Click here to read a note from the editor.

AS: Tell us a little bit about yourself, Joe.

JF: I was raised on the western boarder of Chicago. I grew up with one brother and both of my parents, though my father died when I was a teenager. Shortly before my father’s death in the late 1980s, my father introduced my younger brother and me to his older sons from his previous family. My relationship with my older half brothers became somewhat unstable after my father died of cancer. Currently I’m involved in projects at St. Mary of the Angels Church in Chicago, working with Father Hilary Mahaney to help the local community.

AS: In your youth you ran afoul of the law. I’ve heard there are some strange circumstances surrounding the whole affair.

JF: You’re right. During my late teenage years, I had the occasion of being at the wrong place at the wrong time and not fully understanding what was going on around me. This subject marks the beginning of what has been a lifetime of difficulties. I was charged with two felony counts: ‘intimidation’ and ‘communicating with a witness’. I regret not being sensible enough to take the case to trial. As a fatherless teenager I had no one to watch my back. The judge on that case, who conducted my marriage years later, is now a dear friend of mine. Many years later he told me that if I would have fought the case, I should have won.

AS: The case was that weak?

JF: The case was extremely defective, not to mention an outrageous fabrication created by some bad police officers. In fact, two of the lead police officials on the case were later kicked off the police department for infractions related to abuse of power. One of them actually made a habit out of charging people with the same charges that were lodged against me. The other defendants, who were older and wiser, fought their cases in court and won.

On a much more frustrating note, one of the police officials appeared to be motivated by a romantic interest with a girl my age that I knew very well. I had gone to school with her. This young woman eventually became his fiancée. I believe that he was very jealous and controlling person. He suspected that one of my friends romanced her while he was involved with her. The entire matter is an outrage and upsets me. I contend that I was setup by the police because of the officer’s jealousy.

AS: That’s a pretty shocking turn of events. Would you say it prejudiced you against law enforcement agents?

JF: Yes. Because of this tragedy, I have a great deal of anger built up inside towards police officers I don’t know well.

AS: Still, you managed to avoid any prison time?

JF: Luckily, I was not sentenced to prison. I received a sentence of probation. My heart goes out to all of the wrongfully convicted people that actually spent time behind bars. I suppose that my relation with Conrad Black has become quite significant for this reason.

AS: How has this conviction affected your life?

JF: The case lingered for two years. Constant pressure from my lawyer made it nearly impossible for me not to plead guilty. Because of this I saw no reason to continue my college career. I had to face the reality that I would not be able to go to law school, as a felony would keep me from obtaining a license to practice law. The school that I was attending, SIUC, suspended me from class for ‘intimidation’ while my criminal case for ‘intimidation’ was pending. I had not a clue as to why a girl that I knew, who was also attending SIUC, filed that complaint against me.

AS: Did you ever find out why she did it?

JF: Some time later the girl contacted me and informed me that she was pressured by the police in connection with my criminal case to file the false complaint against me via the Judicial Affairs office at SIUC. She explained that one of the bad police officers forced her to file the complaint of ‘intimidation’ against me to establish a purported consistency in my behavior, assuming at the time it would come out at trial. I was flabbergasted to hear this confession and grateful for her delayed honesty. Thankfully this young woman has agreed to officially recant the allegation in the Judicial Affairs Office at SIUC. Unfortunately my academic record at SIUC is not a big priority in my life right now.

AS: Is this sort of complaint a common thing at SIUC?

JF: I cannot say for sure, but the whole thing seemed fishy to me. I recently contacted SIUC for the purposes of doing research, asking them about the number of students over the years that have been suspended for ‘intimidation’. The answer is one.

AS: Your felony conviction does not seem to have interfered with your law career. I’ve heard that you were once a judge?

JF: Well, I certainly never sat on the bench. (laughter) As I said earlier I am unable to hold a law license. There is a story behind that judge title, though.

Over the past 10 years, I have been known as a judge in certain circles. In the late 1990’s I spent a great deal of time helping at a former friend’s law office, Jack P. Cerone Esquire. Jack P. Cerone was my late father’s union attorney, and he is an arbitrator. He granted me an honorary title as ‘arbitration judge’. The honorary title ‘arbitration judge’ was something that Jack P. Cerone used when he introduced me to certain colleagues of his. Jack seemed sympathetic about my legal situation and explained to me that one can be an arbitrator without being a lawyer. In fact, Jack eventually persuaded me to ask Governor George Ryan for a pardon. Jack was nice enough to charge me a small fortune for the legal work involved.

AS: Did that pardon ever go anywhere?

JF: I was somewhat confident that I would get the pardon after Jack introduced me to the Governor one night during dinner. I later discovered that an extremely obese man, the late Pete Palumbo, actually derailed my chance of receiving the pardon.

AS: Is this the same Pete Palumbo of Palumbo Brothers Inc. fame?

JF: Yes, although I believe they are known as Orange Crush now. Pete and I were getting in each other’s way in bars and restaurants as we found ourselves attracted to the same women. This was prior to my marriage.

Pete used to get a kick out of calling his chauffeur in the car, summoning him to the restaurant to ask him unnecessary questions. He was clearly making a fool out of this man, flaunting the fact he had a chauffeur at his beck and call. I called Pete on his despicable behavior, which began the rift between us. The whole argument almost resulted in a fist fight. Several months later Pete died and I hired his chauffeur for a part-time gig.

AS: Let’s head back to where you grew up. Specifically I’d like to talk about a few of the more colorful characters you met.

JF: Growing up on the west side of Chicago, where Oak Park, Chicago, River Forest and Elmwood Park meet, positioned me near several of the biggest Outfit families in American history. To my misfortune, I had actually met some of them and/or their immediate family members in a number of social settings in our community. I am certainly not alone, as many law-biding citizens have been exposed to the same group of people in the community.

AS: Growing up around all these people must have been an interesting experience.

JF: Having the social background that I have provided me with the knowledge to write about my experiences. Luckily most of these experiences related to Outfit cronies have been strictly on the social side.

AS: Who are some of these people?

JF: In the mid 1990s I met Dr. Joseph L. Giacchino, Jr. MD. Initially, he treated me for a medical matter. However, we started to socialize outside of the clinic. We discovered that we knew a number of the same people. I was helping Jack P. Cerone at this time, who was also an associate of Dr. Giacchino’s.

AS: I’ve read some of your writing about him. How is he tied to the Outfit?

JF: Some years after I met him, Dr. Giacchino confessed to me that he made a deal with Rudy Fratto to get his medical license back. He lost his license in the 1980s for prescribing controlled substances for non therapeutic reasons – essentially drug dealing. According to Giacchino, Mob Boss Ruddy Fratto asked Mob Chieftain, the then incarcerated Jack Cerone, Jack P. Cerone’s father, to fix the suspension matter for Giacchino. Part of this scheme to intervene in this matter involved Tony Erbacci, Jr., who was working for the State of Illinois at the time. Tony Erbacci, Jr. is also the son of Jack P. Cerone’s law partner. In return for this favor, Giacchino’s Melrose Park Clinic became a part of the Chicago Outfit.

AS: Seems like Dr. Giacchino sold his soul to the devil. Being in hock to the mob sounds like a bad situation. Did he ever try to get out of it?

JF: Giacchino confided in me that he did not want to remain beholden to the Outfit. In fact, he employed a number of close family members of big Outfit bosses for many years. Giacchino wanted out and wanted to get rid of them. He would later have his way when the Family Secrets case began. As soon as Joe Lombardo disappeared, Giacchino fired Lombardo’s sister Terry. Shortly after, he fired Jimmy Marcello’s niece Jackie Andriacchi.

AS: Did he try to use you to escape the Outfit’s attention?

JF: Giacchino was manipulating me via his ability to treat me in matters involving the use of ‘sample’ medication coupled with hypnosis. Looking back now, I see how Giacchino used me as a pawn in his sick game with the Outfit. Giacchino pretended to care about me as a close friend, having my best interest at stake, when he was only out for himself. Giacchino became aware of a death threat on my life by the Chicago Outfit, and he insisted that he could fix the problem, forbidding me to talk to the FBI, as that would only solidify my demise. I was also concerned about communicating with them after seeing what occurred in the Martha Stewart matter.

AS: Was there money involved?

JF: Giacchino required my family and me to pay him money. He was purportedly using my money to buy my safety. Giacchino reflected on an earlier experience that I had with Rudy Fratto Jr. who pulled next to me in traffic on Lake Street/Mannheim Road one afternoon in the fall of 2003, espousing that him and Cerone wanted money from me. Fratto knotted his head in the direction of D & P Trucking and said, “My older friends are starting to ask about you.” (Editor’s Note)

AS: D & P Trucking?

JF: Yes. D & P Trucking is owned by members of the DiFronzo family. On the corner of Lake and Mannheim is a business owned by this company. So he meant the DiFronzos were asking about me.

AS: Was Rudy Fratto involved with Jack P. Cerone?

JF: My friendship with Cerone was compromised due to my sudden decision to quit spending money at his restaurant and gambling in his and Fratto’s sports gaming. I suppose I stand corrected. In an earlier statement I noted that I was not involved in Outfit business. I was, but it was only in the capacity as a gambler, not a bookie. I’m sure many others have participated in Outfit business in this way, many of them not even being aware they were doing it.

There was also the suspicion in some circles that I was in possession of money considered Outfit/Teamster ‘skim’ left to me by my late father. Everyone wanted a piece of that imaginary pie.

Anyway, I refused to comply with this demand for money and several months later I was informed of the Outfit’s threat on my life via FBI Agent Holt.

AS: This death threat was used as part of Dr. Giacchino’s manipulation of you?

JF: Giacchino played it to the fullest. We owned some high-end automobiles together, so the FBI attempted to track me down at his clinic. Giacchino learned of the FBI’s interest in me and used it to manipulate my family and me from then on.

AS: How so?

JF: In the early part of 2005, Giacchino insisted that I take some ‘sample’ medication to calm down a bit prior to having lunch with Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass. Giacchino had me driven to Tuscany Restaurant in Oak Brook and persuaded me to say a litany of things that I cannot remember today because of the medication that I was on at the time. All I seem to remember at this time is that Kass became very uncomfortable when he realized that Giacchino bought our lunch with his credit card, especially since Giacchino was not present. Today I believe that Giacchino was hoping my public antics, coupled with our close relationship, would spook the Outfit from continuing to do business with him. I am not sure if it was a good idea or not. However, the attention from the Family Secrets case apparently produced an opportunity for Giacchino to cut down on his payroll. No doubt, Giacchino’s gold-digging wife, Maria Luisa Gil-Giacchino, certainly found new uses for the influx of cash resulting from this reduction in mob pay out.

AS: Are there more instances of this kind of exploitation?

JF: Many more. Sometime in 2003 Dr. Giacchino asked me to introduce him to Judge Joe Casciato. I was glad to oblige, as we had known each other for many years. Giacchino was intrigued with the story that I told him about Casciato. A while back Casciato told me that his dad was a doctor and that he treated Top Mob Boss Anthony Accardo for many years. It was Accardo that Casciato’s father arranged a deal with to get Casciato on the bench. Judge Casciato was one of the youngest judges ever appointed to the bench in Cook County.

In fact, Casciato told me that his ‘boss’ had a stake in a 1980s case in the law division that resurfaced as recently as the late 1990s. Casciato looked into it for his boss as a favor to make sure everything was smooth. I asked Judge Casciato who his boss was, and he nearly knocked me off my seat when he said John DiFronzo. I asked the Judge if he was referring to John DiFronzo as in the Outfit Boss. Judge Casciato confirmed my suspicion. He also added that he has attended the Kentucky Derby with DiFronzo for many years.

I recently looked up this case. I wonder if this is what Judge Casciato was referring to.

AS: You’ve known Judge Casciato for many years. Are you two close?

JF: We definitely used to be. Joe Casciato and I were so close at one point that I bought an expensive table at the Justinian Society dinner when he was made man of the year. He was so grateful that he insisted that his dear friend Denis Savard, the Chicago Blackhawks Super Star, was seated at my table.

Denis Sevard and Joseph Fosco

JF: It saddens me that the judge, being an Outfit loyalist, has conformed to his post and is defending the Outfit’s entity, the Melrose Park Clinic, Dr. Giacchino’s evil enterprise. I’m sure that he has made his ‘boss’ proud.

AS: You know the famous artist Matt Lamb. Was there an episode involving him and Dr. Giacchino that you were party to?

JF: Dr. Giacchino manipulated me in to seeking help from Bill Wirtz, my relative Jack ‘Romie’ Nappi’s friend, in hopes to get a wine deal for area artist Matt Lamb. Mr. Lamb had an arrangement with an Austrian winery and he was trying to get them distribution in the United States. Since I knew Bill Wirtz, owner of Judge & Dolph liquor distributors, Giacchino wanted me to get Lamb a deal. Unfortunately it did not work out in the end, and the blame was placed entirely on me.

In addition, Giacchino claimed to have a connection to Oprah Winfrey, and asked me to assist Matt Lamb in producing a documentary covering his art projects. The hope was that we could land him on the Oprah show. A famous painting by Lamb, once presented to Pierre Cardin, was supposed to be sent to Oprah Winfrey as a gift. Unfortunately, the painting never reached Oprah. The last time I saw that painting it was hanging in a gallery located in Giacchino’s River Forest, Illinois, estate, directly across from his John Wayne Gacy Art Gallery. Giacchino obviously hijacked Oprah’s painting.

AS: Why would he do that?

JF: He never had any intention of helping Lamb. What I ultimately discovered was that Giacchino had an outstanding balance for nearly $50,000.00 with Lamb over art work. I quickly realized that Giacchino used me to persuade Lamb to discount the outstanding balance.

AS: Bringing the names of people like Matt Lamb and Judge Joe Casciato might create friction between you and them, particularly in the case of the Judge, who you’ve known for a very long time. Did you have some falling out with Casciato?

JF: I believe one of the reasons that Casciato and I are no longer close, besides the fact that he is an Outfit loyalist, relates to a man by the name of Garrett Reidy. Reidy is an attorney who has a brother that referred a patient to Giacchino. Giacchino screwed this patient out of money, or at the very least tried to. In return, Reidy filed a professional complaint against Giacchino.

Giacchino once again managed to manipulate his way out of trouble. I was made aware by Giacchino that Garrett Reidy exposed me to an unethical situation that would stand in the way of my entering into a skin care business with Giacchino. As an act of revenge, Giacchino wrote up a complaint against Reidy and had me file it with the ARDC. I thought the entire thing was stupid, but I believed that Giacchino was keeping me safe from the Outfit, so I did as he asked.

Judge Casciato testified favorably for Reidy the first time that he was brought up on charges by the ARDC, which demonstrates to me the closeness between both Casciato and Reidy. I strongly believe that my complaint against Reidy is why my relation with Casciato was compromised. Despite all this, I am happy that my complaint against Reidy was dismissed. I thought the whole situation was silly from the beginning.

AS: Do you now consider Judge Casciato an enemy of yours, like Giacchnio?

JF: I do not dislike Joe Casciato. I’m afraid he is not a very smart man. Perhaps he knows some laws well, but, other than that, he is a simpleton. I can forgive a simpleton his mistakes. It isn’t like he is an evildoer like Giacchino, Cerone and Fratto. Giacchino clearly wanted to destroy my friendship with Casciato the same way he wanted Oprah’s painting. In both cases he got what he wanted.

Giacchino always gets what he wants. He wanted to deal drugs, which lost him his license. Then he wanted his license back, and got it back. Then he wanted the Outfits family members off of his payroll, and he got that, even though they are the only reason he got his license back. Now he is pushing drugs again. Take a look at Giacchino’s greedy lifestyle in the article that I wrote titled A Journey To Healing. This man’s greed knows no limits. I have sources that tell me he recently shook down Jesse Ramos, a long time employee, for 10,000 dollars.

I am disappointed that the Rod Blagojevich administration did not take as aggressive role in stopping Pusher MDs. I’m hoping that Pat Quinn will change Illinois’ long standing apathy towards Pusher MDs and finally put Giacchino behind bars.

AS: You mentioned Bill Wirtz, and it reminds me of a tall tale I’ve heard concerning you. Supposedly you managed to get the use of the United Center for Chicago Area Alternative Education League (CAAEL) for free.

JF: That one is actually true.

CAAEL at the United Center

AS: You’re kidding! You actually got the owner of the United Center to donate the whole building for a day?

JF: Yes. In the early part of 2004, I extended myself on behalf of John Martin, the president of CAAEL, and reached out to Bill Wirtz. Bill was nice enough to donate the use of the United Center to CAAEL. Months later Wirtz told me that some Outfit bozo sent word to him stating that I illegally sold the use of the United Center for a lot of money. So Wirtz called the FBI and demanded an investigation.

John Martin, Bob Love and Joseph Fosco

AS: That sounds like a pretty serious charge. What happened?

JF: Absolutely nothing. In the end Wirtz apologized to me. He related to his sorrow for doubting me in the first place. He also mentioned that the FBI’s investigation cleared me of any wrongdoing.

AS: Getting back to the subject of Dr. Giacchino, in a recent article you discussed your relationship with Jack P. Cerone and his ties to the Outfit. According to your statements there it seems that Dr. Giacchino convinced you that Cerone was the reason you were getting these threats.

JF: Yes. Dr. Giacchino felt very strongly that Cerone was the primary force behind the threats. I participated in Giacchino’s master plan to foil Cerone’s purported murder plot against me. For more information about all that please visit JoeFoscoVsJudgeCerone-Marisie.com.

AS: Ah, a shameless plug for work, eh?

JF: (laughter) I’m sorry. I just can’t help it.

AS: (laughter) I’ll let it slide this one time. At one time you knew the Cerone family very well?

Jack Cerone (left) and Joseph Fosco (right)

JF: I know Jack P. Cerone and his daughter Judge Marisie very well. I’ve gone on vacations with them.

I even know many members of their extended family. Most people do not know that the late Police Officer Frank Russo, of Schaumberg Illinois Police Department is Jack P. Cerone’s first cousin, on his mother’s side. Frank Russo and I met several times over the years. I took his mother Jackie and father Leo out for dinner a number of times with my late and beloved friend Clara Cerone. Clara and Leo were brother and sister. All of us were worried about Frank’s weight problem for many years. I am sad to see that he passed away. However, I am shocked that he lived as long as he did.

Jordan Miczek, the young man implicated in Frank’s death, is facing serious criminal charges and may not get the fair trial he deserves. I am afraid that Cerone’s influence with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, coupled with the fact that this trial is set in Judge Cerone-Marisie’s court house, almost assures an extensive prison term. I’d love to see Judge Mairise’s phone records to count the number of times she’s had unethical phone communications with State’s Attorneys concerning the Miczek case.

Remember, I was aggressively prosecuted for leaving Cerone phone messages regarding a mob hit on my life.

AS: How did your friendship with Jack P. Cerone deteriorate so badly that he would threaten your life?

JF: The answer is actually very simple. Jack P. Cerone is a power hungry greedy control freak. If you are willing to pledge your life to him and jump every time that he tells you, he will treat you like a friend. If you deviate from that pattern for one second, he will go off in a tirade that will never end. I am merely being responsive to his actions. While it may not be obvious to most people, Cerone is constantly working against me in every way that he can. I know I sound paranoid, but I’m not. I am clearly aware of how this man works.

Please do not forget that Jack P. Cerone was groomed by one of the most ruthless killers in the world, his father. To know that Jack P.’s daughter, groomed by him in the same style, is a judge in Cook County concerns me very much.

AS: Yet you talk of your conflict with the man openly. Aren’t you worried this will only aggravate the whole situation?

JF: If this was something that could be settled in a civil manner, then I might answer yes. However, Cerone believes that all I am as an adult is due to his influence. He feels that I am indebted to him. I dispute that I owe him anything, and am glad to say that, despite being around him for a number of years, I did not pick up some of his bad habits. But there is no way to convince him that I owe him nothing, so my only defense against this man is to make sure everyone knows about our complicated situation.

AS: I’m sure your last article will not be the final time you address these matters.

JF: You’re probably right.

AS: Thank you for your time, Joe.

JF: Not a problem at all.

03/26/09 – Sure enough, there’s something new to read