Who is This Chicago Mobster?
This mobster is a very notorious one, who lived in Chicago. His name was Frank “The German” Schweihs. He was very widely known across the City of Chicago. He was a gangster, who was in the gang known as “The Outfit.”
Additionally, during his lifespan, he had committed a large amount of crimes. These crimes vary in severity, such as robbery, all the way up to murder. Many people would turn to Frank in order to seek assistance. This assistance involved getting back at someone, or a group of people, because of what they did.
This businessman, James ‘Jimmy’ Weiss, fell victim to something similar.
Who Is Joseph Berrios?
Joseph Berrios has spent his entire life involved in everything related to politics. Recently, in 2018, he ran for Cook County Assessor. However, he lost against Fritz Kaegi. “Since 1988, Berrios has served on the Cook County Board of Review, the influential yet largely invisible three-member elective panel that hears and decides appeals of tax assessments,” according to the Illinois Answers Projects.
It has recently come about that he had a much deeper connection with this famous Chicago mobster. This could potentially turn his entire political life around.
What Connected Did These Two Individuals Have?
Jimmy himself did not admit to being good partners with the mobster. However, his brother was secretly caught in a recording mentioning this exact thing.
“The brother of convicted businessman James T. Weiss was secretly recorded insisting Weiss had been “partners” with the late mobster Frank “The German” Schweihs and that Weiss once turned to Schweihs for help with “some Russians” who had “busted up” his store,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times.Joseph Berrios reached out because he needed assistance, since one of his massage parlors was damaged by gangsters.
Frank, at the time, was on the run after being convicted of a crime, and was in hiding. He proceeded to give him a call, and was told that someone else would have to take care of the issue. After some time passed, the issue was taken care of and they remained as good partners since then. ““Somebody called Jimmy” and told him to go see Individual B, who “straightened it all out,” Joseph Weiss said, according to the transcript of the call,” according to the Chicago Tribune.
What is Joseph Berrios’ Son in Law Convicted of?
James ‘Jimmy’ Weiss was convicted on two counts that fall under the same category of severity. Both of these counts are bribery, and those are towards two state representatives. Additionally, since he was around the mobster. Therefore, there could be more crimes that are added on to James Weiss.
Therefore, only time will tell what exactly he will be charged with in total, and what the consequences will be. There may still be charges that are added to this Chicago mobster, as he has already passed away in 2008. These charges include several lesser crimes, as well as crimes such as murder.
Future of James Weiss
The future of James Weiss is not looking very good, especially since bribing state representatives can carry heavy consequences. Additionally, being involved with a mobster like this can certainly enlarge his consequences by a large margin. It is also unknown if he will be on parole after being charged and he is given his consequences.
This is a very bad look for the rest of his family, including Joseph Berrios, who has served politically for his entire life. It would take quite a bit for their reputation to be restored, if it can be after something of this severity. Only time will tell what happens to James Weiss.
Written by David Loran Jr
Sources:
Chicago Sun-Times: Secret recordings cite ties between Berrios relative, Chicago mobster: ‘Jimmy and Frank were good friends’
Chicago Tribune: ‘Since then they’re partners on everything’; feds say brother of Berrios relative described how friendship with Outfit hit man led to mob alliance
Illinois Answers Project: A Troubling Assessment of Insider Joseph Berrios
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Michigan Municipal League’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Doug Kerr’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
