Al Tornabene

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Alfonso "Al the Pizza Man" Tornabene (1923 – May 17, 2009) was a Chicago-area resident who was reported by several newspapers to have been a high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit crime organization.

Career as a pizzeria owner

In 1955, Tornabene opened the Villa Nova pizzeria in Stickney, Illinois.[1][2] He and his family later expanded the business to three other locations around Chicago.[1][2] In 2015 and 2020 it was voted as serving Chicago's best pizza.

Career in the Chicago Outfit

Tornabene began his career in the Outfit as a

bookie.[3] However, he never had a criminal record of any kind.[3]
He was a long time member of the Chicago Heights Street Crew.

In 1997, Tornabene was identified by the Chicago Crime Commission in its "New Faces of Organized Crime" book as being a member of the Chicago Outfit crime organization.[1][2] Tornabene was identified as being a lieutenant for the Outfit's West Side Crew, which at that time was run by Anthony Centracchio.[1][2]

Subsequently, Tornabene was identified as having helped to run the Chicago Outfit while its then-boss, James Marcello, was imprisoned between 1992 and 2003.[1][2][4]

Court records also showed that Tornabene had presided over a 1983 ceremony that made several mobsters full members of the Outfit, including

Joseph Aiuppa, Nicholas Calabrese told federal investigators.[5]
Several other men were apparently inducted at the ceremony, though due to their age and standing in the organization, they are thought to have been re-inducted.

In 2007, the Chicago Crime Commission's then-chief, James Wagner, told the Chicago Tribune that Tornabene was running the Outfit's activities in Chicago's south suburbs.[1][2]

In 2009, Tornabene was identified as having been an original target in the

Frank Calabrese, Sr. to federal prison for life.[6] However, Tornabene was never charged in the Family Secrets case.[6]

One of Tornabene's associates, Anthony Zizzo, disappeared on August 31, 2006, after leaving his house in Westmont, Illinois.[7] Zizzo's car was abandoned at a restaurant in Melrose Park, Illinois.[7]

Death

Tornabene died on May 17, 2009, at

MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Illinois, of complications related to peptic ulcer disease.[1][2]

Personal

Tornabene's wife died in 1988.[1][2] He was survived by one daughter, a sister and a granddaughter.[1][2]

Tornabene was reported to be the cousin of Chicago Outfit boss Samuel Carlisi.[3] He also was reported to have been the brother of Frank Tornabene, who was active in Chicago Outfit vice rackets.[3]

Tornabene lived for most of his life in Stickney, Illinois.[1][2]

Contrary to what was reported by ABC news, Al Tornabene is not related by marriage to Rod Blagojevich, nor is he related to Frank Tornabene, he had 2 brothers (Sam and Roy) and one sister.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Topic Galleries". Chicago Tribune.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Goldsborough, Bob (June 1, 2009). "Alfonso Tornabene : 1923-2009 - 'Pizza Man' was an alleged leader of Outfit - Pizzeria owner had longtime mob ties, officials have said". Chicago Tribune. p. 17.
  3. ^ a b c d "The Oath of the Outfit 6/21/07 | abc7chicago.com". Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
  4. ^ a b Warmbir, Steve (June 10, 2007). "No telling who's boss of Chicago Outfit". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on May 6, 2009. Retrieved June 2, 2009.
  5. ^ "Mob boss dies | abc7chicago.com". Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  6. ^ a b "New fed docs show larger Family Secrets plan | abc7chicago.com". Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  7. ^ a b Warmbir, Steve (April 10, 2007). "Help FBI find 'Little Tony'". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 10.
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