Paul Ricca’s journey into the Chicago underworld began when he met Joseph “Diamond Joe” Esposito in Cuba, a prominent bootlegger. Esposito brought Ricca to Chicago, where he was involved in smuggling liquor and later became the maitre d’ at Esposito’s restaurant, Bella Napoli. This earned him the nickname “The Waiter.” Rubbing shoulders with gangsters like Al Capone, Ricca soon transitioned into full-time mob work under Frank Nitti’s watch. Despite initially laying low, Ricca couldn’t avoid getting entangled with local mobsters due to his association with Esposito’s restaurant. Eventually, he left his waiter job to work for the Chicago mob, a move he made begrudgingly as he despised his nickname.
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