General Chicago Outfit Info Dumping Ground

[Wiseguy]

I will add that over the last 20+ years, there's been little evidence of Outfit involvement in drugs.

[SolarSolano]

There is plenty of evidence . Koruluk/Panozzo bust was literal drug trafficking, the Anthony Calabrese cases that also involved drugs, Carparelli was not convicted of drug crimes, but at his sentencing his former father in law called him a drug dealer. Both kids missing DeFellipis and Catalano involved in drugs. Frank Calabrese Jr. was selling drugs and his Dad was taking a cut. DiFronzo had a son die of an OD and a brother go down for marijuana - these guys are still fucking around with it. We were just talking of Vic Plescia and the Cicero Crew who worked for Zizzo. The Messino brothers on the south side and that kid they supplied in Orland Park - I mean its all over the place really.

Sure like mob bosses have heroin joints in pizza parlors these days - but you had one of Vena's main guys ripping stash houses from Cartels and that honestly blew me away that the PK crew was doing that in this day and age - and you have to assume there are other crews like that out there. Probably not many but there must be a few.

[PolackTony]

There is plenty of evidence . Koruluk/Panozzo bust was literal drug trafficking, the Anthony Calabrese cases that also involved drugs, Carparelli was not convicted of drug crimes, but at his sentencing his former father in law called him a drug dealer. Both kids missing DeFellipis and Catalano involved in drugs. Frank Calabrese Jr. was selling drugs and his Dad was taking a cut. DiFronzo had a son die of an OD and a brother go down for marijuana - these guys are still fucking around with it. We were just talking of Vic Plescia and the Cicero Crew who worked for Zizzo. The Messino brothers on the south side and that kid they supplied in Orland Park - I mean its all over the place really.

Sure like mob bosses have heroin joints in pizza parlors these days - but you had one of Vena's main guys ripping stash houses from Cartels and that honestly blew me away that the PK crew was doing that in this day and age - and you have to assume there are other crews like that out there. Probably not many but there must be a few.

I know that you're aware, but just for others reading, only Tony Catalano is missing, while Mike DeFillipis was found murdered in his NW Side condo (the murder remains unsolved, of course).

Also, the Ronnie Jarrett/SDN (or I guess IGSDN if we really want to be formal about it lol) drug thing was just over 20 years ago, though it is unclear if this was fully Outfit-related or just Ronnie acting on his own (I suspect that it was related, but that's just my personal hunch).

[Snakes]

I don't remember Frank Sr. getting a piece of his son's drug sales. This is the same guy who didn't even want to be around Butch Petrocelli when the latter was looking for weed to help Turk Torello with his cancer.

[PolackTony]

I don't remember Frank Sr. getting a piece of his son's drug sales. This is the same guy who didn't even want to be around Butch Petrocelli when the latter was looking for weed to help Turk Torello with his cancer.

I’ve never seen anything stating or even hinting that Frank Sr had any involvement in drugs, so I’m interested to know if there’s a source for him being involved in Jr’s coke stuff as well.

[Coloboy]

I’ve always wondered what the behind-the-scenes agreements were that allowed the Panozzo crew cartel robberies to take place. Some of you are much more knowledgeable on the street gangs than I am, but it seems as though they would’ve had to be some kind of agreement that the houses they were ripping off were unaffiliated or were not protected. it would seem very unlikely that his crew would rob a Latin King stash house without repercussions. Someone had to be getting a cut somewhere.

Or maybe they were just crazy enough to do it and deal with the consequences?

[PolackTony]

I’ve always wondered what the behind-the-scenes agreements were that allowed the Panozzo crew cartel robberies to take place. Some of you are much more knowledgeable on the street gangs than I am, but it seems as though they would’ve had to be some kind of agreement that the houses they were ripping off were unaffiliated or were not protected. it would seem very unlikely that his crew would rob a Latin King stash house without repercussions. Someone had to be getting a cut somewhere.

Or maybe they were just crazy enough to do it and deal with the consequences?

The P-K crew seems to have been working with members of several Latin Folks gangs — Spanish Cobras, Dragons, maybe the OAs — which are all affiliated with the “Insane” faction of the Folks alliance, and thus have been close allies for years now of the C-Notes (who joined the Insane faction in the early 90s). Panozzo and Big Paulie were C-Notes, of course, and if one understands how street gangs in Chicago operate, the basic contours of these links seem pretty clear. When it comes to the C-Notes, many of these Grand Ave guys are not simply “working with” street gangs, they also are the street gang, or at the very least retain influence and contacts as inactive senior members.

The Latin Folks gangs have been bitter rivals of the Kings for many, many years, and the C-Notes had their own perpetual war with the LKs going way before the Notes even joined the Folks alliance. I don’t have any info on potential gang affiliations of the stash houses robbed by the P-K guys, but if there were direct gang ties, if anything I would actually expect them to be Kings, given who P-K were/are with. Before getting formally plugged with the Outfit, these guys would’ve cut their teeth for years as gangbangers, engaged in raids, attacks, shootouts, robberies, probably even arson, directed primarily against their principal longterm rivals, the Huron and Hoyne Latin Kings (founded by defectors from the C-Notes). We’re talking really serious and hardcore gang activity there going back to the 50s.

[Coloboy]

Got it. So the thinking is that since they were aligned with (or a part of) the Folks alliance, they were most likely attacking latin king stashhouses as a primary rival. The "protection" in this sense would have come by being with the Folks.

No kidding....serious gangbanger shit. Panozzo sounded like a nutcase.

[PolackTony]

Got it. So the thinking is that since they were aligned with (or a part of) the Folks alliance, they were most likely attacking latin king stashhouses as a primary rival. The "protection" in this sense would have come by being with the Folks.

No kidding....serious gangbanger shit. Panozzo sounded like a nutcase.

Yes, these guys were plugged with the Folks, and that also would confer protection in the prison system once they were busted (apart from any ability for the Outfit to pay or otherwise garner protection, these guys will have connects to high ranking Folks leaders in the prison system via the C-Notes). The Folks and People alliances haven’t meant much of anything on the streets in Chicago for years, but they still matter a lot on 26th St (Cook County jail) and Downstate (IL prison system), which is of course where those alliances started in the first place.

I couldn’t say if they were “most likely” targeting LK affiliated stash houses, just saying that if they were doing that it certainly wouldn’t at all be surprising given who they are. In general, these were not guys who were afraid of much, and they have serious connections on the streets and in the can.

[Snakes]

The Panozzo crew made a point to only rob freelance dealers. They purposely avoided cartel stash houses. Panozzo was normally tipped off about the stash houses from members of Hispanic gangs, specifically the Spanish Cobras or the Latin Dragons.

Edit: Below is a post of info on the P/K crew that I made a few years ago.

Panozzo (identified by one C.I. as "made") and his crew would hit about half a dozen stash houses a year. Panozzo was normally tipped off about the stash houses from members of Hispanic gangs, specifically the Spanish Cobras or the Latin Dragons.

The houses typically contained large amounts of cash and/or marijuana, cocaine, or heroin. Panozzo's crew would sell any stolen drugs obtained from the stash houses. The crew typically only robbed from freelance dealers; cartel drug shipments were usually avoided.

Panozzo and his crew posed as police officers while committing these robberies, complete with body armor, holsters, belts, and badges. Some of the badges used were obtained from prior burglaries of police officers' homes. Panozzo stored the equipment -- including cell phone jammers, police and two-way radios, and scanners -- in a shed next to his garage.

One of the crew would plant GPS trackers on drug dealers' cars who would then lead Panozzo's crew to the stash house. Other times, the crew would locate addresses provided by Panozzo's contacts and then use GPS to locate them.

Panozzo's crew would normally tie up any inhabitants of the dwelling, including women and children. If the locations of money or drugs was not immediately discerned, the crew would beat the men until they revealed the hiding places.

One robbery resulted in a net of 25 kilos of cocaine. The crew also stole two vehicles belonging to the inhabitants. Panozzo became incensed when one inhabitant, who had previously confessed to not knowing English, started speaking in that language. Panozzo cut off his ear before leaving.

The crew also robbed tractor trailers clandestinely attempting to traffic shipments of drugs. One such robbery netted the crew 40-50 kilos of cocaine.

Panozzo would sometimes use Hispanic gang members to assist or aid in the robberies, either as lookouts or getaway drivers. Two members of Panozzo's gang, Dionisio Garcia and Maher Abuhabsah, normally stayed in the getaway vehicles or functioned as lookouts, monitoring radios or scanners for police activity in the area. This was also due to their appearances as they would not be as convincing posing as law enforcement as Panozzo and the white members of the gang.

Abuhabsah typically did the GPS work and "research" behind potential targets. A look at his phone records at the time of his arrest revealed numerous incriminating texts between he and Panozzo. The crew normally utilized only "burner" phones. Once a particular job was done the phones were discarded and new ones purchased.

On more than one occasion, Panozzo's crew beat individuals they believed had information on potential targets. One was beaten over the course of several hours.

Normally, a stolen van is used for the robberies. The van is kept under a tarp in a lot owned by Panozzo's top lieutenant, Paul Koroluk. Fictitious or stolen plates were used during the commission of the robberies. Another vehicle, an older Dodge Durango, was also used by the crew.

Another source of Panozzo's, an insurance salesman, would tip Panozzo off to houses which contained valuable goods or jewelry, which the salesman had previously worked with the homeowners to insure. Panozzo's crew would burglarize the homes and then keep or sell the stolen items. One of these homes contained a large amount of sports memorabilia, others contained collections of silver or gold coins.

Panozzo kept a book of potential targets and scores, some of which had allegedly been listed and cased for years.

Panozzo also runs a Chicago whorehouse fronting as a massage parlor, employing four women and one man, who works security. Panozzo receives a cut from each woman who works the location.

One informant revealed that Panozzo and another individual had coerced an elderly woman into signing over the deed for a piece of property. Panozzo allegedly later threw her multiple times down a flight of stairs until she died. According to the informant, Panozzo joked about how hard it was to kill the old lady. This incident allegedly occurred in the late eighties. The individual who assisted Panozzo in this crime was later murdered in 1991.

Panozzo and another member of his crew conspired to kill a kidnapping victim to prevent him from testifying against Jeffrey Hollinghead. The hit was never carried out but Panozzo was provided with the individual's name and address and allegedly contacted a Hispanic gang member to carry out the hit, promising him $10,000 up front and another $10,000 upon the completion of the murder. Panozzo suspected Hollinghead of being an informant and also considered killing him but Hollinghead was imprisoned before any plans for the murder could be enacted. However, Panozzo and Koroluk believed they could get Hollinghead transferred to a wing of the Cook County Prison where he could be more easily killed. Hollinghead had actually cooperated with law enforcement. It could be assumed that he got a reduced sentence but I haven't been able to find any inmate information on him. I know Scott B has a few articles on Hollinghead and his wife.

Panozzo's crew was eventually busted attempting to rob a stash house that was actually a "set up" by law enforcement. Information was obtained from member(s) of Panozzo's crew who were cooperating with the FBI. The FBI and Chicago PD planted 40 kilos of cocaine and also set up electronic surveillance on the premises. They also gained access to Aburhabsah's cell phone through the cooperating crew member. Panozzo and Koroluk committed the robbery on July 16, 2004. Upon exiting the premises they were arrested by FBI agents. Aburhabsah and Robert Panozzo Jr. were arrested outside the premises.

[Uncle Pete]

The Panozzo crew made a point to only rob freelance dealers. They purposely avoided cartel stash houses. Panozzo was normally tipped off about the stash houses from members of Hispanic gangs, specifically the Spanish Cobras or the Latin Dragons.

Edit: Below is a post of info on the P/K crew that I made a few years ago.

Panozzo (identified by one C.I. as "made") and his crew would hit about half a dozen stash houses a year. Panozzo was normally tipped off about the stash houses from members of Hispanic gangs, specifically the Spanish Cobras or the Latin Dragons.

The houses typically contained large amounts of cash and/or marijuana, cocaine, or heroin. Panozzo's crew would sell any stolen drugs obtained from the stash houses. The crew typically only robbed from freelance dealers; cartel drug shipments were usually avoided.

Panozzo and his crew posed as police officers while committing these robberies, complete with body armor, holsters, belts, and badges. Some of the badges used were obtained from prior burglaries of police officers' homes. Panozzo stored the equipment -- including cell phone jammers, police and two-way radios, and scanners -- in a shed next to his garage.

One of the crew would plant GPS trackers on drug dealers' cars who would then lead Panozzo's crew to the stash house. Other times, the crew would locate addresses provided by Panozzo's contacts and then use GPS to locate them.

Panozzo's crew would normally tie up any inhabitants of the dwelling, including women and children. If the locations of money or drugs was not immediately discerned, the crew would beat the men until they revealed the hiding places.

One robbery resulted in a net of 25 kilos of cocaine. The crew also stole two vehicles belonging to the inhabitants. Panozzo became incensed when one inhabitant, who had previously confessed to not knowing English, started speaking in that language. Panozzo cut off his ear before leaving.

The crew also robbed tractor trailers clandestinely attempting to traffic shipments of drugs. One such robbery netted the crew 40-50 kilos of cocaine.

Panozzo would sometimes use Hispanic gang members to assist or aid in the robberies, either as lookouts or getaway drivers. Two members of Panozzo's gang, Dionisio Garcia and Maher Abuhabsah, normally stayed in the getaway vehicles or functioned as lookouts, monitoring radios or scanners for police activity in the area. This was also due to their appearances as they would not be as convincing posing as law enforcement as Panozzo and the white members of the gang.

Abuhabsah typically did the GPS work and "research" behind potential targets. A look at his phone records at the time of his arrest revealed numerous incriminating texts between he and Panozzo. The crew normally utilized only "burner" phones. Once a particular job was done the phones were discarded and new ones purchased.

On more than one occasion, Panozzo's crew beat individuals they believed had information on potential targets. One was beaten over the course of several hours.

Normally, a stolen van is used for the robberies. The van is kept under a tarp in a lot owned by Panozzo's top lieutenant, Paul Koroluk. Fictitious or stolen plates were used during the commission of the robberies. Another vehicle, an older Dodge Durango, was also used by the crew.

Another source of Panozzo's, an insurance salesman, would tip Panozzo off to houses which contained valuable goods or jewelry, which the salesman had previously worked with the homeowners to insure. Panozzo's crew would burglarize the homes and then keep or sell the stolen items. One of these homes contained a large amount of sports memorabilia, others contained collections of silver or gold coins.

Panozzo kept a book of potential targets and scores, some of which had allegedly been listed and cased for years.

Panozzo also runs a Chicago whorehouse fronting as a massage parlor, employing four women and one man, who works security. Panozzo receives a cut from each woman who works the location.

One informant revealed that Panozzo and another individual had coerced an elderly woman into signing over the deed for a piece of property. Panozzo allegedly later threw her multiple times down a flight of stairs until she died. According to the informant, Panozzo joked about how hard it was to kill the old lady. This incident allegedly occurred in the late eighties. The individual who assisted Panozzo in this crime was later murdered in 1991.

Panozzo and another member of his crew conspired to kill a kidnapping victim to prevent him from testifying against Jeffrey Hollinghead. The hit was never carried out but Panozzo was provided with the individual's name and address and allegedly contacted a Hispanic gang member to carry out the hit, promising him $10,000 up front and another $10,000 upon the completion of the murder. Panozzo suspected Hollinghead of being an informant and also considered killing him but Hollinghead was imprisoned before any plans for the murder could be enacted. However, Panozzo and Koroluk believed they could get Hollinghead transferred to a wing of the Cook County Prison where he could be more easily killed. Hollinghead had actually cooperated with law enforcement. It could be assumed that he got a reduced sentence but I haven't been able to find any inmate information on him. I know Scott B has a few articles on Hollinghead and his wife.

Panozzo's crew was eventually busted attempting to rob a stash house that was actually a "set up" by law enforcement. Information was obtained from member(s) of Panozzo's crew who were cooperating with the FBI. The FBI and Chicago PD planted 40 kilos of cocaine and also set up electronic surveillance on the premises. They also gained access to Aburhabsah's cell phone through the cooperating crew member. Panozzo and Koroluk committed the robbery on July 16, 2004. Upon exiting the premises they were arrested by FBI agents. Aburhabsah and Robert Panozzo Jr. were arrested outside the premises.

What Spanish speaking freelancers have stash houses with 25-50 kilos of cocaine in Chicago?

And freelancers or not, you rob 25-50 kilos of cocaine from anyone you better expect that they will kill you if they find out who you are.

[PolackTony]

The Panozzo crew made a point to only rob freelance dealers. They purposely avoided cartel stash houses. Panozzo was normally tipped off about the stash houses from members of Hispanic gangs, specifically the Spanish Cobras or the Latin Dragons.

Edit: Below is a post of info on the P/K crew that I made a few years ago.

Panozzo (identified by one C.I. as "made") and his crew would hit about half a dozen stash houses a year. Panozzo was normally tipped off about the stash houses from members of Hispanic gangs, specifically the Spanish Cobras or the Latin Dragons.

The houses typically contained large amounts of cash and/or marijuana, cocaine, or heroin. Panozzo's crew would sell any stolen drugs obtained from the stash houses. The crew typically only robbed from freelance dealers; cartel drug shipments were usually avoided.

Panozzo and his crew posed as police officers while committing these robberies, complete with body armor, holsters, belts, and badges. Some of the badges used were obtained from prior burglaries of police officers' homes. Panozzo stored the equipment -- including cell phone jammers, police and two-way radios, and scanners -- in a shed next to his garage.

One of the crew would plant GPS trackers on drug dealers' cars who would then lead Panozzo's crew to the stash house. Other times, the crew would locate addresses provided by Panozzo's contacts and then use GPS to locate them.

Panozzo's crew would normally tie up any inhabitants of the dwelling, including women and children. If the locations of money or drugs was not immediately discerned, the crew would beat the men until they revealed the hiding places.

One robbery resulted in a net of 25 kilos of cocaine. The crew also stole two vehicles belonging to the inhabitants. Panozzo became incensed when one inhabitant, who had previously confessed to not knowing English, started speaking in that language. Panozzo cut off his ear before leaving.

The crew also robbed tractor trailers clandestinely attempting to traffic shipments of drugs. One such robbery netted the crew 40-50 kilos of cocaine.

Panozzo would sometimes use Hispanic gang members to assist or aid in the robberies, either as lookouts or getaway drivers. Two members of Panozzo's gang, Dionisio Garcia and Maher Abuhabsah, normally stayed in the getaway vehicles or functioned as lookouts, monitoring radios or scanners for police activity in the area. This was also due to their appearances as they would not be as convincing posing as law enforcement as Panozzo and the white members of the gang.

Abuhabsah typically did the GPS work and "research" behind potential targets. A look at his phone records at the time of his arrest revealed numerous incriminating texts between he and Panozzo. The crew normally utilized only "burner" phones. Once a particular job was done the phones were discarded and new ones purchased.

On more than one occasion, Panozzo's crew beat individuals they believed had information on potential targets. One was beaten over the course of several hours.

Normally, a stolen van is used for the robberies. The van is kept under a tarp in a lot owned by Panozzo's top lieutenant, Paul Koroluk. Fictitious or stolen plates were used during the commission of the robberies. Another vehicle, an older Dodge Durango, was also used by the crew.

Another source of Panozzo's, an insurance salesman, would tip Panozzo off to houses which contained valuable goods or jewelry, which the salesman had previously worked with the homeowners to insure. Panozzo's crew would burglarize the homes and then keep or sell the stolen items. One of these homes contained a large amount of sports memorabilia, others contained collections of silver or gold coins.

Panozzo kept a book of potential targets and scores, some of which had allegedly been listed and cased for years.

Panozzo also runs a Chicago whorehouse fronting as a massage parlor, employing four women and one man, who works security. Panozzo receives a cut from each woman who works the location.

One informant revealed that Panozzo and another individual had coerced an elderly woman into signing over the deed for a piece of property. Panozzo allegedly later threw her multiple times down a flight of stairs until she died. According to the informant, Panozzo joked about how hard it was to kill the old lady. This incident allegedly occurred in the late eighties. The individual who assisted Panozzo in this crime was later murdered in 1991.

Panozzo and another member of his crew conspired to kill a kidnapping victim to prevent him from testifying against Jeffrey Hollinghead. The hit was never carried out but Panozzo was provided with the individual's name and address and allegedly contacted a Hispanic gang member to carry out the hit, promising him $10,000 up front and another $10,000 upon the completion of the murder. Panozzo suspected Hollinghead of being an informant and also considered killing him but Hollinghead was imprisoned before any plans for the murder could be enacted. However, Panozzo and Koroluk believed they could get Hollinghead transferred to a wing of the Cook County Prison where he could be more easily killed. Hollinghead had actually cooperated with law enforcement. It could be assumed that he got a reduced sentence but I haven't been able to find any inmate information on him. I know Scott B has a few articles on Hollinghead and his wife.

Panozzo's crew was eventually busted attempting to rob a stash house that was actually a "set up" by law enforcement. Information was obtained from member(s) of Panozzo's crew who were cooperating with the FBI. The FBI and Chicago PD planted 40 kilos of cocaine and also set up electronic surveillance on the premises. They also gained access to Aburhabsah's cell phone through the cooperating crew member. Panozzo and Koroluk committed the robbery on July 16, 2004. Upon exiting the premises they were arrested by FBI agents. Aburhabsah and Robert Panozzo Jr. were arrested outside the premises.

The “freelance” dealer thing I’ve read as being specific to non-cartel affiliated operations. This is Chicago that we’re talking about, so if guys are running around with serious weight in many of not most cases going to be affiliated with street gangs.

[PolackTony]

And freelancers or not, you rob 25-50 kilos of cocaine from anyone you better expect that they will kill you if they find out who you are.

These P-K guys were well aware of the risk involved, and I highly doubt they were scared of much. Just look at the litany of crimes they were involved in, that we know about, during this short time period. It would be really difficult to overstate how rough and brazen these guys were. Panozzo is as hardcore of a gangster as the modern LCN will see, IMO, and I’m including Philly in that comparison. There is just no parallel to the sort of street gang world that Panozzo and Koroluk came up through in these other cities, nothing even close, especially considering where and when they grew up in Chicago. Since kids these guys had decades of training in bloody gang brawls, shootouts, drug dealing, armed robbery, truck and train break-ins and hijacking (the train yards and warehouses just west of Smith Park were C-Note hunting grounds for many years), residential burglaries, fencing stolen goods (the story I’ve heard is that Big Paulie for years ran stolen movies and other goods out of his video store on Chicago Ave that the C-Notes acquired from robbing trucks and trains), prostitution, extortion, you name it.

[funkster]

I didnt realize a CI said he was made.

[PolackTony]

I didnt realize a CI said he was made.

Yes, and Panozzo is only a “Menza” as his mother was of Ukrainian and “hillbilly” ancestry.