Momo Adamo
Encyclopedia
Girolomo "Momo" Adamo was an Italian mobster in the American Mafia
. He lived in Chicago
and Kansas City
before moving to Los Angeles
in the 1930s and soon became Underboss
to Jack Dragna
in the Los Angeles crime family
. His brother Joseph Adamo was also a member of the crime family. Both he and his brother were well connected criminals in San Diego, working with such mobsters as Frank Bompensiero. In 1950, Momo was arrested along with several members of Jack Dragna's family including Tom Dragna
(brother), Louis Dragna (nephew), and two men named Frank Paul Dragna (his son and nephew, respectively) after Jack fled the state after being named in the California Crime Commission report as a member of a crime syndicate in Los Angeles. The five of them were taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department
, who believed they were responsible for bombing Mickey Cohen
's home or knew who was. They were all released without being charged when the police couldn't find evidence of their involvement (Tom built the bomb, but otherwise none of them were involved).
When Jack Dragna died in 1956, the Los Angeles crime family cast a vote to see who would become the next Boss. Momo was hoping that as a long time leader he would be elected. However, lawyer-turned-mobster Frank DeSimone
was elected in what is believed to be a rigged election. He demoted Adamo and Adamo moved to San Diego shortly after. In the same year, Adamo attempted a murder–suicide by shooting his wife in the head before shooting himself. However, his wife ended up surviving. The reason for the killing isn't confirmed, but according to an unidentified police informant, Adamo's actions were out of shame from DeSimone raping Adamo's wife while being forced to watch. Adamo's wife was having an affair during their marriage and an alternative reason given is that Adamo committed these actions after finding out about it. His wife Marie, recovered and later married Frank Bompensiero.
American Mafia
The American Mafia , is an Italian-American criminal society. Much like the Sicilian Mafia, the American Mafia has no formal name and is a secret criminal society. Its members usually refer to it as Cosa Nostra or by its English translation "our thing"...
. He lived in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
before moving to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in the 1930s and soon became Underboss
Underboss
Underboss is a position within the leadership structure of Sicilian and American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss...
to Jack Dragna
Jack Dragna
Jack Ignatius Dragna was an American Mafia member and Black Hander who was active in both Italy and the United States in the 1900s. He was active in bootlegging in California during the Prohibition Era in the United States...
in the Los Angeles crime family
Los Angeles crime family
The Los Angeles crime family is an Italian American criminal organization based in Los Angeles, as part of the American Mafia . Since its inception in the early 1900s, it has spread throughout Southern California. Like most Mafia families in the United States, the L.A. family gained power...
. His brother Joseph Adamo was also a member of the crime family. Both he and his brother were well connected criminals in San Diego, working with such mobsters as Frank Bompensiero. In 1950, Momo was arrested along with several members of Jack Dragna's family including Tom Dragna
Tom Dragna
Tom Dragna was a Sicilian-American bootlegger and mobster who became a member of the Los Angeles crime family. He is the brother of Jack Dragna and the father of Louis Tom Dragna...
(brother), Louis Dragna (nephew), and two men named Frank Paul Dragna (his son and nephew, respectively) after Jack fled the state after being named in the California Crime Commission report as a member of a crime syndicate in Los Angeles. The five of them were taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
, who believed they were responsible for bombing Mickey Cohen
Mickey Cohen
Meyer Harris "Mickey" Cohen was a gangster based in Los Angeles and part of the Jewish Mafia, and also had strong ties to the American Mafia from the 1930s through 1960s.-Early life:...
's home or knew who was. They were all released without being charged when the police couldn't find evidence of their involvement (Tom built the bomb, but otherwise none of them were involved).
When Jack Dragna died in 1956, the Los Angeles crime family cast a vote to see who would become the next Boss. Momo was hoping that as a long time leader he would be elected. However, lawyer-turned-mobster Frank DeSimone
Frank DeSimone
Frank A. DeSimone was the Boss of the Los Angeles crime family from 1956 to 1967. DeSimone was the son of former don Rosario DeSimone. He was sometime referred to as "One Eye" because one of his eyes drooped, in the same way as Charles "Lucky" Luciano...
was elected in what is believed to be a rigged election. He demoted Adamo and Adamo moved to San Diego shortly after. In the same year, Adamo attempted a murder–suicide by shooting his wife in the head before shooting himself. However, his wife ended up surviving. The reason for the killing isn't confirmed, but according to an unidentified police informant, Adamo's actions were out of shame from DeSimone raping Adamo's wife while being forced to watch. Adamo's wife was having an affair during their marriage and an alternative reason given is that Adamo committed these actions after finding out about it. His wife Marie, recovered and later married Frank Bompensiero.