Frank Calabrese Sr. went from eating oatmeal for dinner as a child to making millions of dollars from illegal street loans but denied Thursday from the witness stand that he ever killed anyone for the Chicago Outfit.
Calabrese is an allegedly prolific hit man, accused of 13 murders in the Family Secrets mob case in federal court.
The 70-year-old man, who complained about his bad hearing, took the stand for two hours in the case to deny each murder he's accused of. He described a life of doing business with people in the Outfit and hanging around mobsters but not being part of the mob himself.
Calabrese was dressed conservatively, in a tie, suit coat and slacks, and often looked directly at the jury as he was questioned by his attorney, Joseph "The Shark" Lopez, outfitted in a hot pink shirt, matching pink socks, lemon tie and black suit.
In his questioning, Lopez made the distinction between people who were "earners" and people who did "heavy work," in other words, murder.
"Were you an earner or did you did you do heavy work?" Lopez asked.
"Joe, my earnings spoke for themselves," Calabrese said.
"I made millions. How would I have time to do it?" Calabrese Sr. said, referring to the murders he's accused of.
As his lawyer asked him questions, Calabrese would go on and on -- so much so that the judge told him to just answer the questions he was asked.
From the witness stand, Calabrese appeared to be struggling not to lose his temper as Assistant U.S. Attorney John Scully repeatedly objected to Calabrese's expansive answers.
At one point, Calabrese was asked about a club he belonged to. He answered but added, "Can I tell you how they raised money for the club?"
"No," Lopez said, trying to cut him off.
"Just asking," Calabrese said.
Calabrese said he was partners with mob boss Angelo LaPietra in the street loan business but insisted he did not report to LaPietra as his boss.
"He did never control me -- never," Calabrese said.
"Many people feared him," Calabrese said of LaPietra, a brutal mob killer who had such nicknames as "Bull" and "The Hook."
"Many people couldn't look him in the eye when they talked to him. I never had that problem," Calabrese said.
Calabrese has seen both his son, Frank Calabrese Jr., and his brother, Outfit killer Nicholas Calabrese, testify against him at trial.
His son put his life on the line and secretly recorded his father while they were both in federal prison in 1999 on another case.
Jurors have already heard excerpts from those extensive conversations, in which Frank Calabrese Sr. apparently describes mob murders in great detail.
Frank Calabrese Sr. will have to explain those conversations to the jury. He's also expected to blame his brother, Nicholas; his son, Frank Jr., and a second son, Kurt, for conspiring to frame him for the mob murders to keep him in prison, so they could steal his money with impunity.
Kurt Calabrese is not a witness in the case but quietly slipped into court Thursday to watch his father's testimony. At one point, the two locked eyes briefly, and Calabrese Sr. appeared a bit unsettled.
Thanks to Steve Warmbir
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Reunion for "La Famiglia" in Mafia 2?
Take-Two Interactive is apparently working on a reunion for "la famiglia," as Czech site Tiscali Games today spotted a listing on the German ratings board's database for a Mafia 2 promotional trailer to debut at next week's Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany.
This is not the first time a game's existence has been discovered via the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK). Late last month, the ratings board leaked word of the next World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. As with Mafia 2, that entry was not a rating for the game itself, but a rating for the promotional trailer meant to be revealed at Leipzig. Also much like the Wrath of the Lich King entry, the Mafia sequel listing was quickly pulled after it started circulating around news sites. A representative with Take-Two had not returned GameSpot's request for comment as of press time.
Originally released on the PC in 2002, Illusion Softworks' Mafia received a fair amount of critical acclaim for its combination of a Grand Theft Auto III-style living city with some of the structure and set pieces of traditional third-person action games. The game made it to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2004, but reviews indicated it had lost something in the translation.
Thanks to Brendan Sinclair
This is not the first time a game's existence has been discovered via the Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK). Late last month, the ratings board leaked word of the next World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. As with Mafia 2, that entry was not a rating for the game itself, but a rating for the promotional trailer meant to be revealed at Leipzig. Also much like the Wrath of the Lich King entry, the Mafia sequel listing was quickly pulled after it started circulating around news sites. A representative with Take-Two had not returned GameSpot's request for comment as of press time.
Originally released on the PC in 2002, Illusion Softworks' Mafia received a fair amount of critical acclaim for its combination of a Grand Theft Auto III-style living city with some of the structure and set pieces of traditional third-person action games. The game made it to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2004, but reviews indicated it had lost something in the translation.
Thanks to Brendan Sinclair
America's Most Wanted for 8-18-07 on The Chicago Syndicate
Roy “Bubba” Massey: Massey was first featured on AMW back in 1992, and now he’s back for me more. After a stint in prison, police say he had no intention of going back—even if it meant leading officers on high-speed chases all over the south. On AMW.com, you can see video of one of his infamous chases.
Unknown Newark Shooters: New Jersey authorities are working around the clock in their search for 24-year-old Rodolfo Godinez, a Nicaraguan national wanted in connection with the execution style slaying of three college students in Newark . Last week, police arrested two 15-year-old juveniles and 28-year-old Jose Carranza, an undocumented illegal immigrant from Peru in relation to the killings.
Unknown Sgt. Reyka Killer: More than 200 investigators from the Broward County, Fla. Sheriff’s Office and other agencies are searching South Florida for the man responsible for the murder of veteran deputy Sgt. Chris Reyka early last Friday morning. Now, authorities need your help to bring his killer to justice. You can see surveillance footage of the car cops think the killer was driving on AMW.com.
Book of Days: After almost 30 years of waiting, Pulitzer Prize-winning “Opus” cartoonist Berkely Breathed is working with AMW to help solve a mystery—and catch the man who murdered one of Austin ’s brightest stars. Learn more about the death of Michael Cahill at AMW.com, and see why investigators think his killer may have chose his victims from a local calendar. A calendar called The Book of Days.
Juan Bautista: Nearly four years after Chris Applegate’s life was destroyed by an accused drunk driver, her family has vowed to change the law they say allowed the suspect to get away. Cops say in New Jersey , a person charged with a felony offense is only required to pay 10% of the stated bail in order to be released. Bautista did just that; he paid only 2,000 of the set 20,000 dollars and was never heard from again. If the Applegate’s get their way, anyone accused of a felony will be required to pay the entire bail amount before being set free.
William Santos: Police say illegal alien William Roberto Santos was considered a trusted member of his community, and was a dedicated member of his church. But police say this farm laborer had a dark secret, and it wasn’t long before the whole community had figured out what he was really up to. Cops say Santos was regularly raping an 11-year-old boy, but by the time anyone found out, Santos hit the road. On AMW.com, we have info on where we think this suspected child offender may be hiding out. Tune in this week to help us put him in cuffs.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Frank Calabrese Sr. Takes Witness Stand
In the Family Secrets mob trial Wednesday there was testimony from "Joey the Clown." Thursday, it was "Frankie the Breeze." In an unusual strategy, the two top defendants in the federal case have now taken the witness stand.
We know from his testimony that mob boss Joe Lombardo fancies himself as one of those movie gangsters played by Jimmy Cagney. In the Hollywood vein, then Frank Calabrese's testimony Thursday qualifies Calabrese as the flimflam man. For three hours in the witness chair Thursday afternoon, Calabrese admitted to being a part of the Chicago mob, explained how the Chicago mob operates and who else is in it, then tried to convince the jury that he had nothing to do with any mob murders.
Frank Calabrese Senior's education was on display Thursday in court. Frank "the Breeze," as he's known, was a fourth grade drop out who twice went AWOL from the military. Now, at age 70 and claiming to be hard-of-hearing, the convicted outfit boss is fighting to stay out of prison for the rest of life in operation family secrets.
Calabrese is charged with 13 gangland murders as part of the mob conspiracy. Calabrese denied them all, saying "No way, I loved that guy" when asked about them. He appeared in court well groomed and dressed in a Palm Beach-style sportcoat fit for a croquet match. His lawyer Joe Lopez dazzled the jury with a pink shirt and banana-colored tie. Calabrese peppered his testimony with a sorrowful tale of his poor upbringing. "We ate oatmeal many nights," he said, "because we had no money."
Calabrese admitted to being a streetfighter: "I hated bullies and I still hate them today." Then he boasted, "I was very good with my hands." he was also well connected, he said, to the late, corrupt 1st Ward Alderman Fred Roti, Calabrese's brother-in-law was hotel restaurant union boss Ed Hanley, whom Calabrese claimed once offered him a job as president of the union local in Las Vegas.
Despite claiming he couldn't do arithmetic and barely literate, Calabrese admitted to a career as a mob loanshark, illegally lending hundreds of thousands of dollars to people who couldn't get bank loans at interest rates sometimes 10 times the going rate and keeping the accounting books. But Calabrese claimed: "There was never a time that anybody got a beating from me for not paying...I'd sit and talk to them."
In a remarkable confession, Calabrese talked about the structure of the outfit: There are "heavy workers" who do the killing, he said, and there are "money makers" who control the finances. Said Calabrese: "I was a money maker, I mean millions. When would I have time for" the killing?
Calabrese said Joseph "Joey Doves" Aiuppa was the outfit's top boss who oversaw what were called "sit downs," meetings to solve mob problems. "It was all done diplomatically," stated Calabrese. "At the head was someone very important, usually Joey Auippa."
We know from his testimony Wednesday that mob boss Joe Lombardo fancies himself as one of those old Hollywood gangsters played by Jimmy Cagney. Judging by the jury's reaction to Frank Calabrese's testimony, Calabrese might be better suited for a role in the old classic movie "Born Yesterday."
Jurors who have been taking non-stop notes the past eight weeks, Thursday took down nothing that Calabrese said. One juror spent the afternoon doodling on the back of his notebook.
Thanks to Chuck Goudie
We know from his testimony that mob boss Joe Lombardo fancies himself as one of those movie gangsters played by Jimmy Cagney. In the Hollywood vein, then Frank Calabrese's testimony Thursday qualifies Calabrese as the flimflam man. For three hours in the witness chair Thursday afternoon, Calabrese admitted to being a part of the Chicago mob, explained how the Chicago mob operates and who else is in it, then tried to convince the jury that he had nothing to do with any mob murders.
Frank Calabrese Senior's education was on display Thursday in court. Frank "the Breeze," as he's known, was a fourth grade drop out who twice went AWOL from the military. Now, at age 70 and claiming to be hard-of-hearing, the convicted outfit boss is fighting to stay out of prison for the rest of life in operation family secrets.
Calabrese is charged with 13 gangland murders as part of the mob conspiracy. Calabrese denied them all, saying "No way, I loved that guy" when asked about them. He appeared in court well groomed and dressed in a Palm Beach-style sportcoat fit for a croquet match. His lawyer Joe Lopez dazzled the jury with a pink shirt and banana-colored tie. Calabrese peppered his testimony with a sorrowful tale of his poor upbringing. "We ate oatmeal many nights," he said, "because we had no money."
Calabrese admitted to being a streetfighter: "I hated bullies and I still hate them today." Then he boasted, "I was very good with my hands." he was also well connected, he said, to the late, corrupt 1st Ward Alderman Fred Roti, Calabrese's brother-in-law was hotel restaurant union boss Ed Hanley, whom Calabrese claimed once offered him a job as president of the union local in Las Vegas.
Despite claiming he couldn't do arithmetic and barely literate, Calabrese admitted to a career as a mob loanshark, illegally lending hundreds of thousands of dollars to people who couldn't get bank loans at interest rates sometimes 10 times the going rate and keeping the accounting books. But Calabrese claimed: "There was never a time that anybody got a beating from me for not paying...I'd sit and talk to them."
In a remarkable confession, Calabrese talked about the structure of the outfit: There are "heavy workers" who do the killing, he said, and there are "money makers" who control the finances. Said Calabrese: "I was a money maker, I mean millions. When would I have time for" the killing?
Calabrese said Joseph "Joey Doves" Aiuppa was the outfit's top boss who oversaw what were called "sit downs," meetings to solve mob problems. "It was all done diplomatically," stated Calabrese. "At the head was someone very important, usually Joey Auippa."
We know from his testimony Wednesday that mob boss Joe Lombardo fancies himself as one of those old Hollywood gangsters played by Jimmy Cagney. Judging by the jury's reaction to Frank Calabrese's testimony, Calabrese might be better suited for a role in the old classic movie "Born Yesterday."
Jurors who have been taking non-stop notes the past eight weeks, Thursday took down nothing that Calabrese said. One juror spent the afternoon doodling on the back of his notebook.
Thanks to Chuck Goudie
Did Testifying Backfire for Lombardo?
There's a reason professional criminals don't generally take the witness stand in their own defense, as anyone watching Wednesday's cross-examination of Joey "The Clown" Lombardo could see for themselves.
It has the potential to backfire.
After another half day of trying to put his own spin on his alleged criminal activities, Lombardo had to face up to questioning from Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitch Mars, and the results were not pretty for the defense.
Lombardo was left parsing his words like a lawyer, albeit a jailhouse lawyer, as he explained away wiretap conversations involving apparent mob activity by arguing over the meaning of the word "we."
"We" seemed to plainly refer to Lombardo and his mob associates, but Lombardo, who contends he was never a part of organized crime in Chicago despite two previous convictions, said it really meant "they" or anybody but him.
"We never means 'we' in this conversation," Lombardo said of a taped chat with Louie "The Mooch" Eboli over how to muscle a new massage parlor that was encroaching on the turf of massage parlors controlled by other mob bosses.
It got so ridiculous at one point that Lombardo even invoked by inference former President Bill Clinton's fight over the word "is" during his impeachment proceedings. "Just like the president did. He didn't choose the right words," Lombardo said of his own choice of words.
Earlier in the day, Lombardo gave the jurors a primer on "street taxes," the Chicago mob's term for extortion payments. Lombardo tried to draw a distinction between an "investment tax," in which a "businessman" such as him "invests" in an activity and then takes a pre-determined cut, and a "muscle tax," which is nothing but a shakedown demanding money for the opportunity to remain in business.
At least, that's my interpretation of what he said.
In Lombardo's mind, only the muscle tax is against the law, a delineation that is clearly not shared by prosecutors.
Mars, who has made it his career to pursue the Chicago mob, seemed choked with emotion in the opening stages of his scathing cross-examination, which came as close as you'll get to seeing television-style drama in a real courtroom.
While he didn't budge Lombardo from his basic contention that he had nothing to do with the mob, he exposed its absurdity at various junctures, such as when Lombardo admitted that his family cleared more than $2 million on a sweetheart investment arranged by the late mob lawyer Allen Dorfman.
You won't believe where Lombardo now says he was holed up during most of those eight months on the lam from federal authorities. Right under my nose in Oak Park. That's right. The People's Republic of Oak Park, home of more news media representatives per capita than any other place in the Chicago area, though formerly the home of many of Chicago's top mobsters.
Aren't you glad you had us on the case?
Lombardo says he was hiding out in a basement flat owned by "some guy" named Joe. He still did not disclose the exact location.
Lombardo said the hideaway was arranged for him by his friend Georgie Colucci, whom Lombardo called from his car while parked at a golf driving range at 22nd and Wolf Road, which I presume to be the one at Fresh Meadow golf course in Hillside.
"He said stay right there," Lombardo said. "He sent some kid."
The kid drove him to Joe's place in Oak Park, which Lombardo said was "like an apartment."
Lombardo was eventually arrested in Elmwood Park, where he had been staying with another friend for just a few days, according to previous testimony in the trial.
He said those were the only two places he used to hide.
I'm not sure whether the feds believe Lombardo, who made his whereabouts during that period an issue by testifying Wednesday that he never thought he was in violation of federal law while eluding capture because he never crossed state lines. They certainly found that notion preposterous.
Lombardo said he'd always intended to surrender as soon as his co-defendants completed their trials because he didn't think it was fair that he should be charged with participating in a conspiracy with them, some of whom he'd never met before this trial.
Showing the jury a photo of Lombardo with his long hair and beard when he was captured, Mars asked if he thought that was funny.
"A little joke once in a while doesn't hurt," said The Clown.
Thanks to Mark Brown
It has the potential to backfire.
After another half day of trying to put his own spin on his alleged criminal activities, Lombardo had to face up to questioning from Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitch Mars, and the results were not pretty for the defense.
Lombardo was left parsing his words like a lawyer, albeit a jailhouse lawyer, as he explained away wiretap conversations involving apparent mob activity by arguing over the meaning of the word "we."
"We" seemed to plainly refer to Lombardo and his mob associates, but Lombardo, who contends he was never a part of organized crime in Chicago despite two previous convictions, said it really meant "they" or anybody but him.
"We never means 'we' in this conversation," Lombardo said of a taped chat with Louie "The Mooch" Eboli over how to muscle a new massage parlor that was encroaching on the turf of massage parlors controlled by other mob bosses.
It got so ridiculous at one point that Lombardo even invoked by inference former President Bill Clinton's fight over the word "is" during his impeachment proceedings. "Just like the president did. He didn't choose the right words," Lombardo said of his own choice of words.
Earlier in the day, Lombardo gave the jurors a primer on "street taxes," the Chicago mob's term for extortion payments. Lombardo tried to draw a distinction between an "investment tax," in which a "businessman" such as him "invests" in an activity and then takes a pre-determined cut, and a "muscle tax," which is nothing but a shakedown demanding money for the opportunity to remain in business.
At least, that's my interpretation of what he said.
In Lombardo's mind, only the muscle tax is against the law, a delineation that is clearly not shared by prosecutors.
Mars, who has made it his career to pursue the Chicago mob, seemed choked with emotion in the opening stages of his scathing cross-examination, which came as close as you'll get to seeing television-style drama in a real courtroom.
While he didn't budge Lombardo from his basic contention that he had nothing to do with the mob, he exposed its absurdity at various junctures, such as when Lombardo admitted that his family cleared more than $2 million on a sweetheart investment arranged by the late mob lawyer Allen Dorfman.
You won't believe where Lombardo now says he was holed up during most of those eight months on the lam from federal authorities. Right under my nose in Oak Park. That's right. The People's Republic of Oak Park, home of more news media representatives per capita than any other place in the Chicago area, though formerly the home of many of Chicago's top mobsters.
Aren't you glad you had us on the case?
Lombardo says he was hiding out in a basement flat owned by "some guy" named Joe. He still did not disclose the exact location.
Lombardo said the hideaway was arranged for him by his friend Georgie Colucci, whom Lombardo called from his car while parked at a golf driving range at 22nd and Wolf Road, which I presume to be the one at Fresh Meadow golf course in Hillside.
"He said stay right there," Lombardo said. "He sent some kid."
The kid drove him to Joe's place in Oak Park, which Lombardo said was "like an apartment."
Lombardo was eventually arrested in Elmwood Park, where he had been staying with another friend for just a few days, according to previous testimony in the trial.
He said those were the only two places he used to hide.
I'm not sure whether the feds believe Lombardo, who made his whereabouts during that period an issue by testifying Wednesday that he never thought he was in violation of federal law while eluding capture because he never crossed state lines. They certainly found that notion preposterous.
Lombardo said he'd always intended to surrender as soon as his co-defendants completed their trials because he didn't think it was fair that he should be charged with participating in a conspiracy with them, some of whom he'd never met before this trial.
Showing the jury a photo of Lombardo with his long hair and beard when he was captured, Mars asked if he thought that was funny.
"A little joke once in a while doesn't hurt," said The Clown.
Thanks to Mark Brown
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