Frank James Calabrese Sr. (March 17, 1937 – December 25, 2012), also known as "Frankie Breeze",[1] was an American mobster who served as a made man in the Chicago Outfit, controlling major loansharking and illegal gambling operations.

[3] Calabrese grew up on the West Side of Chicago, dropped out of school in the fourth grade and sold newspapers on Grand Avenue, he told jurors during a trial in 2007.

[8] Calabrese reported to Angelo J. LaPietra "The Hook", who was the ultimate boss of the 26th Street Crew and founder of the Italian American Club from where operations were handled.

At one point, Calabrese gained control of an auto repair shop in River Grove, Illinois, when the owner, Matthew Russo, fell behind on a loan.

"[12] The investigation which led to the Family Secrets trial began when Calabrese's imprisoned son, Frank Jr., wrote to the FBI and volunteered to wear a wire on his father and uncle.

On April 25, 2005, Frank Calabrese Sr. and a large number of high-profile Chicago Outfit gangsters were charged with murder, racketeering, extortion, and running an illegal gambling business as part of the federal-government initiated "Operation Family Secrets" investigation.

son, Frank Calabrese Jr. An unusual aspect of the Family Secrets trial was that several members of the Chicago Outfit took the stand in their own defense.

Calabrese Sr. testified on August 16, 2007, that he was not a "made" member of the Chicago Outfit, but he acknowledged that he put out street loans and that he paid a mob boss some of the proceeds.

[17] After the verdict, news came out that a juror had alleged that on August 27, 2007, Calabrese had said or mouthed, "You are a fucking dead man", to Prosecutor T. Markus Funk.

[19] However, the threat resulted in Calabrese being placed in highly restrictive lockdown during his stay in the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago while awaiting sentencing.