Paul Carparelli & Cicero Crew

I know a similar thread has been made about the recent bust of Paul Carparelli and his crew in Chicagoland. However, a few points to think about:

1) Did he ever appear on any Chicago Outfit chart, FBI or otherwise? I don't think he did. Yet, he even stated himself that he has been an Outfit affiliate for his entire adult life. If this is true, then the FBI doesn't know everything.

2) They found $175,000 in cash in his home. If in fact Carparelli is an Outfit street guy (blue collar not white collar), then the Outfit is still making some serious money. Granted, it's not the millions rolling in from Vegas or California in the 80s, but how many people have $175K in cash lying around?

3) Carparelli was extorting people in Nevada, Colorado, etc. Again, the Outfit is a shadow of itself 30 years later, but the reach still extends.

Just because the guy never appeared on any internet forum charts, it doesn't mean the FBI wasn't aware of him. Nobody, including all the street guys in the know, ever mentioned Danny Leo or put him on any charts either. But, as we saw, the feds certainly knew who he was.



Shaking down individual guys here or there is one thing. Having a significant presence, i.e. a standing crew or major operations in those areas, is another.

I dont know anything about Chi.mob just regular news and things.But is there a chance that a guy has done work and made money and the FEDS have no clue ?

This directly contradicts what you have said in the past. You constantly assert that there is no activity because we don't hear about it. You constantly assert that the FBI is practically always correct. You have also indicated that all of your research is internet and book based, yet he has never appeared anywhere.

Carparelli, who is likely a street guy, had $175K in CASH at his house.

Sorry, Mr. Strawman, but I have never said there is no mob activity in Chicago. I've repeatedly said that, if you look at the level of activity over an extended period of time, it doesn't measure up to the image some still have of the Outfit. And this recent bust hardly proves me wrong, no matter how much you and louie want to latch onto it for dear life.

And, as I just said, the guy not being on any internet chart doesn't mean the FBI wasn't aware of him. Book and internet research doesn't equate to everything the feds know and I've certainly never said I'm aware of everything. Don't you see the irony in you criticizing the feds when it's exactly because of the feds that you now know about him?

Carparelli grew up in Berwyn and in his youth ran with a group called the Park Boys. He is known in the neighborhood, which means he is known to the Feds. His father committed "suicide" back in the 80's with a gunshot wound after having set his house and garage afire. He has had a chip on his shoulder since then and who wouldn't??? Keeping $$$ in your own home is quite foolish and amateurish, however. He probably was dealing coke, also. Just because the public doesn't know him doesn't mean he isn't known to the Feds or on the street. Kinda hard for there to be "sleepers" today in this day and age with the technology that is available

the feds arrest people when they're somebody or about to become somebody

or if they want to flip them

Is he a high level associate...or is there a chance he's been made?

Im pretty sure carparelli has something to do with caprice d amici restaurant in woodridge. My aunt lives in downers grove and we use to go all the time. A few years back, he was always in there. He's actually seemed like a really good guy. If he has any involvement with the outfit, I had no idea.

My guess is soldier/associate, unless he was one of the guys Sarno made in the early to mid 2000s.

If you look at most of the guys in his little crew, most of them have legitimate businesses.

This is my contention as to why the Outfit will survive, although not in the form of the 1920s-1990s. The Outfit will become a part time Outfit. Most of the guys will have legitimate jobs and be part time gangsters (shylock, book, extortion on the side).

It is too difficult to be a full time gangster for a guy just coming up.

If I had to guess I would say he is not made - at least not yet. Fearsome rep no doubt but has rep of a cowboy with too much to prove especially after whatever happ with his father. He is well-liked though

Was his father a longtime associate? So were the guys mentioned in the initial article his little crew?

that's why the feds set their sights on him in the first place

get him off the streets before he can become somebody

@ Funkster, his father was a degenerate gambler who made the mistake of going to the sharks to pay back the bookies and got wayyyyy behind on his juice-at least that was the rumor back then. At that time the Ferriola Crew was ALMIGHTY in their power and the fear that they instilled in recalcitrant debtors. I remember when that happened I was a teenager too. I would say Carparelli is the focus of the indictment, yes and the others were friends of his not necessarily his "crew". I believe it was Huron who said awhile back that nowadays what has been known as the "Cicero Crew" should more appropriately be called the "Berwyn Crew" now and this definitely so. @ Cook County, yes and no. Going to do a bit will DEFINITELY make him somebody when he gets out. His wife died young of cancer recently and he has a young son. I wonder if he feels it was worth it now though that he took the pinch especially after what happened to his father. I doubt he'd ever rat though.

Nice insight 12thStreet. I believe his son also goes by Paulie correct? Are you from Berwyn yourself?

Is that his son or him? Where'd you get that?

That's Paulie Carparelli Sr.