Gus Alex
Gus Alex | |
|---|---|
Mobster | |
| Allegiance | Chicago Outfit |
| Conviction | Extortion |
| Criminal penalty | Fifteen years and eight months' imprisonment, $823,000 fine (1993) |
Gus Alex (April 1, 1916 – July 24, 1998) was an American
Early life
Alex's family came from the village of
Gus, being Greek, could not be 'made,' but he had done it all. His dad had operated a small restaurant at Wentworth and 26th in Armour Square/Chinatown, which was frequented by many members of the Capone, and then the Nitti, mob. Gus and Strongy [Ferraro] had worked in the restaurant from an early age. Both were sharp guys and came to the attention of the boys. Gus had, therefore, been one of them almost since birth.[1]
Gus' older brother, Sam Alex, was also associated with the Outfit, reportedly controlling the Chicago local of the Hoisting Engineers, and engaged in other racketeering activities before his suicide in 1987.[2]
Working primarily for
From Guzik's protégé to Syndicate fixer
Under Guzik's guidance, Alex became experienced in securing Syndicate protection through bribery of city officials. By the mid-1940s, Alex was the main liaison between the Chicago Outfit and city hall officials. He exercised control over the Loop's illegal gambling and prostitution operations, including a lucrative call girl operation out of prominent downtown hotels in which many call girls were paid up to $500 to $1,000. Alex's operations brought in an estimated $1 million a month for the Syndicate.
Described as "one of the wiliest and slickest crooks" within the Chicago Outfit,[
During the 1960s, Alex came under suspicion during his annual ski trips to
Later years
Remaining a high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit for over 30 years, Alex would retain his position throughout the reigns of Felice "Paul 'The Waiter' Ricca" DeLucia, Antonino "Tony," "Joe Batters" Accardo, and Salvatore "Sam," "Mooney" Giancana. Alex would continue to consolidate his political influence during the 1970s and 1980s not only within Chicago but expanding into the state capital Springfield, Illinois. An invaluable resource, Alex's political connections would ensure his position with the organization during the unstable leadership of the decade.
During Outfit leader
Alex was convicted for the first time at the age of seventy-six when a federal jury found him guilty of approving violent extortions of successful businessmen on October 1, 1992, after
Quote
- On Las Vegas casinos:
It's a sucker's game. You can't win out there, you understand. We got the percentages rigged all in our favor. The longer you stay, the more you play, the more chances you got of losing. I don't let nobody around me who gambles. A couple thousand, okay, but no gambling![5]
References
- ^ William Roemer, "Accardo: The Genuine Godfather," pages 268-269.
- ^ Ex-union Official's Death Called Suicide Chicago Tribune (February 12, 1987)
- ^ Mob leader Alex convicted by jury Matt O'Connor, Chicago Tribune (October 2, 1992)
- ^ Gus Alex, 82, Syndicate boss for nearly 50 years John O'Brien, Chicago Tribune (July 30, 1998)
- ^ "Roemer: Man Against the Mob," page 92.
Further reading
- Binder, John J. The Chicago Outfit. Chicago: Arcadia Publishing, 2003.
- Demaris, Ovid. Captive City, New York, Lyle Stuart Inc. 1969
- Moldea, Dan E. Dark Victory: Ronald Reagan, MCA, and the Mob. New York: Penguin Books, 1987
- Giancana, Sam and Chuck. Double Cross: The Explosive, Inside Story of the Mobster Who Controlled America. New York: Warner Books, 1992.
- Kelly, Robert J. Encyclopedia of Organized Crime in the United States. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2000. ISBN 0-313-30653-2
- Sifakis, Carl. The Mafia Encyclopedia. New York: Da Capo Press, 2005. ISBN 0-8160-5694-3
External links
- United States of America vs. Mario J. Rainone, Gus Alex, and Nicholas Gio Archived 2006-02-20 at the Wayback Machine
- Gus Alex, 82, Syndicate Boss For Nearly 50 Years by John O'Brien