Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino the reputed boss of the Philadelphia mafia is once again facing what could be an extended prison sentence if convicted after being indicted in the recent East Coast La Cosa Nostra Enterprise case.
According to prosecutors, Merlino was a leader in this Cosa Nostra enterprise along with two alleged captains from New York’s Genovese crime family. Lawyers for Merlino believe the case against Skinny Joey is flawed but prosecutors seem to have an abundance of evidence from an undercover agent and cooperating witness on the inside. Could this be the beginning of the end of the Joey Merlino era and a sign that things are once again about to change for the Philly Mafia?
“Joseph Merlino”
Merlino is believed to have taken over as boss of the Philly organized crime family in the mid-1990’s after a bloody mob war between Joey’s “Young Turks” and the John Stanfa faction. He survived multiple attempts on his life rising through the ranks of the mafia all the way up to the top spot. The energetic mobster had the mafia pedigree needed to become a major player from his father Salvatore “Chuckie” Merlino who once served as the families underboss during the Nicky Scarfo era. His reign has been a troubled on starting with conviction in 1999 for racketeering which led to a 14-year prison sentence. He seemingly held on as boss of the family with Joseph Ligambi serving as his acting boss until his release in 2011.
Merlino is believed to have taken back control of the family shortly after his supervised release ended running things from his new home down in Florida. For years now many have wondered as to whether or not Merlino was actually still the boss of the family something he consistently denied but that question seems to have been answered recently. Prosecutors noted in federal documents that Merlino was “working in earnest to rebuild the Philadelphia crime family” along with his East Coast LCN Enterprise activities. Would Merlino once again be able to maintain his grip atop the changing landscape of the now resurgent Philly mafia from a prison cell?
A conviction could lead to someone else making a move to take over the top spot bringing an end to the Joey Merlino era. There seem to be plenty of capable leaders currently within the organized crime family that would fit into the big chair. This would lead to the even bigger question of who takes over for Joey and leads the family into a new era. Many believe Ligambi who served competently in his last run as an acting boss could step back in but after his recent legal troubles and reported semi-retirement does he really have the drive to step back into such a high profile role. Longtime Merlino right-hand man Steven Mazzone could fit the bill already reportedly serving as the families acting boss and underboss on occasion and seems to have the respect of the family as a whole.
There are other options including Scarfo era mobster Phil Narducci which many see as boss material and theorize a scenario in which he could step in. Then there is the wildcard and often unpredictable mob captain George Borgesi who may now have the connections and opportunity needed to make a push. Now some would argue that the Philly mob family has been diminished enough as to earning power that no one may even actually want the job at this point. But this is Cosa Nostra and Philadelphia so odds are if the opportunity is there someone will want to step in and fill the gap. The family already seems to be operating in multiple factions so another viable possibility is a continued move in that direction leaving less of a need for a traditional boss.
Regardless of who eventually takes over the family or if it moves into more of a multiple faction type scenario without an overall leader the fall of Merlino would be the end of another chapter in the history of the colorful and often dysfunctional Philadelphia mob family. If this is the end of the line for Skinny Joey it will be interesting to see how his legacy as an American mafia boss is remembered. He was without a doubt a stand-up guy and in some regards an old school 24/7 type of mobster even though he was at times hampered by his attraction to attention.
That is a very interesting question. I think if joey gets hit with 15-20 years then it is hard to see him hanging on to that top spot and I think his run as boss will officially be over. Feds may list him as boss for some time as we have seen them do with some others but its likely someone else will make a move and take over. Hard to say who that may be or if anyone even wants to at this point but I think it would be clear that Merlino’s word would no longer be the golden rule even for guys in his own faction.
I don’t think anyone would want it. How much money are we talking? I can’t imagine it’s huge money anymore. I’m sure they will gladly let joey stay boss simply to divert attention. Doesn’t Mazzone work as a trainer? These guys are not diverse enough to make money beyond loansharking, gambling. I’d be shocked if mazzone cleared 100,000 a year from mob.
I guess it depends on who and how much is still getting kicked up. They seem to be big in real estate flipping business now which can generate some solid dollar amounts so if pieces of that business are getting kicked up along with the illegal bookmaking and loan sharking still there could be a bit more cash there then we estimate. Now again that depends on who exactly is still kicking up and how much of that remains in place etc.
True, I think a few factions will coexist.
you say that joey was making tens of thousands a week from that cream scam. Joeys bail was 5mil that just shows that feds think these guys are making a lot.Those poker machines Ligambi and those guys got busted for were said to be making some weeks 50k a week there is a lot of money to be made if there was that little involved why bother not work the risk these guys always find ways it might be legit business but they are still getting stuff kicked up
How much is he steve making who knows but I would be shocked if he was not making at least 350k he and Ligambi are basiicly the top guys on the streets these days Steve
I don’t know about that. Don’t forget Joey held on to his spot while doing a big bit before. Guys are loyal to Joey.Says alot about him.He still has a tight core around him.
True but that was when the family was a bit more unstable and not on the upswing it is now. There seems to be more capable guys on the streets today then there have been in years so if there was a time for someone or the family itself in general to move on from Merlino into a new era it seems like now is that time.
I for sure wouldn’t miss Joseph Merlino. What an attention seeking goofball. He’s more like a reality TV star than a Mafia boss. I’d like to see guys straight from Sicily and Italy take complete control of the American Mafia. Now that would be interesting. Joseph Ligambi was an okay boss. But a competent boss doesn’t mean anything if everyone else are morons.
He definitely has been in that Gotti type mob boss mold a bit too much and as mentioned in article his attraction to attention has been a problem. There are still come capable guys on the streets but those #’s are def way down and families with a larger zip presence have started to straighten out and move in a more profitable and quieter direction.
I agree about Sicilians. Look at the gambinos and genovese. Both thriving, both heavy Sicilian presence. Not sure how many exist in south Philly.
The Cherry Hill Gambino’s! Ha!
perhaps the ol timers from the scarfo era… They tried the Sicilian thing with stanfa… But the Philly guys are stunads.. They want local boy scouts to lead..
I know the Gambinos and Bonannos have a heavy Sicilian presence. I didn’t know the Genoveses had one. I don’t think the Luccheses and Colombos have many Sicilians/Italians either. The Gambinos, Genoveses, and Luccheses are thriving, the Bonannos appear to be making a comeback yet again, while the Colombos are the weakest due to infighting. Infighting and power struggles are foolproof ways to destroy a crime family. It never turns out well and only leads to massive murder indictments and scores of rats.
colombos are in the best shape since the 80s a lot of guys getting out of prison. I would disagree the Bonannos have had most infighting in recent years been most unstable
Westside don’t have a big zip faction they are not controlled by siggs its not true barney was born in Sicily that’s it did not grow up there he is Nothing like celfeau john Gambino or even frank Cali or anything he came up with Sammy black
Personally, I think both of these families are all but I over. Michael Mancuso doesn’t exactly exude confidence for rebuilding. Especially since according to “the mafia”, they are making young kids to replenish the ranks. If this is true, and “the mafia” certainly qualifies as an expert, it’s a matter of time before ratting begins. It’s all fun and games until you are not even 30 staring at big sentences.
The Colombos will never rebuild with Persico running things. Once he dies, I’ll pay closer attention to their rebirth.
Mancuso got moved from his prison in New York toTexas recently going to be a lot harder for him to run that family now. Palazzo parole bust was the reason. Going to be a lot harder for his nephew to run things for him I heard the lucheses wouldent make him so he switched to the Bonanno family
No surprise soon after Palazzo has his parole violated and Mancusos is moved prisons that Joey C takes over.
That family most volatile that Palazzo bust according to feds they had to violate the parole then because they feared people were going to start getting whacked palazzo and other Mancuso loyalists were plotting against other mobsters who were backing someone else (probably joey C) Yeah they made 15 guys last year according to capeci and the feds
my gut feeling is the next big bust will be the Gambinos or Lucheses they haven’t been hit hard really last couple of years but it wouldent surprise me if it was the Bonannos a lot of parole busts last couple years shows the feds are watching them closely indictment probably coming there
One of the biggest changes in the American Mafia to take note of is the way the crews in a crime family are supposedly operating independently of each other so that one crew doesn’t know what the other crews are doing. That way if someone flips he can only give up his immediate co-conspirators, not the whole family. Maybe the days are gone when one single rat could sink dozens or even hundreds of wiseguys. You would think that the Mafia would learn from past mistakes and adjust accordingly.
True, I’ve read members of the Genovese family don’t even know other members.
I wonder if Narducci is even paying tribute to Merlino. Prime example of independent crews.
Mafia learn from it’s mistakes? Lol, half these guys still use cell phones to DISCUSS business. I marvel every time I hear about some loud mouth blabbing away in ridiculous situations.
They will never learn , Being that I have been retired since I came out , I stopped hanging out with people that are not even criminals breaking serious Laws that I don’t want no parts of ! Yes I hear it all the time BIG Shots making moves on the jack is nut’s I guess they want to have their own Reality Show of them getting knocked, and you and I both know, they will never survive , they are too weak , and when behind the wall and they will not know to Close their mouths .
So happy, I have been out of the life ,
I stay Legit , talk Legit, and be legit, “2 legit 2 quit” . Be a Goodguy, not worth ever leaving our loved ones , and family behind people not worth it. Only family .
westside do not have a big Sicilian faction that’s not true barney was born there but left very young that’s it that’s as far as the connection go he is nothing like celfeau John Gambino or even frank Cali(who is not a real zip) Petey Red is not a zip either there is siggs in the Westside but nothing like the Gambinos or the Bonannos
only real zip in SP Lucebellio doesn’t matter really enough young guys in SP involved that family will be around for some time
Dave S was saying yesterday that another indictment on joey is coming very soon
Bellomo is Sicilian. Deep Sicilian roots, hence why he was made at 21 or so. Cali, Cefula are too. Not sure about Crea, I know he’s pretty Americanized. Colombos are a shell.
Yes it would be something to see the Colombos make a comeback because that would mean that if they can do it then any of the New York crime families can. They are the weakest. Joseph Profaci was their most legendary leader. He led for 3 decades without any real jail time. One thing I fault him for though was his inability to keep everyone happy and at peace. His leadership style led to the first conflict in that group and to this day they have never recovered from all of the inter-family strife.
Don’t forget the moron joe colombo. Made a spectacle of the mafia. A boss on national tv, giving interviews!?! Then Persico takes over and thrives largely because of Michael Franzese. Then refuses to step down, and family is obliterated. All the rats during the 90’s helped sink the ship.
Yep, Joseph Colombo was an idiot. Although he had around an 8 year run without being brought down by law enforcement. The shooting of Joseph Colombo was also a disappointment. It could have went down as a spectacular Mob hit but instead of dying he was reduced to a vegetable. If Carmine Persico would have just stepped down and gave the rein to Victor Orena I think that they would be in much better shape today.
Agreed. Stepping down after his essentially life sentence should have happened. Greed I suppose, also as a lifer, what else do you have? As I recall, Orena was facing charges anyways, so not sure how long his reign would have lasted either way.
Victor Orena might have been facing charges, but it probably wouldn’t have been as bad as facing murder charges due to the conflict.
Greed Kills all..
Jimmy was quiet , and went down in silence, but his charges was , way bigger than him and a the focus was on another flashy BOSS that was always in the current News, and if this was not a lesson in life. I don’t know what is !
that’s not true that’s completely wrong where did you see that? he was a kid when he left deep Sicilian connections that’s so wrong nothing like those guys he has little to no connections he was made at 21 because his father was dying and asked tony to look after him Tony felt he could do that best if he gave him his button barneys father was a made guy he was worried what would happen to barney when he died because bellomo was on the streets getting into trouble he came up with Sammy black and when Sammy died he took over from him why he rose so fast .
Celfeu did not get made young cali did but that’s more because of Jackie nothing to do with the Sicilian connection remember when frank got made peter gotti was the boss
I didn’t say Cefula was made young, or Cali. I said both have Sicilian connections, and seemingly more traditional Sicilian values. Cali is directly tied to Sicilian mafia, via Inzerillo clan. By marriage I believe, and he’s been given some credit in helping restore their power in Italy. Many pictures online substantiate this widely known fact. Cefula was a zip made by Gotti Sr.
Barney was born in Sicily. My point here is that he is traditionally old school Sicilian. Low key, no attention, etc. opposed to Americanized Italians like Joey Merlino or Gotti. They crave attention. My primary point is that the more traditional Sicilians seem to run families more effectively, as they stay true to original traditions. I don’t know how many Sicilians are in Genovese family, but I do know Bellomo has been a great leader, and he’s more traditional Sicilian. Thus, more traditional Sicilians seem to make better bosses
Born in Sicily? What about that rule nobody born in the old country can be boss of an American Cosa Nostra family. He is a good boss though.
Never heard that rule, lol, as it would exclude virtually every boss from 1920-1960.
If that’s a rule, then that’s a very stupid rule. Especially since one of the biggest reasons that the American Mafia is in such bad shape is because it has become too Americanized.
There has never been a lot of zips in the westside not like the Gambinos or Bonannos I heard over gotti took over some switched to the westside not sure if that is true. Sal DeVita is a sigg with the westside who had zips in his crew back in the day but it is a very small minority
He has his connections Cali no doubt he married john Gambinos niece and pete Inzerillo a soldier and member of his crew is his brother in law
I am not sure really hes not like gotti but only other leader you can compare to gotti in New York recent times is Vinny Basancio. He is low key to a certain degree but he is no oldtimer he lives in a mansion and he operates out of petey reds social club which is very visible hes not as low key as some of those other westside guys like dom Cirillio. Cali aswell lives very well like bellomo. Celfeau lives more old school last heard his “job” was working in a baker
Joey merlino , my best memory of his remarks when interviewed by news and reporters asked Joey about 100,000 $ contract hit that John Stanfa ordered….joey replied quickly……Tell Stanfa to give me the 100,000$ and Joey said I will shoot myself……If Joey goes away for 20 years…or more….I will always remember that he never backed down and never ratted…Like him or hate Joey, he was capable and had Ball
true he did say that it was 500k and the scarfo contract in the late 90s which was in the press at the time he survived it all scarfo tried to have him killed in the 80s then stanfa then the Genovese family then the lucheses and nicky junior then scarfo again in the late 90s put 500k on him from prison. So many hits went wrong a car bomb under his car dident go of a stanfa associate with a sniper couldent get a clean shot john veasy killed mikey chang but couldent kill joey
Only time he was ever really scared was the 80s after chuckie got taken down Charlie white and nicky C had to tell him to stop coming around and to disapper because scarfo put the word out no one was to go near him. Marty Angleni still hang with merlino after that when scarfo senior found out he had nicky junior and tony scadfi beat marty up just for associating with joey. If scarfo had lasted another year joey would have end up dead