Joseph Lombardo

Joseph “Joe the Clown” Lombardo, Sr. (b. January 1, 1929), aka ""Joe Padula"," ""Lumbo" and ""Lumpy"," is an American mafioso and high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit crime organization. He is currently alleged to either be the Consigliere or Boss of the Outfit.

Murders

Lombardo joined The Outfit in the 1950s. In 1963, he was arrested and charged with kidnapping, but was acquitted. In 1974, Lombardo was charged with embezzling $1.4 million from the Teamsters Union pension fund. However, the charges were dropped after the main witness, Daniel Siefert, was killed two days before his scheduled court appearance. In 1974, Lombardo was implicated by government informant Alva Johnson Rodgers in the deaths of Siefert (the Teamsters' witness), Robert Harder, Sam Annerino, Raymond Ryan and Allen Dorfman, over a 15 year period. Lombardo was also accused of personally murdering disgraced police officer and CI, Richard Cain. Lombardo managed to escape conviction on all these charges.

Extortion and bribery

In 1982, Lombardo was charged with the extortion of $800,000 from construction owner Robert Kendler and the attempted bribery of Nevada US Senator Howard W. Cannon. In August 1985, Lombardo was convicted of attempted bribery and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. His co-defendant, Williams agreed to testify against Lombardo, who was later charged with concealing mafia ownership of the Stardust Resort & Casino, in Las Vegas, and for skimming over $2 million in unreported income during the period from 1974 to 1978. In January 1986, Lombardo was convicted and sentenced to an additional 10 years in prison.

Family Secrets trial

On April 27, 2005, Lombardo was indicted for the murders of 18 people. Not willing to stand trial, Lombardo became a fugitive in his late 70s. During this period, he wrote to his lawyer claiming to be innocent. Lombardo was finally captured by FBI agents in Elmwood Park, Illinois, after visiting dead Outfit mobster Tony Spilotro's dentist brother, Pasquale, Jr., for a decaying tooth. Lombardo kept his family life private and enjoyed spending time with his two children and three grandchildren. At his arraignment, Lombardo pleaded, "Not guilty." He also revealed that he had atherosclerosis and had not seen a doctor during that time because he was “unavailable.”

Prison

On September 10, 2007, Lombardo was found guilty of racketeering, extortion, loan sharking, and murder. On September 27, the same jury found Lombardo guilty of the 1974 Seifert murder. He faces up to life in prison for these convictions. As of June 2008, Lombardo is imprisoned in the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC), in Chicago.

References

* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7731283 MSNBC.com - Attorney: Reputed mobster 'Joey the Clown' gives surrender terms] (Associated Press)
* [http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=investigative&id=4589876 ABC7Chicago.com - Joey 'the Clown' has a tough time getting medical help in federal lockup] by Chuck Goudie
* [http://www.wbbm780.com/pages/6936.php Lombardo To Be Defended On Government's Dime] (Associated Press)
* [http://www.ipsn.org/mob_arrests-2005/wanted_joseph_lombardo.htm Illinois Police and Sheriff's News - Wanted: Joseph Lombardo Wanted]
* [http://www.ipsn.org/cc97.html Illinois Police and Sheriff's News - Who's Who in the Chicago Outfit for 1997]
* [http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/LocateInmate.jsp Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator Website]