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Revision as of 01:47, 17 July 2011 by Bbb23 (talk | contribs) (rmvd last sentence from lead (it's supposedly according to the indictment, and one small piece of the indictment doesn't need to be highlighted in the lead))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Frank Colacurcio | |
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| Born | (1917-06-18)June 18, 1917 Seattle, Washington |
| Died | July 2, 2010(2010-07-02) (aged 93) Seattle, Washington |
| Known for | Organized crime |
Francis Colacurcio, Sr. (June 18, 1917 – July 2, 2010) was a businessman and boss of the Seattle crime family known for running strip clubs in Seattle, Washington, USA. He gained notoriety as a subject of ongoing federal investigations into organized crime in the city and was suspected of being an organized crime boss.
Early years
Born to immigrant parents from Southern Italy, Colacurcio was the second oldest of nine children. He grew up working his father's vegetable farm in Seattle on land that is now Boeing Field. During the Great Depression, Colacurcio dropped out of the eighth grade at school and, at age 15, started a produce-hauling business. Colacurcio later worked as a butcher, farm hand, truck driver, and pulp mill worker. By age 18, he had opened his first trucking company.
In 1943, Colacurcio was convicted of carnal knowledge for having sex with an nine-year-old girl. His attorney was Albert Rosellini, who later became the governor of Washington State. Colarcurcio served more than a year at the Monroe State Reformatory (now known as the Washington State Reformatory).
Entertainment empire
In the 1950s, Colacurcio entered the jukebox, cigarette, and vending machine businesses. Business rivals claimed that he used threats to control the trade. With money earned from these businesses, Colacurcio started investing in bars, restaurants and clubs. To avoid trouble obtaining liquor licenses, Colacurcio had relatives and associates front as the business owners. In 1957, he was subpoenaed to testify before the United States Senate Rackets Committee. Although Colacurcio never testified before the committee, Committee Counsel Robert F. Kennedy did question him about his alleged racketeering activities in Seattle.
In the 1960s, Colacurcio acquired more interests in restaurants and nightclubs. In 1962, he opened a beer garden at the Seattle World's Fair. In 1965, Colacurcio introduced go-go dancing to Seattle at the Firelite Room. His legal problems would continue; in 1969, Colacurcio was convicted of assaulting a former bartender working as a police informant.
Recent investigations
In 2003, law enforcement launched a criminal investigation in the Seattle area known as "Strippergate" The investigation focused on Frank Sr, Frank Jr., and former Washington Governor Rosellini for bribing members of the Seattle City Council. In 2005, both Frank Sr. and Frank Jr. were indicted, but in February 2006 the judge dismissed the charges. Rosellini was not charged in the investigation.
In March 2006, the FBI started a multi-agency task force to investigate alleged organized crime, racketeering, and cold case murders tied to Frank Sr. In April 2006, the Supreme Court of Washington State reinstated money laundering and political corruption charges from Strippergate charges against Frank Sr. and Frank Jr.
On June 2, 2008, local police and federal agents raided Frank Sr.'s home in Lake Forest Park, Washington, the Talents West offices, and multiple strip clubs in three counties.
On June 30, 2009, Frank Sr., Frank Jr., and four associates were indicted by a federal grand jury on racketeering and other charges stemming from years-long investigations into allegations of prostitution and money laundering.
References
- Miletich, Steve (July 2, 2010). "Frank Colacurcio Sr., Seattle's legendary organized-crime figure, dies at 93". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
- ^ Rick Anderson (2003-07-23). "The Stripper King: The story of Frank Colacurcio, the Bellevue boy who built a notorious nightlife empire". Seattle Weekly (reprint of 10 July 1996 Eastsideweek article).
- Lewis Kamb (2003-07-26). "Colacurcio family no stranger to controversy". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
- Kathy Mulady (2005-03-09). "Colacurcio Sr. sentenced for assault in club". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
- Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial board (2005-07-13). "'Strippergate': Corruption, Seattle style". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
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Scott Gutierrez, Paul Shukovsky, Kathy Mulady (2008-06-02). "Police, feds raid strip clubs: Corruption". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Ith, Ian (2009). "Colacurcio Sr., five others indicted on a charge of conspiracy and racketeering". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- Jim Brunner and Steve Miletich. The end of "Strippergate"?. January 23, 2008. The Seattle Times