Romie Nappi and James Zafiratos grew up as boyhood friends. The former secretary-treasurer of the Independent Union of Amalgamated Workers Local 711, Matassa, of Arlington Heights, pleaded guilty in February to an embezzlement charge alleging he put his wife on the unions payroll in a do-nothing job for four years while lowering his own salary to qualify for early retirement benefits from the Social Security Administrations Old-Age Insurance program. Reputed Chicago mob figure John Matassa Jr. didnt exactly sound wracked with guilt when he was asked Monday if he had anything to say before being sentenced for a union embezzlement scheme. Though undated, that mention appears to be from the early 1980s, before the Spilotros were killed. Customer Service. If I was boss I wouldn't allow kids to be involved in the business either. (if applicable) for The Wall Street Journal. To be clear, almost every Italian and Greek judge appointed to the bench and/or who sought endorsement by the Chicago political machine, or who wanted specific assignments, between the 1950s and the early to mid-1990s accomplished their goals largely because of Romie and his intimate network of highly capable colleagues. If I ever hear you again insult the people who come into this courtroom, Ill find you in contempt and jail you.. 11/14/22 | Breaking Fox News November 14, 2022 Full HD, Something's Burning Season Bert Kreischer, Is the Government Laundering Money? So, I have a question for you. When court reconvened, Matassa said he was simply referring to what he believes were decades of harassment from federal regulators during his career as a supervisor in various unions. However, he was a phenomenal son, husband, father, grandfather, and a great judge. Calabrese also testified that he and Matassa helped conduct surveillance in the late 1980s on a movie house operator who owed the mob money, according to the transcript. See more ideas about chicago outfit, chicago, chicago mob. | Andrew A. Nelles~Sun-Times Media. Hollywood goodfella. Many of the FBIs files are subject to public release upon request after a persons death, but the FBI decided to withhold some of its records on DiFronzo. Salvatore "Solly D" DeLaurentis - The Chicago Outfit has been around as long or longer than any of New York's five families. You will be charged Zafiratos consistently replied, Who doesnt know Daley?. ReadMarch 3, 2023 | The Editorial Board, Article viewed iconAn icon to mark the viewed articles These people are human beings like the rest of us. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. One day while on the bench, an elderly lady appeared in Zafiratos courtroom. As a side note, a family member of Judge Stillo seems to me to have joined his relative, Nick Spina, and (independently) another relative, who is the now late Sal Ferrara of Ferrara Candy Company, in sabotaging some of my respectable goals in more recent years. ReadMarch 3, 2023 | Holman W. Jenkins, Jr. John No Nose DiFronzo in 1992 leaving the Dirksen Federal Building. Chicago Outfit-tied scammer Lee Anglin promised to make good to his victims. During the 2007 Operation Family Secrets Chicago Outfit trial in Chicago, hit man-turned-prosecution witness Nicholas Calabrese testified that reputed mob boss John No Nose DiFronzo was among those involved in the 1986 murders of the Spilotro brothers. According to Wikipedia he also was a flamboyant entrepreneur, civil rights activist, and intermediary between Italian-American and African-American organized crime groups. Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli: The Epic Story of the Making of The Godfather. Which is certainly a great deal less than they once did, given how their world has changed over the last several decades because of law enforcement efforts against them and a long list of other factors. Mr. Fosco is a columnist for American News Post and a series of publications that began with The Keys To Faith (which was named by semi-retired media mogul Conrad Black). In court Monday, Kennelly seemed to feign confusion when Matassa alluded that prosecutors had targeted him because of his name. ReadMarch 3, 2023 | Stephen Ford, Article viewed iconAn icon to mark the viewed articles Read rest by Dan Mihalopoulosand Mitch DudekStaff Reporterson Chicago Sun Times. As with many mobsters who claim either Christmas or New Year's Day as their birthdates, D'Amico always said he was born on Jan. 1, 1936, and official paperwork seemed to back that up. ", Do not 'push a slower friend down' if you encounter bear: Park Service, Overturned gas tanker explodes, killing 1 person, Inmate beaten to death in Cook County Jail's max security wing: police. These votes can be negotiated with various groups who control the Irish votes and others. In his comments to the court, Matassa said many of the witnesses were just scared after federal agents had gone into their houses like storm troopers.. The charge murder spanned 16 years. Okay, so the Judge wasnt a poet. My late father, Armando Mondo Fosco, was always by Romies side. The newly released files make only passing reference to Anthony Spilotro, including this: Source information has recently indicated that DiFronzo is a frequent traveler to Las Vegas and at one point was considered as a replacement for Tony Spilotro to oversee mob activities in that city., Anthony Spilotro (left) was the Chicago mobs man in Las Vegas until his 1986 killing. Outfit guy didn't like dead guys being killed in thier neiborhoods. The reason youre here right now is because you pleaded guilty to a felony to avoid going to trial, Kennelly said before sentencing Matassa to six months in federal prison to be followed by six months on house arrest. A crime scene in Chicago, July 9. These charts and the listed leaders and members are kept as up to date as possible with current known information from various sources. When the officer answered that he didn't know, or care, D'Amico proceeded to bite off one of the patrolman's fingers. 10.john matassa jr.-link with the south side. Federal agents had mob informants, some unwilling to go to testify and reveal theyd informed, the FBI records show. You dont know their stories. Sarno is expected to be released in 2032 if there is no judicial interference.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'aboutthemafia_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_8',198,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-aboutthemafia_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Chicago Outfit boss Mike Sarno denied compassionate release despite poor health, Mafia Bosses and Hierarchies Heading into 2021, Mafia Bosses and Hierarchies Heading into 2020, United States District Court Judge Ronald Guzman, Mafia bosss black panther escapes into southern Italian town, Bonanno turncoat Gene Borello arrested for threatening ex-girlfriends husband, Chicago Outfit bookmaker is going back to prison, Lebron James accused of dropping rakes Gangster Disciples threaten him, End of the Road for Mobster Frank Cullotta, Dead at 81, Scott Deitche - Author of Cigar City Mafia and other great mob books. a question that may be appropriate for this thread. Zafiratos cared about people. Chicago Outfit today: 75 years after Al Capone's death, how legalization of gambling and marijuana in Illinois impacted crime - ABC7 Chicago I Team 75 years to the day after Al Capone's. Skip navigation. They go to the grand jury and they got amnesia, he said. Is that why you are nodding your head up and down and back and forth?. 75. r/Mafia. The Judge knew that the defendant was related to his good friend Adam Stillo. 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Judge Sentences Man for Heinous Murders |A&E, Sammy The Bull EXCLUSIVE Sit Down Interview | John Gotti | Mikey Scars | Chin Gigante | JoeGallo, Joe Watts | Junior Gotti | Jackie DAmico | Mikey Scars | Episode 2 | PatreonExclusive, Detective Extracts Confession DECADES After Murder | Cold Case Files |A&E, Mob In Miami Tony Giacalone, John Piazza, Michael Franzese & ThomasFarese, Dennis Hoppers Daily Routine was Dangerous to HisHealth, Who Would I Vote for If Im Still in the Mob? Congratulations to Joseph Epstein for committing the dual effronteries of calling for vigorous law enforcement as a remedy for the crime that plagues our hometown and for pointing out that the disabling of the Outfit was not an unmitigated positive for our city (Crime is No Longer a Family Business in Chicago, op-ed, July 31). Rep. Danny Davis will endorse Johnson on Monday. The FBI and U.S. Attorneys office detail Sarno running the Chicago mafia as acting boss from 2005 to late 2010, when he was found guilty of setting a rivals video poker machine company ablaze in Berwyn, Illinois. 124. Guy has to be in horrible shape but along with Jimmy Marcello, who won't ever see the light of day again, is one of the last links to the glory days of the outfit. Theres still some major concerns, Chicago mayor candidate Brandon Johnson in Selma for Bloody Sunday march. In the late 1990s, Matassa was kicked out as president of the Laborers Union Chicago local over his alleged extensive ties to organized crime a move Matassa fought for years. February 27, 2023 By restaurants on the water in st clair shores By restaurants on the water in st clair shores As the battery case began progressing, Zafiratos was assigned to hear the case. If it werent for the bad cops in Elmwood Park, Illinois (who were eventually forced out of the Elmwood Park, Illinois, Police Department), that brought a bogus case against me in 1992, I probably would not have had the pleasure of knowing Judge Zafiratos. Didn't realize Schiro has chance at getting out. Thank the Transit Union, Student discount promo code: $100 off the GoPro HERO11, Samsung promo code - Up to 40% off + free shipping, Claim $1932 on Precision 5570 Workstation with Dell Coupon code, Yes, Theres a Housing Crisis. As far as Ferrara goes, Ill just say that he was not a fan of American News Post. These werent enough for United States District Court Judge Ronald Guzman, who rejected the motion for compassionate release back in September and then denied a follow-up motion over a video conference on Wednesday. But it includes little mention of Anthony Spilotro, the Chicago mobs point person in Las Vegas, and his brother Michael Spilotro, who in 1986 were lured to a Bensenville-area home where they were pummeled, then driven to and buried in an Indiana cornfield brutal killings fictionalized in the 1995 Martin Scorsese film Casino.. Chicago Mafia Chicago Outfit bookmaker is going back to prison April 9, 2021 Chicago Outfit boss Mike Sarno denied compassionate release despite poor health February 22, 2021 Lebron James accused of "dropping rakes" - Gangster Disciples threaten him October 14, 2020 End of the Road for Mobster Frank Cullotta, Dead at 81 August 21, 2020 DeLaurentis, 79, was released from federal prison in 2006 . Los Angeles Mob; . No, You Cant Build Here, Opinion: About Those Free Tickets to Hong Kong, Opinion: Late to Work? Champaign, IL. When Calabrese and Marcello were later imprisoned together in Michigan, the two had a code to signify when they were talking about Matassa, Calabrese testified. As youngsters, Romie lived on the 900 block of Chicagos West Polk Street, and James lived near Blue Island Avenue and Roosevelt Road, not too far from Romie. "D'Amico was close to John DiFronzo for quite some time" said long-time Chicago organized crime expert John Binder, a former professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There is so much not known about the outfit. Despite photo. Now that I have shared the information above, I will focus more on the late Judge Zafiratos. The Outfit always had a small core but tons of associates. 8.robert abbinanti 9.joseph andriacchi-senior advisor. As a side note, Romies and my fathers Al Capone-style of education in government and labor relations was taught to them by Als men, Jake Guzik and Murray Humphreys. American News Post now controls a range of different religious, social and political publications. Inendino is probably alright with the currency exchange, Spano too, same for Solly with his business stuff, Andriacchi may also still have some heyday money squared away but I believe Fosco alleged in one of his articles that he suffered financially under John DiFronzo's regime, though I might be remembering that wrong. According to authorities, the drunk D'Amico asked "do you know who I am?" Made men/full time soldiers in prison: James Marcello- Underboss. Muhammad Ali with major "the maj" coxson who was a drug kingpin from philly. In fact, in a recent sentencing memo asking Kennelly to impose about a two-year prison term, prosecutors said that Matassa had no criminal history and a seemingly normal upbringing.. Zafiratos immediately noticed Colins entrance into the courtroom. Each chart shows the hierarchy of the family including the current mafia bosses along with available photos of current soldiers.var cid='8023303019';var pid='ca-pub-3329026825851028';var slotId='div-gpt-ad-aboutthemafia_com-medrectangle-3-0';var ffid=1;var alS=1021%1000;var container=document.getElementById(slotId);var ins=document.createElement('ins');ins.id=slotId+'-asloaded';ins.className='adsbygoogle ezasloaded';ins.dataset.adClient=pid;ins.dataset.adChannel=cid;ins.style.display='block';ins.style.minWidth=container.attributes.ezaw.value+'px';ins.style.width='100%';ins.style.height=container.attributes.ezah.value+'px';container.style.maxHeight=container.style.minHeight+'px';container.style.maxWidth=container.style.minWidth+'px';container.appendChild(ins);(adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({});window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId,'stat_source_id',44);window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId,'adsensetype',1);var lo=new MutationObserver(window.ezaslEvent);lo.observe(document.getElementById(slotId+'-asloaded'),{attributes:true}); Subscribe to About The Mafias weekly newsletter to get the latest organized crime news delivered straight to your inbox: Subscribe for FREE. All Rights Reserved. You may change your billing preferences at any time in the Customer Center or call When asked why they had been told to watch the operator, Calabrese replied, I believe he was going to get killed.. (Ross Stanger). In this video, we review the life of the Outfit's Chicago Heights chop shop kingpin, murderer (allegedly) and extortionist who could have really benefited fr. Before I start sharing some interesting information about James Zafiratos, I will tell you a bit about my late step-uncle, Romie J. Nappi, and his role with the Cook County judiciary. (Ross Stanger), Jimmy "The Bomber" Catura. I was not too sure about the Del Giudice ring, since it ultimately is tied to the Outfit through Paloian but they are probably all associates in one way or another. Alex Murdaugh Receives Life Sentence: What Happens Now? The first was Edward J. Kelly, the 46th Mayor of Chicago, who served from 1933 to 1947. Please check back for recent updates and new charts being added as changes in the families occur and the hierarchy is altered over time. I believe he now organizes mafia tours in Chicago and Las Vegas. Instead, the state license went to one in nearby Des Plaines. Of course, James and Romies longstanding friendship had created a powerful bond during their childhood that lasted for the rest of their lives. These were all listed as health concerns in his motion for compassionate release. James mother was a major driving force behind her sons dedication to pursuing graduate school. The guys hanging on to the carpet like a cat, one union member told the Tribune at the time. (Photo Compliments Of John Binder) (Ross Stanger), Joe Ferriola was the Capo of Cicero in the 1970's and ran a hit crew called "The Wild Bunch". The bosses had all gathered that March day to discuss business and pleasures, unaware that they were being surveilled by an ABC7 news crew. Inb4 - actually there are over 100 made members and 10,000 associates. Romie was elated to be a part of helping James become a judge. Among the murders solved as a result of the high-profile courtroom drama was the double homicide of Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, the Chicago Outfit's point man in . I will not try to link together this mosaic of stories, aside to note that they will help you understand the unwavering goodness and steadfast demeanor that best illustrate James Zafiratos deep and abiding character. Matassas name surfaced in the historic Operation Family Secrets mob trial in 2007 when Outfit turncoat Nicholas Calabrese testified Matassa was a longtime member of the Outfits notorious Rush Street crew who reported to capo Vince Solano. 60 at most. Romie was heavily involved in various important backdoor judicial processes as early as the 1950s. Faced with secret recordings, courtesy of corrupt ex-attorney Robert Cooley who was cooperating with the FBI, D'Amico pleaded guilty, admitting his role in the scheme and his position in the Outfit.