More than 40 people were arrested including mafia captains, soldiers, associates and even a mob boss during a massive FBI bust targeting Cosa Nostra.
According to reports, the organized crime operation stretched from South Florida all the way up to Springfield, Massachusetts. Arrested included members of major New York mafia families Gambino, Genovese, Bonanno, and Lucchese along with the Philadelphia crime family. Among those arrested was alleged Philly mafia boss Joesph “Skinny Joey” Merlino. According to early reports, the feds collected thousands of hours of recordings from agents and an informant capturing the mobsters discussing the mafia schemes.
“Joey Merlino”
Charges include illegal gambling, loansharking, arson, extortion and the peddling of more than $3 million dollars in untaxed cigarettes and many many more. Officials said the mobsters often met in restaurants and rest stops long the highways and used coded language to discuss business. Arrested along with Merlino and noted as leaders of the mob ring called the “East Coast LCN Enterprise” were Genovese crime family capos Eugene (Rooster) O’Nofrio and Pasquale (Patsy) Parrello according to court filings.
The informant in the case who has yet to be identified worked for both Merlino and Parrello while the fed undercover agent worked for O’Nofrio according to the reports.
Made Guys arrested in the bust included:
Philadelphia crime family:
Joey Merlino
Genovese crime family:
Pasquale Parello
Conrad Ianniello
Ralph Balsamo
Anthony Conigliaro
Eugene O’Nofrio
Lucchese crime family:
Marco Minuto
Gambino crime family:
Danny Marino
Bonanno crime family:
Pasquale Maiorino
John Spirito
Wow! Well many of us thought the feds would have Joey back behind bars sooner rather then later and seems like we were right. Seems like a massive roundup and you can bet the feds have one hell of a case with both a rat and a fed undercover on the inside.
To be honest John Joey only ended up in this case because he is based on Florida and became in contact with a New York rat this was an investigation really into the Bronx factions of the Genovese and Luchese family
Joey should never have tried to branch out should have stayed with the guys he knew in Philly now because of his greed he will do time and this is just the beginning I could be wrong but I predict he will be indicted in another case by the end of the year with all the Philly guys
I agree. His stupid ass just couldn’t be happy being boss of his own family. Now he got himself jammed up with some rat. What is he doing deals anyway? The whole point of being boss is you have other people handle shit. You think Carlo Gambino did deals once he became boss!? The structure is set up so you have layers of protection. A buffer zone to protect the boss. I really thought Joey was smarter than this. C’mon, Joe…
You thought he was smarter than this?
This whole case is being misunderstood it was not an investigation into the Philly mob it was an investigation into the five family’s. Mainly the Bronx factions of the Genovese and Luchese family
Joey only got indicted in this case because he has been living in Florida and became in contact with a rat who was wearing a wire. Joey is only facing gambling charges and one count of health care fraud. The rat for permission from New York to work for him that’s all we know
This is bad news for joey because he will do time because of his greed if only he had kept working with the guys he knows in Philly he would not be under indictment instead he tried to branch out with New York and is now under indictment. He will do 5 10 years if he is convicted
The worst bit of news for joey is that this was the case Feds in Florida had been building against him the case the Feds in Philly have been building has not been finished yet for Joey this is just the start
parello is done aswell the case against him and is guys is very strong and they are looking at serious time especially for the assault charges
Vinny Casablanca is a made lucchese guy and it’s not Daniel Marino the old time gambino captain , it could be his son Danny Marino jnr . Genovese soldier ‘Ralphie Sant’ Santaniello is also made with the genovese family
I think this has a lot to do with the stefinelli tapes
I was thinking about that angle myself when I read that the bust went down. Wonder if perhaps some of what was on those tapes was used to check into or even expose some of these links between Joey and those NY guys.
Was in shock when i read this yesterday, to bad for Joey looks like hell be doing some time again..Alot of guys i know, know Parello down on Artur Ave in the Bronx, hes a big name down there and just in general could deff see him as the ring leader. I thought it was intresting to see Joey working with NY, i know the Gambinos have some hold over Philly but nowadays i feel like families kind of stay to themselves to avoid things like this..but i guess weather we know it or not all the families up and down the east coast will always be in some type of connection. Only a handful of made guys though, as long as everyone keeps their mouth shut things shouldnt be to bad, theres a whole line of guys to replace these guys in the snap of a finger, especially with Barney and them.
Joey is a stand up guy no matter what people say about him…And if he gotta do 10 years Joey can do it…I agree that greed is weakness for him and too much Flash but that is Joey…if trial is in New York or Philly that’s good for him.but if trial in Florida the jury won’t be as sympathetic….As Frank Sinatra sang famous song I did it my way ,that’s Joey. Must pay close attention to South Philly wise guys as this situation progresses
I think your right as to a trial being outside of Florida a plus for Joey although I am not sure he beats this case either way , the feds have had a hard on for him for years and I don’t think they finally dropped the hammer with out having him in a real bind as to solid evidence.
Joey Merlino’s sudden and to most unexpected arrest has absolutely nothing to do with some NY rat wearing a wire; newsflash anyone who is a real f*****g gangster has a tech guy or three. Merlino is accused of selling fentanyl cut heat via a furniture store ill not name in downtown Philly, to myself, just some fuckin nurse, along with perhaps others that a corrupt FBI field supervisor wishes to be rid of immediately. Alledgedly, the Philly Mob was wiring money to my silly ass, through Walmart’s Money Gram, or something completely different, because self-incrimination costs us real motherfuckers although only a few corrupt metro cops or feds generally. The drive from fuckin Louisville to north appalachia is beautiful, even with Cadillac Ray (paid FBI liar for LMPD) and his goon passenger Desirat, or Desiray, pardon me, and a whole gang on dirty ass feds in my rearview. Merlino? Just a name folks know is all, this is all about the Friday the 13th hits last year on myself and my partner, Tommy Grismer. Rest in peace my boi, we will always be Family, no matter the price. On that note, anybody wanna see my goofy ass in a fed mobile go after B Barbieri in his loud ass truck? That was a f*****g Friday- I got a year of some shit your asses wont be able to even accept or even relate too, but my hands are still steady, my motives unchanged, but sure- tell me the fuck about some Mafia drama, nevermind that moon.
With no Colombo members caught in this does it mean no one wirks w/them or is something bigger coming for them? Anyway just last wk i asked when will Merlino be arrested,especially since Philly is so quiet. Then it happened.
Because Colombo family is really only based in Brooklyn and areas of Staten Island. A few guys living in Florisa New Jeresy this was into the Bronx factions the Colombos have never operated there
This isn’t the late 1970s or 1980s anymore. It was drugs and murder which brought them heat and put a lot of the guys away. Nowadays most guys getting arrested aren’t getting 30 and 40 year sentences anymore. The most people are getting nowadays is 10 years, but the majority of guys are only getting 2 and 4 years. There have been several major “mafia” bust in the past few years.
Half of the guys arrested in those cases weren’t even sentenced to prison because the state didn’t have enough evidence. Look at the Philadelphia mob roundup 2 years ago, none of the main guys actually went to jail, and those that did only got a few years.
As long as they stay with the traditional rackets the long prison sentences are a thing of the past, and convictions are much less likely with the traditional rackets too as the Philadelphia case showed.
O’Nofrio?
Didn’t know or ever hear much about him before now seems he was an acting capo and been around for quite some time dating all way back to the 70s.