Joseph Lombardo

Joseph Lombardo's mugshot from 1981.

Joey "The Clown" Lombardo (born as Joseph Lombardi[1] on January 1, 1929), also known as Joe Padula, Lumbo, and Lumpy, is an American mafioso and high-ranking member of the Chicago Outfit during the 1970s and 1980s. He is currently alleged to either be the Boss of the Outfit, or its consigliere.

Lombardo joined the Chicago Outfit in the 1950s. In 1963, he was arrested and charged with kidnapping; however, he was later acquitted. Lombardo was again on trial in 1974 with Allen Dorfman, an insurance agent, and charged with embezzling $1.4 million from pension funds of the Teamsters Union. The charges were later dropped after the main witness, Daniel Siefert, was killed two days before his scheduled appearance. He was convicted on federal racketeering charges on September 10, 2007 in Chicago and is currently awaiting sentencing. He faces anywhere from 15 years to life.

In 1982, Lombardo and Dorfman were again charged, this time with extortion of $800,000 from construction owner Robert Kendler as well as, with Teamsters President Roy L. Williams, attempted bribery of Nevada Senator Howard W. Cannon.

Lombardo was later implicated, by government informant Alva Johnson Rodgers, in the deaths of Daniel Siefert and Robert Harder in 1974, Sam Annerino and Raymond Ryan in 1977, and Allen Dorfman in 1983. Lombardo was also accused of personally murdering ex-police officer Richard Cain. Interestingly, Cain was believed to be a CIA agent as well. Cain was also a CI to Bill Roemer an FBI agent.

Lombardo and Williams were finally convicted of attempted bribery in August 1985 and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Williams, who received 10 years imprisonment, later agreed to testify against Lombardo and several top members of the Chicago Outfit later charged with concealing Mafiosi ownership of the Las Vegas Stardust Resort & Casino of which over $2 million unreported income was skimmed from 1974-1978. By January 1986, five mobsters had been convicted, including Lombardo, who was sentenced to an additional 10 years, as well as Chicago syndicate leaders Joey Aiuppa and John Phillip Cerone, sentenced to 28 years imprisonment, Angelo Lapeer, and Milton Rockman.

On April 27, 2005, indictments were handed up in which 14 people, including Lombardo and Frank "The German" Schweihs, were named in the murders of 18 people. Despite being in his late 70s, Lombardo avoided capture. During his time as a fugitive, he wrote two letters to his lawyer, one claiming innocence in the charges brought against him, the other not yet made public. He was finally captured by FBI agents in Elmwood Park, Illinois on January 13, 2006, after being harbored on the 2300 block of N 74th Ave. At his arraignment, he pleaded not guilty and also revealed to have medical problems with his arteries hardening. He told the court he had not been to a doctor during the time he was "unavailable."

On September 10, 2007, Lombardo was found guilty on all counts. The charges covered a variety of racketeering charges involving extortion, loan sharking, and murder. Lombardo, along with alleged mob boss James Marcello, Frank Calabrese Sr. and convicted jewel thief Paul Schiro could now all face life in prison.

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