April 6, 1911 born in Frankfort, New York to Salvatore Emordeno and Maria Migliore. The Emordeno family came from San Giuseppe Iato in Sicily, as did many Madison families.
His uncle Mike was a bootlegger. On January 20, 1922, Mike and his brother-in-law Tony Castagna were picked up for running “hooch” in Madison disguised as a freezer of ice cream. When Castagna pled guilty, charges against Emordeno were dropped. Castagna was fined $200.
February 9, 1925, Phil arrived at Ellis Island from Palermo, Sicily on January 28th. His destination was Madison, Wisconsin.
June 1925: four raids in Madison and Lake Kegonsa found a variety of bootleggers. Mike Emordeno was caught red-handed and sentenced to 60 days in the House of Correction
May 17, 1927: Mike Emordeno’s wife charged him with non-support. He left her with $1,300 and fled to Springfield, Illinois. He returned to face the charges and they were dropped.
January 6, 1931: Vice raid nets Mike Emordeno, who was keeping a slot machine at his establishment at 912 College Court. He was released on $500 bail.
July 13, 1931 was arrested in Madison, Wisconsin on charges of assault with intent to rob. He was released the same day.
September 1, 1931 charged with assault in Madison but the charges were dismissed.
September 24, 1931: Phil Emordeno was picked up for disorderly conduct and is then dismissed.
October 6, 1931: Phil Emordeno was picked up for disorderly conduct and given a fine.
May 4, 1933 was arrested in Kansas City, Missouri on a charge of robbery in the first degree. This was dismissed for want of prosecution.
April 13, 1934 arrested with his father Salvatore for breaking into freight cars at Monfort, Wisconsin. They were also wanted on similar charges in Watertown.
1934 (exact date unknown): Salvatore Immordino arrested for carrying a concealed weapon.
September 21, 1934 arrested in Milwaukee on the Henry Roloff farm for operating a still and was also wanted in Madison on a burglary charge. Others arrested in the Roloff farm raid were John Sardo of Beloit, Wisconsin, George Messina, Gaspare Montalto and Joseph Carioli (Capriola) all of Rockford, Illinois and Theodore Kollas of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. John Marino and Peter Provenzano were arrested on the Webber farm.
April 6, 1935 was arrested in Madison on a charge of larceny but the charges were dismissed.
October 22, 1936 arrested for keeping a gambling house at 7 South Park Street in Madison, Wisconsin. Also charged were Jack Newby, Edward Wallace, LeRoy Knight, Rosario Clementi, Joe Piazza, Tony Cardorello, John Scalissi, Charles Cuccia, Michael Falce and Nick Bongiovani.
March 26, 1937: Phil Emordeno was picked up for vagrancy and released on $1,000 bond.
June 23, 1937 was arrested in Dodge County, Wisconsin on a confidence charge and 50 gallons of illicit alcohol was found in his car.
October 11, 1937: Phil Emordeno was picked up for violating revenue laws (he was transporting 50 gallons of untaxed alcohol). His bond was $6,000 which was covered by Joe Sciascia and Albert Obligato (both of Beloit) putting up their houses as collateral. (I have no idea what relation these men had to Phil, but it was common during Prohibition for people to offer homes as collateral.) He went on trial in May 1939 and was sentenced to 18 months in Leavenworth by Judge Patrick Stone. At trial, Stone asked Detective JH Arnold if Emordeno was a danger if he was to go free. Arnold said he was a “police problem” with a “gang spirit attitude.”
June 1938: wanted in Dodge County for running a confidence game
January 1939: fined $50 for lewd and lascivious behavior with a 19-year old Mt. Horeb woman. Whatever they did, it was November 28, 1938. Phil lived at 433 West Gilman at the time.
October 27, 1941 was arrested for assault with intent to do bodily harm when he attacked a 17 year old girl from Shawnee, Illinois he had been dating when she told him she wanted to break up. His fine of $100 was suspended and costs of $10.20 were paid on October 28. At this time he was living in Rockford, Illinois but it is unknown when he actually moved to Rockford.
April 14, 1945 married Mary DeFay in Rockford. She was the daughter of Peter DeFay, associated with the Rockford Mafia.
May 1959 officially made a member of the Rockford Mafia with his sponsor being Rockford Mafia consigliere Joe Zito.
December 1966: caught in a gambling raid. Newspapers called him gambling boss of Rockford
1969: appeared before a grand jury investigating organized crime in Rockford. He was then indicted (for what?) with wife Mary.
July 29, 1978 was in Milwaukee along with Rockford capo Charles Vince and Rockford consigliere Joe Zito meeting with Frank Balistrieri, Peter Balistrieri, Lefty Ruggiero of the Bonanno family and, unbeknownst to them, undercover FBI agent Gail T. Cobb.
May 6, 1981 died in Rockford.
(Phil’s cousin, also named Phil, was the son of his uncle Mike. The cousin operated the Treasure Island tavern and was district manager for the Metropolitan Liquor Company. Despite the cousin being involved in the alcohol business, he does not appear to be in any way associated with the criminal element, so readers are advised to keep these men separate despite the similar names.)