A top Illinois liquor official said Monday the state willinvestigate the licenses of three dozen west suburban bars that ranillegal gambling operations with the mob to determine whether theowners should be put out of business.
"I've got to clearly have some evidence," said John Stanton, chiefcounsel for the state Liquor Control Commission. "We'll have to lookoutside (the agency) for information to see if we will bringdisciplinary action."
Sam Panayotovich, the executive director of the commission, saidit "will monitor the ongoing developments" and will provide "anyinvestigatory assistance requested by local authorities."
While the bar owners have immunity from federal criminal charges,Stanton said transcripts of their statements to federal authoritiescould be used to shut the bars or impose fines or suspensions.
Stanton's comments follows a Chicago Sun-Times report Monday thatneither state nor local liquor officials have taken any actionagainst the 36 bars whose owners have told federal officials they rangambling for as long as 15 years. The bars are in Franklin Park,Melrose Park, Northlake, Stone Park and Leyden Township.
Those bars were among 73 bars and restaurants named last year infederal indictments against Anthony Centracchio, the reputed mob bossfor Chicago's West Side and DuPage County; Stone Park Mayor RobertNatale, and six others tied to gambling with video poker and slotmachines.
Stanton told the Sun-Times last week that the state was unawarethat the bars were among 73 bars and restaurants named in federalindictments, but Monday he said his staff would be investigating allof those establishments based on a list provided by the Sun-Times.
Many of the bars and restaurants are no longer in business, soStanton said the liquor commission could take no action against thoseestablishments. The owners, however, could still face disciplinaryaction if they hold liquor licenses for other establishments.
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