Chicago Mob Boss Joey Cusumano Dies at 90

Joseph Vincent Cusumano, the 90-year-old former Las Vegas boss of the Chicago Outfit, has died. Known by the nickname "Joey London," Cusumano was widely considered the final significant connection between the historic New York and Chicago crime families and the corporate era of the Nevada casino industry. His death marks the end of an era for organized crime in the city.

Cusumano arrived in Las Vegas from New York in the 1960s. He initially represented the Genovese family at Caesars Palace before aligning with the Chicago Outfit. John Binder, a Chicago mobologist and author of "The Chicago Outfit," noted that Cusumano worked closely with Tony Spilotro and his crew in Las Vegas from 1971 to approximately 1985. This period ended violently when Spilotro and his brother Michael were murdered by the mob and buried in an Indiana cornfield.

Investigators believe Chicago Outfit leaders asked Cusumano to replace Spilotro as the Las Vegas boss after the murder. Cusumano declined the position. Geoff Schumacher, vice president of research at The Mob Museum in Las Vegas, stated that Cusumano did not want to be in the same position where he could be killed like his friend Spilotro. Schumacher also said Cusumano likely recognized that the old Las Vegas was ending as corporations began to dominate the casino market.

Cusumano survived a prison term for labor union racketeering and was later placed on the Nevada government's Black Book, a list of individuals banned from casinos. A few months after being added to the list, a hit squad opened fire on him outside his Vegas townhouse. He survived the shooting, though several bullets remained in his body for the rest of his life. Schumacher said Cusumano knew who was responsible for the attack and why, but he never shared that information publicly.

Experts believe Cusumano took numerous secrets to the grave. Chuck Goudie of NBC 5 Investigates noted that Cusumano was not a person who talked much. Goudie suggested that Cusumano likely knew who firebombed Lefty Rosenthal's car and had detailed knowledge regarding the murders attributed to Spilotro. The FBI once claimed Spilotro was responsible for approximately 25 murders. Binder described Cusumano as having lived an exciting life, noting that many details of his tenure will likely never be revealed to the public.

Those who knew Cusumano said he stepped aside from conducting Chicago Outfit business several years ago. While organized crime figures still operate rackets and burglaries in Las Vegas, the structure of the old Outfit has changed. Cusumano was among the last of the original generation of mob leaders to reach the age of 90, a milestone that was historically rare in the industry.

Funeral services for Cusumano are planned for mid-November. The event will conclude the public portion of his life after decades in the shadow of the Chicago Outfit's operations in Nevada.