# U.S. Attorney, N.D. Illinois: Family Secrets indictment release (April 25, 2005)

Canonical: https://mobfiles.org/items/usao-ndil-family-secrets-indictment-2005/

Press release of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois announcing a 14-defendant racketeering indictment that named the "Chicago Outfit" as the RICO enterprise and charged 18 murders and one attempted murder between 1970 and 1986.

Release of Monday, April 25, 2005, issued by U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald, headed: "14 Defendants Indicted for Alleged Organized Crime Activities; 'Chicago Outfit' Named as RICO Enterprise in Four-Decade Conspiracy Alleging 18 Mob Murders and 1 Attempted Murder." It says the defendants are alleged to be members of, or associated with, "The Chicago Outfit," a criminal enterprise "also known as the 'Chicago Syndicate,' and the 'Chicago Mob,'" and that the case came from an FBI-led investigation code-named Operation Family Secrets.

The release lists how the indictment identifies each defendant. Among them: "Joseph Lombardo, also known as 'the Clown,' 'Lumpy,' and 'Lumbo,' a member of the Grand Avenue crew, who committed murder and other crimes on its behalf"; "Frank Calabrese, Sr., a member of the South Side/26th Street crew and a 'made' member of the Outfit." It refers to "deceased 'made' member Anthony Spilotro" and to "the son of deceased 'made' member Joseph Ferriola." Its list of charged murders includes "Anthony and Michael Spilotro, on or about June 14, 1986, in DuPage County."

The release ends: "The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt." Every description in it is an allegation of the indictment. This page does not repeat defendants' ages or home towns.

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois (archived release, PDF): https://www.justice.gov/archive/usao/iln/chicago/2005/pr0425_01.pdf