Herbert "Fat Herbie" Blitzstein (November 2, 1934 – January 6, 1997) was an American

mobster A gangster (informally gangsta) is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from '' mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level ...

who was a loanshark, bookmaker,

racketeer Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the perpetrators set up a coercive, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a "racket") to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit. The term "racket ...

and lieutenant to Tony "The Ant" Spilotro and the

Chicago Outfit The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Outfit, the Chicago Mafia, the Chicago Mob, the Chicago crime family, the South Side Gang or the Organization, is an Italian Americans, Italian American American Mafia, Mafia crime family based in Chicago, I ...

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Biography

Born in a Jewish family in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, Blitzstein started working the rackets in the late 1950s. Standing six feet tall and weighing three hundred pounds, he sported a goatee and moustache, dressed flamboyantly, and drove a 1973

Cadillac Cadillac Motor Car Division, or simply Cadillac (), is the luxury vehicle division (business), division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Its major markets are the United States, Canada and China; Cadillac models are ...

Eldorado. It was said he had a close physical resemblance to the Italian opera singer

Luciano Pavarotti Luciano Pavarotti (, , ; 12 October 19356 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who during the late part of his career crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time. He made numerou ...

. Blitzstein lived at 6720 North Damen Avenue in

Rogers Park, Chicago Rogers Park is a neighborhood on the North Side (Chicago), North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and one of the city's 77 municipally recognized Community areas in Chicago, community areas. Located north of Chicago Loop, the Loop along the shore o ...

, with his third wife, but spent a great deal of time at Phil Alderisio's bar, The Tradewinds in The Patch. He had been a close associate of convicted mob bookmaker Henry Kushner. When Kushner was convicted of bookmaking by the FBI and sent to prison, Blitzstein took over his clientele along with mob bookmaker Boodie Cowan, who was later murdered, probably by

Anthony Spilotro Anthony John Spilotro (May 19, 1938 – June 14, 1986), nicknamed "Tony the Ant", was an American mobster and high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit who operated in Las Vegas during the 1970s and '80s. Spilotro managed the Outfit's illegal cas ...

. Blitzstein was later convicted of

racketeering Racketeering is a type of organized crime in which the perpetrators set up a coercion, coercive, fraud, fraudulent, extortionary, or otherwise illegal coordinated scheme or operation (a "racket") to repeatedly or consistently collect a profit. ...

. When he was released from prison, he moved to Las Vegas to serve as muscle for Tony Spilotro. Spilotro, his brother, John, and Blitzstein ran the Gold Rush Ltd. jewelry store, located on West Sahara Avenue, which was a front for the Hole in the Wall Gang, so named because they punched holes through walls and ceilings to grab loot and run. Blitzstein also worked as a fence for stolen goods at the combination jewelry store and electronics factory.

The Hole in the Wall Gang

His capo, Anthony Spilotro, in 1976, formed a burglary ring with his brother

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

and Blitzstein, utilizing about eight associates as burglars. The crew became known as the Hole in the Wall Gang because of its penchant for gaining entry by drilling through the exterior walls and ceilings of the buildings they burglarized. Other gang members included Peanuts Pancsko, Butch Pancsko and Pops Pancsko, Frank DeLegge, Michael LaJoy, Joseph D'Argento, Gerald Tomasczek, Peter Basile of

Wilmette, Illinois Wilmette is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Bordering Lake Michigan, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Skokie, Northfield, Glenview, and Evanston, Illinois, it is located north of Chicago's downtown district. Wilmette had a populatio ...

, Carl Urbanotti of Chicago, Illinois, Ernest Lehnigg of

Addison, Illinois Addison is a village in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. The population was 35,702 at the 2020 Census. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. History The village was incorporated in 1884, at which time it had a population of 400. T ...

, Samuel Cusumano, Joseph Cusumano, Ernesto "Ernie" Davino of Las Vegas, "Crazy Larry" Neumann, Wayne Matecki, Salvatore "Sonny" Romano, Leonardo "Leo" Guardino of Las Vegas, Frank Cullotta of Las Vegas and former Las Vegas detective, Joseph Blasko of Las Vegas, who acted as a lookout and who later worked as a bartender at the Crazy Horse Too, a gentleman's club, and died of a heart attack in 2002. Following the botched burglary at Bertha's Gifts & Home Furnishings on July 4, 1981, Cullotta, Blasko, Guardino, Davino, Neumann and Matecki were arrested and each charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary, attempted grand larceny and possession of burglary tools. They were locked into the Las Vegas police department's holding cell in downtown Las Vegas. The only members of Spilotro's gang not arrested for the July 4th burglary were Blitzstein, Michael Spilotro, Romano and Cusumano. By this time, Spilotro's relationship with Frank Rosenthal had ended since Spilotro had slept with Rosenthal's wife, Geraldine McGee. Meanwhile, Cullotta had turned state's witness, testifying against Spilotro. But the testimony was insufficient and Spilotro was acquitted. In 1967, according to FBI affidavits, Blitzstein ordered the murder of associate loan shark and bookmaker Arthur "Boodie" Cowan for holding back a street tax. Although Blitzstein did not participate in the July 4 robbery, he was indicted with Tony Spilotro on federal racketeering charges. The charges were later dropped due to insufficient evidence. In 1976, Blitzstein was convicted of running an illegal gambling operation. He was one of the few Hole in the Wall Gang members who was not arrested after a botched July 4 burglary at Bertha's Home Furnishings in 1981. Blitzstein is described by

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

agent William Roemer in his book ''The Enforcer'' as one of the mobsters tested by the FBI in the early days of the Top Hoodlum Program. In 1987, Blitzstein was convicted on federal charges, including

credit card fraud Credit card fraud is an inclusive term for fraud committed using a payment card, such as a credit card or debit card. The purpose may be to obtain goods or services or to make payment to another account, which is controlled by a criminal. The P ...

conspiracy A conspiracy, also known as a plot, ploy, or scheme, is a secret plan or agreement between people (called conspirers or conspirators) for an unlawful or harmful purpose, such as murder, treason, or corruption, especially with a political motivat ...

and receiving stolen property. He was sentenced to eight years in prison. While incarcerated in California, Blitzstein was taken off his heart medication by a prison medic and suffered a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...

as a result. His case was part of a 1991

congressional A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ad ...

investigation into medical abuse in prisons. On December 10, 1991, Blitzstein was unanimously nominated by the

Nevada Gaming Control Board The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB or SGCB), also known as the State Gaming Control Board, is a Nevada state governmental agency involved in the regulation of gaming and law enforcement of Nevada gaming laws throughout the state, along with th ...

for inclusion in its official Black Book. Former police officer and board member Steve DuCharme said that Blitzstein's life "reads like a crime novel," and that Blitzstein was responsible for some of the most "embarrassing" crimes in Las Vegas city history. Nevada Deputy

District Attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...

Charlotte Matanane called Blitzstein a "notorious and unsavory person" during the relevant board hearing and accused him of associating with Frank Rosenthal, among others.

Death

On January 6, 1997, Blitzstein was found dead in his Las Vegas home from a small caliber gunshot to the base of his skull, and some suspected that his death was an organized crime hit. It was later revealed that in late 1996, the

Los Angeles crime family The Los Angeles crime family, also known as the Dragna crime family, the Southern California crime family or the L.A. Mafia, and dubbed "the Mickey Mouse Mafia" by former Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates, is an Italian American Mafia crime fa ...

along with the

Buffalo crime family The Buffalo crime family, also known as the Magaddino crime family, the Todaro crime family, the New York State crime family, the Buffalo Mafia, the Upstate New York Mafia, and the Arm, is an Italian Americans, Italian American American Mafia, M ...

joined forces to take over a loan sharking and auto insurance fraud racket in Las Vegas controlled by Blitzstein. The L.A. Underboss

Carmen Milano Carmen Joseph Milano was an American lawyer who eventually became a member of the American Mafia, serving as underboss of the Los Angeles crime family. The criminal organization he served was headed by his older brother Peter Milano. His nickna ...

along with L.A. soldiers Stephen Cino and Louis Caruso and L.A associates Johnny Branco and Peter Caruso originally planned to rob and steal Blitzstein's jewelry. After stealing Blitzstein's jewelry the group planned to use Buffalo family soldier Robert Panaro as the fence. It was decided by Milano that Buffalo family boss Joseph Todaro Sr. would receive a piece of the Blitzstein rackets in Las Vegas. The job of robbing Blitzstein was given to Peter Caruso but Caruso changed the plan and decided to murder Blitzstein instead and take over his Las Vegas operations. Caruso hired L.A. associate Alfred Mauriello who in turn hired associates Antonio Davi and Richard Friedman to be the hitmen in the murder. Then Caruso arranged with Joe DeLuca who was one of Blitzstein's partners in an auto repair shop to get them access into Blitzstein's home. On January 6, 1997 Antonio Davi and Richard Friedman shot and killed Blitzstein in his own home. During the trial it was revealed that L.A. associate John Branco had been wearing a wire for the FBI and helped two FBI agents infiltrate Milano's Las Vegas crew. Of the seven people arrested in the plot to kill Blitzstein, four pleaded guilty to lesser charges in order to receive reduced sentences. One died in prison awaiting trial and two went to trial and were acquitted.

In popular culture

Blitzstein, portrayed in the film ''

Casino A casino is a facility for gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos also host live entertainment, such as stand-up comedy, conce ...

'' by Bret McCormick as Bernie Blue, was not murdered by the Las Vegas police during a bungled arrest as portrayed in the film. The shooting depicted in ''Casino'' was that of another reputed associate of Anthony Spilotro named Frank Bluestein, not Blitzstein. Details of Blitzstein's murder, written by

Cathy Scott Cathleen Scott (born ) is a ''Los Angeles Times'' and ''New York Times'' bestselling American true crime author and investigative journalist who penned the biographies and true crime books '' The Killing of Tupac Shakur'' and '' The Murder of B ...

, were included in the 2012 book '' Masters of True Crime: Chilling Stories of Murder and the Macabre'', an anthology of crime stories."Masters of True Crime by R. Barri Flowers (Editor)"
''The Big Thrill'' He was played by Gregg Merrill in the 2008 TV-Movie ''Sex and Lies in Sin City''. In a scene based on real events, he helps Rick Tabish (best known for being a suspect in the

Ted Binion Lonnie Theodore "Ted" Binion (November 28, 1943 – September 17, 1998), was an American gambling executive and the son of Las Vegas casino magnate Benny Binion, owner of Binion's Horseshoe casino. Ted Binion was involved in multiple criminal cas ...

silver murder) beat up someone with a phone book.

References

*Giancana, Sam. Burnstein, Scott M. ''Family Affair: Greed, Treachery, and Betrayal in the Chicago Mafia.'' Penguin, 2010.

External links

* by