Frank Cullotta

Frank Cullotta
Born	(1938-04-19)April 19, 1938 (74) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Frank Cullota also known as "The Las Vegas boss" was an enforcer for the Chicago Outfit and was a good friend of notorious mobster Tony Spilotro.

Early life

He was born Frank Cullota on Dec 14th 19, 1938 in Chicago, Illinois. He entered Steinmetz High School in 1953. He began his decades-long criminal career as a teenager, graduating from petty theft to burglary, armed robbery, arson and murder. While growing up he had an argument with another boy over a dispute over who could shine shoes on a certain street, the boy's name was Anthony Spilotro. The two then became friends and criminal allies when they found out their fathers worked together. Spilotro went on to become a made man and feared enforcer of the Chicago Outfit. Cullotta's father died in 1947 in a car crash during a high speed police pursuit.

Sherwin "Jerry" Lisner Murder

On October 10, 1979, he murdered Sherwin "Jerry" Lisner, for providing information to the police regarding crimes that Lisner, Tony Spilotro and he had committed. Cullotta asked Spilotro to ask his superiors for permission to commit the murder. Cullotta enlisted the help of his friend Wayne Matecki from Chicago, who flew over to assist Cullotta with Lisner's murder. He called Lisner and told him that he had to talk to him alone, and Lisner invited him to come over to his house. Cullotta went inside while Matecki waited in the car. Cullotta began talking to him inside the house and then attempted to move Lisner away from the front door by getting him to inspect a strange noise. Cullotta then shot Lisner in the back of the head twice with a .22 caliber handgun. A chase then ensued through the house. Cullotta then proceeded to get on top of Lisner, and Lisner claimed his wife knew that Cullotta had come to visit. Cullotta then attempted to strangle Lisner with the cable of a water cooler, but the cable eventually snapped. By this time Matecki had come inside most likely to investigate what was taking so long. Matecki held a pillow from the couch over Lisner's head, Cullotta reloaded the gun and then emptied the handgun into Lisner's head. They then proceeded to dump his body in the pool in the backyard. Matecki and he then went back inside and cleaned all the blood off the furniture and floor, after which they searched the house for documents with Cullotta and Spilotro's names on them, as well as security cameras and recorders, of which they found none. Matecki then flew back to Chicago the same night.

Hole in the Wall Gang

In 1979 Anthony Spilotro started a crew of thiefs and murderers frank cullotta was the leader that operated in Las Vegas The crew had several members including,Wayne Matecki, Laurence Neumann,Ernie Devino,and Leo Cardino. The crew became known as the Hole in the Wall Gang because of its technique for gaining entry by smashing a through the exterior walls and ceilings of the buildings they burglarized. The gang committed many burglaries made large amounts of money through stolen items. In 1981 following a botched burglary at Bertha’s Antique store, Cullotta, Matecki and several other members of the Hole in the Wall Gang were arrested and each charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, attempted grand larceny and possession of burglary tools. Cullotta then became a government witness and admitted to the FBI that he had arranged the murders of James Miraglia and Billy McCarthy, known as the "M & M Murders," on behalf of Tony Spilotro, Cullotta also admitted to the 1979 murder of Jerry Lisner, he also provided them with information regarding other burglaries. By this time Cullotta and Spilotro’s friendship was already on bad terms, Tony had become very paranoid and at one time tony made them strip and enter the jacuzzi furnished then swim suits he wanted to check to see i they were wired the clothes were searched The Las Vegas authorities discovered that Spilotro was aware that Cullotta had provided the FBI with information regarding the M & M Murders and various other crimes. Spilotro ordered Laurence Neumann (a member of the Hole in The Wall Gang) to kill ernie devino. In September 1983 Spilotro was indicted on murder and racketeering charges, with Cullotta being the key witness. However Spilotro was acquitted of the charges, a (in 1992 the judge was convicted for taking bribes). Neumann was also tried and was given life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder. In November 1983 stolen property was discovered at Cullotta’s home and he was sentenced to eight years imprisonment.

Murder of Anthony and Michael Spilotro

In 1986 Chicago Outfit boss Joseph Aiuppa arranged to have Spilotro murdered for causing trouble and attracting unwanted attention from the authorities. In June 1986, a meeting was held at the Czech Lodge in North Riverside. Spilotro and his brother Michael attended the meeting. They were then led to the basement. They saw several men in the basement in workmen’s outfits and gloves. They then realized they were going to be murdered and asked if they could pray. They were then beaten with baseball bats, and their bodies were taken to a cornfield in Enos, Indiana where they were buried.

Life After Crime

Martin Scorsese's 1995 film Casino is based on the lives of Spilotro and Frank “Lefty” Rosenthal. Cullota — renamed "Frank Marino" — was portrayed by actor Frank Vincent in the film. He was hired as a technical advisor for the movie; he also played a role as a hitman who carries out several murders, one of which is similar to the 1979 murder of Sherwin “Jerry” Lisner. Cullota is now an accomplished author and has written a book such as Cullotta and The Life of a Chicago Criminal.Frank Also has done several documentary's 2011 Frank co hosted with Henry Hill (goodfellas) on A M C Mob Month ,Frank was inducted in the Mob Museum in 2012 in Las Vegas Frank is Known for Being a Mob Historian and a true expert on organized crime

References

• Griffin, Dennis. Cullotta - The Life of a Chicago Criminal, Las Vegas Mobster, and Government Witness Huntington Press: 2007. ISBN 0-929712-45-5
• Pileggi, Nicholas (1995). Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas ISBN 0-684-80832-3.
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Edited

This article was created by King Genovese -