Mr. Schiff: It was one of Chicago's biggest organized crime cases ever. It had violence and phony loans given out from a labor union's pension fund...
Mr. Rice: "We became aware of this scheme and we launched an investigation called Operation Pendorf."
Mr. Schiff: That's FBI Special Agent Ross Rice in Chicago who says organized crime was involved with that pension fund...
Mr. Rice: "The investigation utilized a court-authorized electronic surveillance which targeted the telephone lines going into the pension fund headquarters. During approximately a 12-month period, we intercepted literally thousands of incoming calls, many of which were criminal in nature."
Mr. Schiff: Rice says permission is needed for such surveillance...
Mr. Rice: "It's a fairly lengthy process which requires review and approval at a number of levels both within the FBI and the Department of Justice. It ultimately must be signed-off on by the Chief Judge in the judicial district for which the application is submitted."
Mr. Schiff: The case even involved an attempt at bribing a U.S. Senator for a favorable vote on trucking legislation. All charged were convicted and sent to prison. I'm Neal Schiff and that's the FBI's Closed Case of the Week."
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