‘Tony The Ant’ Spilotro-Linked Las Vegas Home Up For Sale
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Those looking for a new Las Vegas home with a link to one of the city’s most infamous mob figures may want to contact a real estate agent. The home of John Spilotro, brother of mob boss Anthony “Tony the Ant” Spilotro, is now up for sale.
Anthony served as the inspiration for Joe Pesci’s character of Nicky Santoro in the 1995 film Casino. John Spilotro was linked to organized crime as well, according to the New York Post, and was investigated by the FBI. The two brothers lived on the same block and John’s four-bedroom, two-bath home is now up for sale for $550,000.
The Zillow listing encourages potential buyers to “own a piece of Vegas history and notes that the home has been completely remodeled and comes with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, a swimming pool, and more.
Vegas Crime History
Tony Spilotro played a major role in running Las Vegas casinos for the Chicago Outfit organized crime group in the 1970s and ‘80s. That included “skimming” cash from the Stardust, Fremont, Hacienda, and Marina casinos.
During his time in Sin City, Spilotro formed the “Hole in the Wall Gang” and was believed to be responsible for numerous thefts, robberies, and murders. Despite running the operation, the gangster mostly avoided law enforcement entanglements.
“Although Tony Spilotro never attained ‘Don’ status, the attention he received from the law was nearly the same as that bestowed on higher-ranking mobsters,” author Dennis Griffin notes in the book The Battle for Las Vegas. “In spite of being almost continuously under investigation, and a suspect in some 25 murders and countless other felonies, Tony conducted his affairs for more than a decade without being convicted of even a minor offense.”
Home’s Interesting History
The new owner of the Spilotro home will certainly have a conversation piece. Law enforcement believed John played a significant role in Tony’s organization. His own home was raided in the 1970s, with investigators collecting more than $196,000 in cash according to The Battle for Las Vegas.
Both brothers also had their homes attacked with shotgun fire at one point, but police were never able to find a suspect. Tony even played poker at the same table as Doyle Brunson.
But things didn’t end well for Tony the Ant. He and his brother Michael disappeared on June 14, 1986, and their bodies were found buried in an Indiana cornfield, stripped down to their underwear.
The causes of death were noted as blunt force trauma, a similar scene that played out for movie audiences in Casino. In 2005, 14 members of the Chicago Outfit were indicted for 18 murders, including the two brothers, and received varying sentences. James Marcello was sentenced to life for the murder of the Spilotros.
