Along Washington Street, there’s a peaceful metropolis. Past the cemetery, assorted restaurants, two medical centers, a dentist office, a criminal law office, under-construction apartments and a funeral home lies quaint downtown Naperville.

Nothing would have drawn attention to that particular spot if it wasn’t for an anonymous tip off. “There’s a mob in Naperville. I’m sure of it,” they said. “Check Washington Street.”

The information they gave, thin though it seemed, pointed to Washington Street. The suspicious placement of the buildings was accurate — the street had everything a mob would need to operate. One of the buildings just looked like a front. Still, it was all circumstance and suspicion, nothing tangible.  

The first real clue was one of the plaza signs, advertising a business that didn’t seem to exist. According to the Zone and Planning commission records, it doesn’t. They were unable to provide any information about the named business. 

The apartments on the same street, however, were revealed to have been under construction for at least seven years. There was no estimated end to the project listed. 

“No, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone there,” said one Naperville resident. “There always seems to be equipment, but I can’t recall ever seeing construction guys out there.”

None of the other interviewees could either, and none of them could remember a time before the apartments started renovations or knew anyone who had ever lived there. 

At this stage in the investigation, the original source resurfaced. After hearing the evidence brought to light, the informant, here referred to as Charlie Weston, agreed to be interviewed. 

“I’ve been a Naperville resident all my life,” Weston prefaced. “I used to work at [a restaurant] on Washington street and they always made us handle the money with latex gloves.”

They described the work environment as “strangely tense,” and recounted a few times they were spoken to by police officers. Though none of them could tell Weston what was going on, the area seemed, according to Weston, to be under investigation. 

“The nail in the coffin for me,” they said, “was seeing the back of this one building as I was walking home. It was empty concrete that didn’t seem to face anything.” They said they, “probably wouldn’t have thought anything of it” if they weren’t already suspicious. “It just seemed too out of place, knowing what I knew.” 

Weston wanted to come forward with what they knew — it was why they’d reached out to the paper. The evidence uncovered so far, however, wasn’t enough. They agreed to a dangerous undercover operation, working their way up through management. 

After a year of digging and at great risk to themselves, Weston brought the truth to light. 

In downtown Naperville, along Washington Street, an illegal organisation has been operating for over twenty years. This organisation is responsible for the blackmarket shipment and sale of products such as Gucci and Supreme merchandise. In recent years, their reach has expanded to the local high schools. 

Their internal records suggest they have made over $50 million dollars during their operations. Though their actions have been investigated by Naperville police officers and by members of the city government, those with any information were kept silent by their fear. The organisation obtained compromising photos of the individuals in question doing things such as littering, day-drinking and forgetting their kids at malls and threatened to release them if investigation continued. “Everyone was too scared to talk to me,” Weston recounts. 

They were unable to discover the leader of this organisation, who is referred to only as “Karen.”

Despite the evidence that has now come out, no action has been taken against the corruption running right through the city’s downtown.