Joseph Colombo

Joseph Colombo
Colombo on March 6, 1970
Born	Joseph Anthony Colombo (1924-06-16)June 16, 1924 Brooklyn, New York City, New York U.S.
Died	May 22, 1978(1978-05-22) (aged 53) Blooming Grove, New York, U.S.
Cause of death	Cardiac arrest
Resting place	St. John's Cemetery, Queens
Occupation	Businessman, Crime boss, Mafioso, Mobster, Racketeer
Known for	Boss of the Colombo crime family

Joseph Anthony "Joe" Colombo, Sr. (June 16, 1924 – May 22, 1978) was the boss of the Colombo crime family, one of the "Five Families" of the Cosa Nostra in New York.

Joseph Colombo, Sr. was born into an Italian American family. His father, Anthony Colombo, was an early member of the Profaci crime family, forerunner of the Colombo family. In 1938, he was found strangled in a car with his mistress. Joe Colombo attended New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn for two years, then dropped out to join the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1945, he was diagnosed with neurosis and discharged from the service. His legitimate jobs included ten years as a longshoreman and six years as a salesman for a meat company. His final job was that of a real estate salesman.

Colombo owned a modest home in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn and a five-acre estate in Blooming Grove, New York. His five children include sons Christopher Colombo, Joseph Colombo Jr. (1946 – 2014) and Anthony Colombo (1945 – 2017).

Colombo followed his father into the Profaci family. He became one of the family's top enforcers, and soon became a capo.

In 1961, Joe Gallo and his crew kidnapped Colombo and other members of the Profaci leadership. Gallo was demanding a more equitable split of income from Profaci, who had incensed many family members with his opulent life style and high family taxes. After several weeks of negotiation, Profaci and the Gallo brothers reached a deal. Colombo and the other hostages were released. Later in 1961, Profaci reneged on the deal and the First Colombo War started.

On June 6, 1962, Profaci died and Joseph Magliocco succeeded him as boss. Magliocco was soon drawn into a plot with Bonanno crime family boss Joseph Bonanno to murder Lucchese crime family boss Tommy Lucchese and Gambino crime family boss, Carlo Gambino. Magliocco wanted to retaliate against the two bosses for their support of the Gallos, and supported Bonanno's bid to take over Mafia Commission. Magliocco gave the contract to Colombo, who promptly revealed the plot to Lucchese and Gambino. The Commission forced Magliocco to retire and named Colombo as the new boss.