ABC TV Chicago reports:
The outfit has no bill of rights or "orderly succession." Sometimes in the mob, your next position is face down in the trunk of a car. But for now, the power vacuum left by the convictions of these five men and six others who have pleaded guilty is being filled by a roster of experienced hoodlums.The anti-social register.
Atop the heap, are these three gangland figures according to mob experts: John "No Nose" Difronzo and brothers Peter and Joe "The Builder" Andriacchi.
Although the Chicago crime commission's new outfit family tree isn't due out until next year, the I-Team has learned that this is how it currently shapes up:
Seventy-eight-year old No Nose John Difronzo is the boss; Difronzo's major domo is his brother Peter, whom mobwatchers say acts as an errand boy, delivering orders to outfit associates.
The current underboss: Joseph "The Builder" Andriacchi, a convicted burglar. Andriacchi is said to control the daily operation of four criminal crews:
# his own Elmwood Park crew;
# the lucrative 26th Street/Chinatown crew assigned to Frank "Toots" Caruso who has deep political and labor union ties;
# south suburbs, overseen by outfit octogenarian al "The Pizza Man" Tornabene.
# finally, Cicero, managed by John "Pudge" Matassa.
"We have 28 made members of the Chicago Outfit roaming in the Chicagoland area. We have over 100 associates of the Chicago Outfit," Grant said.
Regardless of how few Chicago mobsters are actually the blood-oath members glorified by Hollywood, that small leadership group has a history of penetrating deep into society.
"One hundred years or so of building up connections among politicians, cops, judges and businessmen; every time of the old timers is convicted and locked up forever, he takes those connections with him. Organized crime is damaged," said Gary Shapiro, first assistant U.S. Attorney.
