Capone Convicted: Tax Evasion Ends the Kingpin Era
Federal prosecutors pinned Al Capone to the wall with tax evasion charges rather than his violent bootlegging empire, securing a then-record 11-year sentence that ended his reign through legal technicalities and a judge's refusal to let him plead guilty. Despite this high-profile conviction, organized crime in Chicago remained largely untouched as the federal victory failed to dismantle the syndicates he built.
October 17, 1931
95 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on October 17
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A T8/F4 tornado strikes London, causing widespread destruction and marking one of the most severe weather events in the city's history.
A tornado tore through London on October 17th, 1091, destroying 600 houses and killing two people. Medieval chroniclers said it lifted the roof off a church and…
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