Rockford LCN Gambler Has Died

[cavita]

I just found out from a friend that Rockford LCN gambling associate Stefanos N. “Steve” Christidis passed away on June 7 at the age of 89. Steve was born in Tripoli, Greece and immigrated to the United States on the Olympic Wind on February 9, 1956 and settled in Freeport, Illinois. By the mid 1960s Steve was living in Rockford, Illinois and became the head chef at the Wagon Wheel Resort in 1969. The Wagon Wheel Resort was mentioned in the FBI files of Rockford LCN capo Sebastian Gulotta and in later years the resort suffered a series of mysterious arsons. Undoubtedly, the resort was where Steve met the members and associates of the Rockford LCN as it was a known hangout of that element. Steve was a prominent fixture of many organized gambling games of the Rockford LCN.

On the evening of April 11, 1991 Steve was one of the participants of a gambling game at the home of David Hall at 2727 Edgewood Drive. LCN capo Sebastian Gulotta had told David Hall that “the boys want a piece of the action” and told him he would have to pay a street tax to continue to operate his game, to which Hall refused. On that April 11th evening, the gambling participants heard Hall’s dogs barking at the front door but upon checking, no one was there. Shortly thereafter the gamblers smelled something burning and starting checking around, even looking at the stove. Christidis went to the front door to look over the front yard when a powerful explosion injured him, sending him to the hospital in serious condition and the blast caused minor injuries to another gambler. An FBI investigation determined the bomb was retribution by Sebastian Gulotta for not cutting the Rockford LCN in on the proceeds of the game.

Steve Christidis recovered from his injuries and continued to play the Rockford gambling circuit and his obituary even stated, “He enjoyed friendly poker games.”

[Yotam]

Thank you for that cavita. The mobbed-up Rockford gambling scene must have been an interesting one, would love to read more.

[NorthBuffalo]

I tend to wonder if it would have been easier to hide from the bigtime mob families in the large cities - or the small town mob families where everyone knew each other and their business. Crazy these guys using bombs like that.

[sdeitche]

Great post. I always enjoy reading about these lesser-known associates.

[sdeitche]

Great post. I always enjoy reading about these lesser-known associates.