Secret Six (Chicago)

Common card · No. 493688

The Secret Six, officially known as the Crime Prevention and Punishment Committee of the Chicago Association of Commerce (CAC), was a well-funded and powerful vigilante enterprise established by the Association (now the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce) in February 1930. The group inspired a movie by the same name, was credited by Al Capone for his downfall, helped launch Eliot Ness and his Untouchables, and briefly served as a model for vigilante organizations across America. The Secret Six investigated dozens of bombings, kidnappings, extortion cases, bank robberies, and other crimes, solving some of them and winning nationwide fame. However, after a series of mistakes and scandals, including accusations of bigamy, recklessness, and other improprieties against its agents, and a widely-publicized false-arrest lawsuit, the organization folded in January 1933.

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