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Born in Italy · Nationalities Italian, American — organised crime / Chicago Outfit / taxation / labour racketeering / extortion

Frank Nitti

Organised crime and cartels

Documented profile covering 7 controversies, including “1932–1943: Emergence as Chicago Outfit's public leader and diversification of rackets” and “1930s–1943: Extortion of film industry through union control”.

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Profile No. 2193 · Updated on 12 October 2026

7Documented controversies

4Sources

· 1 followed by a conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

March 1932–1943

1932–1943: Emergence as Chicago Outfit's public leader and diversification of rackets

No legal proceedings

After leaving prison, Nitti was publicly presented as Capone's successor. Under his apparent leadership, the Outfit increased its involvement in unions, gambling, loan-sharking and West Coast activities.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Institutional responsibility

Sources · 2

[1]
Chicago Crime CommissionFrom The Archives — Frank NittiOfficial documentHigh reliability
[2]
Federal Bureau of Investigation — The VaultJohn (Handsome Johnny) Roselli Part 1 of 12 — Chicago syndicate and union recordsVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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Case · 2 documented stages

1930s–1943: Extortion of film industry through union control

Formally charged

années 1930–March 1943

1930s–1943: Extortion of film industry through union control

Formally charged

Testimony reproduced in Congress described a system in which Outfit members used control of entertainment unions to extort more than $1 million from film producers and also misappropriate union funds. Nitti was named among the principal organisers.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
U.S. Congress / GovInfoCongressional Record — account of movie-industry labor extortion and Frank Nitti indictmentParliamentary recordVery high reliability
[2]
Federal Bureau of Investigation — The VaultJohn (Handsome Johnny) Roselli Part 1 of 12 — Chicago syndicate and union recordsVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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19 March 1943

March 1943: Federally indicted in Hollywood racket, then dies by suicide before trial

Formally charged

Nitti and several Outfit members were indicted for extorting film producers through union power. On 19 March 1943, the day the indictment was returned, Nitti died by suicide.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 2

[1]
U.S. Congress / GovInfoCongressional Record — account of movie-industry labor extortion and Frank Nitti indictmentParliamentary recordVery high reliability
[2]
Chicago Crime CommissionFrom The Archives — Frank NittiOfficial documentHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1935–18 October 1940

1935–1940: Alleged takeover of Bartenders' Union and 1940 indictment

Formally charged

George McLane, former head of Local 278, stated that Nitti, Humphreys and other gangsters had gradually taken control of the Bartenders' Union. Nitti was among those indicted on 18 October 1940 for conspiracy related to that takeover.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
Federal Bureau of Investigation — The VaultJohn (Handsome Johnny) Roselli Part 1 of 12 — Chicago syndicate and union recordsVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1934–1936

1934–1936: Chicago syndicate meetings to control entertainment unions

No legal proceedings

An FBI file reproducing statements by William Bioff places Nitti among Chicago syndicate members meeting in Riverside to discuss organisation and control of certain entertainment unions, particularly the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees.

Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
Federal Bureau of Investigation — The VaultJohn (Handsome Johnny) Roselli Part 1 of 12 — Chicago syndicate and union recordsVery high reliability
[2]
U.S. Congress / GovInfoCongressional Record — account of movie-industry labor extortion and Frank Nitti indictmentParliamentary recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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1930–March 1932

1930–1932: Federal tax evasion conviction and eighteen months at Leavenworth

Conviction

Caught up in the tax campaign that also targeted Al Capone and other gang executives, Nitti was convicted of tax fraud/evasion and sentenced to eighteen months at Leavenworth federal prison.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 2

[1]
Chicago Crime CommissionFrom The Archives — Frank NittiOfficial documentHigh reliability
[2]
The Mob MuseumCapone tax evasion trial: 90 years ago, the T-Men had the goods on Mob chiefArchiveHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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années 1920–1930

1920s–1930s: Senior role in Al Capone organisation's activities

No legal proceedings

Historical sources describe Nitti as a senior figure in Capone's organisation, associated with management of illicit income and unlawful activities before Prohibition ended.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Institutional responsibility

Sources · 2

[1]
Chicago Crime CommissionFrom The Archives — Frank NittiOfficial documentHigh reliability
[2]
The Mob MuseumCapone tax evasion trial: 90 years ago, the T-Men had the goods on Mob chiefArchiveHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

Linked profile (portrait or initials) — click to open it
Line width: number of documented references
Hover over or tap a line: controversies and sources

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

List of documented links (1)

Al Capone1 documented reference
- 1930–1932: Federal tax evasion conviction and eighteen months at Leavenworth Source ↗

III. Has something changed?

A new court decision, a missing source, a mistake? Tell us what should be updated: every request is read by the editorial team.

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