The Chicago Outfit was a force in the city for decades, believed to be behind hundreds of unsolved murders, but is the mob still active today?
The answer is yes, but not in the way you'd expect.
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WATCH HEREExperts told NBC 5 Investigates that while there may be some remnants of the mob still present in the Chicago area, it's not what it used to be.
"The FBI here in Chicago still considers the Outfit very viable, although they're not as violent as they used to be
and quite frankly that's because that they've found that when they're violent they end up dying in federal prison," FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas DePodesta said.
Mob murders are no longer as frequest as they used to be, with the last suspected mob hit taking place years ago in the killing of Anthony Zizzo.
"Although they're less violent, it does not mean they're not committing fraud - be it online gambling, illegal marijuana and other schemes," DePodesta said.
Mobologist John Binder said the version of the mob still active in the city "is a very diminished version of itself."
"Legalization has been killing the Outfit," he told NBC 5 Investigates, specifying the legalization of gambling as the primary hurdle.
According to Binder, the Outfit still have roles when it comes to gambling, labor racketeering, narcotics and juice lending.
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SIGN UP "Some people would rather play with their buddies at a mob-run card game than drive out to one of the local casinos," Binder said.
The Outfit may have as many as four crews still controlling mob rackets, according to Binder. They include: The Grand Avenue Crew, Chinatown, Cicero and Elmwood Park.
But that remains disputed by those familiar with organized crime.
Frank Calabrese Jr., a reformed Chicago mobster who father was an infamous Chicago Outfit boss, said "there's no organization anymore."
"There's a couple of people left but it's kind of almost like on life support," he said. "Everybody's kind of moved to almost legit. Government has so many weapons now."
The update comes as an answer to one of the longest-held mob secrets is finally revealed.
The question of who killed Sam Giancana, an assassination considered one of Chicago's biggest hits, has long gone unanswered -- until now.
NBC 5 Investigates dug into the long-dormant case, speaking to those once inside the mob and those who have examined the murder from the outside. We've scoured law enforcement files, photos and lab reports, and we've interviewed police, prosecutors and mob figures to determine who committed the crime.
In the second segment of this exclusive report, the NBC 5 Investigates team will unmask the killer.
The segment is scheduled to air at 10 p.m. Thursday on NBC Chicago. Watch live on television or stream it live here.
