Nicholas Calabrese
| Nicholas Calabrese | |
|---|---|
| Born |
November 30, 1942 Chicago, Illinois |
Nicholas W. Calabrese (born November 30, 1942) is the first made man ever to testify against the Chicago Outfit. His testimony and cooperation with federal prosecutors helped result in the 2007 murder convictions of mobsters Joseph Lombardo, James Marcello and his brother, Frank Calabrese, Sr.
Calabrese was born the son of James and Sophie Calabrese, growing up near the intersection of Grand and Ogden Avenues on Chicago's Near West Side. As a boy, Calabrese worked at a newsstand at the corner of Grand Avenue and State Street, in downtown Chicago, where some of his brothers had worked as well. Calabrese graduated from Steinmetz High School in Chicago.
Calabrese served in Vietnam in the United States Navy from 1965 until 1967, working as a radioman and having top-secret clearance on the USS Bainbridge. Calabrese also had worked as an ironworker on the John Hancock Center construction project in Chicago, as a Teamster working for trade show contractor United Exposition at Chicago's McCormick Place and as a Cook County security officer at the courthouse in Maywood, Illinois from 1977 until 1989.
In the 1970s, Calabrese and two partners operated a restaurant and lounge in Hoffman Estates, Illinois for a couple of years, and also worked for a private detective agency.
From 1978 until 1992, Calabrese helped his brother, noted Chicago Outfit soldier Frank Calabrese, Sr., run a lucrative loan-sharking racket, serving as his brother's top assistant. Frank and Nick reported to Angelo J. "The Hook" LaPietra, who was the Boss of the 26th Street Crew and ran operations out of the Old Neighborhood Italian American Club. Calabrese also has admitted in court to taking part in 14 murders ordered by LaPietra, including the "hits" on Michael Albergo and John Fecarotta, from 1970 until 1986, as part of Calabrese's time in the mob. The "juice loan" business charged interest rates on loans of as much as 10 percent per week.
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