Michael Spilotro
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Michael Spilotro (1944 - 1986) was the brother of Anthony Spilotro and was an associate of the Chicago Mafia crime family "The Outfit".
[edit] Career
Michael Peter Spilotro a.k.a. "Micky" was born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 12 1944. He was the son of Pasquale Spilotro (1899–1954) and his wife Antoinette. He had five brothers, Vincent, Victor, Pasquale Jr., Tony and John. Pasquale Jr. became an oral surgeon and dentist in the Chicago area and Vincent lived a law-abiding life. Tony, John and Victor became criminals like Michael.
Michael was the manager of Hoagie's Pub on the west side of Chicago and stayed out of mob activities until around 1980, when he started hanging around with members of The Outfit, including his brother Tony. He was friends with actor Robert Conrad and appeared as a stick-up man in Conrad's TV series The Duke in 1979. He later was featured in Will: The Autobiography of G. Gordon Libby released in 1982, and with Tom Selleck in Magnum P.I. in the "Thicker Than Blood" episode. Michael helped run The Goldrush Ltd. with Anthony and his brother John who worked as a bookmaker. Michael became involved in bookmaking, drugdealing, prostitution, robbery and extortion.
By 1983, Spilotro was the main point of contact for mobster Joey Lombardo in Chicago. Michael probably would have become a "made member" of The Outfit along with his brother Tony if Tony had not ended up in the doghouse. In the end, Michael was in as deep as Tony was and it is rumored Chicago Outfit bosses declared that both had to go.
Spilotro was beaten to death and buried with his brother Tony in a Enos, Indiana, cornfield on June 14, 1986. Their bodies were identified by brother Pasquale Jr. using dental records.
Philip Suriano's character, Dominick Santoro, in the film Casino is based on Michael Spilotro.
[edit] Sources
- The Enforcer: Spilotro-The Chicago Mob's Man in Las Vegas by William F. Roemer, Jr. ISBN 0-8041-1310-6