The answer is no. There have been a couple fanboys lately who have come on here to try and convince knowledgeable people that the Grand Ave Crew is still Grand.

The once prestigious Grand Ave Crew under Outfit Boss Joey Lombardo is not a functioning organization anymore. Joey Lombardo, one of the Two Top Bosses in the Outfit along with his partner John DiFronzo, (Boss of Elmwood Park Crew) retreated from the street rackets many years ago. That's why when Jimmy Marcello temporarily got out of prison several years ago, the Feds said that Jimmy Marcello (Boss of Cicero)
was the Top Boss of the Outfit.

The Feds also stated that DiFronzo and Lombardo were Marcello's Senior Advisors which would make logical sense. The real scenario was that DiFronzo and Lombardo, who were both very close, had made the choice a few years prior that they were out of the Street rackets for good.
Their men slowly phased themselves out of it because DiFronzo and Lombardo could not afford to be around it in anymore.

There are many ways to earn in Chicago besides Bookmaking, Poker Machines and Loan Sharking. LOL.
Nobody starved. There were ways to earn that were much more legitimate with maybe some White Collar attached to it.

DiFronzo is literally worth millions. (You know how I hate exaggerations) and Lombardo owns a lot of Property and other legitimate things.

Lombardo's plan was working until the Family Secrets Trial came up. DiFronzo tried to help Lombardo but there wasn't much that could be done when the Feds had some DNA evidence to tie Lombardo into a 1974 murder. Lombardo was convicted.

There are only a very small handful of made Grand Ave men left along with a few higher level Associates and they are either connected legitimately to Elmwood Park or are available if needed for some other reason.

There really is no Grand Ave Functioning crew with a Boss, made men and Soldier/Associates like in the old days.

In the old days there were 6 crews:
Cicero
Elmwood Park
26Th St.
Grand Ave.
North Side/ Rush St.
Chicago Heights

Presently there are really only 3:
Elmwood Park (retreated) includes a couple Grand Ave men
Cicero
26Th St.




Last edited by Chicago; 07/30/13 02:14 AM.