It was on 16th June 1923 that Joseph Anthony Colombo was born. The early life of Joe is not known, but he was the only son of his parents. His father also belonged to the American Mafia, until 1938, when he was murdered. Colombo got engaged into various legitimate jobs during his younger days, like joining U.S. Coast Guard, worked as longshoreman, meat packing company, with the last one being selling real estate.
His life as a Mafia
He had become the Profaci Mafia Family’s Enforcer by late 1950’s, in New York. It was a tough family, among New York’s prominent 5 Mafia Families, while holding a seat on the national Mafia Commission. His job as an enforcer was to have money collected that was owed to Profaci Family, to take part in activities engaging physical work that was ordered by the higher ups or the capo. He had great skills to collect money and was into extortion, and later got inducted officially within the Cosa Nostra.
His career
Colombo is said to have come across numerous close calls or ‘scares’ during his tenure as a Mafia. Many Profaci leadership members along with Colombo had been kidnapped at one time by a disgruntled and most feared capo of the family, known as Joe Gallo. The reason for the feud was Joe Profaci, the family’s boss had been requesting Gallo to provide bigger tributes. Gallo being infuriated had held the hostage for several weeks until an agreement was made finally by Profaci to lessen down the tributes which were owned by Gallo. With the death of Joe Profaci, Joseph Magliocco a consigliere, became the family’s boss, who pursued Gallo. Magliocco made a plot to have the whole commission to be murdered, which included Joe Bonnano, Tommy Lucchese, and Carlo Gambino. He had asked Joe Colombo to take the contract, hoi had revealed this plot to Gambino and Luchhese, upon which Magliocco was compelled to take retirement. In the process for his loyalty to the Cosa Nostra, Colombo got rewarded and the Profaci Family was handed over to him, thereby having the renaming Profaci Mafia family to be renamed as Colombo Mafia family. Colombo had become the nation’s youngest family boss at the age of 41. At the same time, he also had supported the American-Italian rights, fighting for equality, thereby creating American-Italian Civil Right League. He emerged a popular leader with the community. On 8th June, 1971 Colombo was shot, but survived, only to remain in vegetative state, until 22nd May 178, when he finally died.