Ross Prio
Encyclopedia
Ross Prio (May 5, 1901 - December 22, 1972) was a Chicago
mobster and high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit
criminal organization from the 1930s until the early '70s, when he died.
, Prio was brought to the United States by his adoptive parents in 1909. The family eventually settled in Chicago. As a young man, Prio accumulated an extensive arrest record, but a court order expunged it in 1929. During the later years of Prohibition
, Prio became involved in bribing politicians and police officials for the Chicago Outfit. Prio made many loans to high-ranking police officials, including at least one member of the Chicago police intelligence unit.
to drop a million-dollar lawsuit against a prominent Chicago politician. Prio was a suspect in several gangland slayings and bombings throughout his criminal career. Prio was a prime suspect in a series of bombings of dairy firms which competed with his own legitimate milk companies.
Although second to Outfit boss Sam Giancana
, Prio was consulted on all Outfit murder contracts. However, according to federal wiretaps, mobster Jackie "The Lackey" Cerone
was heard warning mobsters to avoid Prio, who was known to be vacationing in the area at the time, as they prepared for the assassination of Giancana in Hollywood, Florida
. This specific attempt on Giancana's life was later abandoned, reportedly by Prio himself who had been informed of Cerone's activities.
Appearing before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management
during the 1950s, Prio pleaded the Fifth Amendment
to the Constitution at least 90 times. During the hearings, Prio claimed to be strictly a businessman with many legitimate businesses. These businesses included cheese and canned whipped topping processors, currency exchanges, office buildings, hotels, motels, nightclubs, restaurants, finance companies, vending machine outfits, attendant services for clubs and hotels and interests in oil wells, real estate, and Las Vegas
casinos.
In 1972, Ross Prio died in Miami of natural causes. By the time of his death, Prio had reportedly amassed a fortune far greater than that of infamous Outfit boss Al Capone
.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
mobster and high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
criminal organization from the 1930s until the early '70s, when he died.
Early years
Born in SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, Prio was brought to the United States by his adoptive parents in 1909. The family eventually settled in Chicago. As a young man, Prio accumulated an extensive arrest record, but a court order expunged it in 1929. During the later years of Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, Prio became involved in bribing politicians and police officials for the Chicago Outfit. Prio made many loans to high-ranking police officials, including at least one member of the Chicago police intelligence unit.
Financial Empire
Over time, Prio gained a reputation as one of the Outfit's leading torture and murder specialists. According to one account, Prio's reputation alone persuaded a plaintiffPlaintiff
A plaintiff , also known as a claimant or complainant, is the term used in some jurisdictions for the party who initiates a lawsuit before a court...
to drop a million-dollar lawsuit against a prominent Chicago politician. Prio was a suspect in several gangland slayings and bombings throughout his criminal career. Prio was a prime suspect in a series of bombings of dairy firms which competed with his own legitimate milk companies.
Although second to Outfit boss Sam Giancana
Sam Giancana
Salvatore Giancana , better known as Sam Giancana, was a Sicilian-American mobster and boss of the Chicago Outfit from 1957-1966...
, Prio was consulted on all Outfit murder contracts. However, according to federal wiretaps, mobster Jackie "The Lackey" Cerone
Jackie Cerone
John "Jackie The Lackey" Cerone was a Chicago mobster and boss of the Chicago Outfit, during the late 1960s. He was the younger brother of mobster Frank "Skippy" Cerone and father of lawyer, John Peter Cerone and husband to the late Clara Cerone.He was born to John Cerone Sr. and Rose Valant. He...
was heard warning mobsters to avoid Prio, who was known to be vacationing in the area at the time, as they prepared for the assassination of Giancana in Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
. This specific attempt on Giancana's life was later abandoned, reportedly by Prio himself who had been informed of Cerone's activities.
Appearing before the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management
United States Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management
The United States Senate Select Committee on Improper Activities in Labor and Management was a select committee created by the United States Senate on January 30, 1957, and dissolved on March 31, 1960...
during the 1950s, Prio pleaded the Fifth Amendment
Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which is part of the Bill of Rights, protects against abuse of government authority in a legal procedure. Its guarantees stem from English common law which traces back to the Magna Carta in 1215...
to the Constitution at least 90 times. During the hearings, Prio claimed to be strictly a businessman with many legitimate businesses. These businesses included cheese and canned whipped topping processors, currency exchanges, office buildings, hotels, motels, nightclubs, restaurants, finance companies, vending machine outfits, attendant services for clubs and hotels and interests in oil wells, real estate, and Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
casinos.
In 1972, Ross Prio died in Miami of natural causes. By the time of his death, Prio had reportedly amassed a fortune far greater than that of infamous Outfit boss Al Capone
Al Capone
Alphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
.