General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

[Ivan]

Pic of Jack Farmer that just coincidentally popped up on Reddit.

[Patrickgold]

Looks like another shooting at one of the Italian social clubs on Addison st in Chicago. I heard a lot things about that place including lots of gambling and also prostitution going on in there. No idea what happened this time but here is a snippet that I got off Facebook.

Update:

The owner of the club was supposedly arrested. Should be made public in the near future.

Just from what I’ve seen from the outside when I was there last year, definitely looks like the kind of place.

Used to be called Palese Cafe, now it’s called Bari Cafe. Not sure who the owner is, but the address is associated with an attorney, Giuseppe Arato. Arato isn’t a Barese surname though, so I’m thinking he’s Sicilian. Not sure what his relationship with the operator of the cafe is.

Just got word about this shooting at the Italian social club. It was an argument over the machine pay out. The Mexican was playing the machines and supposedly had argument with owner. The interesting part was that the FBI showed up on scene after the shooting. The person arrested works for one of the Cassano brothers supposedly. Sounds like FBI was doing surveillance on the place when the incident happened. Looks like the FBI still have a hard on for the Cassanos.

[Patrickgold]

I recently heard Tony Q owns a lot of out of state strip clubs, not just Pole Katz. Not sure of the states but I believe some to be in Texas. Here is a link to one he owned in Ohio. Not bad for a former Franklin Park police officer. Obviously someone is bank rolling him.

https://www.wtol.com/article/news/wtol- ... 6b60dea336

[NorthBuffalo]

I recently heard Tony Q owns a lot of out of state strip clubs, not just Pole Katz. Not sure of the states but I believe some to be in Texas. Here is a link to one he owned in Ohio. Not bad for a former Franklin Park police officer. Obviously someone is bank rolling him.

https://www.wtol.com/article/news/wtol- ... 6b60dea336

Patrick you should really look into the Mandell wiretaps - as they were explained to me by this guy I trust, Mandell and Michael are speculating that Quaranta (who lives in Indiana) and Stavroupolos are cutting up strip club proceeds in Elmwood Park on a daily basis early in the morning at a place near Armands. The reason that concerns Mandell is that he suspects that means one thing - there is a guy in Elmwood Park they meet to hand money to. On a daily basis I might add - sounds exhausting.

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/ ... ichael.pdf

[NorthBuffalo]

Also any speculation about the fat guy they refer to with the social club on Harlem and North Avenue? Additionally, when he's talking about the 'Sherrif' and 'Attorney's Office' he is talking about the Outfit.

[Patrickgold]

I recently heard Tony Q owns a lot of out of state strip clubs, not just Pole Katz. Not sure of the states but I believe some to be in Texas. Here is a link to one he owned in Ohio. Not bad for a former Franklin Park police officer. Obviously someone is bank rolling him.

https://www.wtol.com/article/news/wtol- ... 6b60dea336

Patrick you should really look into the Mandell wiretaps - as they were explained to me by this guy I trust, Mandell and Michael are speculating that Quaranta (who lives in Indiana) and Stavroupolos are cutting up strip club proceeds in Elmwood Park on a daily basis early in the morning at a place near Armands. The reason that concerns Mandell is that he suspects that means one thing - there is a guy in Elmwood Park they meet to hand money to. On a daily basis I might add - sounds exhausting.

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/ ... ichael.pdf

Sounds like the handsome guy they are talking about is Gary Gags. He use to live around Harlem and North and he’s a EP guy so that makes sense they were dropping money off to him possibly

[PolackTony]

I recently heard Tony Q owns a lot of out of state strip clubs, not just Pole Katz. Not sure of the states but I believe some to be in Texas. Here is a link to one he owned in Ohio. Not bad for a former Franklin Park police officer. Obviously someone is bank rolling him.

https://www.wtol.com/article/news/wtol- ... 6b60dea336

Patrick you should really look into the Mandell wiretaps - as they were explained to me by this guy I trust, Mandell and Michael are speculating that Quaranta (who lives in Indiana) and Stavroupolos are cutting up strip club proceeds in Elmwood Park on a daily basis early in the morning at a place near Armands. The reason that concerns Mandell is that he suspects that means one thing - there is a guy in Elmwood Park they meet to hand money to. On a daily basis I might add - sounds exhausting.

https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/ ... ichael.pdf

Sounds like the handsome guy they are talking about is Gary Gags. He use to live around Harlem and North and he’s a EP guy so that makes sense they were dropping money off to him possibly

Good call.

[Patrickgold]

Also any speculation about the fat guy they refer to with the social club on Harlem and North Avenue? Additionally, when he's talking about the 'Sherrif' and 'Attorney's Office' he is talking about the Outfit.

The social club the guy has is on Addison st. This same guy also use to hang out at Sally’s on North and Harlem. Almost positive they are talking about Joe the builder. Said he’s in his 70s but is still hungry which means he still wants money.

Edit:

I got a little confused. They were dropping money to the guy that use to hang at Sally’s. Handsome guy was the one telling Mendell that, not the one collecting money. My bet the guy collecting the money is either Joe A or Gary Gags. Gary Gags might also be Hansome guy bc I have heard people comment about his movie star looks. I am almost positive Joey A had a social club and I do believe it was on Addison St but could be wrong. Gary Gags might have had one. I know he frequented some. Will have to ask around.

Who’s Freddy? Got a business but couldn’t handle it supposedly.

Also, Joe Polumbo’s wake was today. He was very tied up with the Outfit. He did prison time.

[InCamelot]

Oh, I don’t doubt that for a second. The Taylor Dukes were a tough club and I have heard before that a number of their members got recruited by the outfit. The Dukes were alleged to have been inspired by the old 42 Gang and to have used an initiation ceremony derived from the mafia, involving the burning of paper and swearing of an oath. They were gone as an active street gang by the late 60s, but they mentored the Jousters who were the only Taylor St gang that spread to other neighborhoods of the city by recruiting non-Italians.

Was the 42 Gang completely Italian?

[chicagodog]

Baltimore Jail, in a TV show, is not the same as the IL prison system, which, as Patrick said, is run by Folks and People. Old heads, unless disgraced or run out, are still with their organization. Guys like Panozzo and Koroluk are absolutely going to be with the Folks in the joint. These dynamics often aren’t well-grasped by people who only know the mafia side of things. I remember seeing stuff online a few years back like “wow, these guys were kidnapping Latin Kings, they’re gonna be in a lot of trouble in prison!”, when we’re talking about dudes who came up pulling raids and ambush attacks, etc., on Kings, who have been their primary enemies for decades. These guys were formed in a world of urban gang warfare and prison gang politics.

Imagine what the younger cohorts of C-Notes think of guys like Panozzo and Koroluk, not to mention Albie Vena. These dudes are far from nobodies when they hit the IL system. Middle aged, and even older, guys run the system in the prison. White doesn’t matter, it’s not like CA or Texas. C-Notes are “Latin Folks”, and in the joint that is what matters.

This is really fascinating stuff that I don't know much about, thanks for spelling it out like that.

So how would Cosa Nostra affiliation factor into all of this in an Illinois jail? Would it be relevant at all?

I don’t have any insight myself as to what LCN itself might mean in the IL system today. I’d suspect that they are “respected” in the way that the mob is “respected” by street guys in other states. I never did time myself but obviously knew a lot of guys who did serious time in Joliet, Stateville, etc back in the day and just recall general comments about mob guys being respected and having clout but no specifics. Any guys back in Chicago that I used to know who have done any time recently are not people that I would like to rekindle contact with, for obvious reasons, but if I talk to anyone who might be in the position to have some insight I will definitely post about it.

I’ve referenced the Lucchese associate from Brooklyn who was working with Chicago guys in the late 90s/2000s before. FWIW, he had a very high opinion of Chicago gang leaders (“those guys are true gangsters”) and also said that in the Federal system there is a lot of mutual respect and contact between Chicago gangbangers and LCN affiliates.

One thing that makes this topic a bit difficult to parse is that in recent decades, whatever respect LCN may still have in the IL system is, I think, not easy to disentangle from their intimate connections to the street gang world. While Grand Ave has very close ties to the C-Notes, who are Folks, Cicero has the same sort of ties to the People via the Players. There have also been various ties between LCN affiliates over the years with Kings, as well as with major Folks organizations like the Maniac Latin Disciples and Spanish Cobras (both of which had significant connections to people in local politics and the latter of which was the organization that actually sponsored the C-Notes to join the Folks). I know that I’ve brought this up several times over the years, but anyone interested in these things at all needs to read “The In$and Chicago Way” by UIC criminologist John Hagedorn. The book discusses the politics of the Latin Folks both on the streets and inside the joint in the 90s, connections between the Grand Ave crew and the Latin Folks aka “Spanish Growth and Development”, and longer standing ties between the outfit and black street gangs like the VLs and BPSN. I can say that the accounts that Hagedorn received from his informants with the Latin Folks align with what I was told and and understood when I was on the streets in the 90s.

https://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/ ... ino-gangs/

Just look at Caruso III. If he was any other Bridgeport kid he would have probably been killed in prison or at least would have gotten fucked with. Even in Sheridan he was protected. There’s too many instances of Outfit influence on politics. Sometimes I feel like a conspiracy theorist but there’s something going on.

[Patrickgold]

Baltimore Jail, in a TV show, is not the same as the IL prison system, which, as Patrick said, is run by Folks and People. Old heads, unless disgraced or run out, are still with their organization. Guys like Panozzo and Koroluk are absolutely going to be with the Folks in the joint. These dynamics often aren’t well-grasped by people who only know the mafia side of things. I remember seeing stuff online a few years back like “wow, these guys were kidnapping Latin Kings, they’re gonna be in a lot of trouble in prison!”, when we’re talking about dudes who came up pulling raids and ambush attacks, etc., on Kings, who have been their primary enemies for decades. These guys were formed in a world of urban gang warfare and prison gang politics.

Imagine what the younger cohorts of C-Notes think of guys like Panozzo and Koroluk, not to mention Albie Vena. These dudes are far from nobodies when they hit the IL system. Middle aged, and even older, guys run the system in the prison. White doesn’t matter, it’s not like CA or Texas. C-Notes are “Latin Folks”, and in the joint that is what matters.

This is really fascinating stuff that I don't know much about, thanks for spelling it out like that.

So how would Cosa Nostra affiliation factor into all of this in an Illinois jail? Would it be relevant at all?

I don’t have any insight myself as to what LCN itself might mean in the IL system today. I’d suspect that they are “respected” in the way that the mob is “respected” by street guys in other states. I never did time myself but obviously knew a lot of guys who did serious time in Joliet, Stateville, etc back in the day and just recall general comments about mob guys being respected and having clout but no specifics. Any guys back in Chicago that I used to know who have done any time recently are not people that I would like to rekindle contact with, for obvious reasons, but if I talk to anyone who might be in the position to have some insight I will definitely post about it.

I’ve referenced the Lucchese associate from Brooklyn who was working with Chicago guys in the late 90s/2000s before. FWIW, he had a very high opinion of Chicago gang leaders (“those guys are true gangsters”) and also said that in the Federal system there is a lot of mutual respect and contact between Chicago gangbangers and LCN affiliates.

One thing that makes this topic a bit difficult to parse is that in recent decades, whatever respect LCN may still have in the IL system is, I think, not easy to disentangle from their intimate connections to the street gang world. While Grand Ave has very close ties to the C-Notes, who are Folks, Cicero has the same sort of ties to the People via the Players. There have also been various ties between LCN affiliates over the years with Kings, as well as with major Folks organizations like the Maniac Latin Disciples and Spanish Cobras (both of which had significant connections to people in local politics and the latter of which was the organization that actually sponsored the C-Notes to join the Folks). I know that I’ve brought this up several times over the years, but anyone interested in these things at all needs to read “The In$and Chicago Way” by UIC criminologist John Hagedorn. The book discusses the politics of the Latin Folks both on the streets and inside the joint in the 90s, connections between the Grand Ave crew and the Latin Folks aka “Spanish Growth and Development”, and longer standing ties between the outfit and black street gangs like the VLs and BPSN. I can say that the accounts that Hagedorn received from his informants with the Latin Folks align with what I was told and and understood when I was on the streets in the 90s.

https://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/ ... ino-gangs/

Just look at Caruso III. If he was any other Bridgeport kid he would have probably been killed in prison or at least would have gotten fucked with. Even in Sheridan he was protected. There’s too many instances of Outfit influence on politics. Sometimes I feel like a conspiracy theorist but there’s something going on.

Carusos got the backing of Gator Bradley a GD which helped protect Caruso Jr in prison. Also probably helped kill witness Michael Cutler in the Austin neighborhood. That was a straight up hit. Nothing taken. Two guys with a mask

[Ivan]

Anyone know the year Louie Rainone got out of jail? Can't find it online anywhere. Illinois inmate search looks like it doesn't list former inmates who are now free unless I'm fucking it up somehow (definite nonzero probability of that ).

[PolackTony]

Baltimore Jail, in a TV show, is not the same as the IL prison system, which, as Patrick said, is run by Folks and People. Old heads, unless disgraced or run out, are still with their organization. Guys like Panozzo and Koroluk are absolutely going to be with the Folks in the joint. These dynamics often aren’t well-grasped by people who only know the mafia side of things. I remember seeing stuff online a few years back like “wow, these guys were kidnapping Latin Kings, they’re gonna be in a lot of trouble in prison!”, when we’re talking about dudes who came up pulling raids and ambush attacks, etc., on Kings, who have been their primary enemies for decades. These guys were formed in a world of urban gang warfare and prison gang politics.

Imagine what the younger cohorts of C-Notes think of guys like Panozzo and Koroluk, not to mention Albie Vena. These dudes are far from nobodies when they hit the IL system. Middle aged, and even older, guys run the system in the prison. White doesn’t matter, it’s not like CA or Texas. C-Notes are “Latin Folks”, and in the joint that is what matters.

This is really fascinating stuff that I don't know much about, thanks for spelling it out like that.

So how would Cosa Nostra affiliation factor into all of this in an Illinois jail? Would it be relevant at all?

I don’t have any insight myself as to what LCN itself might mean in the IL system today. I’d suspect that they are “respected” in the way that the mob is “respected” by street guys in other states. I never did time myself but obviously knew a lot of guys who did serious time in Joliet, Stateville, etc back in the day and just recall general comments about mob guys being respected and having clout but no specifics. Any guys back in Chicago that I used to know who have done any time recently are not people that I would like to rekindle contact with, for obvious reasons, but if I talk to anyone who might be in the position to have some insight I will definitely post about it.

I’ve referenced the Lucchese associate from Brooklyn who was working with Chicago guys in the late 90s/2000s before. FWIW, he had a very high opinion of Chicago gang leaders (“those guys are true gangsters”) and also said that in the Federal system there is a lot of mutual respect and contact between Chicago gangbangers and LCN affiliates.

One thing that makes this topic a bit difficult to parse is that in recent decades, whatever respect LCN may still have in the IL system is, I think, not easy to disentangle from their intimate connections to the street gang world. While Grand Ave has very close ties to the C-Notes, who are Folks, Cicero has the same sort of ties to the People via the Players. There have also been various ties between LCN affiliates over the years with Kings, as well as with major Folks organizations like the Maniac Latin Disciples and Spanish Cobras (both of which had significant connections to people in local politics and the latter of which was the organization that actually sponsored the C-Notes to join the Folks). I know that I’ve brought this up several times over the years, but anyone interested in these things at all needs to read “The In$and Chicago Way” by UIC criminologist John Hagedorn. The book discusses the politics of the Latin Folks both on the streets and inside the joint in the 90s, connections between the Grand Ave crew and the Latin Folks aka “Spanish Growth and Development”, and longer standing ties between the outfit and black street gangs like the VLs and BPSN. I can say that the accounts that Hagedorn received from his informants with the Latin Folks align with what I was told and and understood when I was on the streets in the 90s.

https://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/ ... ino-gangs/

Just look at Caruso III. If he was any other Bridgeport kid he would have probably been killed in prison or at least would have gotten fucked with. Even in Sheridan he was protected. There’s too many instances of Outfit influence on politics. Sometimes I feel like a conspiracy theorist but there’s something going on.

Carusos got the backing of Gator Bradley a GD which helped protect Caruso Jr in prison. Also probably helped kill witness Michael Cutler in the Austin neighborhood. That was a straight up hit. Nothing taken. Two guys with a mask

Yes, the Carusos made a big show of their ties to Gator Bradley and other leaders in the Southside black community at that time. You’ll recall how high profile all of this was in the local media following the Clark beating. In more recent years, there was that photo of Caruso Sr in the front row of church with a bunch of black pastors. It is clear that they have had some strong ties to people with clout in that sphere. Their connections to City government and public services are of course very longstanding, and likely this has also given them influence with some black leaders, I would think.

[chicagodog]

Baltimore Jail, in a TV show, is not the same as the IL prison system, which, as Patrick said, is run by Folks and People. Old heads, unless disgraced or run out, are still with their organization. Guys like Panozzo and Koroluk are absolutely going to be with the Folks in the joint. These dynamics often aren’t well-grasped by people who only know the mafia side of things. I remember seeing stuff online a few years back like “wow, these guys were kidnapping Latin Kings, they’re gonna be in a lot of trouble in prison!”, when we’re talking about dudes who came up pulling raids and ambush attacks, etc., on Kings, who have been their primary enemies for decades. These guys were formed in a world of urban gang warfare and prison gang politics.

Imagine what the younger cohorts of C-Notes think of guys like Panozzo and Koroluk, not to mention Albie Vena. These dudes are far from nobodies when they hit the IL system. Middle aged, and even older, guys run the system in the prison. White doesn’t matter, it’s not like CA or Texas. C-Notes are “Latin Folks”, and in the joint that is what matters.

This is really fascinating stuff that I don't know much about, thanks for spelling it out like that.

So how would Cosa Nostra affiliation factor into all of this in an Illinois jail? Would it be relevant at all?

I don’t have any insight myself as to what LCN itself might mean in the IL system today. I’d suspect that they are “respected” in the way that the mob is “respected” by street guys in other states. I never did time myself but obviously knew a lot of guys who did serious time in Joliet, Stateville, etc back in the day and just recall general comments about mob guys being respected and having clout but no specifics. Any guys back in Chicago that I used to know who have done any time recently are not people that I would like to rekindle contact with, for obvious reasons, but if I talk to anyone who might be in the position to have some insight I will definitely post about it.

I’ve referenced the Lucchese associate from Brooklyn who was working with Chicago guys in the late 90s/2000s before. FWIW, he had a very high opinion of Chicago gang leaders (“those guys are true gangsters”) and also said that in the Federal system there is a lot of mutual respect and contact between Chicago gangbangers and LCN affiliates.

One thing that makes this topic a bit difficult to parse is that in recent decades, whatever respect LCN may still have in the IL system is, I think, not easy to disentangle from their intimate connections to the street gang world. While Grand Ave has very close ties to the C-Notes, who are Folks, Cicero has the same sort of ties to the People via the Players. There have also been various ties between LCN affiliates over the years with Kings, as well as with major Folks organizations like the Maniac Latin Disciples and Spanish Cobras (both of which had significant connections to people in local politics and the latter of which was the organization that actually sponsored the C-Notes to join the Folks). I know that I’ve brought this up several times over the years, but anyone interested in these things at all needs to read “The In$and Chicago Way” by UIC criminologist John Hagedorn. The book discusses the politics of the Latin Folks both on the streets and inside the joint in the 90s, connections between the Grand Ave crew and the Latin Folks aka “Spanish Growth and Development”, and longer standing ties between the outfit and black street gangs like the VLs and BPSN. I can say that the accounts that Hagedorn received from his informants with the Latin Folks align with what I was told and and understood when I was on the streets in the 90s.

https://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/ ... ino-gangs/

Just look at Caruso III. If he was any other Bridgeport kid he would have probably been killed in prison or at least would have gotten fucked with. Even in Sheridan he was protected. There’s too many instances of Outfit influence on politics. Sometimes I feel like a conspiracy theorist but there’s something going on.

Carusos got the backing of Gator Bradley a GD which helped protect Caruso Jr in prison. Also probably helped kill witness Michael Cutler in the Austin neighborhood. That was a straight up hit. Nothing taken. Two guys with a mask

Yes, the Carusos made a big show of their ties to Gator Bradley and other leaders in the Southside black community at that time. You’ll recall how high profile all of this was in the local media following the Clark beating. In more recent years, there was that photo of Caruso Sr in the front row of church with a bunch of black pastors. It is clear that they have had some strong ties to people with clout in that sphere. Their connections to City government and public services are of course very longstanding, and likely this has also given them influence with some black leaders, I would think.

I was literally down the block outside when the beating happened. I was still a little too young to really grasp what happened. But I remember they tried to have Frankie and some black ministers daughter “dating”. DeSantis son disappearing and reappearing like a year later. It was fucking surreal. The Caruso’s and Szaflarski family is just the icing on the top.

[chicagodog]

Anyone know the year Louie Rainone got out of jail? Can't find it online anywhere. Illinois inmate search looks like it doesn't list former inmates who are now free unless I'm fucking it up somehow (definite nonzero probability of that ).

No idea. Anyone know if Robert Panozzo Jr even did any time?