Phil Bacino thread- Chicago/New Jersey

[cavita]

Starting a thread on Phil Bacino with some sparse info. If anyone can add to his timeline to fill in some of the missing areas that would help.

Phil Bacino:

January 4, 1902 born in Ribera, Sicily

June 27, 1923 immigrated through Ellis Island on the S.S. Taormina with his destination being to his uncle Carmelo Giacobbe in New York city.

December 7, 1928 was arrested under the name Tony Bello at the Hotel Statler in Cleveland, Ohio as one of those attending a Mafia summit.

December 21, 1928 naturalized in Chicago, Illinois

September 24, 1940 arrested in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin bootlegging case along with Alphonse Caruso and James Anastase from Rockford, Illinois, Joe Grisafi, 35, Calumet City, Illinois. Joseph Spewak, 19, Chicago, Sam Gottlieb, 27, Chicago, Ben Krakover, 37, Chicago, Eugene Presta, 44, Chicago, William Covelli, 52, Aurora, Illinois, Tony Caponi, Frank Coconato, Frank Infusino, Ben Kalb, Joe Lescauski, Aldo Nudi, Arthur P. Ricchio, Emil Ricchio, Roy Ricchio, Walter Schlaeger all of Kenosha, Kenneth Jensen, Racine, Harry P. Vasiliu, Milwaukee, Henry Schmunk, Franksville, George Schulz, Burlington, Walter Steffen, Burlington, Herman R. Yanke, Lake Geneva, Charles Cosentino, Kenosha, Bryant Roberts, Burlington.
October 1967 listed in the Chicago Crime Commission as someone having links to the Chicago Outfit.

October 6, 1974 died in Calumet City, Illinois.

Suspected to be among the bosses of the Calumet City, Illinois mafia.

Testimony by Anthony Rotondo, DeCavalcante crime figure, stated that Bacino had ties with the New Jersey mafia through the Amari family.

Founder and owner of John’s Restaurant and Pizzeria in Calumet City, Illinois.

[Antiliar]

According to a document that felice saw in Italy, Bacino was reportedly an early boss of the Elizabeth Family. If he was, it was for a very short while. He was primarily a made member of the Chicago Heights Crew under Dominic Roberto, Jimmy Emery and Frank LaPorte.

As a side note, his family continues the pizzeria and I heard it's very good.

[Villain]

According to a document that felice saw in Italy, Bacino was reportedly an early boss of the Elizabeth Family. If he was, it was for a very short while. He was primarily a made member of the Chicago Heights Crew under Dominic Roberto, Jimmy Emery and Frank LaPorte.

As a side note, his family continues the pizzeria and I heard it's very good.

Was he previously connected to the Northsiders or the Sanfilippo or Costello factions in the South suburbs? I remember there was one picture with Roberto and Bacino and some other guys

[B.]

- Traveled to Italy/Sicily relatively frequently pre-1960s. He was in Ribera for the orphanage opening in the 1950s and was photographed there with Phil Amari and Fortunato Pope. Joe Bonanno was also rumored to be attendance, as he was in Sicily at the time.

- Likely served as Pasquale Lolordo's aide at the 1928 Cleveland meeting. National Assembly (pre-Commission) and similar meetings were described as having a leader in attendance accompanied by an aide. A number of the Cleveland attendees fit this relationship. Given Lolordo's prominence in Chicago at the time, he likely brought Bacino as his assistant/aide.

- A brother, Luciano, has been said to have been a member of the Ribera family. However, Phil's obituary does not mentioin a Luciano, though the list of relatives may have been limited to the US.

- Joseph Bacino shows up as a cousin of Phil on the FBI's dead list, with the "LCN" tag but no other info. The FBI sometimes lists non-criminal relatives like wives and siblings (it also lists Phil's wife), but typically doesn't list cousins unless they are members/associates.

- Carmelo Giacobbe's younger brother was Lorenzo/Lawrence Giacobbe, who seems to have been the father of Joseph Giacobbe Sr., who in turn was father of Joseph Jr. and related to Larry, all three DeCavalcante members. Bacino would seem to be related to them if he was related to Carmelo and Carmelo and Lorenzo would be good candidates for early members. Side note, but the Giacobbes first lived in Manhattan, then lived in Connecticut for a time in the 1910s before settling back in Manhattan at the end of the decade. There's a relation to a Giuseppe LaSala, which could be an older relative of DeCav member Joseph LaSala.

[Confederate]

- Traveled to Italy/Sicily relatively frequently pre-1960s. He was in Ribera for the orphanage opening in the 1950s and was photographed there with Phil Amari and Fortunato Pope. Joe Bonanno was also rumored to be attendance, as he was in Sicily at the time.

- Likely served as Pasquale Lolordo's aide at the 1928 Cleveland meeting. National Assembly (pre-Commission) and similar meetings were described as having a leader in attendance accompanied by an aide. A number of the Cleveland attendees fit this relationship. Given Lolordo's prominence in Chicago at the time, he likely brought Bacino as his assistant/aide.

- A brother, Luciano, has been said to have been a member of the Ribera family. However, Phil's obituary does not mentioin a Luciano, though the list of relatives may have been limited to the US.

- Joseph Bacino shows up as a cousin of Phil on the FBI's dead list, with the "LCN" tag but no other info. The FBI sometimes lists non-criminal relatives like wives and siblings (it also lists Phil's wife), but typically doesn't list cousins unless they are members/associates.

- Carmelo Giacobbe's younger brother was Lorenzo/Lawrence Giacobbe, who seems to have been the father of Joseph Giacobbe Sr., who in turn was father of Joseph Jr. and Larry, all three DeCavalcante members. Bacino would seem to be related to them if he was related to Carmelo and Carmelo and Lorenzo would be good candidates for early members. Side note, but the Giacobbes first lived in Manhattan, then lived in Connecticut for a time in the 1910s before settling back in Manhattan at the end of the decade. There's a relation to a Giuseppe LaSala, which could be an older relative of DeCav member Joseph LaSala.

Phil Bacino was arrested at that meeting in Cleveland in 1928 and gave his name as Tony Bello. Went to jail in 1940 for moonshining at USPTH for 6 years but was paroled in 1943.

[Antiliar]

According to a document that felice saw in Italy, Bacino was reportedly an early boss of the Elizabeth Family. If he was, it was for a very short while. He was primarily a made member of the Chicago Heights Crew under Dominic Roberto, Jimmy Emery and Frank LaPorte.

As a side note, his family continues the pizzeria and I heard it's very good.

Was he previously connected to the Northsiders or the Sanfilippo or Costello factions in the South suburbs? I remember there was one picture with Roberto and Bacino and some other guys

The old Chicago Heights Mafia Family run by Sanfilippo and Piazza was gone by 1926, so I agree with B that he was probably connected with Giunta and Lolordo at the time of the 1928 meeting. He could have moved to New Jersey after they were killed (assuming that the report that Felice saw is accurate), then returned under Capone or his successors. According to his naturalization (which was about two weeks after the Cleveland meeting), he lived at 2321 W. Ohio Avenue in Chicago, so it would make sense that he was part of the Chicago Family. He was living in Calumet City by 1935.

[Frank]

Starting a thread on Phil Bacino with some sparse info. If anyone can add to his timeline to fill in some of the missing areas that would help.

Phil Bacino:

January 4, 1902 born in Ribera, Sicily

June 27, 1923 immigrated through Ellis Island on the S.S. Taormina with his destination being to his uncle Carmelo Giacobbe in New York city.

December 7, 1928 was arrested under the name Tony Bello at the Hotel Statler in Cleveland, Ohio as one of those attending a Mafia summit.

December 21, 1928 naturalized in Chicago, Illinois

September 24, 1940 arrested in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin bootlegging case along with Alphonse Caruso and James Anastase from Rockford, Illinois, Joe Grisafi, 35, Calumet City, Illinois. Joseph Spewak, 19, Chicago, Sam Gottlieb, 27, Chicago, Ben Krakover, 37, Chicago, Eugene Presta, 44, Chicago, William Covelli, 52, Aurora, Illinois, Tony Caponi, Frank Coconato, Frank Infusino, Ben Kalb, Joe Lescauski, Aldo Nudi, Arthur P. Ricchio, Emil Ricchio, Roy Ricchio, Walter Schlaeger all of Kenosha, Kenneth Jensen, Racine, Harry P. Vasiliu, Milwaukee, Henry Schmunk, Franksville, George Schulz, Burlington, Walter Steffen, Burlington, Herman R. Yanke, Lake Geneva, Charles Cosentino, Kenosha, Bryant Roberts, Burlington.
October 1967 listed in the Chicago Crime Commission as someone having links to the Chicago Outfit.

October 6, 1974 died in Calumet City, Illinois.

Suspected to be among the bosses of the Calumet City, Illinois mafia.

Testimony by Anthony Rotondo, DeCavalcante crime figure, stated that Bacino had ties with the New Jersey mafia through the Amari family.

Founder and owner of John’s Restaurant and Pizzeria in Calumet City, Illinois.

Didn't Rotondo say that Bacino was boss of the New Jersey Family?

[cavita]

- Likely served as Pasquale Lolordo's aide at the 1928 Cleveland meeting. National Assembly (pre-Commission) and similar meetings were described as having a leader in attendance accompanied by an aide. A number of the Cleveland attendees fit this relationship. Given Lolordo's prominence in Chicago at the time, he likely brought Bacino as his assistant/aide.

Also interesting at that 1928 Cleveland summit was Salvatore Oliveri. Oliveri was born in Corleone, Sicily but by September 1919 he was in Chicago his marriage to Vincenza Marino. A later FBI information revealed that Oliveri fled Chicago during the Capoe/Aiello war in 1930. Sometime after that, an FBI informant stated that Oliveri came to Rockford, Illinois around 1932 and was driven around the city by three men with machine guns. Oliveri made the decision to muscle in on John Gasparini' funeral home business. The informant stated that Oliveri’s decision was given the go-ahead by Rockford LCN boss Tony Musso (who was a Capone ally) who contacted Gasparini and told him he could either accept Oliveri as a partner or as a competitor. Gasparini “got the message” and told Musso he would be happy to take on Oliveri as a partner. Later FBI files said that Oliveri was absorbed into the Rockford family. I have to think that Bacino, Lolordo and Oliveri were at the Cleveland summit as representing Chicago's south suburbs based on all this and it must be certain that Bacino and Oliveri must have stayed in contact over the years due to their proximity to one another and previous history.

[Villain]

According to a document that felice saw in Italy, Bacino was reportedly an early boss of the Elizabeth Family. If he was, it was for a very short while. He was primarily a made member of the Chicago Heights Crew under Dominic Roberto, Jimmy Emery and Frank LaPorte.

As a side note, his family continues the pizzeria and I heard it's very good.

Was he previously connected to the Northsiders or the Sanfilippo or Costello factions in the South suburbs? I remember there was one picture with Roberto and Bacino and some other guys

The old Chicago Heights Mafia Family run by Sanfilippo and Piazza was gone by 1926, so I agree with B that he was probably connected with Giunta and Lolordo at the time of the 1928 meeting. He could have moved to New Jersey after they were killed (assuming that the report that Felice saw is accurate), then returned under Capone or his successors. According to his naturalization (which was about two weeks after the Cleveland meeting), he lived at 2321 W. Ohio Avenue in Chicago, so it would make sense that he was part of the Chicago Family. He was living in Calumet City by 1935.

Thanks, the main reason for my question was that I think I read somewhere that Bacino also held operations on Chicago's Northwest Side

[B.]

According to a document that felice saw in Italy, Bacino was reportedly an early boss of the Elizabeth Family. If he was, it was for a very short while. He was primarily a made member of the Chicago Heights Crew under Dominic Roberto, Jimmy Emery and Frank LaPorte.

As a side note, his family continues the pizzeria and I heard it's very good.

Was he previously connected to the Northsiders or the Sanfilippo or Costello factions in the South suburbs? I remember there was one picture with Roberto and Bacino and some other guys

The old Chicago Heights Mafia Family run by Sanfilippo and Piazza was gone by 1926, so I agree with B that he was probably connected with Giunta and Lolordo at the time of the 1928 meeting. He could have moved to New Jersey after they were killed (assuming that the report that Felice saw is accurate), then returned under Capone or his successors. According to his naturalization (which was about two weeks after the Cleveland meeting), he lived at 2321 W. Ohio Avenue in Chicago, so it would make sense that he was part of the Chicago Family. He was living in Calumet City by 1935.

Hadn't thought of him moving to NY/NJ for a time after Lolordo's murder since he ultimately stayed in Calumet City, but could be possible. Joseph Lolordo fled permanently to NYC after the murder, and we have examples of Aiello's paesani fleeing Chicago after his murder, with some of them returning to the fold later, so Bacino could have been in a similar situation after Lolordo's death. Pasquale Lolordo it should be noted lived in Manhattan for a number of years before Bacino came to the US, so Lolordo could have been an early NY/NJ leader of the Riberesi group. I wonder what the crossover is in timeline between Bacino coming to the US and Lolordo and Bacino moving to Chicago. If Lolordo left for Chicago first, he may have left Bacino in some kind of temporary leadership role.

Jim DeGeorge comes up surprisingly little even though he was a Chicago captain from Ribera. I have found indications that he knew Bacino, of course, but very little on that relationship. I wonder how much he factored into Bacino staying in Chicago/Calumet City. DeGeorge would later have his falling out with the Chicago administration but that was unrelated and decades later.

As I've mentioned a few times now, too, Bacino's direct descendents in Calumet City and Indiana are in close contact via social media with a number of familiar names in Elizabeth, NJ, including direct relatives of the Riggis and other DeCavalcante names. None of these people ever lived in the same part of the country, so it shows you how deeply connected the early Riberesi mafiosi must have been regardless of region. With Bacino traveling frequently back to Sicily (presumably Ribera), there is a lot we don't know about how this network/family interacted and I don't think we should be entirely hinged on regional proximity when considering ranks.

[Frank]

The way it sounds, Bacino could have been connected and or been boss or temporary boss before he came to Chicago. Or after Lolordo was killed.

[B.]

Phil Bacino's son John married a woman from New Jersey, surname Casale.

[Chaps]

Phil Bacino's son John married a woman from New Jersey, surname Casale.

I mentioned in an earlier thread I did regarding Lou LaRasso that he was sent to Chicago by Sam DeCavalcante to help arrange a wedding. This was from his FBI file and I’d have to look back to find the year.


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[Chaps]

Phil Bacino's son John married a woman from New Jersey, surname Casale.

I mentioned in an earlier thread I did regarding Lou LaRasso that he was sent to Chicago by Sam DeCavalcante to help arrange a wedding. This was from his FBI file and I’d have to look back to find the year.


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Here it is B:

Interesting note regarding Larasso being sent to Chicago by DeCavalcante to "confer with representatives of the GIANCANA Family of LCN" about the arrangements for a wedding. The names of the bride and groom are redacted but it took place in Elizabeth, NJ.

[felice]

yes, Filippo had a brother named Luciano who was considered to be an early mafia member. he was born 1895