A longtime Cicero Police officer was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for his role in a mob racketeering crew.
In this Intelligence Report: Two sharply different portraits of former officer Dino Vitalo were presented in court.
This is the epitome of good cop, bad cop, all within one cop. Forty-two-year-old Dino Vitalo was variously described Tuesday at his federal sentencing hearing as either the world's greatest policeman or the world's worst.
Vitalo was sentenced to two years in prison. He had pleaded guilty to providing police information to top members of the Chicago Outfit, most notably Mike "The Large Guy" Sarno. It was Sarno who led a mob racketeering crew and was convicted of blowing up a Berwyn video gaming company that was in competition with organized crime.
In court Tuesday afternoon, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu said that Vitalo's moonlighting with the mob -- and leaking sensitive information -- had a negative impact on the government's ability to investigate organized crime. In 18 years with Cicero Police, Bhachu said, Vitalo had "a pattern of not following the rules, "does not care about the rules," and "followed the rules he wanted to follow."
The Town of Cicero has long been dogged by organized crime connections, going back to Prohibition, when Al Capone established his gangland headquarters there. But, in court Tuesday, Dino Vitalo's lawyer suggested it was unfair to paint him "with a broad brush of a corrupt officer." Attorney Todd Pugh said he hoped that "a man's life isn't judged by his mistakes."
Pugh offered several letters applauding Vitalo, including one written by Cicero Police Commander Raul Perez, who praised Vitalo's years of dedication and service.
The prosecutor responded to those letters of support for ex-Cicero Patrolman Vitalo and said that "you have to have a screw loose in your head to think he is a top shelf officer."
Raul Perez himself is no stranger to discipline. He was suspended for misconduct while working as state police bodyguard to Governor Rod Blagojevich.
In handing down Tuesday's sentence, Judge Ronald Guzman observed that Vitalo was "very much at home with these people," members of the outfit, and that he was in cahoots with other cops.
One of the other outfit-connected cops, James Formato from Berwyn, was to be sentenced Tuesday but it was put off until late November.
Thanks to Chuck Goudie
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Las Vegas Mob Experience Lawsuit Grows More Bizzarre
The lawsuit over control of the Las Vegas Mob Experience has grown more bizarre, with new charges that the Mob Experience manager feared for his life after a notorious gangster’s son demanded return of his father’s artifacts.
Jay Bloom, developer of the tourist attraction, is headed for a showdown in court with Experience creditors.
The creditors charge Bloom looted the company before he signed away most of his equity in the Experience this summer – but Bloom says he still owns the company, that the current manager is in cahoots with certain creditors and that the manager and those creditors are the ones looting the company.
Friday’s hearing was called in Clark County District Court so Bloom could press his request that the current manager, Louis Ventre, be replaced with a neutral third party manager selected by Mob Experience secured creditors.
At the same time, creditors Vion Operations LLC and Strategic Funding Source Inc. – which are aligned with Ventre – will press their request that a special master be appointed to conduct a complete review of the Mob Experience books and that Bloom be ordered to stop claiming he owns a substantial part of Murder Inc., the parent company of the Experience at the Tropicana resort.
In their latest legal filing on Wednesday, Bloom and his attorney again denied that Bloom had hijacked the Mob Experience website, saying it was Ventre who was responsible for nonpayment of the web hosting company’s fee.
They also said Vion and Strategic Funding had submitted a "fabricated" email to the court as an exhibit attacking Bloom’s choice of a third party to manage the Experience.
Most interestingly, Bloom’s new filing says that in an email, "it appears Ventre indicated he was in fear for his life."
This related to efforts by Vincent Spilotro, son of Anthony Spilotro, to retrieve some of his father’s artifacts from the Mob Experience and to get paid as a Mob Experience consultant.
In an affidavit signed Monday in which Spilotro sides with Bloom in the dispute, Spilotro says that in December he sold some of his father’s artifacts to a Bloom company called The Mafia Collection for $125,000 with $62,500 down – and also was retained as a consultant that month and was to be paid $5,000 per month by the Mob Experience’s parent company Murder Inc.
Spilotro says in the affidavit he agreed to defer the payment of the $62,500 owed for the artifacts until The Mafia Collection was in a position to make that payment. The affidavit says that after Ventre took over the Mob Experience in July, Murder Inc. stopped paying his consulting fee and that Ventre repeatedly promised to pay him but failed to do so. Spilotro said in the document that during the past three months, he’s been paid only 10 percent of what’s due him.
Spilotro said that in August, Ventre told him to drive in from California and that he would be paid $1,500 plus receive certain artifacts – but when he arrived Ventre failed to pay him.
The affidavit says the Mob Experience offered him artifacts belonging to The Mafia Collection in lieu of consulting payments.
Spilotro says he took the items and listed them for sale on eBay, but then removed them from eBay upon learning "Ventre did not have the authority to distribute the Mafia Collection artifacts in satisfaction of Murder Inc.’s debt."
"I further learned that Ventre indicated to GC Global Capital (a creditor) that he was `in fear for his life.’ Such a position is absurd and, in fact, on the day I was there with my wife, I was there for hours socializing with Lou and the employees," Spilotro said in the affidavit.
This supposed threat to Ventre appeared to come from an email to Ventre indicating Vincent Spilotro was "becoming extremely aggressive in his demands."
Spilotro’s father – who was killed in a brutal mob beating and buried an Indiana corn field – was immortalized in the movie Casino by Joe Pesci as Nicky Santoro, the sidekick to casino boss Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Robert De Niro).
Any suggestion Ventre was threatened is false, Bloom’s court filing said. "Spilotro, his wife and cousin drove in from California and spent hours with Ventre and the staff socializing and no threat was made to Ventre," Bloom’s filing said. "Not only did Ventre lie about being threatened, but Ventre also lied to Spilotro about his intent to pay him and about having the authority to disperse Mafia Collection artifacts."
Ventre, however, denied in an interview today that anyone has threatened him. "I’ve never been in fear for my life – not from Vincent Spilotro or anyone," Ventre said.
The bottom line is that for the Mob Experience, which remains open at the Tropicana despite the legal turmoil, Wednesday was business as usual.
That is, it was just another day of Bloom and Mob Experience creditors accusing each other of misrepresentations and looting the business.
Thanks to Steve Green
Jay Bloom, developer of the tourist attraction, is headed for a showdown in court with Experience creditors.
The creditors charge Bloom looted the company before he signed away most of his equity in the Experience this summer – but Bloom says he still owns the company, that the current manager is in cahoots with certain creditors and that the manager and those creditors are the ones looting the company.
Friday’s hearing was called in Clark County District Court so Bloom could press his request that the current manager, Louis Ventre, be replaced with a neutral third party manager selected by Mob Experience secured creditors.
At the same time, creditors Vion Operations LLC and Strategic Funding Source Inc. – which are aligned with Ventre – will press their request that a special master be appointed to conduct a complete review of the Mob Experience books and that Bloom be ordered to stop claiming he owns a substantial part of Murder Inc., the parent company of the Experience at the Tropicana resort.
In their latest legal filing on Wednesday, Bloom and his attorney again denied that Bloom had hijacked the Mob Experience website, saying it was Ventre who was responsible for nonpayment of the web hosting company’s fee.
They also said Vion and Strategic Funding had submitted a "fabricated" email to the court as an exhibit attacking Bloom’s choice of a third party to manage the Experience.
Most interestingly, Bloom’s new filing says that in an email, "it appears Ventre indicated he was in fear for his life."
This related to efforts by Vincent Spilotro, son of Anthony Spilotro, to retrieve some of his father’s artifacts from the Mob Experience and to get paid as a Mob Experience consultant.
In an affidavit signed Monday in which Spilotro sides with Bloom in the dispute, Spilotro says that in December he sold some of his father’s artifacts to a Bloom company called The Mafia Collection for $125,000 with $62,500 down – and also was retained as a consultant that month and was to be paid $5,000 per month by the Mob Experience’s parent company Murder Inc.
Spilotro says in the affidavit he agreed to defer the payment of the $62,500 owed for the artifacts until The Mafia Collection was in a position to make that payment. The affidavit says that after Ventre took over the Mob Experience in July, Murder Inc. stopped paying his consulting fee and that Ventre repeatedly promised to pay him but failed to do so. Spilotro said in the document that during the past three months, he’s been paid only 10 percent of what’s due him.
Spilotro said that in August, Ventre told him to drive in from California and that he would be paid $1,500 plus receive certain artifacts – but when he arrived Ventre failed to pay him.
The affidavit says the Mob Experience offered him artifacts belonging to The Mafia Collection in lieu of consulting payments.
Spilotro says he took the items and listed them for sale on eBay, but then removed them from eBay upon learning "Ventre did not have the authority to distribute the Mafia Collection artifacts in satisfaction of Murder Inc.’s debt."
"I further learned that Ventre indicated to GC Global Capital (a creditor) that he was `in fear for his life.’ Such a position is absurd and, in fact, on the day I was there with my wife, I was there for hours socializing with Lou and the employees," Spilotro said in the affidavit.
This supposed threat to Ventre appeared to come from an email to Ventre indicating Vincent Spilotro was "becoming extremely aggressive in his demands."
Spilotro’s father – who was killed in a brutal mob beating and buried an Indiana corn field – was immortalized in the movie Casino by Joe Pesci as Nicky Santoro, the sidekick to casino boss Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Robert De Niro).
Any suggestion Ventre was threatened is false, Bloom’s court filing said. "Spilotro, his wife and cousin drove in from California and spent hours with Ventre and the staff socializing and no threat was made to Ventre," Bloom’s filing said. "Not only did Ventre lie about being threatened, but Ventre also lied to Spilotro about his intent to pay him and about having the authority to disperse Mafia Collection artifacts."
Ventre, however, denied in an interview today that anyone has threatened him. "I’ve never been in fear for my life – not from Vincent Spilotro or anyone," Ventre said.
The bottom line is that for the Mob Experience, which remains open at the Tropicana despite the legal turmoil, Wednesday was business as usual.
That is, it was just another day of Bloom and Mob Experience creditors accusing each other of misrepresentations and looting the business.
Thanks to Steve Green
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Providence Strip Clubs Reputedly Pay $2 Million to New England Mafia
Federal prosecutors yesterday charged three alleged members of the New England Mafia and three associates with extorting money from Rhode Island’s adult entertainment industry since the 1980s, a racketeering scheme that netted its members some $2 million.
In a seven-count indictment unsealed in Providence today, federal authorities also indicate that the leadership of the Mafia in New England has shifted back to Boston after being under the control of Providence-based mobsters for the past several years.
In one portion of the 22-page document, alleged Mafia capo Edward (Eddie) Lato is quoted as saying that every time he meets with an unidentified Mafia figure in Boston, it is clear that the man is under surveillance by law enforcement.
“Every time I leave, there’s someone looking at me…there’s a guy on the corner every (expletive) time,’’ the 64-year-old Lato said, according to the indictment. “They’re following him…I mean…not that they’re not suppose (sic) to follow him, he’s the (expletive) boss.’’
Rhode Island US Attorney Peter Neronha said in a telephone interview yesterday that he would not identify the current leaders of the New England La Cosa Nostra. “The government views this is as a major step forward in eradicating the NELCN,’’ Neronha said of the Rhode Island crackdown in a telephone interview. “There is no question when charges are brought against seven individuals that are among the leaders of the NELCN – that’s a significant step.’’
In the indictment, prosecutors said that Rhode Island mobster Luigi (Baby Shacks) Manocchio, who is 84 years old, was the leader of the New England Mafia until he stepped down in 2009.
Last year, Carmen (The Cheese Man) DiNunzio, who led the Boston Mafia, was imprisoned after he pleaded guilty to delivering a $10,000 bribe to an undercover FBI agent. DiNunzio operated a cheese store in Boston’s North End on Endicott Street.
Lato, according to the new charges against him, allegedly met with a “high ranking’’ Mafia member on May 5, 2011, at the intersection of Endicott and Thatcher streets in Boston. The FBI searched the Boston Mafia associate after the meeting ended and seized $5,000 in cash.
According to the document, Lato told an associate a week later that the $5,000 included money he had extorted from Rhode Island nightclubs.
No one from Massachusetts was named in yesterday’s indictment.
In addition to the charges against Lato, also indicted yesterday was Manocchio, and alleged Mafia member 70-year-old Alfred (Chippy) Scivola, who has already pleaded guilty to earlier racketeering charges.
Manocchio is accused of masterminding the scheme that relied on the threat of force to extort as much as $6,000 a month from each club, payments made by the owners for years, authorities allege. The clubs were identified in court papers as the Satin Doll, the Cadillac Lounge and the Foxy Lady.
Manocchio’s illegal control over the Cadillac Lounge included forcing the owners to hire his hand-picked allies to manage the books or to work as bouncers, authorities allege.
Also charged were alleged Mafia associates Thomas (Tommy) Iafrate, Richard Bonafiglia, Theodore (Teddy) Cardillo and 47-year-old Raymond (Scarface) Jenkins.
Lato is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two counts of extortion conspiracy and two counts of travel in aid of racketeering. Scivola is charged with racketeering conspiracy and extortion conspiracy. Jenkins is charged with extortion conspiracy and extortion.
A seventh man, alleged Mob associate 53-year-old Albino (Albi) Folcarelli, allegedly joined Jenkins and Lato in a separate conspiracy to extort $25,000 in cash from a man known only as “Person A.’’
All seven are in federal custody.
Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer of the Department of Justice said the prosecution in Rhode Island, and the prosecution of organized crime figures around the country, offer a clear sign that the federal government is on the move. “We are just not going away,’’ he said in a telephone interview.
The investigation was conducted by a task force composed of federal and state law enforcement agencies and the Providence police, officials said.
Thanks to John R. Ellement
In a seven-count indictment unsealed in Providence today, federal authorities also indicate that the leadership of the Mafia in New England has shifted back to Boston after being under the control of Providence-based mobsters for the past several years.
In one portion of the 22-page document, alleged Mafia capo Edward (Eddie) Lato is quoted as saying that every time he meets with an unidentified Mafia figure in Boston, it is clear that the man is under surveillance by law enforcement.
“Every time I leave, there’s someone looking at me…there’s a guy on the corner every (expletive) time,’’ the 64-year-old Lato said, according to the indictment. “They’re following him…I mean…not that they’re not suppose (sic) to follow him, he’s the (expletive) boss.’’
Rhode Island US Attorney Peter Neronha said in a telephone interview yesterday that he would not identify the current leaders of the New England La Cosa Nostra. “The government views this is as a major step forward in eradicating the NELCN,’’ Neronha said of the Rhode Island crackdown in a telephone interview. “There is no question when charges are brought against seven individuals that are among the leaders of the NELCN – that’s a significant step.’’
In the indictment, prosecutors said that Rhode Island mobster Luigi (Baby Shacks) Manocchio, who is 84 years old, was the leader of the New England Mafia until he stepped down in 2009.
Last year, Carmen (The Cheese Man) DiNunzio, who led the Boston Mafia, was imprisoned after he pleaded guilty to delivering a $10,000 bribe to an undercover FBI agent. DiNunzio operated a cheese store in Boston’s North End on Endicott Street.
Lato, according to the new charges against him, allegedly met with a “high ranking’’ Mafia member on May 5, 2011, at the intersection of Endicott and Thatcher streets in Boston. The FBI searched the Boston Mafia associate after the meeting ended and seized $5,000 in cash.
According to the document, Lato told an associate a week later that the $5,000 included money he had extorted from Rhode Island nightclubs.
No one from Massachusetts was named in yesterday’s indictment.
In addition to the charges against Lato, also indicted yesterday was Manocchio, and alleged Mafia member 70-year-old Alfred (Chippy) Scivola, who has already pleaded guilty to earlier racketeering charges.
Manocchio is accused of masterminding the scheme that relied on the threat of force to extort as much as $6,000 a month from each club, payments made by the owners for years, authorities allege. The clubs were identified in court papers as the Satin Doll, the Cadillac Lounge and the Foxy Lady.
Manocchio’s illegal control over the Cadillac Lounge included forcing the owners to hire his hand-picked allies to manage the books or to work as bouncers, authorities allege.
Also charged were alleged Mafia associates Thomas (Tommy) Iafrate, Richard Bonafiglia, Theodore (Teddy) Cardillo and 47-year-old Raymond (Scarface) Jenkins.
Lato is charged with racketeering conspiracy, two counts of extortion conspiracy and two counts of travel in aid of racketeering. Scivola is charged with racketeering conspiracy and extortion conspiracy. Jenkins is charged with extortion conspiracy and extortion.
A seventh man, alleged Mob associate 53-year-old Albino (Albi) Folcarelli, allegedly joined Jenkins and Lato in a separate conspiracy to extort $25,000 in cash from a man known only as “Person A.’’
All seven are in federal custody.
Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer of the Department of Justice said the prosecution in Rhode Island, and the prosecution of organized crime figures around the country, offer a clear sign that the federal government is on the move. “We are just not going away,’’ he said in a telephone interview.
The investigation was conducted by a task force composed of federal and state law enforcement agencies and the Providence police, officials said.
Thanks to John R. Ellement
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Crime Beat Radio Show to Feature Nina Burleigh and Her Amanda Knox Sensational Murder Trial Book
After a high profile trial in December 2009 in Perugia, Italy, American Amanda Knox was sentenced to 26 years in jail for the brutal murder of British student Meredith Kercher. Since then, Knox’s lawyers have appealed Knox’s conviction and her case has attracted international attention. Now Amanda Knox is just a few weeks, perhaps days, from learning if her conviction will be overturned.
Crime Beat: Issues, Controversies and Personalities from the Darkside on the Artist First World Radio Network is pleased to announce that on September 29 at 8 pm. EST, noted journalist Nina Burleigh will be a special guest. In the timely program, Ms. Burleigh will discuss her best-selling book, The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Italian Trials of Amanda Knox, which provides a close up and fascinating look at the Amanda Knox murder conviction and appeal.
In reviewing The Fatal Gift of Beauty, Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and wrote: "[In] this powerful example of narrative non-fiction. Burleigh, who parses how the Knox trial was perhaps tainted, still presents a fair and unbiased portrait of a girl adrift in a foreign legal system and a culture rife with preconceptions about young American women." The Kirkus Reviews praised Fatal Beauty as a “standout among recent true-crime titles.
Ms. Burleigh is also an award-winning author of four books and has been published in the New Yorker, Time, New York and People, among many other publications.
Crime Beat: Issues, Controversies and Personalities from the Darkside on the Artist First World Radio Network is pleased to announce that on September 29 at 8 pm. EST, noted journalist Nina Burleigh will be a special guest. In the timely program, Ms. Burleigh will discuss her best-selling book, The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Italian Trials of Amanda Knox, which provides a close up and fascinating look at the Amanda Knox murder conviction and appeal.
In reviewing The Fatal Gift of Beauty, Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review and wrote: "[In] this powerful example of narrative non-fiction. Burleigh, who parses how the Knox trial was perhaps tainted, still presents a fair and unbiased portrait of a girl adrift in a foreign legal system and a culture rife with preconceptions about young American women." The Kirkus Reviews praised Fatal Beauty as a “standout among recent true-crime titles.
Ms. Burleigh is also an award-winning author of four books and has been published in the New Yorker, Time, New York and People, among many other publications.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Al Capone and His American Boys: Memoirs of a Mobster's Wife.
In 1934, an attempt to publish Georgette Winkeler's memoir was squelched by the mob. Found buried in FBI files 50 years later, the manuscript is now the focus of a new book, "Al Capone and His American Boys: Memoirs of a Mobster's Wife."
Author William J. Helmer weaves gangster history into the pages of Winkeler's record of her life with a member of Al Capone's Chicago mob. Some of the history centers around the capture of Fred "Killer" Burke, with ties to Berrien County.
Helmer credits local historian Chriss Lyon with much of the account of Burke's capture and the events in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph leading up to it.
"I've been working with him for about three years on this," said Lyon, communications supervisor at the Berrien County 911 Dispatch Center and a local historian and author. She is credited on page 123 of Helmer's book and listed as one of the people to whom he dedicates the book. "She was a big help in picking up the details related to the car wreck and the capture of Burke. She got all kinds of details," Helmer said in a phone interview from his home in Boerne, Texas, near San Antonio.
Helmer said that while researching the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre, he learned some basic information about Burke's killing of a police officer in St. Joseph, but that Lyon filled in many details.
Burke was a member of Al Capone's gang involved in the massacre, as was August "Gus" Winkeler, Georgette Winkeler's husband. The guns used in the massacre were found at a house Burke owned in Stevensville and are now with the Berrien County Sheriff's Department. Before he was captured, Burke - believed to be one of Capone's hit men in the massacre in Chicago — shot and killed St. Joseph policeman Charles Skelley in 1929 following a traffic accident in St. Joseph. Lyon helped provide details for that section of the book.
"I got acquainted with (Helmer) through a group of people who are all working on stuff related to Al Capone," Lyon said. "He was trying to find information about Georgette, and being a genealogist, I produced information that built my credibility with him."
Helmer stumbled upon Georgette Winkeler's manuscript buried in an FBI file while doing his own research.
He said that after her husband was murdered in 1933, Georgette Winkeler attempted suicide. Then she wrote her memoirs for a book intended to expose the workings of the Chicago syndicate. Her publisher declared the book "too hot" to publish, Helmer said, probably because she names several gangsters and was threatened by the mob.
Helmer said that a frustrated Georgette Winkeler gave her manuscript to the FBI office in Chicago, where he found it buried in a file decades later.
Georgette met Gus Winkeler while she and her sister were operating a rooming house near downtown St. Louis. Despite some concerns about his behavior and his acquaintances, she soon married him. He promised to give up his old habits and companions. But Gus Winkeler soon resumed illegal activities with his old buddies, participating in a holdup with Fred "Killer" Burke, a St. Louis hoodlum. Winkeler was shot and, instead of taking him to a doctor, Burke removed the bullet from his arm with a razor blade. It was just the start of Georgette Winkeler's life with a gang member.
That life included her husband's involvement in the famous St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Orchestrated by Chicago mobster Al Capone, the plan was to eliminate north-side bootlegging rival George "Bugs" Moran, who escaped being killed. But the shooters, including Winkeler and Burke, killed five members of Moran's gang and a mechanic and optometrist who were known to hang out with gangsters.
Burke was never charged in connection with the massacre, but was convicted in Berrien County of the shooting death of the St. Joseph policeman and sentenced to life in prison. He died in Marquette Branch Prison in the Upper Peninsula in 1940.
On page 123 of his book, Helmer notes that Lyon learned, among other things, that Burke had been a model prisoner who raised canaries in his cell. Before he died, Burke wrote a note in a Christmas card to Jane Irene Cutler, widow of the late Fred J. Cutler, Berrien County sheriff at the time of Burke's arrest.
"If every boy had a chance to come in contact with a man like Fred Cutler, life would be different," Burke wrote.
Lyon said she was honored to work with Helmer, who she said has written "the gold-standard" in gangster history books.
Helmer is also the author of "The Gun That Made the Twenties Roar," ''The St. Valentine's Day Massacre," ''Dillinger," and "The Public Enemies Almanac."
Regarding his newest book, she said, "It's a great read, and there's a good amount of Berrien County reference."
In large part, that's due to Lyon.
Thanks to Julie Swidwa
Author William J. Helmer weaves gangster history into the pages of Winkeler's record of her life with a member of Al Capone's Chicago mob. Some of the history centers around the capture of Fred "Killer" Burke, with ties to Berrien County.
Helmer credits local historian Chriss Lyon with much of the account of Burke's capture and the events in Benton Harbor and St. Joseph leading up to it.
"I've been working with him for about three years on this," said Lyon, communications supervisor at the Berrien County 911 Dispatch Center and a local historian and author. She is credited on page 123 of Helmer's book and listed as one of the people to whom he dedicates the book. "She was a big help in picking up the details related to the car wreck and the capture of Burke. She got all kinds of details," Helmer said in a phone interview from his home in Boerne, Texas, near San Antonio.
Helmer said that while researching the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre, he learned some basic information about Burke's killing of a police officer in St. Joseph, but that Lyon filled in many details.
Burke was a member of Al Capone's gang involved in the massacre, as was August "Gus" Winkeler, Georgette Winkeler's husband. The guns used in the massacre were found at a house Burke owned in Stevensville and are now with the Berrien County Sheriff's Department. Before he was captured, Burke - believed to be one of Capone's hit men in the massacre in Chicago — shot and killed St. Joseph policeman Charles Skelley in 1929 following a traffic accident in St. Joseph. Lyon helped provide details for that section of the book.
"I got acquainted with (Helmer) through a group of people who are all working on stuff related to Al Capone," Lyon said. "He was trying to find information about Georgette, and being a genealogist, I produced information that built my credibility with him."
Helmer stumbled upon Georgette Winkeler's manuscript buried in an FBI file while doing his own research.
He said that after her husband was murdered in 1933, Georgette Winkeler attempted suicide. Then she wrote her memoirs for a book intended to expose the workings of the Chicago syndicate. Her publisher declared the book "too hot" to publish, Helmer said, probably because she names several gangsters and was threatened by the mob.
Helmer said that a frustrated Georgette Winkeler gave her manuscript to the FBI office in Chicago, where he found it buried in a file decades later.
Georgette met Gus Winkeler while she and her sister were operating a rooming house near downtown St. Louis. Despite some concerns about his behavior and his acquaintances, she soon married him. He promised to give up his old habits and companions. But Gus Winkeler soon resumed illegal activities with his old buddies, participating in a holdup with Fred "Killer" Burke, a St. Louis hoodlum. Winkeler was shot and, instead of taking him to a doctor, Burke removed the bullet from his arm with a razor blade. It was just the start of Georgette Winkeler's life with a gang member.
That life included her husband's involvement in the famous St. Valentine's Day Massacre. Orchestrated by Chicago mobster Al Capone, the plan was to eliminate north-side bootlegging rival George "Bugs" Moran, who escaped being killed. But the shooters, including Winkeler and Burke, killed five members of Moran's gang and a mechanic and optometrist who were known to hang out with gangsters.
Burke was never charged in connection with the massacre, but was convicted in Berrien County of the shooting death of the St. Joseph policeman and sentenced to life in prison. He died in Marquette Branch Prison in the Upper Peninsula in 1940.
On page 123 of his book, Helmer notes that Lyon learned, among other things, that Burke had been a model prisoner who raised canaries in his cell. Before he died, Burke wrote a note in a Christmas card to Jane Irene Cutler, widow of the late Fred J. Cutler, Berrien County sheriff at the time of Burke's arrest.
"If every boy had a chance to come in contact with a man like Fred Cutler, life would be different," Burke wrote.
Lyon said she was honored to work with Helmer, who she said has written "the gold-standard" in gangster history books.
Helmer is also the author of "The Gun That Made the Twenties Roar," ''The St. Valentine's Day Massacre," ''Dillinger," and "The Public Enemies Almanac."
Regarding his newest book, she said, "It's a great read, and there's a good amount of Berrien County reference."
In large part, that's due to Lyon.
Thanks to Julie Swidwa
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Fashion Fetish Fete Event to Raise Funds for Veteran Support Services While Celebrating Chicago Fashion Leaders’ Humanitarian Achievements
Revamped Image Consulting (RIC), an image enhancement consulting company, announces the First Annual Fashion Fetish Fete (FFF) event that will take place this weekend, September 24th at Chicago’s Park West Venue in Lincoln Park and will be hosted by Aleah Connect of WCIU's Fashion Express. The event will not only award local fashion companies, designers and figures engaging in humanitarian efforts, but will also help raise funds for the Veteran Services offered by The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago. The event will begin at 6:00 PM (VIP) and conclude at 10 PM. Tickets cost $35/$50 VIP and may be purchased at fashionfetishfete.org.
Each year, FFF spotlights a Chicago-based charitable cause to help increase the awareness of the cause, educate attendees about what can be done to help, and to donate a generous portion of the event’s proceeds to support future programs and endeavors of the charity. This year, FFF will honor The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and its incredible support of our veterans. Its veteran programs range from workforce re-training, job placement, temporary and permanent housing, counseling and more. Additionally, FFF will honor individuals and businesses within Chicago’s fashion industry for their notable humanitarian achievements.
This is an opportunity for business owners with an interest in Chicago’s retail and fashion industry to support Illinois veterans, raise awareness regarding their daily tribulations, and to honor Chicago’s altruistic fashion entities. The philanthropic 2011 event will include a fashion show featuring local designers, an awards ceremony, entertainment, hors d'oeuvres, cash bar, charitable fundraising, vendor offerings, and a VIP reception. A bonus runway addition will include three to five veterans on the walkway who will unveil their enhanced appearance resulting from a complimentary image make-over by Ravamped Image Consulting. Music will be provided by Obisoulstar and The Eletriqsoul Hideout.
“The first annual Fashion Fetish Fete will be an honor to host. I have seen first-hand through the eyes of my father after Vietnam, the transitional difficulties which can occur as vets try to return to civilian life after serving our country,” commented, Renita S. Manley-Garrett, owner of Revamped Image Consulting. “This event is not only a tribute to him, but to all those who have served our country with their time, their sacrifices, and many…their lives. Please join us as we leverage the inspirations of our local fashion community to support these programs and help ease their transition as our show of our gratitude.”
According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, “Veterans are twice as likely as other Americans to become chronically homeless.” Furthermore, the top reason cited for this statistic is the “lack of income due to limited education and lack of transferable skills from military to civilian life (especially true of younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan).”
A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available to local companies ranging from Goodie Bag inclusion to event marketing and advertising partnerships. Please contact renita@fashionfetishfete.org for more information about sponsoring the event.
Each year, FFF spotlights a Chicago-based charitable cause to help increase the awareness of the cause, educate attendees about what can be done to help, and to donate a generous portion of the event’s proceeds to support future programs and endeavors of the charity. This year, FFF will honor The Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago and its incredible support of our veterans. Its veteran programs range from workforce re-training, job placement, temporary and permanent housing, counseling and more. Additionally, FFF will honor individuals and businesses within Chicago’s fashion industry for their notable humanitarian achievements.
This is an opportunity for business owners with an interest in Chicago’s retail and fashion industry to support Illinois veterans, raise awareness regarding their daily tribulations, and to honor Chicago’s altruistic fashion entities. The philanthropic 2011 event will include a fashion show featuring local designers, an awards ceremony, entertainment, hors d'oeuvres, cash bar, charitable fundraising, vendor offerings, and a VIP reception. A bonus runway addition will include three to five veterans on the walkway who will unveil their enhanced appearance resulting from a complimentary image make-over by Ravamped Image Consulting. Music will be provided by Obisoulstar and The Eletriqsoul Hideout.
“The first annual Fashion Fetish Fete will be an honor to host. I have seen first-hand through the eyes of my father after Vietnam, the transitional difficulties which can occur as vets try to return to civilian life after serving our country,” commented, Renita S. Manley-Garrett, owner of Revamped Image Consulting. “This event is not only a tribute to him, but to all those who have served our country with their time, their sacrifices, and many…their lives. Please join us as we leverage the inspirations of our local fashion community to support these programs and help ease their transition as our show of our gratitude.”
According to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, “Veterans are twice as likely as other Americans to become chronically homeless.” Furthermore, the top reason cited for this statistic is the “lack of income due to limited education and lack of transferable skills from military to civilian life (especially true of younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan).”
A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available to local companies ranging from Goodie Bag inclusion to event marketing and advertising partnerships. Please contact renita@fashionfetishfete.org for more information about sponsoring the event.
Monday, September 19, 2011
2010 FBI Crime Statistics HIghlights
According to the figures released today by the FBI, the estimated number of violent crimes in 2010 declined for the fourth consecutive year. Property crimes also decreased, marking this the eighth straight year that the collective estimates for these offenses declined.
The 2010 statistics show that the estimated volumes of violent and property crimes declined 6.0 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively, when compared with the 2009 estimates. The violent crime rate for the year was 403.6 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants (a 6.5 percent decrease from the 2009 rate), and the property crime rate was 2,941.9 offenses per 100,000 persons (a 3.3 percent decrease from the 2009 figure).
These and additional data are presented in the 2010 edition of the FBI’s annual report Crime in the United States. This publication is a statistical compilation of offense and arrest data reported by law enforcement agencies voluntarily participating in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program.
The UCR program collects information on crimes reported by law enforcement agencies regarding the violent crimes of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, as well as the property crimes of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. (Although the FBI classifies arson as a property crime, it does not estimate arson data because of variations in the level of participation by the reporting agencies. Consequently, arson is not included in the property crime estimate.) The program also collects arrest data for the offenses listed above, plus 20 additional offenses that include all other crimes except traffic violations.
In 2010, there were 18,108 city, county, university and college, state, tribal, and federal agencies that participated in the UCR program. A summary of the statistics reported by these agencies, which are included in Crime in the United States, 2010, follows:
Caution against ranking: Each year when Crime in the United States is published, some entities use the figures to compile rankings of cities and counties. These rough rankings provide no insight into the numerous variables that mold crime in a particular town, city, county, state, tribal area, or region. Consequently, they lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents. Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction. The data user is, therefore, cautioned against comparing statistical data of individual reporting units from cities, metropolitan areas, states, or colleges or universities solely on the basis of their population coverage or student enrollment.
The 2010 statistics show that the estimated volumes of violent and property crimes declined 6.0 percent and 2.7 percent, respectively, when compared with the 2009 estimates. The violent crime rate for the year was 403.6 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants (a 6.5 percent decrease from the 2009 rate), and the property crime rate was 2,941.9 offenses per 100,000 persons (a 3.3 percent decrease from the 2009 figure).
These and additional data are presented in the 2010 edition of the FBI’s annual report Crime in the United States. This publication is a statistical compilation of offense and arrest data reported by law enforcement agencies voluntarily participating in the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program.
The UCR program collects information on crimes reported by law enforcement agencies regarding the violent crimes of murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, as well as the property crimes of burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. (Although the FBI classifies arson as a property crime, it does not estimate arson data because of variations in the level of participation by the reporting agencies. Consequently, arson is not included in the property crime estimate.) The program also collects arrest data for the offenses listed above, plus 20 additional offenses that include all other crimes except traffic violations.
In 2010, there were 18,108 city, county, university and college, state, tribal, and federal agencies that participated in the UCR program. A summary of the statistics reported by these agencies, which are included in Crime in the United States, 2010, follows:
- Nationwide in 2010, there were an estimated 1,246,248 violent crimes.
- Each of the four violent crime offenses decreased when compared with the 2009 estimates. Robbery had the largest decrease at 10.0 percent, followed by forcible rape with a 5.0 percent decline, murder and nonnegligent manslaughter with a 4.2 percent decrease, and aggravated assault with a 4.1 percent decline.
- Nationwide in 2010, there were an estimated 9,082,887 property crimes.
- Each of the property crime offenses also decreased in 2010 when compared with the 2009 estimates. The largest decline, 7.4 percent, was for motor vehicle thefts. The estimated number of burglaries decreased 2.0 percent, and the estimated number of larceny-thefts declined 2.4 percent.
- Collectively, victims of property crimes (excluding arson) lost an estimated $15.7 billion in 2010.
- The FBI estimated that in 2010, agencies nationwide made about 13.1 million arrests, excluding traffic violations.
- The 2010 arrest rate for violent crimes was 179.2 per 100,000 inhabitants; for property crime, the rate was 538.5 per 100,000 inhabitants.
- By violent crime offense, the arrest rate for murder and nonnegligent manslaughter was 3.6; forcible rape, 6.5; robbery, 36.6; and aggravated assault, 132.6 arrests per 100,000 inhabitants.
- By property crime offense, the arrest rate for burglary was 94.3; larceny-theft, 417.5; and motor vehicle theft, 23.1 per 100,000 inhabitants. The arrest rate for arson was 3.7 per 100,000 inhabitants.
- In 2010, there were 14,744 law enforcement agencies that reported their staffing levels to the FBI. These agencies reported that as of October 31, 2010, they collectively employed 705,009 sworn officers and 308,599 civilians, a rate of 3.5 employees for each 1,000 inhabitants.
Caution against ranking: Each year when Crime in the United States is published, some entities use the figures to compile rankings of cities and counties. These rough rankings provide no insight into the numerous variables that mold crime in a particular town, city, county, state, tribal area, or region. Consequently, they lead to simplistic and/or incomplete analyses that often create misleading perceptions adversely affecting communities and their residents. Valid assessments are possible only with careful study and analysis of the range of unique conditions affecting each local law enforcement jurisdiction. The data user is, therefore, cautioned against comparing statistical data of individual reporting units from cities, metropolitan areas, states, or colleges or universities solely on the basis of their population coverage or student enrollment.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy
In 1964, Jacqueline Kennedy recorded seven historic interviews about her life with John F. Kennedy. Now, for the first time, they can be heard and read in this deluxe, illustrated book and 8-CD set.
Shortly after President John F. Kennedy s assassination, with a nation deep in mourning and the world looking on in stunned disbelief, Jacqueline Kennedy found the strength to set aside her own personal grief for the sake of posterity and begin the task of documenting and preserving her husband s legacy. In January of 1964, she and Robert F. Kennedy approved a planned oral-history project that would capture their first-hand accounts of the late President as well as the recollections of those closest to him throughout his extraordinary political career. For the rest of her life, the famously private Jacqueline Kennedy steadfastly refused to discuss her memories of those years, but beginning that March, she fulfilled her obligation to future generations of Americans by sitting down with historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and recording an astonishingly detailed and unvarnished account of her experiences and impressions as the wife and confidante of John F. Kennedy. The tapes of those sessions were then sealed and later deposited in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum upon its completion, in accordance with Mrs. Kennedy s wishes. The resulting eight and a half hours of material comprises a unique and compelling record of a tumultuous era, providing fresh insights on the many significant people and events that shaped JFK s presidency but also shedding new light on the man behind the momentous decisions. Here are JFK s unscripted opinions on a host of revealing subjects, including his thoughts and feelings about his brothers Robert and Ted, and his take on world leaders past and present, giving us perhaps the most informed, genuine, and immediate portrait of John Fitzgerald Kennedy we shall ever have. Mrs. Kennedy s urbane perspective, her candor, and her flashes of wit also give us our clearest glimpse into the active mind of a remarkable First Lady.
In conjunction with the fiftieth anniversary of President Kennedy s Inauguration, Caroline Kennedy and the Kennedy family are now releasing these beautifully restored recordings on CDs with accompanying transcripts. Introduced and annotated by renowned presidential historian Michael Beschloss, these interviews will add an exciting new dimension to our understanding and appreciation of President Kennedy and his time and make the past come alive through the words and voice of an eloquent eyewitness to history.
Shortly after President John F. Kennedy s assassination, with a nation deep in mourning and the world looking on in stunned disbelief, Jacqueline Kennedy found the strength to set aside her own personal grief for the sake of posterity and begin the task of documenting and preserving her husband s legacy. In January of 1964, she and Robert F. Kennedy approved a planned oral-history project that would capture their first-hand accounts of the late President as well as the recollections of those closest to him throughout his extraordinary political career. For the rest of her life, the famously private Jacqueline Kennedy steadfastly refused to discuss her memories of those years, but beginning that March, she fulfilled her obligation to future generations of Americans by sitting down with historian Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., and recording an astonishingly detailed and unvarnished account of her experiences and impressions as the wife and confidante of John F. Kennedy. The tapes of those sessions were then sealed and later deposited in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum upon its completion, in accordance with Mrs. Kennedy s wishes. The resulting eight and a half hours of material comprises a unique and compelling record of a tumultuous era, providing fresh insights on the many significant people and events that shaped JFK s presidency but also shedding new light on the man behind the momentous decisions. Here are JFK s unscripted opinions on a host of revealing subjects, including his thoughts and feelings about his brothers Robert and Ted, and his take on world leaders past and present, giving us perhaps the most informed, genuine, and immediate portrait of John Fitzgerald Kennedy we shall ever have. Mrs. Kennedy s urbane perspective, her candor, and her flashes of wit also give us our clearest glimpse into the active mind of a remarkable First Lady.
In conjunction with the fiftieth anniversary of President Kennedy s Inauguration, Caroline Kennedy and the Kennedy family are now releasing these beautifully restored recordings on CDs with accompanying transcripts. Introduced and annotated by renowned presidential historian Michael Beschloss, these interviews will add an exciting new dimension to our understanding and appreciation of President Kennedy and his time and make the past come alive through the words and voice of an eloquent eyewitness to history.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Arthur Nigro Gets Life in Prison
A former Mafia boss from The Bronx and two violent henchmen were slapped with life sentences for a slew of crimes that included rubbing out a high-ranking mobster in Massachusetts.
One-time reputed acting Genovese family boss Arthur “Little Guy” Nigro and brothers Fotios “Fred” Geas and Ty Geas -- who all professed their innocence -- showed no emotion upon learning in Manhattan federal court that they would die behind bars.
Earlier this year, a jury needed only about an hour to convict them of multiple murder conspiracies, including a 2003 hit on Genovese capo Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno, a suspected mob informant.
The trial featured testimony from Mafia turncoat Anthony “Bingy” Arillotta, who infamously recalled that he had to strip naked before his induction ceremony to reassure Nigro and other nervous mobsters that he wasn’t wearing an FBI wire.
One-time reputed acting Genovese family boss Arthur “Little Guy” Nigro and brothers Fotios “Fred” Geas and Ty Geas -- who all professed their innocence -- showed no emotion upon learning in Manhattan federal court that they would die behind bars.
Earlier this year, a jury needed only about an hour to convict them of multiple murder conspiracies, including a 2003 hit on Genovese capo Adolfo “Big Al” Bruno, a suspected mob informant.
The trial featured testimony from Mafia turncoat Anthony “Bingy” Arillotta, who infamously recalled that he had to strip naked before his induction ceremony to reassure Nigro and other nervous mobsters that he wasn’t wearing an FBI wire.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Mafia Gardening 101
An elderly Italian man lived alone in New Jersey. He wanted to plant his annual vegetable garden, but it was very difficult work, as the ground was rock hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him in the garden, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament: Dear Vincent, I am feeling pretty sad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up the garden plot, my back won't take it anymore. I know if you were here my troubles would be over, as you loved the garden as much as I. I know you would be happy to dig the plot for me, like in the old days, but you're not here, so guess the garden will just peter out, just like me. Love, Papa
A few days later he received a letter from his son: Dear Papa, Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried. Love, Vinnie
At 4 a.m. The next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived, swarmed over the entire house and grounds and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.
That same day the old man received another letter from his son: Dear Papa, Go ahead and plant the garden now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances. Love, Vinnie
A few days later he received a letter from his son: Dear Papa, Don't dig up that garden. That's where the bodies are buried. Love, Vinnie
At 4 a.m. The next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived, swarmed over the entire house and grounds and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left.
That same day the old man received another letter from his son: Dear Papa, Go ahead and plant the garden now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances. Love, Vinnie
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