All the time when people ask some ex mobster what the mob is involved with now, they always say ‘more and more legitimate business as time goes by’. What do they mean? If it’s legit business, isn’t it just a job? I’m not kicking up 20% for running a burger stand. Is it like the boss of the family is the host of the restaurant, the consigliere decides the menu options, and the soldiers are the waiters?

Many rank-and-file mobsters have "legitimate jobs," generally low-paying, so that they can declare "legitimate income' on their tax returns and avoid prosecution for income tax evasion. More powerful mobsters have "legitimate businesses" that can provide them with up-front income to support their lifestyles, and thanks bnefit from their mob muscle and influence. Gravamp jad a thriving drywall business thanks to his personal fear factor and the muscle he exeeted with construction companies and labor unions. Paul Castellano owned Dial Poultry, a wholesale meat and produce supplier, who also got tremendous business by flexing his mob muscle. Here's an article about how he got close to Frankk Perdue, the "Chicken King":
https://www.washingtonpost.com/arch...on/2d8c89f7-9e7b-452f-a0d8-7f957b846699/

Back in the days Chicago's main goals were to inflitrate political positions and to infiltrate all lucrative legitimate enterprises. Thats why they very rarely made their sons or nephews but instead they gave them legitimate operations from which one part of the income went for the organization. Also, they began making less members, which confirms their real goal. According to sources from that period, some of the bosses didnt want the same faith for their blood relatives and close family associates, meaning they didnt want for them to be involved in the "life".

Today we have lots of blood relatives and family associates in Chicago who control numerous legitimate enterprises, previously received with the help from their old time Outfit connections.

A mobster was killed because said that "Castellano was something like Perdue" but I dont remember the name.

mafia money pollutes the economy because mafia-related companies tend to join forces and throw honest entrepreneurs out

100%

I don't think so, maybe in the 1930's, not today. They actually link up with more legitimate businesses. It's a different day.

Well a good example is the late Jimmy Indendino. He owned an escavating business in Cicero that had clients such as the Chicago Bulls.

Thats a perfect example of the type of legit businesses these guys get in.

Also long time mob associate Joe Rizza has car dealerships all over Chicagoland. Good chance he's actually a made man in the Outfit just not sure when that took place.

chicago is a great example of having legit businesses amongst members.
most are making more legit today then through grinding out rackets in chicago. restaurants, home repair, construction industry, food/drink suppliers, gaming machine suppliers and maintenance etc.

all these companies/jobs are great for laundering a little money too.

the detroit partnership would be on par with the outfit as well. a blurring of lines. a lot of these guys do indeed have a history of being criminally active but not currently. why would u risk any legit success against grinding out small time rackets.

joseph todaro of buffalo is a good example as well. multi million dollar pizza operation going cross country. no real evidence hes also involved in normal mafia work.

and was this not the stated MO of old timers in chicago and detroit. they did the time, paved the way sent there kids to good schools so the next generation didnt have to keep fighting for control of territory and rackets in these cities.

very good topic.

You don't change the nature of the beast even when they are only involved in legal businesses, the business world is not that different from the underworld. I know mobsters who did business with IKEA lol.

Take Bensonhurst back in the day.

The neighborhood was 100% Italian.

All the Grocery stores, Bakery’s, Deli’s, Cafe’s, Restaurants etc.

LCN- controlled companies would now open wholesale food distributors, Sell wholesale bread, Alcohol Distributors, Wholesale soda, Wholesale Cigarettes….

ETC….

It was like that for every type business, the garnet industry…
LCN would supply the honest Italian Americans…

Wholesale fish.

Now they would also have a monopoly and set price.

I mention Bensonhurst but it was the whole NYC, and other parts of NY.

In Bensonhurst it was Colombo that was their power base and than you had the Gambino’s.

That is just one way LCN, was in legit business.
I can’t remember his name from the Colombo’s who owned Key Food which is supermarket chain.

Castalleno owns Top Tomato and Western Beef huge supermarket chains.
They also still own Scara Mix huge concrete company.

Persico today owns the best bagel store in Dyker Heights, Huge Limo company one the largest fleets,
With atleast a dozen probably more classic limo’s, his daughter owns a real estate company, they had a title company. Just to name a few that I know of.

Thats just to name a few I can go on and on.

Key Food was owned by Pasquale Conte from the Gambino's....

Yes you are correct I got confused
The Key Food that was a block away from where I grew is in Colombo-ville in the heart of Bensonhurst.

https://therealdeal.com/la/2022/03/25/vc-legend-andreesson-buys-second-malibu-beach-home/

Look at the real estate deal he just did.
This guy is worth a fortune.

Some of the other legit businesses that the Colombo’s used to own.

1) Hotel and Bar in BayRidge, the hotel is and was the only one in Bensonhurst and BayRidge.
The bar was a crackhead junkie bar attached to the hotel, it was also an after hours spot.
I think I read somewhere that WildBill had to give that up as part of the resolution to the war.

That always was PRIME PRIME REAL-ESTATE in the 90’s it worth almost $10MM I believe.

They also owned/controlled more than one catering hall on Ft.Hamilton PKWY, I believe it was the Imperial Terrace, that was just one of them.

They had a wholesale fish distribution business up until recently not sure if they still do.
You have Sally Bread who at one point set the price of bread in the boroughs pretty much.

He owns a huge wholesale bakery on 18th and 81 street,
They supply at one point just about the whole neighborhood things have changed they aren’t running around busting up stores if they don’t buy their bread any more.

Frank Cali's legitimate businesses were very big his legacy at the very least tens of millions.

Some of the other legit businesses that the Colombo’s used to own.

1) Hotel and Bar in BayRidge, the hotel is and was the only one in Bensonhurst and BayRidge.
The bar was a crackhead junkie bar attached to the hotel, it was also an after hours spot.
I think I read somewhere that WildBill had to give that up as part of the resolution to the war.

That always was PRIME PRIME REAL-ESTATE in the 90’s it worth almost $10MM I believe.

They also owned/controlled more than one catering hall on Ft.Hamilton PKWY, I believe it was the Imperial Terrace, that was just one of them.

They had a wholesale fish distribution business up until recently not sure if they still do.

Vincent T.V. Owns construction companies, bagel stores, and very nice real-estate portfolio.

Patty Cheese from the Bonanno

Angelo Spata, family owns Lucy’s Sausage which is a household name in Bensonhurst.
Also, Angelo the son has a company that places rides and games at the feasts huge racket for the Colombo’s that they split with the Gambino’s.