Joseph Lonardo (Italian pronunciation:[loˈnardo]; October 20, 1884 – October 13, 1927), also known as "Big Joe", was a Sicilian emigrant to the United States who became the first crime boss of the Cleveland crime family, which he structured from a number of competing organized crime gangs. When national Prohibition began in 1920, Lonardo became a dealer in corn sugar, an essential ingredient in the manufacture of corn whiskey. Lonardo became a "sugar baron" by driving other legitimate corn sugar merchants out of business, encouraging home distillation, and using intimidation, murder, and theft to eliminate or drive his criminal competitors out of business.
Lonardo transformed his gang, the Mayfield Road Mob, into a powerful organized crime family. He had the support of the D'Aquila crime family of New York City, and engaged in widespread bribery of local judges, police, and politicians. His criminal organization's reliance on low-quality corn whiskey led to a drop in revenues when consumers began favoring better quality, illegally imported liquor. He began demanding unquestioning loyalty while taking little risk, alienating many bootleggers, home distillers, and organized crime figures.
Lonardo's control of the Cleveland mafia was usurped in 1927 by underboss Salvatore "Black Sam" Todaro and the Porrello brothers while Lonardo was out of the country. When Lonardo returned to Cleveland, he attempted to regain control of the Cleveland mafia. His bodyguards were arrested as suspects in the Yorkell and Brownstein murders, leaving Lonardo unprotected. On October 13, 1927, he was murdered in a Porrello barber shop, likely on the orders of "Black Sam" Todaro. His death sparked Cleveland's Corn Sugar War.
JosephLonardo (Italian pronunciation: [loˈnardo]; October 20, 1884 – October 13, 1927), also known as "Big Joe", was a Sicilian emigrant to the United...
Cleveland family. When Lonardo returned, a sitdown was scheduled between the Lonardos and the Porrellos. On October 13, 1927, JosephLonardo and his eldest brother...
the early 1980s. Lonardo was born in Cleveland in 1911 to Joseph and Concetta Lonardo. His godfather was Anthony Milano. The Lonardo family had immigrated...
founder and boss of Cleveland crime family October 13 – John Lonardo, brother of JosephLonardo October 16 – Jacob Orgen, New York labor union racketeer October...
Sinito's involvement with the Cleveland family Capo, Angelo "Big Ange" Lonardo began when he worked as a bartender at Angelo's Highlander Restaurant and...
A funeral mass was held for him at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Miami Beach. "Statement of Angelo Lonardo before the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee...
led by boss Joseph "Big Joe" Lonardo, and both Alfred and Chuck Polizzi sometimes acted as bodyguards for Lonardo and his family. Lonardo was assassinated...
boogie-woogie pianist Big Joe Krash, pseudonym of American rapper KRS-One JosephLonardo (1884–1927), American Mafia crime boss Big Joe Mufferaw, French Canadian...
trial. The Cuyahoga County District Attorney indicted Licavoli, Angelo Lonardo, Ferritto, Ronald Carabbia and 15 other members of the Cleveland crime...
attempt made on his life by his rival in Cleveland, mafia boss Joseph "Big Joe" Lonardo. Gentile left for Sicily soon after, but not before he met with...
call Cleveland crime family underboss-turned-government witness Angelo Lonardo to testify to this allegation. Milano's lawyer strongly denied these allegations...
John "John Scalise" Scalish (1912–1976) Frank Milano (1891–1970) Joseph "Big Joe" Lonardo (1884–1927) Salvatore "Black Sam" Todaro (1885–1929) John "Peanuts"...
com. Archived from the original on 2017-01-09. Retrieved 2017-01-08. DiLonardo, Mary Jo (October 28, 2021). "Dozens of Bison Released on Tribal Land in...
IntelCenter Database (ICD). 23 November 2015. p. 66. Retrieved 17 December 2019. Lonardo, David (22 August 2016). "The Islamic State and the connections to historical...
January 6 – Cleveland Crime Family boss James Licavoli, underboss Angelo Lonardo, John Calandra, Ronald Carabbia, Pasquale Cisterino, Thomas Sinito, Alfred...
Lumalabas na hinalay muna na si Eileen bago pinaslang. ...na si Doctor Joseph Palmero ang nagbigay ng paliwanag sa naging resulta. "Definitely na nagkaroon...
charges. March 31 – Cleveland mob boss turned government informant, Angelo Lonardo, died of natural causes. April - Sicilian mafia boss Salvatore Riina stood...
1002/bies.1091. ISSN 0265-9247. PMID 11462219. S2CID 39126203. Ho, Adrian; Lonardo, D. Paolo Di; Bodelier, Paul L. E. (22 January 2017). "Revisiting life...
Front Porch Films Laci Kay – Olivia – Colirio Films Ashley Lonardo – Clear Revenge – Lonardo Productions Elise Luthman – More Than Words – AFI Ashley Lynn...
organized crime figures did not prefer Presser. But mob leaders Angelo Lonardo, Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno, and Milton "Maishe" Rockman (Scalish's brother-in-law)...
Global Information