Friends of ours: Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo, James Marcello, Nick Calabrese, Michael Marcello
In the upcoming defense of the five men on trial in the Family Secrets case, there will be one star attraction: the Clown.
Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo will take the witness stand in his own defense, his attorney, Rick Halprin, said in court Wednesday as the prosecution all but wrapped up its case.
Lombardo's defense "obviously centers around his testimony," Halprin said. And he has been put at the highest levels of the Chicago Outfit in trial testimony. Lombardo, 78, has never testified in a criminal case in his own defense. He gave a deposition in a union proceeding and spoke to the judge before he was sentenced in a criminal case in the 1980s.
Halprin deferred his opening statement for Lombardo until after the prosecution rested its case. Halprin is expected to give his opening on Monday.
Lombardo has an alibi for the day Seifert was killed. He contends he was reporting his stolen wallet to police at the time of the murder.
Defense attorneys for other men on trial, including the reputed head of the Chicago mob, James Marcello, will say Monday whether their clients will take the stand too.
As prosecutors brought their case to a close Wednesday, they played several more secret tape recordings made when Marcello was visited by his half-brother, Michael, at a federal prison in Milan, Mich. The tapes appear to show great concern by the Marcellos over the cooperation of Nick Calabrese, a mob killer who has testified at the trial.
Michael Marcello was the owner of a company that put video gambling machines in bars in the western suburbs. IRS Revenue Agent Michael Welch testified that the company failed to report at least half its income from 1996 to 2003, to the tune of $4.3 million. A top mob investigator with the IRS, William Paulin, testified earlier that when he and other agents searched Michael Marcello's company in 2003, they found thousands of dollars in apparently unreported cash.
Thanks to Steve Warmbir
Saturday, August 11, 2007
America's Most Wanted on The Chicago Syndicate 8/11/2007
Richard McNair: In 1987, Richard Lee McNair killed a man during a burglary attempt in North Dakota . He was captured shortly after, but a long prison term wasn’t what he had in mind. Cops say he packaged himself in prison mail bags, and literally mailed himself to freedom. Since then, McNair has had several close calls with the law. Now, this week, AMW correspondent Michelle Sigona tries to put McNair back behind bars for good. Saturday night, you’ll see her re-enact McNair’s bizarre escape plan, from start to finish.
Newark Student Shooters: What began as a typical summer night for four students in Newark , New Jersey ended in a senseless blood bath in the parking lot of Mount Vernon Elementary School . Sources say Natasha Aerial, who was shot in the head, saved her life by playing dead. But unfortunately, her three friends were murdered execution style just minutes later. Police have already made two arrests in the case, and say there could be more.
Walentina Knapek: Police say Walentina Knapek has been ripping off supermarkets and large retail stores all over the county for over 25 years. Cops say she poses as a deaf mute and tries to convince store clerks they’re giving her incorrect change. Surprisingly, she’s succeeded several times. Last month, it looked like we finally had a break in the case when cops arrested a woman who allegedly scammed a store out of $200. But as it turns out, the suspect wasn’t Knapek. Hopefully with your help this week, we can finally track her down.
Wedding Dress Attacker: For 15 years someone has been targeting women who have advertised wedding gowns for sale. Cops say the suspect sets up a meeting with the guise of being interested in purchasing a dress. But while he’s there, he attempts to sexually assault the women. Jeffrey Mullins was arrested in connection to the case, but police say there’s a chance he’s not the Wedding Dress Attacker. More suspects could be identified soon.
Arturo Munguia: For nine years, police have been on the hunt for a man named Jessi Vega in connection to the murder of Tricia Beristain. Now, cops tell AMW that they’ve learned the man’s real name is Arturo Munguia. And we’re closer than ever to bringing him down. Help us put Munguia in cuffs.
Brossman Killer: Billy Brossman was working at Bower’s 7th and 70 Liquor Store in Indiana the day after Thanksgiving in 2001 when an unidentified man entered the store. Unfortunately, cops say the man had other plans than just purchasing alcohol. Surveillance tapes show the man removing his gun from his waistband, demanding money from the register, and then leading Billy to the back of the store to kill him. We need your help in identifying this cold-blooded killer.
Sophie David: Cops say Sophie David expected a life of luxury when she moved to Los Angeles . But police think when she began suspecting her husband was cheating on her, she killed him. Now, 16 years later, the trail has gone cold. And cops need your help in tracking David down.
Michael Alexander: Cops say Michael Alexander is suspected of killing his uncle so he could inherit the home of his late aunt. On May 29th, an AMW viewer tipped off police that Alexander was hiding out in his Brooklyn apartment. But when cops arrived, he already escaped through the window. A day later, Alexander was captured; making him AMW Direct Result # 942.
Raymond Gates: With the help of an AMW tipster, Raymond Gates is finally in police custody. New Mexico cops collaborated with the U.S. Marshals in Texas to take down the wanted sex offender on June 26, 2007, making him direct capture #950.
Carl Dinatale: Police say Carl Dinatale robbed dozens of jewelry stores all along the East Coast. But, thanks to great police work and some help from AMW, the crooked thief is behind bars.
Vincent Ledoux: For ten years, Vincent Ledoux was able to elude the long arm of the law. But thanks to an AMW viewer, the accused sexual predator is in custody, and we were there for the takedown.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Marcello Brother's Videotape Played for Jury
Friends of ours: James Marcello, Joseph “Joey the Clown” Lombardo, Frank Calabrese, Paul Schiro, Anthony Doyle
Friends of mine: Michael Marcello
A secretly recorded videotape played to jurors at a mob trial Wednesday showed one of the defendants cursing and fidgeting as he spoke to a brother visiting him in prison, apparently fearful authorities might be closing in on him.
The video of a visibly anxious James Marcello, his eyes darting around a visitors’ area during the expletive-laden conversations, was among the last evidence presented by prosecutors before they rest their case against Marcello and four co-defendants.
U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel said at the conclusion of testimony Wednesday that he expected prosecutors to wrap up their case Monday when the trial resumes. The defense could start calling witnesses later the same day, he said.
The video footage shown Wednesday was recorded in 2003 when Michael Marcello visited his brother, James, who was serving a prison sentence on a separate matter at the time. Neither man knew he was being recorded.
On the tape, James Marcello speaks in hushed tones and admonishes his brother to put his hand over his mouth when he talks, apparently out of concern someone could read their lips.
He also tries to convey how grave the situation could be. “You think this is a high school prom or something?” he said in a heavy Chicago accent. But at another point, he uses a curse word to express confidence he’d be able to stay out of legal trouble: “They couldn’t prove a … thing,” he said.
The 65-year-old James Marcello sat at a defense table Wednesday viewing the video recording on a monitor, sometimes watching intently and other times smiling.
The other defendants on trial in Chicago are Joseph “Joey the Clown” Lombardo, 78, Frank Calabrese, 69, Paul Schiro, 70, and Anthony Doyle, 62. The five are accused of mob racketeering conspiracy that allegedly included 18 murders, including of Michael and Tony Spilotro. It was the latter who inspired the Joe Pesci character in the popular 1995 movie “Casino.”
In their recorded conversations, the Marcello brothers employ the colorful language of another era, referring, for instance, to “broads” and “coppers.”
They also rely heavily on code words, hand signals and nicknames, which an FBI agent interpreted for jurors. The mention of a “Hitler” in the recording, the agent said, referred to reputed mobster Frank “The German” Schweihs.
In cross examination, defense lawyers suggested that — since the federal agent wasn’t a native Chicagoan — he might have misinterpreted what the Marcellos really meant when they spoke or used hand gestures. “That’s not unusual for Italians to use their hands when they’re talking, is it?” said Frank Calabrese’s lawyer, Joseph Lopez.
The Marcellos also expressed admiration for Joseph “Joey the Clown” Lombardo, who they refer to in the video as “Pagliacci” — the name of an Italian opera about a clown. “He’s the only one that’s got the brains,” said Michael Marcello.
Friends of mine: Michael Marcello
A secretly recorded videotape played to jurors at a mob trial Wednesday showed one of the defendants cursing and fidgeting as he spoke to a brother visiting him in prison, apparently fearful authorities might be closing in on him.
The video of a visibly anxious James Marcello, his eyes darting around a visitors’ area during the expletive-laden conversations, was among the last evidence presented by prosecutors before they rest their case against Marcello and four co-defendants.
U.S. District Judge James B. Zagel said at the conclusion of testimony Wednesday that he expected prosecutors to wrap up their case Monday when the trial resumes. The defense could start calling witnesses later the same day, he said.
The video footage shown Wednesday was recorded in 2003 when Michael Marcello visited his brother, James, who was serving a prison sentence on a separate matter at the time. Neither man knew he was being recorded.
On the tape, James Marcello speaks in hushed tones and admonishes his brother to put his hand over his mouth when he talks, apparently out of concern someone could read their lips.
He also tries to convey how grave the situation could be. “You think this is a high school prom or something?” he said in a heavy Chicago accent. But at another point, he uses a curse word to express confidence he’d be able to stay out of legal trouble: “They couldn’t prove a … thing,” he said.
The 65-year-old James Marcello sat at a defense table Wednesday viewing the video recording on a monitor, sometimes watching intently and other times smiling.
The other defendants on trial in Chicago are Joseph “Joey the Clown” Lombardo, 78, Frank Calabrese, 69, Paul Schiro, 70, and Anthony Doyle, 62. The five are accused of mob racketeering conspiracy that allegedly included 18 murders, including of Michael and Tony Spilotro. It was the latter who inspired the Joe Pesci character in the popular 1995 movie “Casino.”
In their recorded conversations, the Marcello brothers employ the colorful language of another era, referring, for instance, to “broads” and “coppers.”
They also rely heavily on code words, hand signals and nicknames, which an FBI agent interpreted for jurors. The mention of a “Hitler” in the recording, the agent said, referred to reputed mobster Frank “The German” Schweihs.
In cross examination, defense lawyers suggested that — since the federal agent wasn’t a native Chicagoan — he might have misinterpreted what the Marcellos really meant when they spoke or used hand gestures. “That’s not unusual for Italians to use their hands when they’re talking, is it?” said Frank Calabrese’s lawyer, Joseph Lopez.
The Marcellos also expressed admiration for Joseph “Joey the Clown” Lombardo, who they refer to in the video as “Pagliacci” — the name of an Italian opera about a clown. “He’s the only one that’s got the brains,” said Michael Marcello.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Using Intel to Stop the Mob, Part 2: The Turning Point
Friends of ours: Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Joseph Barbara, Joseph Valachi
Capone was history. (Part 1) “Lucky” Luciano’s luck ran out when he was convicted and deported to Italy. And Murder Inc. and its professional hit men were out of business.
The FBI and its partners had scored some major successes against organized crime by the late 1940s, but hoodlums and racketeers were still operating and thriving in certain big cities—New York, Chicago, Detroit, to name a few.
During this time, we’d been using intelligence to paint a picture of criminal activities, mostly locally on a case-by-case basis. In 1946, we launched the General Investigative Intelligence Program—our first national criminal intelligence initiative—to survey the crime landscape and gather details on key players, including mobsters.
By the early 50s, we’d gained (according to one memo) “considerable information concerning the background of operations of hoodlums and racketeers throughout the country,” using informants, discrete inquiries, and public sources. We’d also pulled together intelligence through surveys on the Mafia, on bookmaking and race wire activities, and on other criminal rackets.
In 1953, the New York office—facing rising mobster activity—specifically asked to open intelligence files on 30 top hoodlums in the city to get a general picture of their activities and to keep an eye out for violations of federal law. On August 25 th of that year, we made it an official national “Top Hoodlum Program,” asking all field offices to gather information on mobsters in their territories and to report it regularly to Washington so we’d have a centralized collection of intelligence on racketeers.
It’s important to understand: at the time, most racketeering activities—including gambling and loan sharking—were beyond our jurisdictional reach. Still, we needed to build a bank of information to better understand the threat and to be prepared if federal laws were broken.
Three key developments would help us further expose the length and breadth of organized crime generally and the Mafia specifically in the years to come.
* In 1957, New York State Police Sergeant Edgar Croswell discovered a secret meeting of top Mafioso at the rural estate of mob leader Joseph Barbara in Apalachin, New York. We immediately checked the names taken by Croswell. We had information in our files on 53 of the 60 mobsters; forty had criminal records. Croswell’s discovery led us to intensify our interest in these figures (not begin it, as some have speculated) and to arrest mobsters who violated federal law. In part because of Apalachin, we realized that local and regional crime lords were conspiring and began to adjust our strategy accordingly.
* In 1961, Attorney General Robert Kennedy created an Organized Crime and Racketeering Section in the Department of Justice to coordinate activities by the FBI and other department agencies against the criminal threat.
* In 1963, thanks in part to the FBI, the first major Mafia turncoat—Joseph Valachi—publicly spilled the beans before a Senate subcommittee, naming names and exposing plenty of secrets about organized crime history, operations, and rituals.
As the threat became clearer, Congress began giving us more tools to combat it—including jurisdiction over more mobster related crimes like gambling and, in 1968, the ability to use court-authorized electronic surveillance in cases involving organized crime.
As a result of these intelligence efforts and new tools, our campaign against the mob turned a corner. The next key piece of the puzzle would come in the early ‘70s, with the passage of the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations or “RICO” statute that would enable us to take down entire mob families. More on that later.
Thanks to the FBI
Capone was history. (Part 1) “Lucky” Luciano’s luck ran out when he was convicted and deported to Italy. And Murder Inc. and its professional hit men were out of business.
The FBI and its partners had scored some major successes against organized crime by the late 1940s, but hoodlums and racketeers were still operating and thriving in certain big cities—New York, Chicago, Detroit, to name a few.
During this time, we’d been using intelligence to paint a picture of criminal activities, mostly locally on a case-by-case basis. In 1946, we launched the General Investigative Intelligence Program—our first national criminal intelligence initiative—to survey the crime landscape and gather details on key players, including mobsters.
By the early 50s, we’d gained (according to one memo) “considerable information concerning the background of operations of hoodlums and racketeers throughout the country,” using informants, discrete inquiries, and public sources. We’d also pulled together intelligence through surveys on the Mafia, on bookmaking and race wire activities, and on other criminal rackets.
In 1953, the New York office—facing rising mobster activity—specifically asked to open intelligence files on 30 top hoodlums in the city to get a general picture of their activities and to keep an eye out for violations of federal law. On August 25 th of that year, we made it an official national “Top Hoodlum Program,” asking all field offices to gather information on mobsters in their territories and to report it regularly to Washington so we’d have a centralized collection of intelligence on racketeers.
It’s important to understand: at the time, most racketeering activities—including gambling and loan sharking—were beyond our jurisdictional reach. Still, we needed to build a bank of information to better understand the threat and to be prepared if federal laws were broken.
Three key developments would help us further expose the length and breadth of organized crime generally and the Mafia specifically in the years to come.
* In 1957, New York State Police Sergeant Edgar Croswell discovered a secret meeting of top Mafioso at the rural estate of mob leader Joseph Barbara in Apalachin, New York. We immediately checked the names taken by Croswell. We had information in our files on 53 of the 60 mobsters; forty had criminal records. Croswell’s discovery led us to intensify our interest in these figures (not begin it, as some have speculated) and to arrest mobsters who violated federal law. In part because of Apalachin, we realized that local and regional crime lords were conspiring and began to adjust our strategy accordingly.
* In 1961, Attorney General Robert Kennedy created an Organized Crime and Racketeering Section in the Department of Justice to coordinate activities by the FBI and other department agencies against the criminal threat.
* In 1963, thanks in part to the FBI, the first major Mafia turncoat—Joseph Valachi—publicly spilled the beans before a Senate subcommittee, naming names and exposing plenty of secrets about organized crime history, operations, and rituals.
As the threat became clearer, Congress began giving us more tools to combat it—including jurisdiction over more mobster related crimes like gambling and, in 1968, the ability to use court-authorized electronic surveillance in cases involving organized crime.
As a result of these intelligence efforts and new tools, our campaign against the mob turned a corner. The next key piece of the puzzle would come in the early ‘70s, with the passage of the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations or “RICO” statute that would enable us to take down entire mob families. More on that later.
Thanks to the FBI
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
The Clown's Hideout
Friends of ours: Joey "the Clown" Lombardo
Friends of mine: Dominic Calarco
Dominic Calarco said he went to his social club seven days a week to cook for its members, but that routine was broken by a knock on his door in January 2006.
He thought he knew the bearded man standing in front of him. But he wasn't sure until he heard the man speak, he told jurors Monday at the Family Secrets mob-conspiracy trial. The man asking for shelter at Calarco's Elmwood Park home was Joey "the Clown" Lombardo, an alleged leader of the Chicago Outfit who was on the run from federal authorities.
"He said, 'I got no place to go, can I stay with you for a couple of weeks?'" Calarco said.
Lombardo sat in the back of a row of defense tables at the trial Monday, and he didn't have any noticeable reaction to hearing about his last days of freedom. He tilted his head as he listened to Calarco, looking ahead through his tinted eyeglasses.
The two were once neighbors said Calarco, 85, and they had known each other for more than 70 years. He said he invited Lombardo in, and he said that although the case against Lombardo was "none of my business," he soon began to urge his fugitive friend to turn himself in.
There were nights Lombardo cried because he missed his family, and he appeared to be in poor health, Calarco said. They wouldn't have had far to go to find an officer, he added.
"I said all we've got to do is walk across the street," Calarco said, referring to his home being within a block of the Elmwood Park police headquarters. "He said he had a few more things to do," Calarco said.
Among them was a visit to dentist Patrick Spilotro, the brother of Anthony and Michael Spilotro, for some dental work. The deaths of Anthony and Michael Spilotro are among the 18 mob-related slayings in the case.
Star government witness Nicholas Calabrese has also testified about seeing Spilotro for dental care. Spilotro is expected to testify Tuesday.
Lombardo was arrested in Elmwood Park soon after the visit with Patrick Spilotro, nine months after he was indicted along with the other defendants in the Family Secrets case.
Thanks to Jeff Coen
Friends of mine: Dominic Calarco
Dominic Calarco said he went to his social club seven days a week to cook for its members, but that routine was broken by a knock on his door in January 2006.
He thought he knew the bearded man standing in front of him. But he wasn't sure until he heard the man speak, he told jurors Monday at the Family Secrets mob-conspiracy trial. The man asking for shelter at Calarco's Elmwood Park home was Joey "the Clown" Lombardo, an alleged leader of the Chicago Outfit who was on the run from federal authorities.
"He said, 'I got no place to go, can I stay with you for a couple of weeks?'" Calarco said.
Lombardo sat in the back of a row of defense tables at the trial Monday, and he didn't have any noticeable reaction to hearing about his last days of freedom. He tilted his head as he listened to Calarco, looking ahead through his tinted eyeglasses.
The two were once neighbors said Calarco, 85, and they had known each other for more than 70 years. He said he invited Lombardo in, and he said that although the case against Lombardo was "none of my business," he soon began to urge his fugitive friend to turn himself in.
There were nights Lombardo cried because he missed his family, and he appeared to be in poor health, Calarco said. They wouldn't have had far to go to find an officer, he added.
"I said all we've got to do is walk across the street," Calarco said, referring to his home being within a block of the Elmwood Park police headquarters. "He said he had a few more things to do," Calarco said.
Among them was a visit to dentist Patrick Spilotro, the brother of Anthony and Michael Spilotro, for some dental work. The deaths of Anthony and Michael Spilotro are among the 18 mob-related slayings in the case.
Star government witness Nicholas Calabrese has also testified about seeing Spilotro for dental care. Spilotro is expected to testify Tuesday.
Lombardo was arrested in Elmwood Park soon after the visit with Patrick Spilotro, nine months after he was indicted along with the other defendants in the Family Secrets case.
Thanks to Jeff Coen
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