Frank Balistrieri
| Frank Balistreri | |
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Frank Balistrieri
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| Born | May 27, 1918 |
| Died | February 7, 1993 (aged 74) Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Other names | Mr. Big, Frankie Bal, Mr. Slick, and Mad Bomber |
Frank Peter Balistrieri (May 27, 1918 – February 7, 1993), also known as "Mr. Big", "Frankie Bal", "Mr. Slick", and "Mad Bomber", was a Milwaukee Mafia boss who was a central figure in skimming during the 1980s.
Balistrieri was college educated and attended law school for six months. As a young man, he started working for the Milwaukee crime family, which owed allegiance to the powerful Chicago Outfit criminal organization in Chicago. Balistrieri soon built a reputation for arrogance, cruelty and ruthlessness. Balistrieri allegedly received the "Mad Bomber" nickname because he frequently used Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) attached to cars as weapons against his enemies.
Balistrieri married Antonina (Nina) Alioto and soon his father-in-law and Milwaukee boss, John Alioto, was grooming Balistrieri as his successor. Balistrieri had two sons, Joseph and John Balistrieri, who became lawyers and became involved in their father's business. Balistrieri had two daughters, Benedetta and Cathrine (Cootie) and Tami MacLeod While Married.
On December 27, 1961, at a crime family social event in Milwaukee, Balistrieri was installed as the new boss of the Milwaukee family, replacing the retired Alioto.
Balistrieri eventually referred to himself as "the most powerful man in Milwaukee." After the "hit" on an acquaintance, August "Augie" Palmisano, Balistrieri was quoted as saying, "He called me a name – to my face – and now they can't find his skin!" Balistrieri conducted his business at a table at Snug's restaurant in Milwaukee's Shorecrest Hotel, giving orders over a red telephone.
In March 1967, Balistrieri was convicted of income tax evasion and was sent to federal prison in Sandstone, Minnesota for two years. In June 1971, he was released.
On March 20, 1974, Balistrieri met with Kansas City mobsters Nicholas Civella and Carl DeLuna, in Las Vegas, Nevada. During the meeting, the mobsters arranged a meeting between Balistrieri and Allen Glick, the Cosa Nostra front man in that city. Balistrieri wanted to buy an option to purchase part of Glick's Argent Corporation, a holding company for four casino resorts. Glick later agreed to sell half of the corporation to Balistrieri's sons, John Balistrieri and Joseph P. Balistrieri, for $25,000. Balistrieri later claimed that, "he had an obligation arising from the assistance to Glick in obtaining a pension fund commitment in the amount of $62.75 million." Balistrieri was referring to the Teamsters Union pension fund, which was controlled by the Cosa Nostra.
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