General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

[funkster]

I used to walk past Richards every day on my commute to work. I've tied one on with Bobby numerous times and he's always been a super nice guy. I've never mentioned the mob or anything like that, but he's bought me countless drinks over the years and always been super friendly.

I worked in politics/government in those days and he would always try to get my business card or ask questions pertaining to my employment, but I would always play coy and change the subject as quick as possible.

This is a good article, for anyone who's never seen it that kind of explains his pull in the area. https://chicago.suntimes.com/2015/10/10 ... and-an-sro

I walk past with my kids, who have very very Italian names, and Bobby always says hi and runs into Richard’s and gives them lollipops, so I can’t say a bad thing about him. The thing about Richard’s is it has multiple entrances and exits, so I’d imagine it’s damn near impossible to bug/surveil. That SRO is one of the last ones, I believe Salvation Army shut down their SRO building across the street on Grand or they’ve just let that building go to absolute shit. Spina owns the “boarded up” buildings on the Southside of Grand across the street from Bennett Private School… my guess is he’s holding out to make millions as they keep expanding and building out their campus. I also know he owns the building where the office of Re-elect Walter Burnett was located and there used to be a barbershop. The guy who owns the Huron Social club also owns the building where Passport bar and Donut Slut used to be, it’s now a bagel place and bar (random as fuck I know). Rumors are that the Cozzo’s own the gas station on Grand and Ashland (northside of Ashland) that is pretty blatantly a cash drop/joker slots establishment/money laundering operation. I don’t know the guys name, nor if he is connected, but he’s always at the gas station with a huge lit cigar taking slips from people that play the slots. He’s also at Imperial talking with Joe quite a bit and I’ve seen him at Salerno’s as well. That neighborhood is very very interesting at night walking around.

The passport/donut slut building was an old Capone era speakeasy. There are articles from back then talking about how it got raided. I went multiple times, a guy I knew was throwing nights there. It's very clear the downstairs was an old school watering hole, it's tiny and narrow with a ton of the original brick. The owner of HSAC is Jack LaRocca, who also owned the coffee shop across from smith park they all hung out at in the 90s. Doesnt' surprise me it maintain its outfit roots if you are correct.

Spina definitely owns the building you mentioned where the barber shop was, as i said a few years ago his name was on the mailbox. Funny, when the stabbing went down at Richards, Burnett vocally said Richards and its owners have always been a pillar of the community or something to that effect lol.

[Newyorkempire]

Sounds like Chicago is doing pretty well. The demise was greatly exaggerated?

[chicagodog]

Sounds like Chicago is doing pretty well. The demise was greatly exaggerated?

No one really knows. Family Secrets was overblown, as they never charged John DiFronzo, Marco D’Amico, The Caruso brothers, or Mike Sarno. No one knows if DiFronzo was the boss or basically acted as a power broker who only really stepped in if there were beefs. I think that’s why Chicago is so fascinating as they’ve had one made guy completely flip. Are they killing people like they did in the 80’s, no, but do they still hold considerable political sway and sway on the streets? It seems as if they do, but again it’s all conjecture.

[Newyorkempire]

Sounds like Chicago is doing pretty well. The demise was greatly exaggerated?

No one really knows. Family Secrets was overblown, as they never charged John DiFronzo, Marco D’Amico, The Caruso brothers, or Mike Sarno. No one knows if DiFronzo was the boss or basically acted as a power broker who only really stepped in if there were beefs. I think that’s why Chicago is so fascinating as they’ve had one made guy completely flip. Are they killing people like they did in the 80’s, no, but do they still hold considerable political sway and sway on the streets? It seems as if they do, but again it’s all conjecture.

So they are in between dead and very much alive

[Ivan]

Family Secrets was overblown, as they never charged John DiFronzo, Marco D’Amico, The Caruso brothers, or Mike Sarno.

Marcello was the one really big loss to the Outfit from FS, right?

Lombardo too I guess, though it's unclear to me how important he was to the Outfit by that point.

Sounds like Chicago is doing pretty well. The demise was greatly exaggerated?

It's complicated.

[Newyorkempire]

Family Secrets was overblown, as they never charged John DiFronzo, Marco D’Amico, The Caruso brothers, or Mike Sarno.

Marcello was the one really big loss to the Outfit from FS, right?

Lombardo too I guess, though it's unclear to me how important he was to the Outfit by that point.

Sounds like Chicago is doing pretty well. The demise was greatly exaggerated?

It's complicated.

Another 50 years minimum

[chicagodog]

Family Secrets was overblown, as they never charged John DiFronzo, Marco D’Amico, The Caruso brothers, or Mike Sarno.

Marcello was the one really big loss to the Outfit from FS, right?

Lombardo too I guess, though it's unclear to me how important he was to the Outfit by that point.

Sounds like Chicago is doing pretty well. The demise was greatly exaggerated?

It's complicated.

Yes. Marcello was still very much involved. Lombardo was the big fish for the feds but at that point in his life he probably was getting paid some tribute, but in all likelihood wasn’t running any rackets.

[PolackTony]

I’m not in the know as to current guys in that area in any way myself. I go back to visit family but have lived in NYC for a long time now. People tell me that they see guys that look the part at Imperial’s, Vinnie’s, Salerno’s, etc. — and that they see people occasionally in the old HSAC as well — but they don’t know who these guys are so I don’t have any names. Few of the people from my era even live in the old neighborhood today as it is. Used to be that apart from Richard’s and La Scarola, the spots were Cafe Cappuccino, Bella Notte, Oggi (the original one at the corner of Noble), Burger Baron, and LaRoc’s. Except for Burger Baron, them joints are all gone now. Funkster is in the neighborhood, he might have a better idea than me. City Pool Hall is still open, I believe — wonder if any guys still hang out there.

Regarding Jimmy Cozzo’s sons, so far as I know he only had two: Sammy and Philly. Sam is the one who is a retired CPD lieutenant and lives in Elmwood Park. Phil was the one from the 2004 and 2014 gambling busts (the latter with that Albanian, Fuat Useni) — he died in 2015. I believe that the “compound” is owned today by one of Jimmy’s daughters, Rosanne LaCalamita, at least on paper. Would assume that other relatives could also be there. Another daughter, Cathy, is married to John Nitti, one of the many Chicago intermarriages. I’m not 100% sure, but I believe that this is the same John Nitti who took over the travel agency from his dad Nick and was involved in the 1990 Triton College contracting scandal. Cathy used to run City Pool, not sure if she still does. Some of the Cozzo grandkids also own property by Taylor St and in Armour Square, which is interesting.

[chicagodog]

I’m not in the know as to current guys in that area in any way myself. I go back to visit family but have lived in NYC for a long time now. People tell me that they see guys that look the part at Imperial’s, Vinnie’s, Salerno’s, etc. — and that they see people occasionally in the old HSAC as well — but they don’t know who these guys are so I don’t have any names. Few of the people from my era even live in the old neighborhood today as it is. Used to be that apart from Richard’s and La Scarola, the spots were Cafe Cappuccino, Bella Notte, Oggi (the original one at the corner of Noble), Burger Baron, and LaRoc’s. Except for Burger Baron, them joints are all gone now. Funkster is in the neighborhood, he might have a better idea than me. City Pool Hall is still open, I believe — wonder if any guys still hang out there.

Regarding Jimmy Cozzo’s sons, so far as I know he only had two: Sammy and Philly. Sam is the one who is a retired CPD lieutenant and lives in Elmwood Park. Phil was the one from the 2004 and 2014 gambling busts (the latter with that Albanian, Fuat Useni) — he died in 2015. I believe that the “compound” is owned today by one of Jimmy’s daughters, Rosanne LaCalamita, at least on paper. Would assume that other relatives could also be there. Another daughter, Cathy, is married to John Nitti, one of the many Chicago intermarriages. I’m not 100% sure, but I believe that this is the same John Nitti who took over the travel agency from his dad Nick and was involved in the 1990 Triton College contracting scandal. Cathy used to run City Pool, not sure if she still does. Some of the Cozzo grandkids also own property by Taylor St and in Armour Square, which is interesting.

Talked to Joe at Imperial today and he said Bella Notte might be reopening. The food wasn’t anything special and I’d rather have Mart Anthony’s and La Scarola. Surprising most of your friends/people moved out of the neighborhood. I’m damn near the only one of my neighborhood friends who doesn’t live in Bridgeport. Most bought their parents or grandparents houses. Will be interesting to see what comes out of this prostitution sting in Bridgeport or if it will be swept under the rug (probably). When I’m back in Bridgeport Sunday I’m going to meet up with the old crew and see if anything gets shared as two of them were arrested in the sting- supposedly 5 Chinese women with no papers, an unspecified amount of money, and my ma said guns. I’ll shake the bushes and see if any of them say anything.

[chicagodog]

I’m not in the know as to current guys in that area in any way myself. I go back to visit family but have lived in NYC for a long time now. People tell me that they see guys that look the part at Imperial’s, Vinnie’s, Salerno’s, etc. — and that they see people occasionally in the old HSAC as well — but they don’t know who these guys are so I don’t have any names. Few of the people from my era even live in the old neighborhood today as it is. Used to be that apart from Richard’s and La Scarola, the spots were Cafe Cappuccino, Bella Notte, Oggi (the original one at the corner of Noble), Burger Baron, and LaRoc’s. Except for Burger Baron, them joints are all gone now. Funkster is in the neighborhood, he might have a better idea than me. City Pool Hall is still open, I believe — wonder if any guys still hang out there.

Regarding Jimmy Cozzo’s sons, so far as I know he only had two: Sammy and Philly. Sam is the one who is a retired CPD lieutenant and lives in Elmwood Park. Phil was the one from the 2004 and 2014 gambling busts (the latter with that Albanian, Fuat Useni) — he died in 2015. I believe that the “compound” is owned today by one of Jimmy’s daughters, Rosanne LaCalamita, at least on paper. Would assume that other relatives could also be there. Another daughter, Cathy, is married to John Nitti, one of the many Chicago intermarriages. I’m not 100% sure, but I believe that this is the same John Nitti who took over the travel agency from his dad Nick and was involved in the 1990 Triton College contracting scandal. Cathy used to run City Pool, not sure if she still does. Some of the Cozzo grandkids also own property by Taylor St and in Armour Square, which is interesting.

Tony, I don’t know the neighborhood nearly as well as I know Bridgeport. I get my “news” from the guy who owns the building on the Westside of Salerno’s and the guy who owns the building next to Mart Anthony’s so might not be that reliable. I thought there were three Cozzo sons and two daughters, but again I might be way off. I’ve seen Spina at Uncle Mike’s a couple times, and I know that used to be Joey Lombardo’s breakfast spot. Wasn’t Lombardo really good friends with the owner of Uncle Mike’s?

[Patrickgold]

I’m not in the know as to current guys in that area in any way myself. I go back to visit family but have lived in NYC for a long time now. People tell me that they see guys that look the part at Imperial’s, Vinnie’s, Salerno’s, etc. — and that they see people occasionally in the old HSAC as well — but they don’t know who these guys are so I don’t have any names. Few of the people from my era even live in the old neighborhood today as it is. Used to be that apart from Richard’s and La Scarola, the spots were Cafe Cappuccino, Bella Notte, Oggi (the original one at the corner of Noble), Burger Baron, and LaRoc’s. Except for Burger Baron, them joints are all gone now. Funkster is in the neighborhood, he might have a better idea than me. City Pool Hall is still open, I believe — wonder if any guys still hang out there.

Regarding Jimmy Cozzo’s sons, so far as I know he only had two: Sammy and Philly. Sam is the one who is a retired CPD lieutenant and lives in Elmwood Park. Phil was the one from the 2004 and 2014 gambling busts (the latter with that Albanian, Fuat Useni) — he died in 2015. I believe that the “compound” is owned today by one of Jimmy’s daughters, Rosanne LaCalamita, at least on paper. Would assume that other relatives could also be there. Another daughter, Cathy, is married to John Nitti, one of the many Chicago intermarriages. I’m not 100% sure, but I believe that this is the same John Nitti who took over the travel agency from his dad Nick and was involved in the 1990 Triton College contracting scandal. Cathy used to run City Pool, not sure if she still does. Some of the Cozzo grandkids also own property by Taylor St and in Armour Square, which is interesting.

Talked to Joe at Imperial today and he said Bella Notte might be reopening. The food wasn’t anything special and I’d rather have Mart Anthony’s and La Scarola. Surprising most of your friends/people moved out of the neighborhood. I’m damn near the only one of my neighborhood friends who doesn’t live in Bridgeport. Most bought their parents or grandparents houses. Will be interesting to see what comes out of this prostitution sting in Bridgeport or if it will be swept under the rug (probably). When I’m back in Bridgeport Sunday I’m going to meet up with the old crew and see if anything gets shared as two of them were arrested in the sting- supposedly 5 Chinese women with no papers, an unspecified amount of money, and my ma said guns. I’ll shake the bushes and see if any of them say anything.

Bella Note reopening where? They have announced that they were looking to open in Downers Grove. Did you hear they were reopening on Grand Ave?

[funkster]

I’m not in the know as to current guys in that area in any way myself. I go back to visit family but have lived in NYC for a long time now. People tell me that they see guys that look the part at Imperial’s, Vinnie’s, Salerno’s, etc. — and that they see people occasionally in the old HSAC as well — but they don’t know who these guys are so I don’t have any names. Few of the people from my era even live in the old neighborhood today as it is. Used to be that apart from Richard’s and La Scarola, the spots were Cafe Cappuccino, Bella Notte, Oggi (the original one at the corner of Noble), Burger Baron, and LaRoc’s. Except for Burger Baron, them joints are all gone now. Funkster is in the neighborhood, he might have a better idea than me. City Pool Hall is still open, I believe — wonder if any guys still hang out there.

Regarding Jimmy Cozzo’s sons, so far as I know he only had two: Sammy and Philly. Sam is the one who is a retired CPD lieutenant and lives in Elmwood Park. Phil was the one from the 2004 and 2014 gambling busts (the latter with that Albanian, Fuat Useni) — he died in 2015. I believe that the “compound” is owned today by one of Jimmy’s daughters, Rosanne LaCalamita, at least on paper. Would assume that other relatives could also be there. Another daughter, Cathy, is married to John Nitti, one of the many Chicago intermarriages. I’m not 100% sure, but I believe that this is the same John Nitti who took over the travel agency from his dad Nick and was involved in the 1990 Triton College contracting scandal. Cathy used to run City Pool, not sure if she still does. Some of the Cozzo grandkids also own property by Taylor St and in Armour Square, which is interesting.

Talked to Joe at Imperial today and he said Bella Notte might be reopening. The food wasn’t anything special and I’d rather have Mart Anthony’s and La Scarola. Surprising most of your friends/people moved out of the neighborhood. I’m damn near the only one of my neighborhood friends who doesn’t live in Bridgeport. Most bought their parents or grandparents houses. Will be interesting to see what comes out of this prostitution sting in Bridgeport or if it will be swept under the rug (probably). When I’m back in Bridgeport Sunday I’m going to meet up with the old crew and see if anything gets shared as two of them were arrested in the sting- supposedly 5 Chinese women with no papers, an unspecified amount of money, and my ma said guns. I’ll shake the bushes and see if any of them say anything.

Bella Note reopening where? They have announced that they were looking to open in Downers Grove. Did you hear they were reopening on Grand Ave?

Yeah, this is probably what was meant, that it's reopening in the burbs.

[Ivan]

So Vena no longer holds court at Richard's, do I have that right?

Yesterday I asked my Chicago homie Pericles Abbasi if he'd ever been to Richard's (he has).

[chicagodog]

I’m not in the know as to current guys in that area in any way myself. I go back to visit family but have lived in NYC for a long time now. People tell me that they see guys that look the part at Imperial’s, Vinnie’s, Salerno’s, etc. — and that they see people occasionally in the old HSAC as well — but they don’t know who these guys are so I don’t have any names. Few of the people from my era even live in the old neighborhood today as it is. Used to be that apart from Richard’s and La Scarola, the spots were Cafe Cappuccino, Bella Notte, Oggi (the original one at the corner of Noble), Burger Baron, and LaRoc’s. Except for Burger Baron, them joints are all gone now. Funkster is in the neighborhood, he might have a better idea than me. City Pool Hall is still open, I believe — wonder if any guys still hang out there.

Regarding Jimmy Cozzo’s sons, so far as I know he only had two: Sammy and Philly. Sam is the one who is a retired CPD lieutenant and lives in Elmwood Park. Phil was the one from the 2004 and 2014 gambling busts (the latter with that Albanian, Fuat Useni) — he died in 2015. I believe that the “compound” is owned today by one of Jimmy’s daughters, Rosanne LaCalamita, at least on paper. Would assume that other relatives could also be there. Another daughter, Cathy, is married to John Nitti, one of the many Chicago intermarriages. I’m not 100% sure, but I believe that this is the same John Nitti who took over the travel agency from his dad Nick and was involved in the 1990 Triton College contracting scandal. Cathy used to run City Pool, not sure if she still does. Some of the Cozzo grandkids also own property by Taylor St and in Armour Square, which is interesting.

Talked to Joe at Imperial today and he said Bella Notte might be reopening. The food wasn’t anything special and I’d rather have Mart Anthony’s and La Scarola. Surprising most of your friends/people moved out of the neighborhood. I’m damn near the only one of my neighborhood friends who doesn’t live in Bridgeport. Most bought their parents or grandparents houses. Will be interesting to see what comes out of this prostitution sting in Bridgeport or if it will be swept under the rug (probably). When I’m back in Bridgeport Sunday I’m going to meet up with the old crew and see if anything gets shared as two of them were arrested in the sting- supposedly 5 Chinese women with no papers, an unspecified amount of money, and my ma said guns. I’ll shake the bushes and see if any of them say anything.

Bella Note reopening where? They have announced that they were looking to open in Downers Grove. Did you hear they were reopening on Grand Ave?

Nope it will be suburbs. They will not be reopening on Grand.

[chicagodog]

So Vena no longer holds court at Richard's, do I have that right?

Yesterday I asked my Chicago homie Pericles Abbasi if he'd ever been to Richard's (he has).

I don’t know. I don’t go to Richard’s and just see Bobby Dominic on the street in front of Richard’s. I haven’t been in there in probably 3 years.