Looking for info on Jimmie DeGeorge- Chicago

[Frank]

Yes I believe that,because even though they state in some readings that Zammuto semi-retired in 1973, he seemed to still hold the top power in the 1980s.

[cavita]

The rumor that Zammuto was going to retire started in the late 1960s. FBI files stated that it was unlikely Buscemi would be named boss by the other members since he was from Chicago and still relatively new. Priola wanted the top spot and had the backing from Jimmie DeGeorge but the FBI said that carried no weight because "DeGeorge is a member of the Chicago family and, although the Chicago outfit is the strongest in the United States, it has no influence in Rockford, and would not have any influence in Rockford unless Chicago was asked to come in by the Rockford family.”
In February 1980 the FBI confirmed that Zammuto was the absolute boss of the Rockford family and by the next year they said that Charles Vince was possibly in the capacity of "acting boss" but this may have been while Zammuto was away on his extended vacations to Florida in the winters. I find the 1980s FBI files very frustrating on Buscemi because they alternately refer to him as "Rockford LCN underboss," a "Sicilian Mafia member" and part of the "Chicago LCN family."

[Frank]

Yes with the Mafia being a secret society you run into all sorts of discrepancies. It seems like there is a point counter point to alot of things.

[cavita]

I just wonder what's going on with the FBI sometimes. Files from the 1960s and 1970s always listed him as underboss, yet when they were investigating him for his part in a heroin/cocaine ring with ties to Buffalo, Sicily, Australia and Canada, they started using "Sicilian mafia member" and "Chicago LCN member" as if he suddenly switched.

[Frank]

I thought he was a Chicago associate went to Rockford and got made. Thought he became underboss and then the boss. But was connected to the pizza connection case.

[cavita]

He was a Chicago associate starting about the 1940s and 1950s where he worked under Jimmie DeGeorge as a bookie while running a floral shop on North Avenue. Buscemi had cousins in Rockford since the 1920s and his sister married Zammuto's son so he always had a Rockford connection. Buscemi moved to Rockford in late 1958/early 1959 and was "made" the evening following the double murder of two Rockford gamblers in My 1959 lending support to the theory that he was involved in the killings in order to "get his seat at the table." Two years later when Rockford underboss Gaspare Calo moved back to Sicily, Zammuto installed Buscemi as underboss which caused considerable hard feelings from the other members and he stayed in that capacity until he died in 1987.
I do believe he was connected to the Pizza Connection case but was never prosecuted- FBI and DEA started investigating him in early 1983 in relation to a heroin/cocaine ring he was running in Rockford in relation to Sicilian immigrants he brought to the area and set up in various pizzerias.

[Frank]

Pietro Alfano of the pizza connection is mentioned as a relative of Buscemi. I thought Alfano was related to Baldalamenti.

[cavita]

Alfano isn't related to Buscemi at all. Alfano was from Cinisi as was his uncle Badalamenti and Buscemi was from Aragona.

[Frank]

Ok thanks.

[Villain]

Nice info cavita thanks

[Confederate]

He was a Chicago associate starting about the 1940s and 1950s where he worked under Jimmie DeGeorge as a bookie while running a floral shop on North Avenue. Buscemi had cousins in Rockford since the 1920s and his sister married Zammuto's son so he always had a Rockford connection. Buscemi moved to Rockford in late 1958/early 1959 and was "made" the evening following the double murder of two Rockford gamblers in My 1959 lending support to the theory that he was involved in the killings in order to "get his seat at the table." Two years later when Rockford underboss Gaspare Calo moved back to Sicily, Zammuto installed Buscemi as underboss which caused considerable hard feelings from the other members and he stayed in that capacity until he died in 1987.
I do believe he was connected to the Pizza Connection case but was never prosecuted- FBI and DEA started investigating him in early 1983 in relation to a heroin/cocaine ring he was running in Rockford in relation to Sicilian immigrants he brought to the area and set up in various pizzerias.

I read that Book a long time ago about the Pizza Connection and Rudy Giuliani finally busting most of it. It always seemed strange to me that Chicago wasn't really involved in it at all. However, I do remember Rockford and the name Zammuto. Seemed like the Rockford Mafia Group was more Sicilian.
You could never beat the Sicilians as far as organization and secrecy. The Zips were the best at it and their Heroin Business went on for a good 20 years before anybody in Law Enforcement even knew about it. Can't remember how Giuliani found out about it?

[Villain]

It always seemed strange to me that Chicago wasn't really involved in it at all.

Chicago was involved in the national dope business until the death of Galante and if you ask me they got out on time. After that some of the groups were involved with the Mexicans, Blacks and Colombians. In addition, the leading group in the business was the Chicago Heights faction, followed by the northern Indiana group and the West Side.

[Confederate]

It always seemed strange to me that Chicago wasn't really involved in it at all.

Chicago was involved in the national dope business until the death of Galante and if you ask me they got out on time. After that some of the groups were involved with the Mexicans, Blacks and Colombians. In addition, the leading group in the business was the Chicago Heights faction, followed by the northern Indiana group and the West Side.

Thanks for the info Villian.
What I meant was that I was always surprised that the Chicago Outfit wasn't involved directly with the ZIPS. Instead it was little old Rockford. lol

[Villain]

It always seemed strange to me that Chicago wasn't really involved in it at all.

Chicago was involved in the national dope business until the death of Galante and if you ask me they got out on time. After that some of the groups were involved with the Mexicans, Blacks and Colombians. In addition, the leading group in the business was the Chicago Heights faction, followed by the northern Indiana group and the West Side.

Thanks for the info Villian.
What I meant was that I was always surprised that the Chicago Outfit wasn't involved directly with the ZIPS. Instead it was little old Rockford. lol

No problem. It was a battle for the market, since when Ricca died and Giancana began having problems in Mexico, , Accardo, Aiuppa, Cerone and Alex heavily prohibited the selling of junk and the other problem was that the Mexicans etc were taking over and established themselves in Chicago. The thing was that the Sicilian dope was more pure than the Mexican and so the Italians saw a chance for bigger market but the main problem was that at the time the feds had their attention over the Italian mob more often rather than the rest of the groups. So my point is that the east coast mob found a way through Rockford or other midwest families to spread the product and during the process many Outfit associates and members were killed who allegedly were involved in drugs and broke the alleged rule

[cavita]

It always seemed strange to me that Chicago wasn't really involved in it at all.

Chicago was involved in the national dope business until the death of Galante and if you ask me they got out on time. After that some of the groups were involved with the Mexicans, Blacks and Colombians. In addition, the leading group in the business was the Chicago Heights faction, followed by the northern Indiana group and the West Side.

Thanks for the info Villian.
What I meant was that I was always surprised that the Chicago Outfit wasn't involved directly with the ZIPS. Instead it was little old Rockford. lol

While I was researching this and the FBI's investigation was reaching a head, they were using undercovers to purchase heroin and cocaine samples. At the time in the 1980s they code named the Rockford invesigation "River Bottom." In reference to one of these buys, "FBI headquarters authorized $156,000 for their Buffalo division to make narcotics purchases in Chicago and Buffalo in the undercover case. Also authorized was a purchase of “up to a $1,000 sample of heroin/cocaine from [REDACTED] a relative of Frank Buscemi, Rockford underboss.” Interestingly, the following passage stated “Chicago identifies [REDACTED] Buscemi, Sr., and through Title III intercepts as being Sicilian Mafia member.” The FBI also noted that their drug section “concurs with the above purchase scenario in view of current Title III coverage by Chicago, and spin-off attempt to another Chicago Sicilian group.” This description seems to infer that there was a Sicilian mafia group that was possibly based in Chicago.