I was reading an article that said it's something of an unwritten rule to not bring your kids into the business. In NY it happens all the time. is it true that chicago frowns on this? The chin didn't like the idea, but there are plenty of last names that pop up through the generations in NY

At some point you have to get the kids, no one left

Some did get their kids involved, others kept them away. But I think in most cases, the rackets were always a family business in Chicago and most modern-day gangsters that I can think of quite frankly all grew up in the rackets. You obviously know about Nick Ferriola, Frank Calabrese Jr. and the Caruso Brothers. Pudge Matassa even set his own sons up with restaurants and businesses (and his own father set him up) and a lot of Outfit guys set their kids up in the unions (but relied on them to keep the rackets going). Sam Inendino is not a gangster but ran his father's connected companies using his father's connections - a lot of these kids are "semi legitimate."

Chicago is interesting because it also became common to extort the kids of dead bosses - so everyone from Paul Ricca Jr. to Dominic Alderisio were extorted at one point or another by their father's former colleagues. It apparently became so bad that Accardo had to make a formal rule to ensure the same didn't happen to his family.

Don't forget Jimmy and Phil Cozzo, Lou and Dino Marino, Willie Daddano, Sr. and Jr. Joey Lombardo hooked his son up with a union job.

I think the article was talking about specifically mob related activities. Not semi legit or fully legit jobs thru illegal connections. But from what I see it looks like it might not be as rare in Chicago as the writer made it out to be. He labeled it an unwritten rule that you don't get your kids involved in the mob. Who knows. I figured I'd ask some chicago people here...

With the exception of Matassa's kids and Lombardo's son, every guy we mentioned is either made or at the very least an associate. I don't think it's any more rarer than NY or anywhere else.

Well the site I saw that on was from someone who a lot of people here think is full of shit. So it might just be bullshit

Bobby Salerno's kid is a lawyer who represents a lot of these guys. Isn't Bobby Bellavia's kid also involved in some manner?

Chi, never heard that story about extorting kids. Crazy.

Yeah "Chuckie B" had an autoparts business that was being investigated for stolen parts back in the early 90s. I think Infelise got caught up in that ring too, but not sure if they ever proved anything. Chuckie likes to act the part today, but I don't think he's that involved.

August Monteleone
Joseph Mangiamele
Vincent Basso
Vincent Solano jr.
Vincent Forliano
Frank Caruso jr.
Mike Spano Jr.
Michael Mags
Ronnie De Rosa
There are more including the ones Snakes and ChiTown named, I think it's safe to say that the outfit is more than willing to let the kids in.

Yeah, totally forgot about Mags.

I think at one time Carmen Bastone's kids were involved but I don't know if that's the case anymore.

I remember seeing Joe and Jamie Bastone at Zenith Vending, throughout the 90s, when I visited my father at work as a kid.

I think at some point, Joe owned a cigar shop in the north burbs and an air filtration business.

I believe they were also active in Aruba, at least for a bit in the early 2000s, but not 100% sure.