Leonard Patrick
Encyclopedia
Leonard "Lenny" Patrick was an American
mobster, a member of the Chicago Outfit
involved in bookmaking and extortion and later a government informant.
Emigrating with his family from England
. Patrick grew up in the Jewish neighborhood of Lincoln Park
, in Chicago's Near Northside and during Prohibition
, eventually becoming an associate and later partner of Greek-American loanshark and extortionist Gus Alex
. Imprisoned during the 1930s for bank robbery in Indiana
, as well as his participation in six suspected gangland slayings, Patrick continued working for the Chicago Outfit and, by the 1950s, his Westside restaurant was one of the biggest bookmaking operations in the city. He would also expand into legitimate front businesses, primarily laundry companies, for illegal gambling, loansharking and extortion activities.
In 1992, Patrick agreed to become a government witness following his indictment for racketeering charges. His testimony would result in the conviction of Gus Alex and several other key figures involved in the cities extortion rackets.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mobster, a member of the Chicago Outfit
Chicago Outfit
The Chicago Outfit, also known as the Chicago Syndicate or Chicago Mob and sometimes shortened to simply the Outfit, is a crime syndicate based in Chicago, Illinois, USA...
involved in bookmaking and extortion and later a government informant.
Emigrating with his family from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Patrick grew up in the Jewish neighborhood of Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park, Chicago
Lincoln Park, is one of the 77 community areas on Chicago, Illinois North Side, USA. Named after Lincoln Park, a vast park bordering Lake Michigan, the community area is anchored by the Lincoln Park Zoo and DePaul University...
, in Chicago's Near Northside and during Prohibition
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
, eventually becoming an associate and later partner of Greek-American loanshark and extortionist Gus Alex
Gus Alex
Gus Alex was a Greek-American mobster and high ranking member of the Chicago Outfit, who succeeded Jake Guzik as the Syndicate's main political "fixer".-Early life:...
. Imprisoned during the 1930s for bank robbery in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, as well as his participation in six suspected gangland slayings, Patrick continued working for the Chicago Outfit and, by the 1950s, his Westside restaurant was one of the biggest bookmaking operations in the city. He would also expand into legitimate front businesses, primarily laundry companies, for illegal gambling, loansharking and extortion activities.
In 1992, Patrick agreed to become a government witness following his indictment for racketeering charges. His testimony would result in the conviction of Gus Alex and several other key figures involved in the cities extortion rackets.
Further reading
- Abadinsky, Howard. Organized Crime, 5th ed. 1997.
- Kelly, Robert J. Encyclopedia of Organized Crime in the United States. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2000. ISBN 0-313-30653-2
- Sifakis, Carl. The Mafia Encyclopedia. New York: Da Capo Press, 2005. ISBN 0-8160-5694-3