Anyone in the St. Louis Metro-East would likely know the name of Thomas Venezia. A long time, old time, racketeer, purveyor of gambling machines and topless clubs, was found dead today in his Belleville home. Jennifer Anderson, 21, a live-in girl friend was also found dead of a gunshot wound to the head. Reports say Venezia killed Anderson and then himself. A note was found. Venezia had been suffering from throat cancer. Anderson recently left her job as a topless dancer at the Penthouse Stip Club in Sauget.
In March 1996, a federal judge in East St. Louis sentenced Venezia to 15 years in prison for racketeering and related charges stemming from his control of illegal video poker machines in taverns and topless clubs across the metro-east. He at one point made $48 million in five years, a prosecutor said.
In August 1997, the judge reduced Venezia's sentence to nine years as a result of Venezia's help in two federal probes into public corruption and another unrelated criminal investigation. His testimony helped convict a longtime friend of his, Belleville attorney, Amiel Cueto, of conspiracy to defraud and obstruction of justice charges.
Chicago has the biggest national reputation for it's organized crime figures, but the Illinois side of St. Louis has never been a slouch when it came to mob types and the passing of Thomas Venezia is one more chapter in the story.
Collinsville's link to gangsters, Buster Wortman. 
Wortman was probably the first person I heard about after moving here. Although long gone by that time, he must have cut quite the figure around town to have made so many remember him so clearly. Almost as though he and his business were sorely missed. He built a big home east of town that had a moat around it. A moat! In Collinsville!
We used to go to the BO BEUCKMAN FISHING RODEO every year out at their house (with the moat). He opened up to anyone in Collinsville. His son Blake was a friend of mine.
Posted by: Susie | April 07, 2010 at 03:18 PM
Through out my life my grandpa would tell me bookying/slot machine stories about him and buster.Showed me acouple of pictures of a boat house with steps leading up to it.I no longer have those pic's.
My grandpa was a very quiet man,always said "Keep your nose clean"wich ment STAY OUT OF TROUBLE.
Posted by: scott | April 19, 2010 at 09:37 AM
Kind of stumbled onto this website but grew up in Caseyville and went to Collinsville High in the 50's. When I was a Girl Scout selling cookies, my dad suggested we drive up to Ted Wortman's home on Caseyville Rd to see if he would purchase a box or two .... he bought every box I had!!!
Posted by: Helen | August 01, 2010 at 05:17 PM
I knew one of Buster's granddaughters back in the late 70's when they lived in the house. They moved to Georgia and that's when the Beuckmans bought it. It was something to see that house and moat! Alot of good times out there.
Posted by: Tim | September 08, 2010 at 11:07 AM
I'm 72y/o, was an RN @ Christian Welfare Hospital. One of Busters' henchmen and his wife had a baby at the hospital. I was "invited" to accompany them to the house outside Collinsville, and I stayed there for 3 months and a couple of weeks caring for the wife and the child. Quite an experience. Interesting goings on: variety of people: politicians , priests, and assorted 'others'. If I had been royalty, I wouldn't have been treated better. Buster took care of his 'own'...the best care. Was surprised one evening to see my Uncle Lester in attendence at a dinner party, along with some "other" associates.
Posted by: Jenni | January 11, 2011 at 01:35 AM