VH1 has announced the five cast members who'll star in "Mob Wives Chicago," the spin-off series the network hopes will be its next — pun intended — big hit this spring.
"Mob Wives Chicago" was created by original series creator Jennifer Graziano (pictured at left with "Mob Wives" star Karen Gravano), whose sister, Renee Graziano, is a cast member on the Staten Island, N.Y.-based "Mob Wives."
The lineup for the Windy City spin-off:
— Renee Fecarotta Russo, who was raised by her uncle "Big John" Fecarotta, an alleged loan collector and hit man, according to a network release, who was whacked by a fellow member of "The Outfit";
— Nora Schweihs, daughter of Frank “The German” Schweihs, who the network describes as a reputed Mafia hit man connected to the death of Marilyn Monroe. Schweihs died in 2008 and his body was confiscated by the government, so his daughter is returning to the Windy City to locate his remains;
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— Pia Rizza, the daughter of Vincent Rizza, a crooked cop who testified against "The Outfit" and then went into the Witness Protection Program;
— Christina Scoleri, an unemployed single mom who has a distant relationship with her father, Raymond Janek, who served 20 years for various crimes;
— Leah DeSimone, daughter of William "Wolf" DeSimone, who the network describes as an alleged associate of the Mob. Leah DeSimone says she was never aware of what her father did for a living and never asked questions about it, despite the fact that he would frequently leave their home in a suit and return several days later wearing street clothes.
"Mob Wives" is currently airing its second season on VH1.