Seeking Justice: Could Moreland Hills man’s ties to the mafia be behind his disappearance?

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) -More than 40 years ago, a businessman and father left his home in Moreland Hills to meet someone and vanished-- never to be seen again. Could his ties to the mob and selling diamonds be the reason he disappeared?

Charles Rini lived on a tree-lined street on Strawberry Lane and raised his three children in a quiet, eastside suburb of Cleveland.

In the 1960s and 70s he owned a Dairy Queen in Chesterland.

But another part of his life was hiding in plain sight.

“He was involved with a circle, maybe not directly involved. But indirectly involved with a circle of mob figures, Mafia figures here,” said Cleveland mob expert Rick Porrello.

Charles Rini disappeared March 30, 1981.

He left his house to meet someone and was never seen again.

His wife Eileen reported him missing.

“No one knows where he’s gone, family, loved ones. And the investigation has pretty much been cold for a long time,” said Moreland Hills Police Chief Todd Dietzel.

Police found Rini’s black Regency Oldsmobile parked where he said he was going that day, at Orangewood Place in Beachwood.

It was outside of mobster Joseph Gallo’s office.

But police didn’t find Rini.

“From the report’s indications and the way the car was found, there’s been no reports of any foul play,” Dietzel said.

There’s not much out there about this mysterious man.

Rick Porrello told us Rini was friends with mob captain Joseph Gallo, who worked for the boss, Angelo Lonardo.

Porrello believes Rini was an associate and was not involved in any heavy-handed enforcement the mob was known for.

“Gallo was dealing with diamonds on the side and supposedly Chuck Rini, his friend, Gallo’s friend, Chuck Rini was a courier and was bringing back or moving diamonds between Cleveland and New York,” Porrello said.

Did Rini suffer the fate of so many who landed on the wrong side of the mob?

“There was one theory that he stole from Gallo, stole either money or diamonds. The other theory was that, he just knew too much because of his association with Gallo and some of the other guys that were close to what was going on and was eliminated during this period of time in 80 and 81 where there were, like I said, at least a half dozen men who were murdered,” Porrello said.

But Porrello questions whether Gallo really had something to do with his disappearance.

“His car was found outside Gallo’s office in Beachwood, which would kind of tend to incriminate Gallo. So if Gallo was responsible, why would they leave his car?” Porrello said.

For Chief Dietzel, there’s not much evidence left to go on.

There is no DNA in this case and Rini’s car is long gone.

But there are dental records.

Sometimes a police agency reaches out to Moreland Hills Police, trying to match a John Doe case.

“You get inquiries, you pick it up again, it goes cold and then you put it back into the files,” Dietzel said.

“The best case scenario is that Mr. Rini would be found alive,” he said.

Charles Rini would be 85 years old.

His family is still seeking justice. Can you help investigators solve this case? If you have any information, call Moreland Hills Police at 440-248-7585.

You can also listen our true crime podcast episode on this case called “The Diamond Man who Disappeared” in Dark side of the Land, wherever you get your podcasts.