Taking down the Chicago Mafia is once again a top priority for the Feds according to Jeffrey Sallet the newly installed head of the FBI in Chicago.
In a recent interview, the new Special Agent In Charge said “The Chicago Outfit? We haven’t forgotten about you,” pledging to refocus the fight against organized crime. The last major mafia case in Chicago happened over a decade ago but Sallet says the Chicago Outfit is still a force and cannot be overlooked. The 2005 Family Secrets case took down most of the Cosa Nostra families hierarchy but after a decade-long lull in major cases, the mafia in Chicago has had a chance to rebuild its ranks.
Sallet is considered to be an expert in mafia investigations and has worked in New York, Boston, and New Orleans. He helped take down over 100 La Cosa Nostra figures including leading members of the Bonanno crime family of the New York Mafia. He also worked on the capture of fugitive Boston mob boss Whitey Bulger. The lack of cases and headlines surrounding the Chicago mob in recent years has led many to believe the declining organization was on its deathbed. But during his interview with the ABC7 I-Team Sallet said: “The Chicago Outfit is 100 years old, so when you look at an organization that is 100 years old and says we’re not going to work those guys because they’re done, would be a huge mistake.”
“Mob guys or Outfit guys whatever you want to call them are resilient,” said Sallet. “Where there is an opportunity to make money, they will engage. The reason they don’t kill people the same way they did 25 years ago is because it’s bad for business.” The faces of those leading the Chicago Mafia have changed but they are still engaged in plenty of mob rackets and remain a viable and profitable organization. These new Chicago mafia leaders which include alleged acting boss Salvatore “Solly D” DeLaurentis, street boss Albert Vena, consigliere Marco D’Amico and underboss Salvatore Cataudella could be under fire sooner rather than later. There could be some interesting Chicago Mafia news on the way!
