I don’t know. All I have is my opinion. If there is another big RICO case focusing on recent activity that took out both Sollys, Jimmy I, and Toots, it would be hard to imagine the active street crews staying afloat. A case targeting the upper echelon would leave Cicero/Berwyn and Chinatown with a few younger capable guys without any competent leaders. (At this time, we can set our watches to a few people who will rush to defend the Caruso Family Honor by foolishly arguing that Bruno or Leo Caruso would steer the ship.)

People do not realize how much power and influence Johnny DiFronzo has locked up. Even though he loafs around like an old hump, he still is what he was twenty years ago, but he is resting on his laurels. As long as he is around (and to a lesser extent, his brother Pete, and to an even lesser but still significant extent a few of their immediate “confederates”) the Outfit exists, though it won’t resemble organized crime or the mafia to most of the people reading this. Maybe that is significant, and maybe it isn’t. In my opinion, it is. We will see what happens.

Also, it won’t take actual convictions of current leaders to dramatically damage the organization. Indictments and the trial process can accomplish the same thing, especially considering the age of some of these guys.