today is headquartered in Addison, and a review of some family names has indicated to me that there were plenty of people that came to Chicago from Corleone post-WW2.

Cross-posting this from the "Chicago Hits" thread.

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=7179&p=180325&hili ... ne#p180325

Giacomo Ruggirello: Ruggirello was a Sicilian-born restaurateur who owned the popular Trattoria Ruggirello in the affluent North Shore suburb of Highwood. In September of 2010, Ruggirello was found dead in a house fire at his home in nearby Highland Park. Police discovered that earlier the same day Ruggirello's restaurant had been burglarized and its safe stolen. His death was ruled a homicide. Later in 2017, the Chicago Tribune reported that the FBI had overheard reputed Outfit associate and former CPD officer Steve Mandell discussing the fire the day that it occurred. Mandell is currently serving a life sentence in Florence ADMAX for a gruesome kidnapping/extortion/torture/murder plot of a Chicago businessman in 2012 (while awaiting trial in 2013 Mandell also tried to have a witness in his case killed). Another detail worth noting is that in 2013, the Tribune reported that shortly before his death Ruggirello had rewrote his will to disinherit his daughters and leave his estate to a friend, Vincenzo Governali of Corleone, Sicily (The Corleone mafia has of course had members by the last name Governali/Governale, including one time capo Antonio Governale).

According to other reporting by the Tribune, Giacomo Ruggirello's childhood friend from Corleone, Vincenzo Governali, came to Chicago for an extended stay with Ruggirello. After Governali departed back to Sicily, one of Ruggirello's friends (who would only speak to the Tribune anonymously) stated that Ruggirello began acting strangely, talking of having to pay off his debts and selling his restaurant. Also interesting that the Caffe Ruggirello in Corleone has been stated to have been a notorious mafia hangout in the past by a number of sources, and today is owned by Giovanni Ruggirello. In his 2012 obituary, Giacomo Ruggirello was stated to have had a brother named Giovanni. There are not millions of Ruggirellos in Corleone, and from what I can tell it may be one extended family. Ruggirello once told a local Lake County paper that his family owned a cafe back in Corleone, so it is very likely the same Ruggirellos. After Giacomo moved to Chicago in the 1970s, he operated a bakery for years in Cicero, and both Cicero and the Highland Park/Highwood area are of course part of the historic territorial sphere of the Cicero crew.

Worth noting again that Antonino Governale was alleged to have been the next in line to succeed Michele Navarra as capo of the Corleone family when he was abducted and murdered along with consigliere Giovanni Trombatore in 1957 by the Leggio faction of the family. As a side note, Leoluca Trombatore, longtime New Orleans member and cousin of Giuseppe Morello died in 1963. Some years later (not sure exactly when), Giacomo Ruggirello moved to New Orleans for a couple of years before returning to Chicago.

The idea that a psychopathic Jewish disgraced cop who was an associate of the Chicago mob may have murdered a guy in wealthy Highland Park over connections to the Corleonesi mafia would seem like something from a shitty B movie, but reality can be stranger than fiction.

Great write up Tony. Fascinating stuff. Definitely sounds like Ruggirello’s brother had a cafe in Corleone which is fascinating considering it was considered a mafia hangout. The fact that he had a place in Cicero in the 70s would make it almost impossible that he was not connected. Now if he owned gambling money, who would it be to? Domenic Poeta was busted a couple of years ago and was the biggest bookie on the North Shore. That’s the same area were Ruggirello lives and his restaurant was located. They would have to know each other. Did we every figure out which crew Ruggirello was linked up with? Was it the Cicero crew?

[B.]

Crazy stuff no matter what actually happened.

What the world needs is a modern Corleone mafia and Chicago connection. If it came out the Corleonesi arranged to have their paesan killed with the blessing of the Chicago Family we'd probably still have people talking more about Pete Tuccio and Merlino's clothes, but you've done a great job finding strange connections in Chicago even if we never know the true story.