Anthony John Spilotro (May 19, 1938 – June 14, 1986), known as "Tony the Ant," was a notorious American mobster and a prominent figure in the Chicago Outfit, particularly active in Las Vegas during the 1970s and '80s. He managed the Outfit's illicit casino profits, known as the "skim," from four major casinos: the Stardust, the Fremont, the Hacienda, and the Marina, which were overseen by Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal, succeeding Outfit member John Roselli. Spilotro also led the "Hole in the Wall Gang," a burglary crew he assembled after relocating to Las Vegas in 1971.

Eventually, Spilotro's handling of the Las Vegas operations displeased his Chicago superiors, leading to his murder on June 14, 1986. His criminal exploits were chronicled in Nicholas Pileggi's true crime book Casino, which inspired the character Nicky Santoro in Martin Scorsese's 1995 film adaptation of the same name.

Tony's Early Life:

Anthony Spilotro was born in Chicago, Illinois, as the fourth of six children to Pasquale "Patsy" Spilotro Sr. and Antoinette Spilotro. He attended Burbank Elementary School and later Steinmetz High School, starting in 1953. His father, who emigrated from Triggiano, Italy, in 1914, and mother ran Patsy's Restaurant, a known hangout for mobsters like Sam Giancana and Frank "The Enforcer" Nitti.

Spilotro and his brothers (John, Vincent, Victor, and Michael) got involved in crime early on. Victor joined the Chicago Outfit after Tony and Michael's deaths. The youngest brother, "Patrick" Pasquale Jr., became a dentist. Tony began his criminal career with his childhood friend Frank Cullotta, engaging in theft, burglary, and murder.

Nicknamed "Tony the Ant" by the media due to FBI Special Agent William Roemer's remark calling him "that little pissant," the media changed it to "the Ant" since they couldn't use "pissant."

The Hole in the Wall Gang:

In 1971, Spilotro moved to Las Vegas to manage the Chicago Outfit's interests in four casinos. Finding his new role dull, he formed a burglary crew known as the "Hole in the Wall Gang" for their method of breaking through walls and ceilings during robberies. In 1979, Cullotta joined Spilotro in Las Vegas.

On July 4, 1981, the gang attempted a robbery at Bertha's Gifts & Home Furnishings, leading to the arrests of several members, including Cullotta. Around this time, Spilotro had an affair with Geri McGee, the wife of Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal.

In 1982, Cullotta was imprisoned and later turned informant after the FBI played him a wiretap suggesting Spilotro wanted him dead. In 1983, Spilotro was indicted for conspiracy and obstruction of justice in a murder case but was acquitted later that year, with his defense led by future Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman.

Tony's Death and Aftermath:

On June 14, 1986, Tony Spilotro and his brother Michael vanished after leaving Michael's home in Oak Park. Two days later, Michael's wife, Anne, reported their disappearance. Shortly after, Michael's 1986 Lincoln was found abandoned in a motel parking lot near O'Hare International Airport. On June 22, their bodies were discovered, clad only in their undershorts, buried in a cornfield in Willow Slough Preserve near Enos, Indiana. A farmer, suspecting the freshly turned soil might conceal a poached deer, alerted authorities.

An autopsy on June 24 revealed both had died from blunt force trauma, determining their deaths occurred on June 14. They were identified through dental records provided by their brother, Patrick Spilotro. On June 27, the brothers were buried in a family plot at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.

The decision to eliminate the Spilotro brothers was made in January 1986. Following the imprisonment of Joseph Aiuppa and John Cerone for skimming casino profits in Las Vegas, a meeting was convened at the Czech Lodge in North Riverside, Illinois. Present were many high-ranking members of the Outfit, including boss Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo. Samuel Carlisi was appointed as the new "Street Boss" to succeed Aiuppa, with Accardo retaining his role as consigliere and Gus Alex continuing to oversee connections. Carlisi addressed the Spilotro issue, and mobster Rocco Infelice suggested, "Hit him." The decision was unanimous. After Tony’s murder, he was replaced in Las Vegas by Donald "The Wizard of Odds" Angelini.

Initial reports indicated the brothers were beaten and buried in the Indiana cornfield. However, in 2007, mobster Nicholas Calabrese testified that they were actually killed in a basement in Bensenville, Illinois. The brothers had believed Michael was about to be inducted into the Outfit. When Tony realized what was happening, he asked if he could "say a prayer."

No arrests occurred until April 25, 2005, when 14 Chicago Outfit members, including reputed boss James Marcello, were indicted for 18 murders, including those of the Spilotro brothers. Albert Tocco, a capo from Chicago Heights, Illinois, had been sentenced to 200 years in prison in 1990 after his wife testified that she had driven him from the burial site in 1986.

On May 18, 2007, key witness Nicholas Calabrese pleaded guilty to involvement in a conspiracy that included 18 murders. Under heavy security, he admitted to participating in the planning or execution of 14 murders, including the Spilotro killings. Calabrese's testimony was crucial in convicting his brother, Frank Calabrese Sr., and other major mob figures during the Family Secrets Trial. He agreed to testify after the FBI presented DNA evidence linking him to the murder of John Fecarotta, also allegedly involved in the Spilotro murders.

In September 2007, Frank Calabrese Sr. and four others—Marcello, Joseph Lombardo, Paul "The Indian" Schiro, and former Chicago police officer Anthony "Twan" Doyle—were convicted of mob-related crimes. Marcello was found guilty of the Spilotro brothers' murders on September 27, 2007. He received a life sentence on February 5, 2009, with Judge James Zagel also holding him responsible for the D'Andrea murder, despite the jury's deadlock on that count. Nicholas Calabrese was sentenced to 12 years and four months in prison on March 26, 2009.

In a 2010 interview with Maxim magazine, while promoting the Las Vegas Mob Experience at the Tropicana Hotel, Tony Spilotro's son, Vincent, claimed that Michael was the primary target of the killers, with Tony being murdered to prevent any retaliatory actions.