A reputed mob-controlled company no longer holds a snow-removal contract at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
UIC officials say D&P Construction declined to bid for the contract -- after revelations surfaced during the "Family Secrets" mob trial last summer that reputed mob boss John "No Nose" DiFronzo took part in a double murder.
D&P, which has had numerous snow-removal contracts with UIC since 1998, on paper is run by Josephine DiFronzo -- the sister-in-law of John DiFronzo and the wife of Peter DiFronzo, who is purportedly a chief lieutenant to his brother John in mob affairs.
Authorities have said the two DiFronzo brothers really control the firm.
The new contract was awarded to a small minority-run company called Total Property Management and Engineering Services in September, according to UIC records.
D&P "did not submit a bid," said UIC spokesman Mark Rosati.
Rosati said university officials did not ask D&P to give up its contract.
Doing so would be illegal, he said.
When asked whether UIC officials were pleased that D&P and its alleged mob ties decided to move on, he declined comment.
Josephine DiFronzo did not return calls.
Although the school never witnessed nefarious tactics, an internal 2003 FBI memo alleged that D&P "obtained contracts through illegal payoffs or intimidation."
D&P made headlines in 2001 after the Illinois Gaming Board criticized the company for hauling trash from the site of what was intended to be a Rosemont casino.
From 2003 to 2005, D&P made nearly $500,000 for snow removal at the university.
Thanks to Leonard N. Fleming
Monday, December 03, 2007
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Former Head of FBI's Chicago Field Office Organized Crime Unit is New Chicago Police Chief
Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office, Jody “J.P.” Weis, announced his retirement from the FBI. After 22 years of dedicated service to the FBI, Mr. Weis will leave to assume responsibilities as the Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
“Jody has been a great asset to the FBI for 22 years and will be missed,” said Director Robert S. Mueller III. “We wish him luck with his new assignment.”
Mr. Weis entered on duty with the FBI in January 1985. Upon completion of training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, Mr. Weis was assigned to the Houston Division, Corpus Christi Resident Agency, where he was assigned to reactive crimes. Mr. Weis later transferred to Houston, where he investigated terrorism, narcotics, and violent crime matters. Mr. Weis also served on the Houston SWAT team and as a bomb technician.
In November 1992, Mr. Weis was promoted to the FBI’s Bomb Data Center, and in October 1994 he was transferred to the Violent Crimes/Fugitive Unit. Mr. Weis was selected for the violent crimes squad in Phoenix, Arizona, in January 1996, and during his tenure in Phoenix, he also supervised domestic terrorism, international terrorism and civil rights squads.
Mr. Weis was appointed Assistant Special Agent in Charge in charge of the Chicago Field Office in June 2002. In this capacity, Weis managed the white collar crime, organized crime, violent crime, and administrative programs. In March 2003, Mr. Weis was promoted to the position of Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Mr. Weis was also selected as the Deputy Assistant Director for the Administrative Services Division after the reorganization of OPR.
In May 2005, Mr. Weis reported to the Los Angeles Field Office, where he served as the SAC over criminal operations. Mr. Weis provided oversight on all violent crime, drug, major gang, white collar crime, and public corruption investigations. He also supervised 11 Safe Streets task forces and oversaw criminal investigations in 11 resident agencies.
In May 2006, Mr. Weis was appointed SAC of the Philadelphia Field Office, where he managed one of the FBI’s largest field operations. During his tenure in Philadelphia, Mr. Weis oversaw the Fort Dix terrorism investigation and launched the “Step Up, Speak Up” campaign, a joint public and private initiative to encourage witnesses of violent crimes to come forward and protect others from becoming victims. Mr. Weis also supervised the pilot project “PinPoint,” which combines mapping software with intelligence in an effort to enhance law enforcement investigations on federal, state and local levels.
“Jody has been a great asset to the FBI for 22 years and will be missed,” said Director Robert S. Mueller III. “We wish him luck with his new assignment.”
Mr. Weis entered on duty with the FBI in January 1985. Upon completion of training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, Mr. Weis was assigned to the Houston Division, Corpus Christi Resident Agency, where he was assigned to reactive crimes. Mr. Weis later transferred to Houston, where he investigated terrorism, narcotics, and violent crime matters. Mr. Weis also served on the Houston SWAT team and as a bomb technician.
In November 1992, Mr. Weis was promoted to the FBI’s Bomb Data Center, and in October 1994 he was transferred to the Violent Crimes/Fugitive Unit. Mr. Weis was selected for the violent crimes squad in Phoenix, Arizona, in January 1996, and during his tenure in Phoenix, he also supervised domestic terrorism, international terrorism and civil rights squads.
Mr. Weis was appointed Assistant Special Agent in Charge in charge of the Chicago Field Office in June 2002. In this capacity, Weis managed the white collar crime, organized crime, violent crime, and administrative programs. In March 2003, Mr. Weis was promoted to the position of Deputy Assistant Director of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Mr. Weis was also selected as the Deputy Assistant Director for the Administrative Services Division after the reorganization of OPR.
In May 2005, Mr. Weis reported to the Los Angeles Field Office, where he served as the SAC over criminal operations. Mr. Weis provided oversight on all violent crime, drug, major gang, white collar crime, and public corruption investigations. He also supervised 11 Safe Streets task forces and oversaw criminal investigations in 11 resident agencies.
In May 2006, Mr. Weis was appointed SAC of the Philadelphia Field Office, where he managed one of the FBI’s largest field operations. During his tenure in Philadelphia, Mr. Weis oversaw the Fort Dix terrorism investigation and launched the “Step Up, Speak Up” campaign, a joint public and private initiative to encourage witnesses of violent crimes to come forward and protect others from becoming victims. Mr. Weis also supervised the pilot project “PinPoint,” which combines mapping software with intelligence in an effort to enhance law enforcement investigations on federal, state and local levels.
Friday, November 30, 2007
America's Most Wanted to Feature the Murder of Sean Taylor & Baby Grace
Eric Rosenstrom: Eric Rosenstrom likes to write murder mysteries, but police say the fatal shooting of a hotel owner on August 16, 2001 is no whodunit -- they believe Rosenstrom is the perp. But with his vast knowledge of law enforcement, he could be tough to catch.Unknown Sean Taylor Killer: Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, 24, was shot in the upper leg during a home invasion early Monday morning and passed away early Tuesday after losing a significant amount of blood from a damaged artery. A suspect still has not been named in the shooting.
Unknown “Baby Grace” Killer: Cops in Galveston County are waiting for DNA results to confirm that 2-year-old Riley Ann Sawyers is the young girl they've lovingly referred to as Baby Grace. Cops have charged Riley's mother, 19-year-old Kimberly Dawn Treno, and 24-year-old Royce Clyde Zeigler with injury to a child and tampering with physical evidence. In the meantime, cops are still looking into dozens of leads related to young girls who haven't been accounted for.
Madeleine McCann: Possible new evidence in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann breathed new life into the toddler's case this month when a bag of clothing was found just an hour away from the holiday villa where Madeleine vanished. Despite so much time having passed since she went missing, Madeleine's parents remain optimistic.
Tanya Diane Brown: Cops say when Tanya Diane Brown learned it was likely she would lose custody of her children, she packed all their bags and vanished in March 2005. Weeks later, when police arrived at a motel in San Ysidro , Calif. , they found evidence proving they had just missed Brown and her young kids. Among the personal items left behind, authorities found a journal written by Brown's oldest daughter, Tori, describing her desperation and fear of being forced into a life of hiding.
Jenny Liang: Hot tempered Jenny Liang has a violent history with the men in her life. According to Las Vegas police her jealousy boiled over to murder when she shot her wealthy boyfriend in the head. Liang skipped to Hong Kong, but now cops believe she may be back in Nevada.
Latasha Norman: Stanley Cole, 23, was charged with hitting 20-year-old Latasha Norman this past October. Seven days after Latasha went missing, her body has been found and Cole was arrested for something much more sinister: he has been charged with murder.
Kyle Fleischmann Missing: Family, friends, and classmates of Kyle Fleischmann started a page on the popular social networking website Facebook to connect with each other and spread news of the missing 24-year-old. Now, the group has over 60,000 members and is still growing exponentially. Not only has the group become a useful way to swap updates, it has brought further media attention to the missing man's story.
Colin Jackson: Six-year-old Colin Jackson was supposed to visit his non-custodial father on August 27, 2007. But what was supposed to be a short visit soon turned into a disappearing act. Thanks to some astute librarians and some help from AMW, Colin and his father were found safe in a tiny western North Carolina town.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
THE CHICAGO SYNDICATE PICKED AS ONE OF THE ABA JOURNAL’S BLAWG 100
Editors of the ABA Journal announced they have selected The Chicago Syndicate as one of the top 100 best websites by lawyers, for lawyers.
Now readers are being asked to vote on their favorites in each of the Blawg 100’s 12 categories. The Chicago Syndicate has been nominated in the "Crime Time" Category. Voting ends Jan. 2, 2008.
“Lawyers nationwide are using the power of the Internet to educate the public about developments in the law, market their practices and attract new clients,” says Edward A. Adams, the Journal’s editor and publisher. “Our list of the 100 best lawyer blogs is the cream of the crop from our directory of more than 1,500 blawgs in dozens of categories, including blawgs focused on almost every state, law school and major federal court in the nation.”
Vote Early and often, that is the Chicago way!
About the ABA Journal:
The ABA Journal is the flagship magazine of the American Bar Association, and it is read by half of the nation’s 1.1 million lawyers every month. It covers the trends, people and finances of the legal profession from Wall Street to Main Street to Pennsylvania Avenue. ABAJournal.com features breaking legal news updated as it happens by staff reporters throughout every business day, a directory of more than 1,500 lawyer blogs, and the full contents of the magazine.
About the ABA:
With more than 413,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.
Now readers are being asked to vote on their favorites in each of the Blawg 100’s 12 categories. The Chicago Syndicate has been nominated in the "Crime Time" Category. Voting ends Jan. 2, 2008.“Lawyers nationwide are using the power of the Internet to educate the public about developments in the law, market their practices and attract new clients,” says Edward A. Adams, the Journal’s editor and publisher. “Our list of the 100 best lawyer blogs is the cream of the crop from our directory of more than 1,500 blawgs in dozens of categories, including blawgs focused on almost every state, law school and major federal court in the nation.”
Vote Early and often, that is the Chicago way!
About the ABA Journal:
The ABA Journal is the flagship magazine of the American Bar Association, and it is read by half of the nation’s 1.1 million lawyers every month. It covers the trends, people and finances of the legal profession from Wall Street to Main Street to Pennsylvania Avenue. ABAJournal.com features breaking legal news updated as it happens by staff reporters throughout every business day, a directory of more than 1,500 lawyer blogs, and the full contents of the magazine.
About the ABA:
With more than 413,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.
DeNiro Signs On as Mob Hit Man, Frankie Machine
The announcement that De Niro is set to star in Frankie Machine with Michael Mann rumored to direct had me running to the bookstore looking for the source material. The film is based on The Winter of Frankie Machine, a novel by Don Winslow. I picked up the book and devoured it, keeping in mind Mann’s new digitized visual style and De Niro as the lead.
The premise for the film (from Imdb.com) is listed as:
An ex-mob hit man (De Niro) living in rural comfort is lured back into his former profession by the scheming son of a Mafia Don
.
Now, the book isn’t the script and it’s certainly not going to be the film, but it does give an indication as to what the primary building blocks of the project will be. With that in mind, I took a few notes. Some of the elements seem tailor-made for Mann as a storyteller; others (one in particular) would be unique for him. For De Niro, it’s a perfect fit.
Location: The setting is primarily San Diego, California. This is a landscape that Michael Mann knows well and can easily deliver on: the beaches of California, nightclubs, scenes in the back seats of limos, safe houses, all under the cover of night. Winslow seemed to be writing his locations with Mann in mind.
Characters: One word – Mafia. The story features a sprinkling of civilians by way of the family Frank has built over the years (ex-wife, daughter, lover), as well as Dave Hansen, an FBI agent and friend to Frank. Hansen and Machine have a grudging respect for each other, which is due, seemingly, to the individual code of honor each has toward life and work. Frankie Machine is a made man who leads a meticulous, controlled, life. Now well past 50 years old, he is a man now at peace who savors his morning egg and onion bagel. Frankie is the type of man who takes the time to roast and grind his own coffee beans, oil an old butcher’s block for months to bring it back to life, and create and nurture a fake ID (bills, rental house, etc.), just in case it’s needed. Frank was a sniper in Vietnam and learned his lessons well. If a man needed a bullet to the head, you called Frankie Machine. This is the type of character Michael Mann knows well.
Plot: Ex-mob hit man (De Niro) does favors for the son of the Mafia don only to find it’s a double-cross situation, and must now find out who wants him dead and why.
Violence: Controlled, but R-rated. This isn’t the type of violence you would find in a Scorsese film, but the gristle is there in a shotgun-to-the-face kind of way. The question is whether it happens on-screen or off. In some passages of the book, the blood spurts right off the page. But for the most part this will be no more shocking than most of Mann’s previous films.
Issue of note: Throughout the story Frank is searching his memory for who it may be that wants him dead and why. This sends him back into many, if not all, of his Mafia-related hits. The story itself is told in two parts, half present day and half in flashbacks that take him from being a teenager, through his military days, and up to present day. If the structure of the story is kept intact as a script, this would be the first film Michael Mann tells in flash-backs.
Innovation: There is an opportunity here for some very clean, seamless CGI by way of character animation. We all know what De Niro looked like at almost every age, from early his early 20's (Taxi Driver) through his 30’s and 40’s. Rather than hiring Shia LeBeouf to play an unbelievable young De Niro, why not have De Niro act the part, voice the part, and let the CGI alchemists push his age back to the proper time?
It was done seamlessly in X-Men: The Last Stand with both Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen so why not here?!? There is every reason to do so and no reason whatsoever not to. If handled in a classic, clean, manner, it would send the critics and fans alike back again and again to see the young De Niro (without the Taxi Driver Mohawk) tromping through the bush of Vietnam or putting his first bullet into a mooch that seriously deserved it, even if he was already dead (you’ll have to read the book to find out what I mean).
Conclusion: This could become the event film of 2009. This could be the De Niro film everyone has been waiting for. With Mann at the helm and if he taps into the technology available, this could become a high-water mark for both actor and director.
Thanks to Cole Drumb
The premise for the film (from Imdb.com) is listed as:
An ex-mob hit man (De Niro) living in rural comfort is lured back into his former profession by the scheming son of a Mafia Don
.Now, the book isn’t the script and it’s certainly not going to be the film, but it does give an indication as to what the primary building blocks of the project will be. With that in mind, I took a few notes. Some of the elements seem tailor-made for Mann as a storyteller; others (one in particular) would be unique for him. For De Niro, it’s a perfect fit.
Location: The setting is primarily San Diego, California. This is a landscape that Michael Mann knows well and can easily deliver on: the beaches of California, nightclubs, scenes in the back seats of limos, safe houses, all under the cover of night. Winslow seemed to be writing his locations with Mann in mind.
Characters: One word – Mafia. The story features a sprinkling of civilians by way of the family Frank has built over the years (ex-wife, daughter, lover), as well as Dave Hansen, an FBI agent and friend to Frank. Hansen and Machine have a grudging respect for each other, which is due, seemingly, to the individual code of honor each has toward life and work. Frankie Machine is a made man who leads a meticulous, controlled, life. Now well past 50 years old, he is a man now at peace who savors his morning egg and onion bagel. Frankie is the type of man who takes the time to roast and grind his own coffee beans, oil an old butcher’s block for months to bring it back to life, and create and nurture a fake ID (bills, rental house, etc.), just in case it’s needed. Frank was a sniper in Vietnam and learned his lessons well. If a man needed a bullet to the head, you called Frankie Machine. This is the type of character Michael Mann knows well.
Plot: Ex-mob hit man (De Niro) does favors for the son of the Mafia don only to find it’s a double-cross situation, and must now find out who wants him dead and why.
Violence: Controlled, but R-rated. This isn’t the type of violence you would find in a Scorsese film, but the gristle is there in a shotgun-to-the-face kind of way. The question is whether it happens on-screen or off. In some passages of the book, the blood spurts right off the page. But for the most part this will be no more shocking than most of Mann’s previous films.
Issue of note: Throughout the story Frank is searching his memory for who it may be that wants him dead and why. This sends him back into many, if not all, of his Mafia-related hits. The story itself is told in two parts, half present day and half in flashbacks that take him from being a teenager, through his military days, and up to present day. If the structure of the story is kept intact as a script, this would be the first film Michael Mann tells in flash-backs.
Innovation: There is an opportunity here for some very clean, seamless CGI by way of character animation. We all know what De Niro looked like at almost every age, from early his early 20's (Taxi Driver) through his 30’s and 40’s. Rather than hiring Shia LeBeouf to play an unbelievable young De Niro, why not have De Niro act the part, voice the part, and let the CGI alchemists push his age back to the proper time?
It was done seamlessly in X-Men: The Last Stand with both Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen so why not here?!? There is every reason to do so and no reason whatsoever not to. If handled in a classic, clean, manner, it would send the critics and fans alike back again and again to see the young De Niro (without the Taxi Driver Mohawk) tromping through the bush of Vietnam or putting his first bullet into a mooch that seriously deserved it, even if he was already dead (you’ll have to read the book to find out what I mean).
Conclusion: This could become the event film of 2009. This could be the De Niro film everyone has been waiting for. With Mann at the helm and if he taps into the technology available, this could become a high-water mark for both actor and director.
Thanks to Cole Drumb
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