By Matt O'Connor
Tribune staff reporter
Published March 22, 2002

A corrupt former Berwyn police detective, testifying Thursday under immunity from prosecution, identified reputed Cicero mob boss Michael A. Spano Sr. as the power behind the scenes in a Cicero kickback scheme.

Peter Volpe, who pleaded guilty last month, provided an insider's view of the scheme, saying he was told by Spano that 10 percent of their profits from a Cicero contract were kicked back to Emil Schullo, then the town's public safety director.

On cross-examination by Schullo's lawyer, though, Volpe admitted he had no other proof of Schullo's alleged involvement than the word of Spano.

When he pleaded guilty in February to 11 counts of theft, bribery, money laundering and tax offenses, Volpe didn't agree to cooperate with law enforcement, but prosecutors forced his testimony at the trial of Spano, Schullo and James Inendino by giving him immunity from prosecution.

Volpe's testimony appeared to be particularly damaging to his cousin Spano, whom he said he sometimes addressed as "uncle."

During the testimony, Spano sat erect at the defense table, looking straight ahead toward the jury box and rarely glancing at the witness chair occupied by Volpe.

Volpe said he had to take orders from Spano, but the federal jury hasn't been told of the reputed mob connections of Spano or Inendino.

Under questioning by Assistant U.S. Atty. Mitchell Mars, Volpe, 41, revealed that at first he turned down an offer from Schullo to investigate whether several Cicero police officers were living outside town in violation of residency requirements.

Despite his 12 years then on the Berwyn police force, Volpe said he felt too inexperienced to carry out the assignment. He also hadn't yet obtained a private investigator's license and a security agency license.

The offer from Schullo came shortly after Volpe formed a detective agency with Spano. Spano put up the money to start the business, but his connection was kept secret, Volpe said.

Even though Volpe had rejected Schullo's offer, Spano had other ideas, according to the testimony. Spano told Volpe to hook up with Sam Rovetuso, a private detective, on the Cicero security work, Volpe testified.

What none of the defendants realized at the time was Rovetuso was working undercover for the IRS, secretly recording conversations. Rovetuso died in 1999.

After winning the contract from Cicero, Volpe said at some point Spano told him 10 percent had to be added to the bills for Schullo's cut of the scheme.

Prosecutors contend Schullo steered the no-bid, nearly $76,000 contract to Spano in return for kickbacks of 10 percent.

Volpe said one-third of the payouts went to Rovetuso and Inendino while the rest of the money went to Spano and himself. When Rovetuso delivered their cut to him, Volpe said he handed the money over to Spano, who then gave him his share. Spano told him he would pass on Schullo's share to him, Volpe testified.

But on cross-examination Volpe admitted he was never there when Spano allegedly handed Schullo any cash.

To try to conceal their receipt of the Cicero money, Volpe said he agreed with Spano to have the town checks cashed at a currency exchange where Inendino worked.

Volpe's mother, Phyllis, a former assistant manager at a secretary of state facility, was convicted in the Operation Safe Road probe for taking bribes to issue driver's licenses.