Scott- chicago

[Snakes]

There is a possibility that some other, lower-level guys have bought it the past several years but Pete pretty much hit the three biggest ones.

[Wiseguy]

Chicago Feds Fast-Tracking Vena Probe, Sources Say, Westside Capo Could Be Charged By Christmas
Scott Burnstein

Chicago and Featured and Mafia and Mafia Insider and Midwest


The end of the line could be near for notorious reputed Chicago mob capo Albert (Albie the Falcon) Vena. Exclusive Gangster Report sources in Illinois law enforcement say a federal racketeering indictment naming him as head of the Outfit’s Westside crew is “eminent,” possibly landing before the conclusion of the calendar year or even sooner. As reported first here on the Gangster Report, Vena, 67, the alleged mafia overlord of the Windy City’s Westside and storied Grand Avenue regime and someone called by many the most dangerous man in Chicago, is under heavy investigation by multiple government agencies and has been for at least the last two years.

A number of Vena underlings are expected to be swept up in the bust, too, according to these sources. It’s not clear whether murder charges will be included in the pending racketeering conspiracy case. Vena has faced homicide charges in the past. He’s been a suspect in several other homicide investigations, per sources in the Cook County Sherriff’s Department.

One former CCSD organized crime unit official speaking on the promise of anonymity claims Vena became a priority for mob busters in Illinois in the aftermath of the Outfit’s acting boss Michael (Fat Mike) Sarno being convicted of extortion and jailed in December 2010. Around two and a half years ago, the joint inquiry between state and federal agencies into Vena and the Grand Avenue crew’s activities, “amped up” and became a “top priority,” the source says.

The dominoes started falling within months. Back in late 2013, Chicago mob associate and Westside crew lieutenant Jeff Hollingshead began playing ball with the government. His cooperation led to the July 2014 arrest of Robert (Bobby Pinocchio) Panozzo, a Westside soldier and the alleged crew’s No. 3 in charge, on home invasion, drug dealing, arson, pimping and attempted murder charges. In the months previous, cop-turned-Goodfella Steve Mandell, another Westside crew crony, was convicted of a kidnapping and murder plot in which federal authorities believe Mandell unsuccessfully sought permission from Albie the Falcon to torture and kill a pair of associates and their wives as a ploy to assume ownership of their respective businesses.

The diminutive, yet fearsome Vena will be next to be hauled in front of a judge, according to sources with knowledge of the current probe.

“It’s coming down and it’s coming down fast,” said the source of how pressing the forthcoming indictment is. “All they’re waiting for is the go-ahead from Washington.”

Vena reportedly runs his operations out of his favorite watering hole, Richard’s Bar and his favorite restaurant, La Scarola, a popular Italian eatery and longtime Westside crew hangout. Both establishments are located at the corner of Grand Avenue and Halsted Road at the edge of downtown Chicago. The No. 2 in command in Vena’s Grand Avenue regime is alleged to be Christopher (Christy the Nose) Spina, the onetime driver and protégé of legendary Westside capo Joseph (Joey the Clown) Lombardo, the Outfit’s imprisoned 86-year old consigliere. Spina, 62, is first cousins with Jeff Hollingshead, whose incarceration in September of 2013 on a bond violation from a 2009 home invasion collar precipitated a chain reaction that first blew the lid on Panozzo’s rackets last year and might very well land Spina and Vena in handcuffs as well.

Hollingshead, 49, took refuge with the feds in the finals days of 2013, inking a cooperation deal on New Year’s Eve and going on to help them build a case against Panozzo and Panozzo’s right-hand man Paul (Big Paulie) Koroluk, while testifying in front of a grand jury in the summer of 2014, in the weeks leading up their bust. Panozzo tried to steal Hollingshead’s wife, Jillian, and he and Koroluk looted his home in suburban Wilmette in the hours following his being arrested, per Chicago mob insiders.

Sources close to Hollingshead say the government has been “leaning on and pressuring him for more information” and specifically information relating to his dealings with and knowledge of Albie Vena ever since Panozzo’s pinch. He and Panozzo, 56, are each staring at 40-year prison sentences.

Vena rose through the ranks of the Chicago mafia under the tutelage of Joey Lombardo, deceased Outfit administrator Gus (Slim) Alex and current Windy City mob elder statesman Joseph (Joe the Builder) Andriacchi, according to Illinois State Police records. He replaced Lombardo as crew chief on Grand Avenue, initially on an “acting” basis for Joseph (Joe Kong) Culotta, in 2006 upon Joey the Clown getting locked up, and then by late 2009 or early 2010, in an official capacity, assert sources on the street in Chicago. His police jacket features convictions for armed robbery, kidnapping and burglary.

In the spring of 1995, Vena was acquitted of first-degree murder charges in the 1992 gangland slaying of low-level Outfit associate Sam (Needles) Taglia, found stuffed in the trunk of his Buick in Melrose Park. Vena was the last person seen with Taglia in public before he was killed. Prosecutors argued Taglia, a known hoodlum, drug peddler and heroin addict, spurned Vena in a narcotics transaction. Taglia was shot twice in the back of the head and had his throat slit. When Cook County Sherriff’s Department personnel came to arrest Vena in December 1992 for Vena’s murder, he tried to run them over with his car.

http://gangsterreport.com/chicago-feds- ... as-season/

[cavita]

I laugh at those who think the Outfit is basically dead or only involved in some bookmaking and video poker. Here is just one small part of a crew that was involved in "home invasion, drug dealing, arson, pimping and attempted murder." It doesn't take a full blown indictment to know the depth of what the Outfit is into- they've just been able to keep things more quiet than the Big Apple.

[Wiseguy]

I laugh at those who think the Outfit is basically dead or only involved in some bookmaking and video poker. Here is just one small part of a crew that was involved in "home invasion, drug dealing, arson, pimping and attempted murder." It doesn't take a full blown indictment to know the depth of what the Outfit is into- they've just been able to keep things more quiet than the Big Apple.

Well, if it wasn't for this indictment we probably wouldn't know about any of this, would we?

If you look at all the mob cases in Chicago over the past 15 years, illegal gambling (bookmaking, video poker) are a big part of what the Outfit has left in terms of traditional street rackets.

And I don't know if this case is a very good example to show how active the Outfit still is. You have a crew doing robberies (which the Outfit has always been involved in) of drug stash houses and selling the drugs they stole. Things like arson and murder just facilitate the actual money-making crimes. The prostitution and insurance fraud charges aren't clear.

[JCB1977]

I would love to hear Chicago's take on this information

[Angelo Santino]

I would love to hear Chicago's take on this information

[toto]

I would love to hear Chicago's take on this information

.

[scott22]

Jeremy,
Bro, I think you're a little offbase blasting me like this on-line. My resume stretches quite far and way past these chat boards. If people are telling you in Detroit that I'm misreporting stuff on the street, THEY R WRONG! The Detroit guys aren't used to the pub, are pissed that I'm bringing heat on them and as a result are telling people to disregard me. Get at me if you want to try and clear this up further.

Scott Burnstein

[Sol]

I would love to hear Chicago's take on this information

.

Hahahaha, that is hilarious Toto. Good one man. Lol.......Soliai

[Pete]

I would love to hear Chicago's take on this information

.

Hahahaha, that is hilarious Toto. Good one man. Lol.......Soliai

Yeah really I remember when the panozzo bust went down he argued for days vena wasn't involved and wasn't getting kicked up to etc even though the news reports even said the Feds were trying to indict vena for his role

[Angelo Santino]

I would love to hear Chicago's take on this information

.

Hahahaha, that is hilarious Toto. Good one man. Lol.......Soliai

Yeah really I remember when the panozzo bust went down he argued for days vena wasn't involved and wasn't getting kicked up to etc even though the news reports even said the Feds were trying to indict vena for his role

Yeah but that's when his pops was Chuckie English (or was it Joe Lombardi?) More recently he's a criminal attorney that defended Outfit members.

[JCB1977]

Jeremy,
Bro, I think you're a little offbase blasting me like this on-line. My resume stretches quite far and way past these chat boards. If people are telling you in Detroit that I'm misreporting stuff on the street, THEY R WRONG! The Detroit guys aren't used to the pub, are pissed that I'm bringing heat on them and as a result are telling people to disregard me. Get at me if you want to try and clear this up further.

Scott Burnstein

Guys,

Whether you all agree or disagree with Scott's journalism, how about just appreciating him taking the time to answer questions, writing some new pieces that aren't played out like the Joey Merlino sightings and saga. It is the year 2015, not 1985 when OC dominated the national news. Every time he makes a post, people find it gratifying to publicly bash the guy. These are the posters we want on Black Hand, not the gun toting wild Indians from years past. I've talked with Scott on a few topics, he's polite, courteous and diligent about getting answers for you. If he doesn't know something, he'll tell you straight up. All I'm saying is that since Soliai put this thing together, he kept his word to make this better, about quality. This board has been very pleasant since certain posters no longer have the privilege here. IMO, Scott took an area of interest and found a niche, shouldn't we be rooting for guys like that? The same goes for Ron Fino, whether he cooperated or not, the guy worked as a highly classified government operative in Russia. The guy got thrown into a life he never wanted from a young age, then went out and helped this country and its citizens in several military black ops. He actually could give you information that is first hand knowledge. I'm only saying to cut these guys a break, you get more informative knowledge of OC from two very credible writers. Why make enemies just because you don't like his writing style or sources? This is a good thread and was an enjoyable piece to read on Chicago. One of the greatest cities in America. Just ask Chicago

[Antiliar]

JCB1977, your comment is 100% on the money.

[SonnyBlackstein]

I've previously disagreed with SB regards certain pieces/statements so I'd like clarify my stance and attitude.

I genuinely enjoy SB efforts at reporting on Detroit other non NYC centric LCN activities in the NE. I appreciate he takes the time to engage his readers via certain forums and his efforts at taking constructive feedback on board.

I also maintain the right to question his work where logic or evidence suggest and as his work is fallible it should be open to dialogue. As long as this dialogue is in a well mannered, non personal, constructive fashion, SB should have no issues with it either.

It frustrates me that you apparently have to be in one group or the other. Either 'Haters' or 'Fanboys'. You critise and youre labeled a 'Hater', you commend him youre a 'Fanboy'. What bullshit. We should be able to question where appropriate and appreciate where due.
Without a fucking label.

A little maturity on all 'sides' is required for a mutually happy relationship.

[JCB1977]

I wasn't singling anybody out, but my take is that if you don't agree with what he has written, pm him...he'll respond and answer any questions. When his or any other's writer's integrity is called into question, of course they're going to be offended or defensive about it...that's how they make a living. Instead of an insult on a public thread, you get further with honey than you do with vinegar.