"Joey the Clown" to prison for life

Chicago Outfit big shot "Joey the Clown" Lombardo, convicted of racketeering and the 1974 racketeering murder of Daniel Seifert, was sentenced yesterday to life in federal prison, according to reports by Jeff Coen of the Chicago Tribune and Mike Robinson of the Associated Press.

Lombardo (right), now 80, and four other defendants were convicted of racketeering in the landmark Family Secrets trial of September 2007. Lombardo, Frank Calabrese Sr. and James Marcello were also convicted of racketeering murders. Calabrese was sentenced last week to life in prison.

Before sentencing, Lombardo remarked, "I suppose the court is going to send me to a life in prison for something I did not do... I did not kill Danny Seifert."

Seifert was shot to death by masked men at his Bensenville plastics company, as his wife and son looked on. Seifert was expected to testify against Lombardo in a 1974 case. After Seifert's death, the charges against Lombardo were dropped.

Trial witnesses described Lombardo as boss of the Outfit's Grand Avenue crew and indicated that he extorted "street tax" payments from area businesses.

Schweihs trial expected in April

Frank "the German" Schweihs is expected to be brought to trial in April in a sequel to the current Chicago Family Secrets case, according to a report by John Drummond of CBS-2 in Chicago.

Schweihs, 77, a reputed mob enforcer, was removed from the list of defendants in the current case when he was reportedly diagnosed with cancer. Authorities note that he has since made a miraculous recovery.

Convicted of extortion in 1989, Schweihs is now charged with participating in the murder of government witness Daniel Seifert in September 1974.

Click for CBS2Chicago video report.

Secrets: Lombardo says he was just pretending

Joey "the Clown" Lombardo told the Family Secrets Trial jury that he has never been a member of an organized crime society and only occasionally acted the part of a mob enforcer in order to assist friends in debt collection, according to stories by Steve Warmbir of the Chicago Sun-Times and Jeff Coen of the Chicago Tribune.

"...Like James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson," 78-year-old Lombardo (right) testified in a Chicago courtroom yesterday.

Lombardo, on trial with other men accused of running the Chicago Outfit criminal organization, was ready with answers to all of his apparent underworld links as he took the stand in his own defense.

Asked about a photo that shows him at a restaurant table with underworld characters including former Outfit boss Tony Accardo and Joey Aiuppa, Lombardo responded that he had just gone in to the restaurant "to get a sandwich" when an old friend called him over to say hello.

Asked about the killing of Daniel Seifert, who was prepared to testify against Lombardo in a union corruption case, Lombardo responded that he had "no idea Mr. Seifert was gonna testify against us."

Asked about his use of the word "we" when he and alleged racketeer Louis "The Mooch" Eboli discussed retribution against a business that didn't pay the mob "street tax," Lombardo said he merely misspoke.

Secrets: Lombardo will testify in his defense

"Joey the Clown" Lombardo, one of the defendants in Chicago's Family Secrets trial, intends to testify in his own defense, according to a story by Steve Warmbir of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Lombardo's attorney Rick Halprin made that announcement in court on Wednesday. Lombardo (right), 78, is expected to testify about his alibi on the day that Daniel Seifert was killed. He insists he was reporting a stolen wallet to the police at the time Seifert was murdered by a shotgun blast in 1974.

Other defense attorneys are expected to reveal Monday whether their clients will also step up to the witness stand.

Chicago 'Family Secrets' trial

Trial updates:

- Roy L. McDaniel, a retired FBI fingerprint analyst, testified that reputed crime boss Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo's fingerprint was found on a car title document for a vehicle used by the 1974 killers of Daniel Seifert, according to a story by Steve Warmbir of the Chicago Sun-Times. Seifert was set to testify that Lombardo was stealing funds from a Teamsters Union pension fund.



- Ronald Seifert, brother of murdered Daniel Seifert, testified that Daniel's wife told him she suspected Lombardo's involvement in the murder, according to Sun-Times coverage. Emma Seifert earlier testified that she was able to identify Lombardo among her husband's masked assassins by his build and his stride. Defense attorneys pointed out that she did not reveal her suspicion to police investigating the murder. She responded that she remained silent out of fear for her family. Ronald Seifert said Emma told him of her suspicions on the day of Daniel's death.

- Joel Glickman, an acknowledged bookmaker, refused to testify against defendant Frank Calabrese Sr. on July 2 despite a grant of immunity from prosecution, according to stories by Steve Warmbir of the Chicago Sun-Times and Jeff Coen of the Chicago Tribune. Glickman, 71, was asked if he had paid a "street tax" to Calabrese. He responded "I respectfully refuse to testify." Judge James Zagel found Glickman in contempt and sent him to lockup. He is expected to spend at least the duration of the trial behind bars. Prosecutors expected Glickman to testify that he paid between $1,300 and $2,000 a month for permission to run his gambling operation.

- Jim Stolfe, owner of Chicago's Connie's Pizza chain, testified Tuesday that he was approached in the early 1980s with a demand for a $300,000 "street tax," according to a video report by John Drummond of CBS-2 in Chicago. When Stolfe approached Frank Calabrese Sr. with the problem, Calabrese arranged for Stolfe to pay $100,000 instead. Later, he realized that Calabrese was behind the extortion racket.




- On Tuesday, Frank Calabrese Jr. (above) took the stand and began testifying against his father, a reputed bigshot of the Chicago Outfit., according to a story by Steve Warmbir of the Chicago Sun-Times. The younger Calabrese recalled being caught after stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his father's underworld enterprises. Frank Sr. "pulled out a gun, and he stuck it in my face and told me, 'I'd rather have you dead than disobey me.'" Frank Jr. recalled going out with his father and his uncle Nick Calabrese on collections, and he testified that his father had him set fire to a garage. The theft from his father was in support of a cocaine habit, Frank Jr. revealed on the stand.

Previous related post:

• Secrets: Widow points finger at Lombardo 07-01-07

Secrets: Widow points finger at Lombardo

Emma Seifert believes that Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo (left) was one of two masked gunmen who murdered her husband in 1974, according to stories by Jeff Coen of the Chicago Tribune and Steve Warmbir of the Chicago Sun-Times.



Testifying in the federal Family Secrets trial last week, Seifert described the killing of her husband Daniel on the morning of Sept. 27, 1974. Two masked men burst through the door of the office she shared with her husband. "I screamed, but obviously not loud enough," she said.

Daniel Seifert, a former friend of Lombardo's who was set to testify that Lombardo robbed funds from Teamster pensions, was struck, chased and shot to death. After being knocked to the ground, Seifert scrambled to his feet and ran from the office through a parking lot to his fiberglass factory. A bullet took him down. One of the gunmen approached and delivered another shot to his head.

After Seifert's death, the case against Lombardo fell apart.

Emma Seifert believed she recognized Lombardo by his build, his height and his stride. At the time of her husband's murder, she did not tell police of her suspicion that Lombardo was involved.

Related MobNews posts:

• Secrets: Shakedown video and the Clown's driver
• 'Secrets' witness provides Outfit history 06-26-07
• Opening statements at 'Secrets' trial 06-21-07
• Chicago 'Secrets' trial opens 06-19-07
• Schweihs severed from 'Secrets' trial 06-18-07
• Chicago mobster paid hush money 06-18-07
• Ratting out the Outfit 06-08-07
• Chicago mobster admits 14 killings, cooperates 05-24-07
• TV report previews Chicago Outfit trial 05-15-07
• Family Secret jurors' names secret 04-25-07
• Feds look for $500K from Lombardo 04-24-07
• Witness list of Chicago Outfit trial revealed 04-23-07
• Deputy marshal charged with aiding mob 01-13-07
• Chicago commission papers subpoenaed 01-10-07

Schweihs severed from 'Secrets' trial

Ferriola, Venezia reach plea deals on eve of trial

Frank "the German" Schweihs will not be with his Family Secrets case codefendants when trial begins in Chicago tomorrow, according to a story by Steve Warmbir of the Chicago Sun-Times. Due to Schweihs' poor health - he reportedly has cancer - he was severed from the case and could eventually stand trial separately.

In Family Secrets, Schweihs (left) was charged with the 1974 killing of Daniel Seifert. Prosecutors also suspect him of involvement in the 1985 murder of Pasquale Ricciardi and other killings.

The Sun-Times also noted that Family Secrets defendants Nicholas Ferriola, 32, and Joseph Venezia, 64, reached plea deals removing them from the case today. They pleaded guilty to gambling-related charges. That leaves five defendants for trial starting tomorrow. Four other defendants have already entered guilty pleas.

Fourteen men were indicted in April 2005 in connection with the federal Family Secrets investigation. Last week, Michael Marcello and Thomas and Dennis Johnson pleaded guilty to paying hush money to a murder witness. In May, Nicholas W. Calabrese, 64, admitted involvement with 14 killings. He is expected to testify against the remaining defendants, including his brother Frank Calabrese Sr.

The remaining defendants are:
- Joey "the Clown" Lombardo, reputed former boss of the Outfit.
- James Marcello, who prosecutors say was the reigning Chicago boss at the time of his arrest.
- Frank Calabrese Sr., an alleged member of the Outfit's 26th Street crew.
- Paul "the Indian" Schiro, alleged loan shark.
- Anthony Doyle, former Chicago police officer.

Related MobNews posts:

• Chicago mobster paid hush money 06-18-07
• Ratting out the Outfit 06-08-07
• Chicago mobster admits 14 killings, cooperates 05-24-07
• TV report previews Chicago Outfit trial 05-15-07
• Family Secret jurors' names secret 04-25-07
• Feds look for $500K from Lombardo 04-24-07
• Witness list of Chicago Outfit trial revealed 04-23-07
• Deputy marshal charged with aiding mob 01-13-07
• Chicago commission papers subpoenaed 01-10-07