Businessman Who Solicited Murder Gets Liquor License

A business co-owned by a man convicted of soliciting to murder his wife 14 years ago was awarded a liquor license in the village of Glencoe last week.

Village President Larry Levin described Rick Raschillo, 50, of Glenview as “rehabilitated.” Levin made the final call of awarding a liquor license to Cibo Trattoria, a restaurant at 667 Vernon Ave. owned by Raschillo and partners Tim Cribb and Steve Santiccioli of Glencoe, according to the Glencoe News.

Raschillo has three felony convictions, one in Arizona in 2001 for soliciting to murder his wife and two in 2000, also in Arizona, for felony theft. He was sentenced to five years of probation in the murder solicitation case and a total of nine years of probation for the two thefts.

» News Alerts: Subscribe to Patch by email on the North Shore: EVANSTON • HIGHLAND PARK •WINNETKA-GLENCOE • LAKE FOREST • DEERFIELD• NORTHBROOK • GLENVIEW • SKOKIE •WILMETTE-KENILWORTH

The murder was never carried out because the man hired turned in Raschillo and his accomplice, according to the News.

A provisional license will only last six months before Raschillo and his partners will need to reapply.

“The vote was greeted with the applause of about a dozen people in the audience, some of whom identified themselves as customers of the restaurant, during the board’s regular meeting,” according to the Glencoe News account.

“He is truly repentant and sorry for what he has done,” Levin said of Raschillo.

Raschillo’s lawyer, Alex Kaplan, said Raschillo has become a good father to children and blended families of three marriages, noting that his client has given coupons and other gifts to Glencoe public and private schools through MVP Fitness, another Glencoe business owned by Raschillo.

Raschillo also owns Chop It Up! vegetarian restaurant and Fitness Cafe, both in Glenview.

more via the Glencoe News