The Chicago Outfit’s Activities Today?

[Chardman]

This is my first post as a member of this forum so hello all. I consider it a great privilege to be a part of this community so thank you for having me.

I’ve done some perusing through the mafia forums but I haven’t seen a post discussing this topic overall so forgive me if I overlooked one and this is a repost of sorts.

Anyone have any good info and/or resources regarding what the Outfit’s activities and business ventures are today? I’ve read that they still have involvement in illegal gambling here and there, as well as juice loans, forms of extortion, and racketeering. Do they still run girls on a noteworthy scale? How about drug trafficking or arms trafficking (by chance supplying some of the black or latino gangs?). I have particular interest in learning about any political involvement they still may have in addition to perhaps messing with public unions. Any insight into modern day-to-day operations would be greatly appreciated.

I know that’s a lot, clearly this info isn’t easy to come by, but I was just interested in seeing if anyone had any sort of info in this area and perhaps we could start a discussion on the topic. Thanks guys!

[Wiseguy]

The best insight you'll get into what the Outfit (or any family) is involved in is recent indictments.

The Chicago mob is still involved in bookmaking and video poker machines. Not much in terms of loansharking charges in recent busts though. I don't see evidence of involvement in prostitution unless perhaps that goes on in some Outfit-run strip clubs. Relatively little involvement in the drug trade. In fact, you could probably count the number of Outfit narcotics cases over the past 20 years on one hand. There is still some union involvement here and there.

[FriendofFamily]

I am not going to mean about this - I really think if you are looking for CURRENT INFO - Join the FBI or better yet enroll in some University Classes in Chicago and learn about organized crime then If you want to pursue it become a Federal Prosecutor. CURRENT is through the newspapers or Friends of Law Enforcement that are leaking it to you. The other way of obtaining information you may not like and it could not be good for you in the long term.

I know it is your first post so just take what I said lightly, in the spirit it was given, and do not get too rattled by what I just said.

[Chardman]

The best insight you'll get into what the Outfit (or any family) is involved in is recent indictments.

The Chicago mob is still involved in bookmaking and video poker machines. Not much in terms of loansharking charges in recent busts though. I don't see evidence of involvement in prostitution unless perhaps that goes on in some Outfit-run strip clubs. Relatively little involvement in the drug trade. In fact, you could probably count the number of Outfit narcotics cases over the past 20 years on one hand. There is still some union involvement here and there.

Damn, I knew the Outfit was suffering but it must be worse than I originally inferred. Their coffers must be real light, unless of course, they are mostly earning from legitimate ventures today. Thanks for the insight.

I am not going to mean about this - I really think if you are looking for CURRENT INFO - Join the FBI or better yet enroll in some University Classes in Chicago and learn about organized crime then If you want to pursue it become a Federal Prosecutor. CURRENT is through the newspapers or Friends of Law Enforcement that are leaking it to you. The other way of obtaining information you may not like and it could not be good for you in the long term.

I know it is your first post so just take what I said lightly, in the spirit it was given, and do not get too rattled by what I just said.

No worries, rattling is minimal. You could have been much more harsh. Pursuing the topic occupationally is a legitimate route for those that are REALLY that interested in the details, but I wasn't really looking for anything that specific and my occupational interests lie elsewhere. I was mainly just looking to start a discussion, hear about info I have yet to come across in my own research, and perhaps see what rumors are out there regarding the Outfit today. Thanks for sharing.

[SILENT PARTNERZ]

Another way to reword FoF's post is - we would all like to know the actual answer to your question.
The Family Secrets case was a long time ago.

[Chardman]

Another way to reword FoF's post is - we would all like to know the actual answer to your question.
The Family Secrets case was a long time ago.

If only there were someone on this forum that knew somebody, that knew somebody's cousin, that knew something, haha. Perhaps I put too much value on gossip and rumors. As an example, I’ll be vague about my relation but I knew someone who had acquaintances in the Chinese gangs in Chicago’s Chinatown. The Chinese community is close knit in Chicago. Turns out some legitimate business owners hang out with gangsters and her boss was one of those business owners. My friend even happened to be at a large dinner where two heads of a gang were present. Through her I learned about that gang's general structure and their activities (older boss of the gang was mainly in charge of running drugs and the younger one was responsible for overseeing prostitution in the area). She even gave insight into the personalities of some of these people which I found to be incredibly interesting.

Granted, it’s all unsubstantiated, especially when relaying info like that over a forum. Regardless, rumors concerning these worlds interests me. I’ll concede that looking for that sort of info regarding the Outfit was perhaps too hopefully of me. But I thought I would try anyway.

[Confederate]

The best insight you'll get into what the Outfit (or any family) is involved in is recent indictments.

The Chicago mob is still involved in bookmaking and video poker machines. Not much in terms of loansharking charges in recent busts though. I don't see evidence of involvement in prostitution unless perhaps that goes on in some Outfit-run strip clubs. Relatively little involvement in the drug trade. In fact, you could probably count the number of Outfit narcotics cases over the past 20 years on one hand. There is still some union involvement here and there.

Damn, I knew the Outfit was suffering but it must be worse than I originally inferred. Their coffers must be real light, unless of course, they are mostly earning from legitimate ventures today. Thanks for the insight.

I am not going to mean about this - I really think if you are looking for CURRENT INFO - Join the FBI or better yet enroll in some University Classes in Chicago and learn about organized crime then If you want to pursue it become a Federal Prosecutor. CURRENT is through the newspapers or Friends of Law Enforcement that are leaking it to you. The other way of obtaining information you may not like and it could not be good for you in the long term.

I know it is your first post so just take what I said lightly, in the spirit it was given, and do not get too rattled by what I just said.

No worries, rattling is minimal. You could have been much more harsh. Pursuing the topic occupationally is a legitimate route for those that are REALLY that interested in the details, but I wasn't really looking for anything that specific and my occupational interests lie elsewhere. I was mainly just looking to start a discussion, hear about info I have yet to come across in my own research, and perhaps see what rumors are out there regarding the Outfit today. Thanks for sharing.

Highly doubt the poker machine business. It's all run NOW by the state of Illinois. If the Outfit is involved, it would be at a bare minimum, possibly with a bar one of them actually owns or co-owns. Bar owners and other establishments they used to be partnered with would not risk losing everything being partnered with them anymore when they can be partnered with the State of Illinois Legit. Last big bust was several years ago and the State of Illinois has taken over since then.

[Wiseguy]

Damn, I knew the Outfit was suffering but it must be worse than I originally inferred. Their coffers must be real light, unless of course, they are mostly earning from legitimate ventures today. Thanks for the insight.

Well you're looking at a family with 25-30 members and a little over 100 associates spread across 4 crews according to the last estimates. There are a lot of Outfit members and associates that have legitimate interests.

Highly doubt the poker machine business. It's all run NOW by the state of Illinois. If the Outfit is involved, it would be at a bare minimum, possibly with a bar one of them actually owns or co-owns. Bar owners and other establishments they used to be partnered with would not risk losing everything being partnered with them anymore when they can be partnered with the State of Illinois Legit. Last big bust was several years ago and the State of Illinois has taken over since then.

Last video poker busts were in 2009 from what I recall.

[Confederate]

@Wiseguy
Do you know what year the Feds estimated there were between 25 and 30 made guys left in the Outfit? Also, did that number include EVERYBODY or just the ones ACTIVE? I would bet that the ACTIVE number is a bit lower than 25 to 30 today and the number of associates under 100 in 2018. I think the Philly Mafia Group has around 30 made guys that are active and they have a better recruiting program from South Philly than the Outfit does in Chicago.

[Snakes]

It was right at the end of the Family Secrets trial, so around 2007.

[Wiseguy]

@Wiseguy
Do you know what year the Feds estimated there were between 25 and 30 made guys left in the Outfit? Also, did that number include EVERYBODY or just the ones ACTIVE? I would bet that the ACTIVE number is a bit lower than 25 to 30 today and the number of associates under 100 in 2018. I think the Philly Mafia Group has around 30 made guys that are active and they have a better recruiting program from South Philly than the Outfit does in Chicago.

It was right at the end of the Family Secrets trial, so around 2007.

A May 2005 article cited 25 members and 75 associates. A September 2007 article cited 28 members and over 100 associates. And another September 2007 article cited 30 members and a little over 100 associates. Of course, a few members have died since then. These were total estimates.

I would add that, although I don't necessarily put a whole lot of stock in associate estimates, Philadelphia is said to have about 50 members and 100 associates. So, while the member-to-associate maybe a little different, total manpower of Chicago and Philly may be close.

[Villain]

My personal opinion is that todays Outfit or its top level administration went semi-legit but they still have some street people involved in gambling, loan sharking and burglaries.

In 2012, William Daddano Jr.’s previous partner and the late Ben Stein’s protégé Richard Simon was the owner of a cleaning company known as the United Maintenance Co. and with the help of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the company was awarded a $99.4 million O’Hare Airport janitorial contract. The United offices were based in the same South Loop building where the previous garbage hauling firm used to have its location. After that, Daddano Jr.’s name popped up in every news article around the country and so many union airport workers were holding a prayer vigil outside the Mayor’s house, while asking him to reconsider the decision to hand custodial work at O’Hare International Airport to a new company. But nothing ever changed and the decision remained. According to 2014 investigative report, Daddano Jr. through his sister’s name Mary, who spells her last name “Daddono”, still acquired all kinds of contracts in different places around the Melrose Park area, some regularly, and some probably with the help of corruption and under the threat of violence. 

Also back in 2011, Fosco claimed that the main problem for the recent bankruptcy of one of the largest grocery chains in the history of Chicago is or was the Outfit and its top leadership. So after that in 2017, the Central Grocers Inc., a wholesaler which supplied over 400 independent grocery stores all around the Chicago area and with over 500 employees, filed for bankruptcy after being in business for exactly 100 years, since it first opened up way back in 1917. So with no money, the company’s top administration began firing people and also selling its own store chains and establishments in different areas. Now, according to Fosco the alleged reason for the company’s downfall was in the board of members for Central Grocers, which again according to his statements, it included alleged organized crime figures such as Dominick Gambino, Tony Ingraffia and Paul Butera Sr., who are allegedly tied to DiFronzo and the Outfit. It is quite possible that Fosco received this info from one Teamsters Local, which he also admits it, and I believe it was Local 703, which represented about 300 workers at Central Grocer’s warehouse in the Joliet area. You see, the union tried to stop the company from selling its business by filling a federal lawsuit on April 27, 2017, just to block the whole process. But only seven days later, out of nowhere, the union suddenly withdraw the lawsuit, since they allegedly received some information regarding potential transactions or in other words, they withdraw everything because of “certain confidential information” which will allow the Teamsters to access the sale on its labor contracts. In July, the Central Grocers was purchased by a Minnesota-based grocery company for $61,000,000; a price which according to the sellers was well below the appraised value. The interesting thing was that all top individuals from both parties declined to comment on anything. 

I think that these days the Outfit doesnt need enforcers to scare certain individuals but instead they simply need corrupt and greedy people so they can accomplish their goal or in plane words they work like a firm

[Frank]

I would think that they still have the offshore gambling and casinos.

[moneyman]

Scott Bernstein wrote a number of times last year that Albert Vena was the top Outfit guy on the street, and an impending RICO indictment against Vena was on it's way. Here is one of the more interesting tidbits,

"Vena’s two headquarters, the timelessly trendy La Scarola Italian Restaurant and the adjoining Richard’s Bar next door. La Scarola and Richard’s Bar are located on the bottom floor of the Acacia Hotel, while the top two floors are used for low-income apartment rental. Per sources in Illinois law enforcement, Chicago mob busters suspect Vena holds mob meetings in the upper floors of the Acacia, containing 45 rental units."

[Wiseguy]

I would think that they still have the offshore gambling and casinos.

Most modern day bookmaking operations of a significant size are going to be using offshore wire rooms and internet sites.

As far as the Outfit and offshore "casinos," I'm only aware of the Excelsior casino (formerly the Grand Hotel casino) within the Holiday Inn resort in Aruba that is run by reputed associate Michael Posner.

There have been cases over the years of Outfit people trying to get contracts to service casino boats or invest in Indian casinos.