Phone Threats Cancel Calabrese Book Signings

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 15, 2011 2:00PM

Former mobster turned informant Frank Calabrese, Jr. has had two book signings canceled due to threats received by Borders locations. Calabrese, who recently released the book Operation Family Secrets: How a Mobster's Son and the FBI Brought Down Chicago's Murderous Crime Family, and Oak Brook police chief Thomas Sheahan confirmed that a threat against Calabrese was phoned in to the Borders Oak Brook location. "No rats can sign books here," was what the male caller said.

Calabrese took that to Tribune columnist John Kass, saying "I want people to know that this stuff still exists. There was a threat that if I did my book signing at the Oak Brook store, that patrons and employees of Borders would be harmed." Publicizing the death threats should also help book sales.

Calabrese helped the FBI build a case against the Outfit's Chinatown Crew ran by his father, the brutal Frank Calabrese, Sr. Calabrese's cooperation with the feds paved the way for his uncle, Nick Calabrese, to also turn on the Chinatown crew during the Family Secrets trial as the prosecution's main witness.