The Ashland Ave Connection

[TheMac_Aodhagain]

The Ashland Ave Connection

The Ashland Ave Connection is a group of one initiated member and associates of the Chicago Outfit expanding their illegal, and legal revenues into Blaine County, San Andreas. Specifically around Paleto Bay. With a goal to build up their influence in North San Andreas, these men from the Outfit have been sent to be the primary source of income for the Chicago Outfit on the west coast of the United States.

 

The Great Arrival

In the late 19th Century, the whole peninsula of Italy was brought under one flag but the land and people were by no means unified. There was violence and chaos regularly and poverty was widespread, the richest of areas were even finding the struggles. The government was in no position to help its people and eventually many Italians overheard chants about the 'American Dream', where boatloads of Italy’s people moved to America in an event known as 'The Great Arrival' which lasted from 1880-1920.

 

During those five decades, it was just numerous Italian-American gangs that preyed on each other in their own neighborhoods and once prohibition was ratified in 1919-1920 it only made things worse. Once the gangs realized the large amounts of money they could make from the production and distribution of alcohol, many of them started to surge in power and money. Two gangs in specific grew exponentially, causing a bloody power struggle to break out in an event known as the 'Castellammarese War' in the 1920's. The smaller gangs had limited involvement but took the opportunity to take over their own territory. Many Italians were involved in the smuggling of alcohol, and some even got invited to Chicago to participate in a Canadian bootlegger/smuggling operation. One of the few invited were Al Capone and his work during prohibition quickly shot him through the hierarchy, becoming the boss of the Chicago Outfit in 1925.

 

The Chicago Outfit

The Chicago Outfit smuggled alcohol for many years, until Al Capone got sentenced for tax evasion in 1931 and until Frank Nitti got released in 1932 and started taking the Outfit into other rackets such as labor racketeering, gambling, and loansharking due to the decline of prohibition. This was when the Outfit expanded into surrounding U.S cities such as those in San Andreas. At the time one of those cities was Los Santos, where some muscle from the Outfit were caught red-handed trying to shake down the Vinewood movie industry and even got caught up in a plot to take over Vinewood itself, getting sentenced to almost a decade in prison. This caused Nitti to commit suicide before his trial. Two new bosses emerged after that incident, Ricca and Accardo, (a rare instance of shared power in LCN) both of these men operated behind the scenes in complete secrecy, utilizing a front-boss at all times from former members of the Forty-Two Gang. By staying behind the scenes, these two lasted far longer than Al Capone, but the Outfit suffered many more hardships which eventually led to its decline.

 

The Decline

The 60’s were the height of the Outfit due to Accardo using the Teamsters pension fund to engage in massive money laundering through the Outfit’s casinos, but the 70’s and 80’s were the Outfit at their lowest. Law enforcement continued to apply pressure on the organization, Off-Track betting cut bookmaking profits, and illicit casinos couldn’t keep up with the competition from legitimate ones. Many rackets such as auto theft, sports betting, extortion, etcetera didn’t make up for lost profits.

 

Many key components of the Outfit were also lost, such as Allen Dorfman who ran money embezzlement operations when he was investigated by the Department of Justice. The FBI wire-tapped Dorfman’s personal and company phone lines, gathering enough evidence to convict him and several associates of attempting bribery on a state senator to get rid of the trucking industry rates. If Dorfman succeeded, the Outfit would have regained all of its lost profits and then some. This incident was dubbed Operation Pendorf and was a huge blow to the Chicago Outfit.

 

Operation GAMBIT (GAMBling ATtorney) was another crippling blow to the Outfit, this time to its influence on politics in the First Ward, which represented most of downtown Chicago. Pat Marcy ran the First Ward, fixing cases from traffic violations to murder. Mafia Attorney and associate, Robert Cooley, was one of those who represented many clients in fixed cases. Cooley was a made guy and as a result he was asked to whack a city police officer, leading him to contact the Organized Crime Task Force, declaring "I'd like to help you destroy the First Ward. I want to help you destroy Pat Marcy." The FBI immediately made Cooley a cooperative informant, sending him back to the First Ward wearing surveillance equipment. Cooley recorded many conversations with Marcy and other associates at the ‘First Ward Table’, which resulted in the conviction of 24 corrupt judges, lawyers, and cops.

 

Accardo died in 1992, completely avoiding the inside of a cell his whole life by being a “shadow boss” and unlike the 5 families in New York, the transition from Accardo to the next generation of Outfit bosses was actually seamless and without struggle. The hardships were far from over though, as from 1999-2005 many investigations were made against the outfit such as Operation Family Secrets, in which Frank Calabrese Jr. and Nick Calabrese, son and brother of Frank Calabrese Sr., testified against him which led to the incarceration of Frank Sr. as well as over 14 made men and associates.

 

The Ashland Ave Crew and Operation Family Secrets

Upon becoming a caporegime in 1998, Lewis Palazzi assumed control of the Ashland Ave crew in the greater metropolitan area of Chicago. Overseeing a wide range of illegal activities from a mob affiliated record store. As years went by, the Ashland Ave crew began to bring in a new generation of associates working under the outfit in an attempt to regain their power and control in Chicago. In 2002, a large portion of the crew were picked up in a conspiracy of arson after a local shop owner refused to pay his debt owed to the mob. Leading to multiple associates turning witness against multiple inducted members of the crew. Little were they aware, Operation Family Secrets had been going on for years. A 43 page indictment against the outfit being presented in April 2005. Leading to conviction of Joseph Lombardo in 2007. At this point the FBI had put it's foot down on the Outfit and the organization had been placed under heavy surveillance. More and more members were being rounded up as the years went by. Landing a major blow to a large portion of income the outfit was bringing in legally and illegally. In 2008, Palazzi and most of his top men would be indicted on multiple counts of racketeering. Destroying most of the leadership of the Ashland Ave crew and leadership being passed over to long time soldier Roman Franchetti, who then became an acting capo.

 

The Spring Indictment

With most of the Ashland Ave Crew incarcerated, the financial situation under Franchetti's leadership began to decline more and more. Eventually leading the crew to discuss new markets of revenues. Leading to them moving into the drug distribution industry. In the old days, narcotics were frowned upon trade within La Cosa Nostra, and any involvement being a death sentence for any members despite status. With support of the bosses, Franchetti would move on to host a ceremony, inducting a new line of members into the outfit. Using them to establish a connection with other wiseguys in South Florida to begin their first step into the drug business. The first three years went smooth, the crew bringing in enough income that they didn't know what to do with it. All seemed good until an associate was killed in a transaction gone wrong. Leading to CPD acquiring and downloading the cellphone of the deceased. After discovering that there may be mob involvement in the Chicago drug trade, all evidence was passed up to the FBI. Starting an investigation on the Ashland Ave Crew. 

 

In 2012, an undercover sting was set up on Johnathan Capozzi while he was planning to pick up a shipment to bring back to Chicago. Unbeknownst to the FBI, he wouldn't make it to the deal due to being arrested the morning of for assault after a fight following a traffic accident. Ultimately sabotaging most of the operation to catch him with the narcotics in hand. Unfortunately, they had enough evidence to land a case of conspiracy on him. Upon his release the next day, federal agents would swarm the Metrowest Detention Center. Bringing Capozzi in and hitting him with conspiracy to distribute. Losing Capozzi put a major dent in the crews’ distribution ring, leaving Franchetti in a bad financial spot with the bosses of the outfit. After scrambling to try and repair the connection with South Florida, he began to act off of impulsive behavior. Setting up a meeting and flying down to Florida to meet with the distributors himself. Unaware of how heavy the FBI were surveilling his movements. 

 

Now that Franchetti was directly involved, the FBI started to take action. Rounding up multiple associates in Florida and Chicago linked to him, eventually starting their process of indictment against the soldier using all evidence they could find on their operations. In the spring of 2013, the indictment came down. Federal agents rounded up another round of members of the Ashland Ave Crew including Franchetti. Once again sticking a knife in the back of the outfit's operations in the criminal underworld. 

 

The Move to Paleto Bay

After the spring indictment, most of the Ashland Ave crew began to fall apart. Their soldier and most of their associates had been locked up or ongoing rackets absorbed by the greater Grand Ave crew. After multiple court appearances from Franchetti and his boys, a large portion of evidence was deemed unworthy in the eyes of the federal justice system due to bribery and the FBI rushed to gain any evidence they thought would have a lead. After his final court appearance, Roman Franchetti was sentenced to eight years in prison with three years served due to tax evasion and conspiracy to launder money. The rest of his crew facing time were all slapped with similar charges, leaving Ashland Ave mainly defunct.

 

In 2019, Johnathan Capozzi was finally released after serving seven years from his conspiracy case in Florida. Returning to the streets of Chicago and sharing the position of acting capo with Anthony Brusco. The two attempted to return the crew to its previous state, a large array of internal affairs with the other crews under the outfit following along. After almost two years of power struggles and chaos, the bosses finally decided to step in. Putting the remaining members of the Ashland Ave crew temporarily on the shelf until a resolution to the issues could be found. Much speculation and many debates took place over the first months of 2021, the boss of the outfit finally reached a verdict and called forth all of the men from Ashland Ave. As of the early twenties, like many families the outfit has placed itself in many legitimate businesses. Having a foothold in construction, real estate, and other similar affairs across the country. After the mess in the 80s, trying to repair their reach across the states has proved to be a difficult task and their limited manpower has crippled their actions even within the Windy City. To avoid a war that would risk any more of their numbers, the suggestion to send Ashland Ave to the west coast to explore lost business ventures was suggested. A specific town called Paleto Bay coming under the limelight. Due to the soon expected release of Roman Franchetti, members of the crew set out to inspect Paleto. There they prepare to move their operations into the city to bring further revenue back to the outfit and avoid pressure from the federal government. Here, the long and hard journey for the crew begins.

OOC Section

The Ashland Ave Connection aims to portray a completely fictional yet realistic La Cosa Nostra family in GTA World’s San Andreas. This faction takes inspiration from real western crime families while taking liberties of their own for creativity and originality. A big factor we wish to display is the politics of LCN and organized crime around it. Open to being very interactive and giving anyone we come across an authentic experience of dealing with the American mob. For all that wish to take part, we will be following a strict canvas of rules to make sure all roleplay is kept to an authentic level while also being fun for everyone apart of the organization or around it. 

 

One very important reminder to anyone who intends to make a Italian character is that we will not condone off the boat characters. A high majority of Italian Americans do not speak or know Italian besides basic phrases, being said that any use of the Italian language to powergame hiding conversations or talk shit on people will not be tolerated at all. Anyone who joins this faction has been warned. 

 

Faction leadership reserves the right to CK (Character Kill) anyone in the faction and we in turn ensure we won’t kill characters under any circumstances without valid reasons.

 

Screenshots are posted with the approval of leadership.

 

More information on the faction, and inquires to become part of the faction or any issues regarding it can be directed to the following person(s) on the forums or Discord:

 

Mac Aodhagain#0858

proxywire#0484

Moose#9395

@TheMac_Aodhagain

@ChillZoner173

@Mooseicles

 

https://discord.gg/TynwXfcrSA - Official Faction Discord.

Edited June 4, 2021 by TheMac_Aodhagain
Fixed Continuity Errors

[sage]

My boys.

[therealmieky]

we got this.

[Brendan]

good lucketh

[ChillZoner173]

And so it begins!

[KC..]

Look great

[Penaldo]

Heat

[Dizaster]

[L I C E]

hey hey im walkin heah!!!!

 

u got this boyos, u got it in the bag ez clap mafia speedrun any%

[PKMN_trainer]

gonna b fire shoutout to mac & them