Giacomo Colosimo , better known as Big Jim Colosimo, was an Italian-American mafia crime boss who built a criminal empire in Chicago based on prostitution, gambling, and racketeering. Immigrating from Italy in 1895, he gained power through petty crime and the heading of a chain of brothels. He would lead the Chicago mafia from about 1902 until his death in 1920. When prohibition went into effect in 1920, Johnny Torrio, an enforcer Colosimo imported in 1909 from New York, pushed for the gang to enter into bootlegging, but Colosimo refused. In May 1920, Colosimo left Chicago to marry his second wife, Dale Winter (he had deserted his first wife). After Colosimo returned to Chicago a week later, Torrio called him and let him know about a shipment arriving at his cafe. When Colosimo appeared at the cafe to wait for its delivery, he was shot and killed. The initial murder suspect was his new wife but no one was ever arrested for the murder. It was widely believed that Torrio ordered Colosimo's killing so that the gang could enter the lucrative bootlegging business. Torrio reportedly brought in New York colleague, Frankie Yale, to murder Colosimo. Al Capone has also been suspected as Colosimo's assassin. After his death, Colosimo's gang was controlled first by Johnny Torrio and then Al Capone. It became the infamous Chicago Outfit.
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