Q: I saw on CNN where Al Capone’s house in Chicago is for sale. Is this the same house Capone was living in when he went to prison for income tax evasion? Did Capone own any other properties in Chicago at the time of his imprisonment? Did the government seize all of his money and property?
—William McKee Jr., Flowery Branch
A: Capone's family owned the Chicago home when he went to prison. He put this property and his house in Miami in the names of his mother, sister or wife because "he didn't want to show that he owned anything of substantial value," Capone expert Mario Gomes, who maintains www.myalcaponemuseum.com, told Q&A on the News in an email.
“Al had a hard time holding on to these two properties because he was no longer boss of the Chicago Outfit. Al went broke due to his legal troubles and because he spent money like water. Contrary to what people believe, most of the money generated by the outfit belonged to the outfit, and not to Al Capone.”
Capone served part of his sentence at the federal penitentiary in Atlanta before being moved to Alcatraz. The Chicago home, where Capone’s mother, Teresa, lived until her death in 1952, according to the Chicago Tribune, is at 7244 South Prairie Ave. The Miami home, which is at 93 Palm Ave., sold for $7.4 million in 2013, the Huffington Post reported. Capone died in the Miami home in 1947.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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