The Joey Merlino trial was basically put on pause Tuesday due to a sick juror so the cross-examination of star witness John “JR” Rubeo a former Genovese crime family associate continued Wednesday.
So far the racketeering trial has had its share of twist and turns as the alleged Philadelphia mafia boss tries to avoid another extended prison sentence. Rubeo has walked the jury through multiple secretly recorded conversations he had with Merlino and others including alleged mobster Eugene “Rooster” O’Nofrio detailed in an earlier report here. The feds claimed that Merlino, O’Nofrio, and Pasquale “Patsy” Parrello were the leaders of a mafia organization they called the East Coast LCN Enterprise that operated up and down the East Coast. As expected most of the feds case against Joey so far has been based upon the evidence collected by Rubeo who worked as an informant for approx five years.
“Joseph Merlino”
It seems a majority of the cross-examinations by defense attorney Ed Jacobs on Wednesday focused on Merlino’s involvement or lack thereof in an insurance-fraud scheme the feds say he ran. So far it seems that Rubeo’s testimony has had its moments but has also been somewhat shaky especially under cross-examination as Jacob’s attempts to discredit him in front of the jury. But things really took an odd twist when Rubeo testified that Skinny Joey had a mistress which you have often heard referred to as a “goumada” in mafia movies and elsewhere. According to JR, the woman was an unidentified pharmaceutical saleswoman who was involved in the insurance-fraud scam. “He ended the relationship with her. It was his connection. He said, ‘She sends things to my house, my wife is going to find out,’ ” Rubeo added according to an NY Post report.
Jacob’s seemed to be caught off guard by the allegations of the affair and asked Rubeo “So now you are telling us that Joey slept with this rep?” He replied saying that is what Joey told him which prompted a response of shock from Merlino’s wife Deborah and gasps from his other supporters that were in the courtroom according to reports. There were also prison tapes played by the defense of conversations Rubeo had while on the inside bringing into question his relationship with Merlino and his motives for testifying. It is still unknown as to whether or not the prosecution can link the cash made from the medical-fraud scheme directly to Merlino. So far it seems the tapes played and the testimony heard has had its inconsistencies in that area among others.
It is hard to tell how effective Rubeo has been on the stand in the eye’s of the jury but it seems from various reports that the tapes and evidence linking Joey to the various charges may not be as strong as the government would have liked. But there are still plenty of hurdles ahead and it is still hard to tell which side the momentum of the proceedings is favoring. Another player in the Medical-fraud scheme is Wayne Kriesberg and if he takes the stand he could potentially provide additional testimony of Joey’s involvement. The Joey Merlino trial will continue on Thursday.
Okay so now Joey had a girl on the side, some how I don’t think this was the first time although I guess its not something he wanted to hear blurted out in court. It seems like the feds case is on the shaky side in many aspects and at least so far they have had a hard time linking Joey to any aspect in particular. Unless the feds still have an ace in the hole coming down the road this whole thing may come down to how trustworthy the jury thinks there rats are.
ANOTHER LIE !CHARACTER ASSASINATION IS AS OLD AS TGE HILLS AND METHUSELAH!!!MISTRISS !!!THATS CRAP !THAT MAN IS FAITHFUL TO HIS WIFE AND HIS FAMILY AND CHILDREN AND SHE IS TO HIM!!THIS IS RIGHT OUT OF THE FICTION SECTION AT BOOKS A MILLION !!!YOU BELIEVE THAT AND I GOTTA BRIDGE TO SELL YA!!JUST ANOTHER SLAM AGAINST THE MAN!!!OMG WHAT CRAP!!!!WHAT A SOAP BOX!!!WHEN RUBEO GOES TO WITNESS PROTECTION OR WHEREVER HE SHOULD RIGHT CHILDRENS FICTION BOOKS ALONG WITH THE FBI AND THE REST OF THE LYIN WITNESSES AND HAVE THE PROSECUTORS PROOF READ IT TO MAKE SURE ALL THE LIES ARE IN TACT!!!CAUSE CHILDREN ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT WILL BELIEVE THOSE STORIES CYZ CHILDREN BELIEVE ANYTHING!WHAT A CIRCUS!!I DONT KNOW WHEATHER TO LAUGH OR CRY!!!
HEY JOHN AT LEAST YOU FOUND A NEW CAREER AS A WRITER CUZ LYING AND SELLING DRUGS DOESNT PAY AS GOOD AS PUBLICATIONS!!YOURE AS BAD AS THE LAST DON STANDING!!!IF THERE WAS SUCH A THING AS THE LAST DON STANDING AND WE KNOW THERE IS NOT !WHO WOULD IT BE??SHAME ON YOU !!
NO WONDER TAXES ARE HIGH!!#25 THOUSAND ON DINNER GOD KNOWS HOW MUCH ON A TRIAL THATS BASED ON FICTION WITH FICTIONAL CHARACTERS …NOW WHOS STEALIN THE PEOPLES MONEY??WHOS THE REAL GANGSTERS???YOU KNOW WHATS THATS CALLED MY FRIENDS ??THE ART OF MISDIRECTION!!DO YOU PEOPLE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MAGICIAN AND A PICKPOCKET ???THEY BOTH USE THE ART OF DISTRACTION BUT A MAGIAN WILL GIVE YOU YOURE WALLET BACK!!!I HOPE YOU CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS INSTANCE !!CUZ THATS WHAT THIS WHOLE THING IS !!A MIRAGE BY DAVID BLANE !!HOUDINI HIMSELF COULDNT HAVE COME UP WITH THIS LIE AND FABRICATION!!YOU PEOPLE GONNA GET YOURE MONEY BACK FOR MISINFORMATION AND A BOTCHED TRIAL??WHEN YOU GET AND GO TO WORK TOMORROW KEEP IT IN MIND THAT YOURE GONNA WORK YOURE ASS OFF SO U CAN GIVE YOURE MONEY TO THE GOVERNMENT AND THEY CAN GIVE IT TO LYIN DRUG DEALERS AND JUNIOR G MEN!!!
I NEED A DRINK AFTER TODAYS CIRCUS …THINK ILL GO HAVE SOME LIMONCELLO AND A NICE CHIANTI !!HAVE A GOOD NIGHT !!!
OH YEA ONE MORE THING BEFORE I GO TO THE WHITE ROSE AND HAVE MY DRINK ….HEY JOHN …YOU SAID YOURE TESTIFYING BECAUSECYOU DIDNT WANNA GO TO JAIL …NOW THATS PART OF THE TRUTH ..YEA YOURE TESTIFYIIN CUZ U DONT WANT TO GO TO JAIL …THATS RIGHT …BUT YOURE TESTIFYIN LIES SO THATVU DONT GO TO JAIL !!ALL OF YOU !!LIARS!!!
AND ANOTHER THING….DONT FLATTER YOURESELF GIRLFRIEND …NOBODY SPOKE TO YOU ..THATS JUST WISHFUL THINKIN ON YOURE PART …YOU CAN LOOK UP RUBEO AFTER THIS IS OVER AND CO AUTHOR WITH HIM ..MAYBE U CAN GET SOME TIPS FROM MONICA LEWINSKI …ANOTHER LIAR
Skinny Joey s wife cheated on him with that punk Johnny Gongs Cassasanto but johnny Gongs sleeps with the fish as payback..but I believe since reconciliation joey spends time and Loves his family…that was a cheap shot and Low blow by the scum rat drug addict rubeo….At the least joey gets hung jury…..but hopefully not guilty
This is starting to seem like Fed Case isn’t to strong and having JR mention an alleged affair will make the Female Jurors mad enough to convict just bc. Hopefully it’s not the case especially since JR has a hard time remembering things he allegedly did but not what others did.
Yeah the feds side of this doesn’t seem to be strong at all.
The last 5 articles on this site have been about Joseph Merlino.
Guess its what “hot” at moment in world of the American Mob.
Only other Italian Mob News is BOSTON -Providence about 1991 murder At FEDERAL HILL Section Atwell AV ..involving strong arming mob protected bookies
Any update on Vincent Asaro or John J. Gotti on the arson and drug case? Hope Joe “Skinny Joey” Merlino is found innocent on whatever his charges are.
Racketeering.
I agree !!!Fuckin lyin sacka shit John Rubeo !!!Last resort cheap shot !!!Scum bag!!GO TO YOURE WITNESS PROTECTION AND WRITE MORE LIES AND SELL THEM!!!MAYBE YOULL MAKE SOME MONEY THERE CUZ YOU AINT MAKIN NONE HERE !EXCEPT THE MONEY YOU MADE SELLIN DRUGS AND THE MONEY THE FEDS PAID U TO LIE AND PERJURE YOURESELF ON THE WITNESS STAND !!!JOEY MERLINO NOT GUILTY !!!