Early Life: Joseph Patrick Lombardo, born Giuseppe Lombardi on January 1, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois, was one of 11 children in a family of Italian immigrants. His father, Mike Lombardi, was a butcher, and his mother, Carmela Lombardi, was a homemaker. Growing up in a bustling household, young Joseph quickly learned the value of resourcefulness and resilience. However, his academic journey was short-lived as he dropped out of high school and soon found himself drawn to the allure of the streets.
Entry into the Underworld: In the 1950s, Lombardo joined the Chicago Outfit, a powerful crime organization. He started his criminal career as a jewel thief and a juice loan collector. His knack for evading the law earned him a reputation, and by the late 1960s, he was considered an “up-and-comer” in the Outfit. Lombardo’s rise to prominence was marked by his involvement in various illegal activities, including kidnapping and loan sharking, although he managed to avoid convictions in his early years1.
Bribery and Skimming Convictions: Lombardo’s criminal exploits reached new heights in the 1980s. In 1982, he was convicted of bribing a Nevada state senator to block a trucking deregulation bill, resulting in a 15-year prison sentence. Just a few years later, in 1986, he was convicted of skimming over $2 million from several Las Vegas casinos, adding another 10 years to his prison term1. Despite these convictions, Lombardo maintained his influence within the Outfit and continued to be a significant figure in organized crime.
The Family Secrets Trial: In 2005, Lombardo was indicted as part of the federal government’s Operation Family Secrets investigation, which aimed to solve numerous mob-related murders. Facing charges of racketeering, extortion, loan sharking, and murder, Lombardo went on the run, becoming a fugitive. His time on the lam was marked by a series of letters he sent to his lawyer, proclaiming his innocence and requesting a separate trial1. After eight months, he was captured by the FBI in January 2006.
Conviction and Imprisonment: Lombardo’s trial was a high-profile affair, and in 2007, he was convicted of multiple charges, including the 1974 murder of Daniel Seifert. He was sentenced to life in prison in 20091. Despite his incarceration, Lombardo continued to profess his innocence, claiming he had no involvement in the crimes for which he was convicted.
Final Years and Death: Lombardo spent his final years in the ADX Florence supermax prison in Colorado. His health deteriorated over time, and he suffered from various ailments, including heart disease and throat cancer. On October 19, 2019, Joseph Lombardo passed away at the age of 901. His death marked the end of an era for the Chicago Outfit and closed the chapter on one of the most colorful and notorious figures in organized crime history.
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