Anthony Spilotro, also known as 'Tony the Ant' and 'Tough Tony', was an American mobster and enforcer who began his criminal career in Chicago. He later oversaw the illegal casino profits (the 'skim') in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the 1970s and 1980s, on behalf of the Chicago Outfit. Replacing his predecessor Marshall Caifano in the Vegas area, he worked closely with Frank 'Lefty' Rosenthal, an organized crime associate who was primarily into sports betting. Spilotro never went past the soldier rank in the Chicago Outfit, but was the head of operations in Vegas and had his own crew. However, in Las Vegas, the activity of his Hole in the Wall Gang, which also included his brother Michael Spilotro, drew unwanted attention towards the mafia, which eventually led to his murder by his associates. Frustrated with his way of operation, the mob bosses arranged for his killing and buried him alive in a cornfield in Indiana in 1986. The characters of Nicky Santoro in Martin Scorsese's mafia classic 'Casino' and Ray Luca in the 1980s NBC series 'Crime Story' are based on him.
