John Spilotro: The Last of the Notorious Spilotro Brothers Passes Away at 83
Remembering John Spilotro: The Final Spilotro Brother
John Spilotro, the lesser-known brother of the infamous Tony “the Ant” Spilotro, has died in Las Vegas at the age of 83. The Spilotro family was deeply involved with the Chicago Outfit, a powerful organized crime syndicate, especially during the 1970s and early 1980s in Las Vegas. While Tony and Michael Spilotro’s violent deaths became widely known, John’s life remained more discreet, though he was still connected to the mob’s operations.
John Spilotro’s Background and Early Life
Born into a large Italian American family on Chicago’s West Side, John was one of six brothers. Their upbringing was steeped in the world of organized crime, as their parents ran “Patsy’s,” a restaurant frequented by top mob figures including Sam Giancana, Jackie Cerone, Gus Alex, and Frank Nitti, the bodyguard to Al Capone. Among the brothers, only Pasquale “Pat” chose a lawful path, establishing a career as a dentist, while the others became enmeshed in criminal activities.
Transition into Criminal Enterprise in Las Vegas
John, along with his brother Michael, followed Tony to Las Vegas, sent by the Chicago Outfit to help oversee operations there. Tony was instrumental in skimming casino profits for the Outfit and involved in various illicit ventures. One of the most notorious was the “Hole in the Wall Gang,” a burglary group notorious for breaking into properties by creating holes in walls or ceilings to avoid detection by alarms.
The gang operated out of the Gold Rush Ltd. jewelry store, located in the Meadows Mall. This establishment served both as a front and a place to launder stolen high-end jewelry. John played a key role in managing the store, handling the resale of the gang’s stolen goods.
Legal Challenges and Later Years
John Spilotro faced serious legal accusations in the mid-1980s when he was indicted for racketeering connected to the Outfit’s Las Vegas operations. However, the case against him fell apart after a court ruled that the FBI’s search warrants used to gather evidence were too broad, leading to the exclusion of vital evidence. Consequently, John was acquitted of all charges.
Tragically, his brothers Tony and Michael were murdered just a few months after John’s acquittal, in June 1986. The killings were believed to be due to their high-profile status and the unwanted attention they brought to the Chicago Outfit’s activities. John, however, managed to live a quieter life until his death, avoiding the violent fate of his siblings.