The mother of a mobster may claim ownership of several properties that federal authorities want to seize.
With his conviction in the Family Secrets case, Frank Calabrese Sr. owes more than $20 million to the federal government, money the feds hope to get by seizing properties they say he has in Illinois, Wisconsin and Florida.
But the Chicago Sun-Times reported that an Oak Brook attorney filed a letter this month indicating the properties may be actually owned by Sophie Calabrese, making them off-limits to authorities.
The issue came up after nearly $750,000 in cash, loaded guns, jewelry and audio recordings were found in a basement wall of Frank Calabrese Sr.'s Oak Brook home in March.
The attorney, Alphonse Talarico, is a long-time associate of the family and federal authorities say his involvement in any legal transactions involving Sophie Calabrese will be fully scrutinized.
