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Portrait of Tony Spilotro

Photo: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) · Public domain

Born in United States · Nationality American — organised crime / Chicago Outfit / Las Vegas / racketeering / criminal proceedings

Tony Spilotro

Organised crime and cartels

Documented profile covering 12 controversies, including “1971–1986: Outfit representative in Las Vegas responsible for protecting casino skimming” and “1976–1986: Gold Rush — suspicions of loan-sharking, bookmaking and handling stolen property; warrant held overly broad”.

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Profile No. 2194 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Tony Spilotro

Photo: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) · Public domain
12Documented controversies
10Sources
·
0Conviction

§ 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

01

1971–1986

1971–1986: Outfit representative in Las Vegas responsible for protecting casino skimming

No legal proceedings

The Outfit placed Spilotro in Las Vegas to protect its interests, notably the clandestine diversion of casino revenue to Midwestern crime families. Historical sources describe him as responsible for security around the operation associated with Frank Rosenthal.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Institutional responsibility

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    The Mob MuseumTony SpilotroArchiveHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. Spilotro, Cerone and Aiuppa, 786 F.2d 808Court recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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02

1976–1986

1976–1986: Gold Rush — suspicions of loan-sharking, bookmaking and handling stolen property; warrant held overly broad

Investigation

Investigators believed that Spilotro ran loan-sharking and bookmaking operations from his Gold Rush business, with indications of handling stolen jewellery. A search uncovered substantial property.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. John Spilotro, Blitzstein and Blasko, 800 F.2d 959Court recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    The Mob MuseumTony SpilotroArchiveHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

03

September 1983–June 1986

1983: Indicted for conspiracy and obstruction of justice in informant Sherwin Lisner's murder

No legal proceedings

Spilotro and Wayne Matecki were indicted for conspiring to obstruct justice and violate the rights of informant Sherwin Lisner by causing or conspiring to cause his death.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit / JustiaValley Broadcasting Co. v. U.S. District Court, 798 F.2d 1289Court recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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04

30 September 1983–June 1986

1983–1986: Indicted in Argent casino revenue-skimming scheme

Formally charged

A federal indictment accused Spilotro and others of participating in an organised enterprise that concealed interests in Las Vegas casinos and diverted more than $2 million in revenue. The government portrayed him as the Las Vegas representative of conspirators based notably in Chicago.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. Spilotro, Cerone and Aiuppa, 786 F.2d 808Court recordVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit / JustiaUnited States v. Cerone et al., 830 F.2d 938Court recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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Case · 2 documented stages

January–April 1986: Hole in the Wall trial ends in mistrial

Formally charged
05

14 January–8 April 1986

January–April 1986: Hole in the Wall trial ends in mistrial

Formally charged

The federal trial of Spilotro and several co-defendants over Hole in the Wall Gang activities lasted several months. After eleven days of deliberation, the jury was unable to reach a verdict.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    United Press InternationalReputed mobster has day in courtNews agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    United Press InternationalSpilotro brothers beaten and buriedNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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08

1980–September 1983

1980–1983: Accused of leading "Hole in the Wall Gang" and facing extensive RICO indictment

Formally charged

Federal prosecutors accused Spilotro of leading a burglary group nicknamed the Hole in the Wall Gang, active particularly in 1980–1981 and allegedly involved in burglaries, extortion, theft and arson. A seventeen-count indictment targeting numerous defendants followed in 1983.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    United Press International'Hole in the Wall Gang's' fence testifiesNews agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    United Press InternationalReputed mobster has day in courtNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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06

May 1962–28 October 1983

1962–1983: McCarthy–Miraglia ("M&M") murders case — trial and acquittal

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Years later, Spilotro was prosecuted over the particularly brutal 1962 murders of William McCarthy and James Miraglia, based notably on testimony from Frank Cullotta.

Attribution
Accused
Course of the proceedings
  1. Formally charged — Formal charge before the current outcome

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    The Mob MuseumTony SpilotroArchiveHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    The Washington PostReputed Enforcer AcquittedPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

07

7 December 1978–1983

1978–1983: Inclusion in Nevada Black Book, followed by remand for insufficient factual findings

Civil / administrative proceedings

The Nevada Gaming Commission placed Spilotro on the list of persons excluded from casinos in December 1978.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    Supreme Court of Nevada / JustiaSpilotro v. State ex rel. Nevada Gaming CommissionCourt recordVery high reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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09

vers 1980–1982

Early 1980s: Alleged affair with Geri Rosenthal and unresolved suspicions surrounding attempt on Frank Rosenthal

No legal proceedings

Historical sources report an alleged affair between Spilotro and Geri Rosenthal, wife of Frank Rosenthal. Some accounts also suspected Spilotro of a connection with the 1982 car bombing targeting Frank Rosenthal.

State of the evidence
Alleged
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    The Mob MuseumTony SpilotroArchiveHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

10

1974

1974: Indicted for theft linked to Central States Pension Fund, without conviction

Case dismissed / dropped

Spilotro was indicted in 1974 for theft from the Teamsters' Central States Pension Fund.

Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    The Mob MuseumTony SpilotroArchiveHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

11

1963–1973

1963–1973: Indicted for murder of Leo Foreman, then acquitted

Acquitted / conviction overturned

Spilotro was indicted in 1972 for the 1963 murder of real-estate broker and underworld associate Leo Foreman, in a case linked to Sam DeStefano.

Legal status — source text
Acquitted / conviction overturned
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    The Mob MuseumTony SpilotroArchiveHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

12

milieu des années 1950–1959

1955–1959: Series of early arrests before rise within Outfit

No legal proceedings

The Mob Museum's historical profile states that Spilotro was first arrested at age 17 for shoplifting and had accumulated thirteen arrests before his twenty-first birthday, before becoming more deeply involved with the Chicago Outfit.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    The Mob MuseumTony SpilotroArchiveHigh 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)
  1. Frank Rosenthal2 documented references

III. Has something changed?

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