In case you missed this in our online or print version:
At a recent organized crime trial in federal court, reputed Cicero mob boss Michael Sarno was depicted by federal prosecutors as a busy guy -- threatening a competitor and later ordering the man's business bombed, while keeping up with day-to-day Outfit business.
Around the same time, though, Sarno presented himself in a worker's compensation claim and a lawsuit as quite a different man -- one seriously injured in an accident while working as a trade show carpenter at McCormick Place -- an injury that resulted in settlements for Sarno of more than $250,000.
Sarno, 52, was convicted in December of racketeering conspiracy and faces 25 years in prison. His injury claim was briefly mentioned at trial.
"He was certainly mobile enough to threaten people and conduct his mob-related business with considerable vigor," said former federal Chicago mob prosecutor T. Markus Funk, who investigated Sarno.
"While having two jobs is, of course, not unheard of, it would not be unfair to raise a skeptic's eyebrow about a claim that Sarno, on the one hand, worked as a brutal mob boss running a multifaceted criminal enterprise, and at the same time punched his union carpenter ticket, banging in nails and whittling wood," Funk said. "Not to be uncharitable, but that, frankly, is a level of multi-tasking few on the street would -- for a variety of reasons -- credit him with possessing."
Sarno was taking down a trade show exhibit on Aug., 17, 2000, when he was asked to climb onto a forklift to provide ballast as the forklift moved some heavy material. The job usually took two people, but Sarno -- whose mob nicknames include "Large" and "the Large Guy" -- was big enough at about 330 pounds for the job at McCormick Place, then a common workplace for mobsters.
The material on the forklift started to tip, and Sarno tried to jump, but was hit in the back of the head by a handrail that had been loaded on and knocked unconscious.
"I remember going to jump, and I remember waking up on the floor," Sarno said in a 2003 deposition, about six months after a Berwyn business was bombed on his orders. He was later convicted in trial for the bombing.
Sarno suffered knee and neck injuries. While no one disputed he got hurt, the severity of his injuries came into question.
Sarno filed a worker's compensation claim against his employer, Eagle Management Group, and sued the company that ran the trade show, Freeman Decorating Co. Sarno claimed he couldn't help around the house or jog like he had in the past. Even his sex life suffered. But in the deposition, an attorney for Freeman, Bob Yelton, questioned Sarno on whether he had told his physical therapist he was strong as a bull and was not taking any pain medication. Sarno disputed that, and his attorney, Antonio Romanucci, last week in an interview rejected any suggestion that Sarno was exaggerating his injury, noting the size of the settlement, arrived at through mediation.
"You don't pay that much money for a nuisance-value case," Romanucci said.
I dont get why this is important..who cares anymore- the poor innocent man is locked up, leavehim and his family alone already
i was just wondering why? yeah why would this article come out now what is this suppose to do make mike sarno look like a bad guy when he in fact was hurt at his place of employment and was entitled to what he received,i'm curious what do you think he faked the fall there were witnesses, and documentation from employers and doctors.Or do those witnesses not count because there not getting immunity from the feds, oh i get it when its the governments witnesses they are all telling the truth and when they are for someone the government wants they must all be full of it,so tell me why u wrote this now and what does one thing have to do with another! you know the more i read these articles the more i know you guys must be in bed with the feds i sat in that court room everyday next to you and you know as well as i do not one witness ever pointed at mike sarno and not one witness said mike sarno threatened me, not one of them ever said mike sarno made me do this or that you will be hearing more from me please have the you-no whats to print my words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the news has recently talked about a case where a man was let out of prison on so-called good behavior thats right ,oh yeah he was convicted of MURDER chocked the life out of a girl served 12 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! why dont you use your resources to find out how that could happen and write about that have you taken a ride in the englewood area see whats going on over there 99% of the people sitting around on welfare and want to be on it, sucking our system down making it harder for you and me to make ends meet write about some other things that really matter around here contact me if you want stories ill give ya stories
GREAT JOB ANONYMOUS!!! Hey Warmbir you and the feds like to hit a guy while he's
down about his lawsuit. WTF does it have to do with his case, its really no ones business what he recieved from his injuries, how com its so important to print.Why dont you print what a misjustice Mike Sarno recieved at his trial, why dont you go to the MCC
ask Mike Sarno his take on his case that he got railroaded on,believe me Mike does not bite, but if you and the government spoke the truth you would owe Mike Sarno his life back.We are not all angels in this world including you Mr.Warmbir, I dont see any nail holes in your hands or feet.Why cant you write somthing positive for Mike Sarno. You know what else why was the prosecutor allowed to wear a turbin in court and the rest of us americans at court had to take off our hats, thats a misjustice. PLEASE RESPOND IF YOU HAVE THE GUTS
lets talk about something else mr burge who gets to keep his pension is it any different ?he was awarded his money. I think mr sarno was awarded his also, fair and square you would think an intelligent journalist like yourself would say maybe that the man who took an oath to uphold the law who was as crooked as they come and convicted .you would think you would be writing about him so please tell me why you haven't responded or are you waiting to get the memo from the feds on what to say!!!