Giacomo Colosimo was popularly known as ‘Big Jim’ and an Italian immigrant, who started his criminal activities as a pickpocket. Later, he developed the Chicago Outfit, the American mob’s city version. He tried to bring together the pimps, extortionists and the street thugs for building a racket, which went on to dominate the Windy City’s organized crime for over a century.
It was bootlegging and success of Colosimo that made Chicago to become the criminal’s paradise, including his doom. Several future mafia leaders were given birth by him like Johnny Torrio, Al Capone.
Early life
It was on 16th February, 1879 that he was born to Giuseppina and Luigi Colosimo, Colosimi town, Italy. In 1895 the family moved on to Chicago and settled in the most corrupt district of the city, the First Ward. It is after arriving that he assumed the name of James.
His growth as a Mafia
On his arrival, for income, he started to shine shoes and sell newspapers. Later on, he started petty thievery and organized prostitutes. It was during this time that he got introduced to Victoria Moresco, a madame and got married in 1902, after which they opened together a brothel.
Black Hand’, an Italian extortion scheme was engaged by him, targeting residents and threatening them with violence, in case, huge amounts were not paid to them. The racket got its name with the extortion letters bearing hand stamped with ink. This way, Colosimo got exposed to the Chicago underworld.
Besides this, he also did a legitimate job to work along with fellow Italian immigrants. He had his co-workers to be organized into social club, thereby giving him influence among his fellow hoods and immigrants. A pool hall was opened up to become an activity center for street gangsters.
Through his brothel business, he came in contact with Alderman and Michael, two main Chicago politicians, corrupt to the core, controlling prostitution in the city. In some years, Colosimo was running a huge network of about 200 brothels, gambling as well as different types of racketeering. He came to be called ‘Big Jim’, but due to his notoriety and flashy dresses, he had earned another nickname ‘Diamond Jim’.
He led an organization called the Outfit that still exists today and bears his name. White slavery or sex trafficking ring of violent nature was established during his peak. It was on 11th May 1921 that Colosimo was shot to death by a gunman.