The Philadelphia mafia trial continues and former Philly mobster turned rat Louis “Bent Finger Lou” Monacello took the stand Friday. Monacello is one of prosecutor’s key witnesses in the case against seven of his former wiseguy pals. The main focus of Monacello’s testimony was against alleged acting Philadelphia mafia boss and his uncle Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi and mob captain George Borgesi. Monacello was also charged in the case until he decided to become a government witness after he feared he may have been targeted for death by Ligambi.
Monacello testified about working under Philly mob captain George Borgesi running illegal gambling and loan sharking operations. Monacellos said Borgesi reveled in his life as a mobster and once boasted about having committed eleven murders. Monacello told jurors about Borgesi “He’s a gangster, he was born a gangster and will die a gangster”. Monacello also testified that he collected “Christmas taxes” for Ligambi every year payment from illegal bookmakers in the area to the Philly mob so they could keep running there business. But Monacello denied every committing murder for the Philly crime family but he did testify to some mob ordered beatings he was a part of.
Dave Schratwieser takes a look at the testimony of Monacello and how the case is progressing. Monacello will be back on the stand Tuesday as he faces cross-examination.
