Frank Colacurcio

Frank Colacurcio
Born (1917-06-18)June 18, 1917
Seattle, Washington
Died July 2, 2010(2010-07-02) (aged 93)
Seattle, Washington
Ethnicity Italian
Known for Organized crime

Francis Colacurcio, Sr. (June 18, 1917 – July 2, 2010[1]) was a businessman and boss of the Seattle crime family known for running strip clubs in Seattle, Washington. He gained notoriety as a subject of ongoing federal investigations into organized crime in the city and was suspected of being an organized crime boss.[2]

Early years

Born to immigrant parents from Southern Italy, Colacurcio was the oldest of nine children. He worked on his father's vegetable farm in Seattle. Colacurcio dropped out of school before completing the eighth grade and started a produce-hauling business.[3] Colacurcio later worked as a butcher, farm hand, truck driver, and pulp mill worker.[4] By age 18, he had opened his first trucking company.[5]

In 1943, Colacurcio was convicted for having sex with an underage girl.[6] He served more than a year at the Monroe State Reformatory (now known as the Washington State Reformatory).[5]

Entertainment empire

In the 1950s, Colacurcio entered the jukebox, cigarette, and vending machine businesses. Business rivals claimed that he used threats to control the trade. With money earned from these businesses, Colacurcio started investing in bars, restaurants and clubs. To avoid trouble obtaining liquor licenses, Colacurcio had relatives and associates front as the business owners. In 1957,[2] he was subpoenaed to testify before the U.S. Senate Rackets Committee. Although Colacurcio never testified, Committee Counsel Robert F. Kennedy did question him about his alleged racketeering activities in Seattle.[1]

In the 1960s, Colacurcio acquired more interests in restaurants and nightclubs. In 1962, he opened a beer garden at the Seattle World's Fair.[1]

Recent investigations

In 2003, law enforcement launched a criminal investigation in the Seattle area known as "Strippergate"[7] The investigation focused on Frank Sr, Frank Jr., and former Washington Governor Rosellini for bribing members of the Seattle City Council. In 2005, both Frank Sr. and Frank Jr. were indicted, but in February 2006 the judge dismissed the charges. Rosellini was not charged in the investigation.

In March 2006, the FBI started a multi-agency task force to investigate alleged organized crime, racketeering, and cold case murders tied to Frank Sr. In April 2006, the Supreme Court of Washington reinstated money laundering and political corruption charges from Strippergate charges against Frank Sr. and Frank Jr.

On June 2, 2008, local police and federal agents raided Frank Sr.'s home in Lake Forest Park, Washington, the Talents West offices, and multiple strip clubs in three counties.[8]

On June 30, 2009, Frank Sr., Frank Jr., and four associates were indicted by a federal grand jury on racketeering and other charges stemming from years-long investigations into allegations of prostitution and money laundering.[9]

On July 2, 2010, Colacurcio died at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Miletich, Steve (July 2, 2010). "Frank Colacurcio Sr., Seattle's legendary organized-crime figure, dies at 93". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2010-08-14.
  2. 1 2 Rick Anderson (2003-07-23). "The Stripper King: The story of Frank Colacurcio, the Bellevue boy who built a notorious nightlife empire". Seattle Weekly (reprint of 10 July 1996 Eastsideweek article).
  3. ↑ Kamb, Lewis (2003-07-26). "Colacurcio family no stranger to controversy". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 2011-07-17.
  4. ↑ Gutierrez, Scott; McNerthney, Casey (July 1, 2010). "Seattle strip-club magnate Frank Colacurcio Sr. dies at 93". seattlepi.com. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Strip Club Operator and Long Time Alleged Seattle Crime Boss Frank Colacurcio Dead at 93". Sky Valley Chronicle. July 3, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  6. ↑ Kathy Mulady (2005-03-09). "Colacurcio Sr. sentenced for assault in club". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  7. ↑ Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial board (2005-07-13). "'Strippergate': Corruption, Seattle style". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  8. ↑ Scott Gutierrez, Paul Shukovsky, Kathy Mulady (2008-06-02). "Police, feds raid strip clubs: Corruption". Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
  9. ↑ Ith, Ian (2009). "Colacurcio Sr., five others indicted on a charge of conspiracy and racketeering". Seattle Times. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
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