In this Intelligence Report: The official cause and origin of the fire at All-Stars Gentleman's Club in Northlake is still being determined amidst questions about the background of the owner.
An investigation by the arson division of the state fire marshal is still under way and the I-Team is told the results won't be available until next week.
Authorities familiar with the case say they believe the midday fire started on the roof when a construction crew went to lunch.
However, state investigators are looking at every possible cause, considering the history of the strip joint.
The scene from above showed total destruction from the fire in unincorporated Northlake on Tuesday.
The fast-moving fire swept through the club, a wooden building with numerous additions and pockets where the fire hid, then jumped.
No one was injured. It was before the normal 2 p.m. opening when roofers returned from lunch to the top of the building and apparently found it on fire.
The owners of the strip club are William "Billy" Galioto and his wife Ann. He is a former Chicago policeman and has been listed as a lieutenant on the Chicago Crime Commission's family tree of the Chicago mob.
Mr. Galioto is the brother-in-law of jailed top hoodlum James "Little Jimmy" Marcello, who was convicted in the 2007 Family Secrets mob murder and racketeering case.
Despite the Outfit connection of All-Stars' owners, the strip club has frequently had a cozy relationship with Northlake police.
In 2002 the I-Team exposed a Northlake police golf outing during which All-Stars provided exotic dancers to perform as caddies. Now their popular showplace that has drawn businessmen and bachelor parties for 15 years is gone. On this Friday night there will be no $25 cocktails and provocative lap dances.
Even though state inspectors haven't determined the official cause of the Tuesday fire, the Galiotos apparently have. All-Stars' website states that it was a "catastrophic accident" that has caused them to be "temporarily closed."
Some Outfit experts suggest the strip club has been struggling financially of late. Public records reveal there have been hefty tax liens against the club in the past, but not recently, and they were able to afford a roofing project.
In 1995, Billy Galioto, his wife and a brother made news when they lost a $5.5 million city loan to build a soundstage on the West Side. City officials cited concerns about Galioto family mob connections.
No one from All-Stars was available for comment on Friday.
