Frank Calabrese Jr. - Operation Family Secrets: How a Mobsters Son and the FBI Brought Down Chicagos Murderous Crime Family

Copyright 2011 by Frank Calabrese, Jr.,
Keith Zimmerman, Kent Zimmerman, and Paul Pompian

All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Broadway Books,
an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com

BROADWAY BOOKS and the Broadway Books colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Operation family secrets : how a mobsters son and the FBI brought down Chicagos murderous crime family /
Frank Calabrese, Jr. [et al.]1st ed.
p. cm.
1. Calabrese, Frank, 1937 2. GangstersIllinois
ChicagoBiography. 3. MurderersUnited States
Biography. I. Calabrese, Frank, Jr. II. Title.
HV6248.C126O64 2011
364.1092dc22

[B] 2010028174

eISBN: 978-0-307-71774-0

Jacket design by Howard Grossman
Jacket photograph courtesy of the author

v3.1

F or easy reference, here are the major and minor characters who are mentioned in the book and figure into my story. It is by no means meant to be a complete list of family, Outfit members, crews, and associates.

Calabrese Family

Frank Calabrese, Sr.My father

Nick W. CalabreseMy uncle

James and Sophie CalabreseMy grandparents on my fathers side

Marie, James Jr., Christine, Joe, and RosemaryMy aunts and uncles on my fathers side

Dolores Hanley CalabreseMy mother

Edward HanleyMy uncle on my mothers side

Kurt CalabreseMy middle brother

Nicky S. CalabreseMy youngest brother

Lisa SwanMy ex-wife

Kelly CalabreseMy daughter

Anthony CalabreseMy son

Angela LascolaKurts wife, granddaughter of Angelo The Hook LaPietra

Diane CiminoMy fathers second wife

Joy CalabreseUncle Nicks first wife

Michelle CalabreseMy first cousin and Uncle Nicks oldest daughter

Noreen Tenuta CalabreseUncle Nicks current wife

Franco CalabreseNoreen and Nicks son

Christina CalabreseNoreen and Nicks oldest child

Danny AlbergaLongtime friend and owner and operator of Bella Luna

Frank CoconateLongtime friend of both me and my father

FBI and Federal Prosecutors

FBI Agent Michael Maseth

FBI Agent Michael Hartnett

FBI Agent John Mallul

FBI Agent Ted McNamara

FBI Agent Chris Mackey

FBI Agent Luigi Mondini

FBI Agent Tracy Balinao

Retired FBI Agent Tom Bourgeois

Retired FBI Agent Zack Shelton

Retired FBI Agent James Wagner

CPD Officer Bob MoonOrganized Crime Task Force member

Mitch MarsAssistant U.S. Attorney and Chief of the Organized Crime Section, Operation Family Secrets Prosecutor

John ScullyAssistant U.S. Attorney, Operation Family Secrets Prosecutor

T. Markus FunkAssistant U.S. Attorney, Operation Family Secrets Prosecutor

Patrick FitzgeraldU.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois

The Street

OUTFIT BOSSES

Tony Joe Batters/Big Tuna AccardoConsigliere

Joey Doves/Joe OBrien AiuppaBoss

Jackie The Lackey CerroneUnderboss

CHINATOWN/26TH STREET CREW

Angelo The Hook LaPietraCapo and my fathers mentor

James Brother Jimmy LaPietraAngelos brother

John Johnny Apes Monteleone

James Poker/Tires DiForti

Joseph Shorty LaMantia

John Big Stoop Fecarotta

Frank Toots Caruso

Frank Frankie C Calabrese, Sr.My father

THE CALABRESE CREW

Nick Gus CalabreseMy uncle

Ronnie Little Guy JarrettMy fathers first lieutenant

Mike RicciOperation Family Secrets co-defendant

Anthony Twan DoyleOperation Family Secrets co-defendant

Nicholas Nick FerriolaSon of Joe Ferriola

Larry StubitschMy fathers original partner

Frank Gumba Saladino

Frank Ciccio Furio

Michael Nef Talarico

Phil Philly Bean Tolomeo

Phil Pete Fiore

Ralph Curly Peluso

Louis Bombacino

CICERO/BERWYN CREW

Sam Wings CarlisiCapo

Joe Joe Nagall Ferriola

Ernest Rocky Infelise

William Butch Petrocelli

Harry Aleman

Tony Tony Bors Borsellino

James Little Jimmy/Jimmy Light MarcelloOperation FamilySecrets co-defendant

Anthony Tony the Hatch/The Hatchet Chiaramonti

Salvatore Solly D DeLaurentis

Gerald Gerry Scarpelli

Michael Mickey MarcelloJimmy Marcellos stepbrother

James Jimmy I Inendino

Louie Marino

GRAND AVENUE CREW

Joe The Clown/Lumpy LombardoCapo and Operation Family Secrets co-defendant

Anthony Tony/The Ant Spilotro

Michael SpilotroTonys brother

Frank The German SchweihsOperation Family Secrets co-defendant

Paul The Indian SchiroOperation Family Secrets co-defendant

Joseph Joey Hansen

CROWN HEIGHTS CREW

Dominick Tootsie Palermo

Nicky Guzzino

CHICAGO HEIGHTS CREW

Al PilottoCapo

Al Little Caesar Tocco

James Jimmy the Bomber Catuara

ELMWOOD/MELROSE PARK CREW

John No Nose DiFronzoCapo

Joe The Builder/Joey A Andriacchi

Louie The Mooch Eboli

I set myself up in the corner of the prison library at the Federal Correctional Institution in Milan, Michigan, and banged out the letter to FBI Special Agent Thomas Bourgeois on a cranky old Smith-Corona manual typewriter. My mobster father, Frank Calabrese, Sr.who was serving time with me in FCI Milanhad taught me to be decisive. So when I typed the letter, my mind was made up.

I didnt touch the paper directly. I used my winter gloves to handle the sheet and held the envelope with a Kleenex so as not to leave any fingerprints. The moment I mailed the letter on July 27, 1998, I knew I had crossed the line. Cooperating with the FBI meant not only that I would give up my father, but that I would have to implicate my uncle Nick for the murder of a Chicago Outfit mobster named John Big Stoop Fecarotta. Giving up my uncle was the hardest part.

When I reread the letter one last time, I asked myself, What kind of son puts his father away for life? The Federal Bureau of Prisons had dealt me a cruel blow by sticking me in the same prison as my dad. It had become increasingly clear that his vow to step away from the Outfit after we both served our time was an empty promise.

I feel I have to help you keep this sick man locked up forever, I wrote in my letter.

Due to legal and safety concerns, it was five months before Agent Thomas Bourgeois arranged a visit to meet with me at FCI Milan. He came alone in the early winter of 1998. In 1997 the FBI and Chicago federal prosecutors had convicted the Calabrese crew, netting my father, Uncle Nick, my younger brother Kurt, and me on juice loans. Bourgeois seemed confused and wanted to know what I wanted.