Ernesto Rossi (gangster) Ernesto Rossi (gangster) Ernest "Hoppy" Rossi (May 27, 1903 – April 17, 1931) was a follower of Frankie Yale and friend and associate of Al Capone before he moved from Brooklyn to Chicago. Ernest was born on May 27, 1903 to Pasquale Rossi and Anna Costa at 250 Mott Street. Immigration ship manifests show that his parents were recent immigrants to New York City from Naples, Italy. According to police, Rossi had a long police record and was described as a "gangster and racketeer". He was a known follower of Frankie Yale and was a friend and associate of Al
Al Capone but Capone's lawyers incompetently failed to make the necessary timely objection; they ran a basically irrelevant defense of gambling losses. Judge Wilkerson allowed Capone's spending to be presented at very great length. There was no doubt that Capone "spent" vast sums but, legally speaking, the case against him centered on the size of his "income". Capone was convicted on October 17, and was sentenced a week later to eleven years in federal prison, fined $50,000 plus $7,692 for court costs, and was held liable for $215,000 plus interest due on his back taxes. The contempt of court sentence was served