Skinny Joey reminds me of Gotti and Basciano.


Ligambi is cited as the acting boss in this iteration of the indctment but he is in the can, so the street boss the guy on the street calling the day to day shots is prob Mazzone or Johnny Chang, but who is the official boss then?

ehh, i wont pay too much mind to that acting/official distinction now until they go to trial or more details start to surface that might clear things up.

It appears there isn't an official boss and there hasn't been since Natale flipped. After that, Merlino became acting boss, followed by Ligambi as acting boss.

Also, if anything is splitting hairs, it's "street boss" and "acting boss." They're the same thing.

This is what I have believed all along in terms of Philly's hierarchy:

"Most sources say he became acting boss in 1999 when Merlino was arrested. Ligambi, those sources say, had the acting dropped from his title between Merlino's conviction in July 2001 and his sentencing that December."

http://articles.philly.com/2010-12-26/ne...law-enforcement

If this is the Eric Esposito I believe it is, I'm totally shocked this guy is made, even in this day and age.

There are new Mob Talks with Dave Stratweiser on Fox. This is about Merlino. If you read this story there are links at bottom of page for Mob Talk.

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/loca...nt_Shows_050312

Document Says Joey Merlino Still Runs Philly Mob
Prosecutors File Court Document Based On Wiretaps
Updated: Thursday, 03 May 2012, 10:17 AM EDT
Published : Thursday, 03 May 2012, 10:17 AM EDT

PHILADELPHIA - A bomb has been dropped on the Philadelphia mob as new information has come out about Joey Merlino and jailed boss Joseph Ligambi.

Federal prosecutors filed a document that includes shocking revelations about the mob, including that Merlino was still running things while he spent 14 years in jail.

FOX 29's Dave Schratwieser joined "Good Day" with the details on Thursday morning.

Actually not a new Mob Talk...Just was on Good Day talking about the new info that came out earlier this week.

Merlino still runs Philly mob, court document says
By George Anastasia

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER


During 12 years spent in prison on racketeering charges, Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino continued to control the Philadelphia crime family, and despite the fact that he is now living in Florida, Merlino, 50, still sits atop the organization’s management chart, according to a government document filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

The surprising disclosures were contained in a 21-page detention memo filed by prosecutors seeking to deny bail to the two latest defendants in a racketeering case pending against Philadelphia mob leader Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi and 11 others. Ligambi, 72, is described throughout the document as the “acting boss” of the Philadelphia crime family, a designation to underscore Merlino’s status as the recognized leader of the organization.

It had been widely assumed that Ligambi became the boss after Merlino’s conviction in 2001 and that Merlino had gone into semiretirement when he opted to relocate to Florida after his prison release last spring.

The detention memo cites secretly recorded conversations in which Merlino’s status is defined as the man in charge. It includes a reference to a discussion in 2010 about a “making” — or mob initiation — ceremony and individuals proposed for membership. Ligambi is quoted as saying that Merlino will “make” the guys he wants when he comes home from prison.

The government document is based in large part on two secretly recorded conversations by a government informant who was wearing a body wire when he attended mob meetings at an unnamed New Jersey restaurant in May and October 2010.

North Jersey mobsters Joseph “Scoops” Licata, 70, and Louis “Big Lou” Fazzini, 45, attended both meetings and were recorded at length discussing their roles in the crime family. Licata and Fazzini were named as defendants in a superseding indictment unsealed last week in the pending racketeering case. The new indictment also expanded the charges against Ligambi.

The indictment charges all the defendants with racketeering conspiracy and being part of organized crime. It includes multiple counts involving gambling, loan-sharking, and extortion. Ligambi also is accused of fraud in conjunction with a no-show job at a trash company through which he and his family received more than $224,000 in Teamster union-financed medical benefits.

Prosecutors cited the meetings, the status of Licata and Fazzini as “made” members of the crime family, and the criminal records of both in arguing that they should not be freed on bail pending trial. Both posed a danger to the community and risk of flight, prosecutors argued.

Bail hearings for Licata and Fazzini are expected to take place some time next week after being postponed on Tuesday.

Ligambi and five other key defendants have been held without bail since their arrests in May 2010.

Merlino has not been charged in the pending case but reportedly is the focus on an ongoing investigation into possible violations of his parole restrictions. Merlino is prohibited from associating with any organized crime figures or known felons for the next three years while on supervised release. But sources say Merlino, who now lives in the Boca Raton area, has had frequent contact with mob members and organized crime associates, several of whom attended a birthday party for him in March.

In the pending racketeering case, Licata is described as a capo — or captain — in charge of the Philadelphia crime family’s North Jersey crew. Fazzini is described as a soldier working for Licata. Both are said to be involved in gambling, loan-sharking and extortion.

While not identified in the document, the cooperator who recorded the restaurant meetings is believed to have been Nicholas “Nicky Skins” Stefanelli, a Gambino crime family soldier who committed suicide in March. Sources say Stefanelli wore a body wire for nearly two years, recording conversations with mob figures from New York, Philadelphia, North Jersey, and New England.

He reportedly killed himself by taking a drug overdose because he couldn’t face the prospect of testifying against his former mob associates. He was found dead in a hotel room in North Jersey.

Ligambi and Anthony Staino, another defendant in the pending case, attended the May 19, 2010, meeting with Licata, Fazzini, and members of the Gambino crime family, according to the government memo. Topics discussed included the murder of Philadelphia mob associate John “Johnny Gongs” Casasanto in 2003; friction between the Philadelphia crime family and the Lucchese organization after the son of jailed Philadelphia mob boss Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo was formally initiated as a member of the Lucchese crime family; and problems over the lack of “quality” membership in the newer generation of the mob.

Licata also joked about how he got blood all over his shirt when Fazzini was formally initiated by Ligambi. At the making ceremony, Licata said, Fazzini’s finger was pricked with a pin, but no blood was drawn. So a knife was used instead.

The “blood splashed all over ... my shirt,” Licata said with a laugh as he recounted the story. “I still got the shirt at home. I saved it. I don’t fit in it anymore, but I have it at home.”

The memo makes reference to a second restaurant meeting on Oct. 21, 2010, attended by Licata, Fazzini and the cooperator.

During that meeting Licata and Fazzini discussed the structure of the Philadelphia mob and Licata quoted Ligambi about Merlino initiating members when he gets out of jail.

“Licata explained that Merlino is calling the shots from jail,” the memo reads in part.

It also notes that Licata expressed caution about whom he might propose for membership. Licata, who has served two jail terms for racketeering convictions based on informant testimony and tapes, said he did not “want to face another criminal prosecution where his guys cooperate with law enforcement.”

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/149902935.html

Merlino's name is everywhere. He's mentioned in that article I posted about the Boston Teamster guy who had a lot of money on him when he died.

This Licata guy needs to be institutionalized. Today.

Ol Joey...can't take the south philly life out of him, anyone know how long he would have to go back in just for the parole violation for hanging around known felons if that is proved?

I think it depends on the situation. Mazzone I believe was either warned or did minimal time when he was caught at the Christmas party when he first got out.

Looks like Joey was the ultimate boss all along...

Anyone know who the guys proposed for membership were? The guys Merlino would make when he came out?

I highly doubt Merlino was the ultimate boss. Ligambi has always let him make/promote a couple guys to keep his faction happy. It's a get out of jail gift.

Joey was telling Ligambi who to make while he was away for 12 years, he was the official and ligambi was the acting as evidenced by the superseeding indictment recently filed against scoops and co.

they said joey has been meeting with oc guys down in florida and the feds said he will be back in the courtroom for parole violations before the end of the summer

You know sometimes I don't even think Ligambi cares about the pecking order,he seems to me like he just wants to make money[a lot of it]and stay low key.Although being boss or acting boss comes with other duties that don't seem to be Ligambi's thing.I remember years a go when Angelini was out of control and got beat down by a 10th and O guy on Delaware Ave.You can't beat up a made man without repurcussions,right?Well supposedley Uncle Joe,Marty,and the 10th and O guy had a sit-down and the outcome was ''tell Marty your sorry''what?are you kidding me.It reminded me of the movie ''The Longest Yard'' when that muscular dude broke that huge guy's nose and Bert Reynolds said say your sorry,and the muscular dude whimpers real polite ''I'm sorry''the city paper was all over that one.

^^^agreed uncle joe prob didnt give a damm, he was just happy to earn and be out after getting a second chance after his murder conviction was overturned.

Transcript: How wiseguys are “made,” in their own words
By George Anastasia
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
May 3, 2012

A detention memo filed this week in U.S. District Court by federal prosecutors provides a “fly-on-the-wall” look at a May 2010 mob meeting in an unnamed New Jersey restaurant. The memo was filed in support of a government motion to deny bail to Joseph “Scoops” Licata, 70, and Louis “Big Lou” Fazzini, 45, who were added as defendants in a racketeering case against Philadelphia mob leader Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi and 11 others.

The memo includes more than a dozen references to secretly recorded conversations picked up on a body wire worn by a cooperating witness While the witness is not identified by authorities, reliable sources say it was Nicholas “Nicky Skins” Stefanelli, a soldier in the Gambino crime family who wore a wire for the FBI for two years.

What follows is a partial transcript from that meeting, with Licata reminiscing about the 2007 “making” ceremony at which Fazzini and others were formally inducted into the Philadelphia crime family, refered to in the document as “LCN” (La Cosa Nostra).

Licata notes that Fazzini and Eric Esposito, a co-defendant in the racketeering case, were made at the same ceremony conducted by Ligambi. He states that Anthony Staino, another codefendant, also was present, along with Michael Lancelotti. Staino and Lancelotti, referred to as “Lance,” have been described as capos or captains in the Ligambi orgnaization.

Five others, including codefendant Damion Canalichio, were inducted in an earlier ceremony, Licata says, noting that Canalichio was initiated shortly before he went to prison (the “can”) for a drug conviction.

Licata references then-jailed mob boss Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino, who he says had proposed three others for membership. Ligambi declined to “make” those unnamed associates, Licata says, because he didn’t know them well. He tells Licata that Merlino can make them himself when he he comes home from prison.

Also below, from the detention memo, is the federal prosecutors’ analysis of the transcript.

Note to readers: The transcript contains frequent profanity.

—

Joseph Licata: It was five before you, and it was two that night. That’s seven guys. Seven guys. That’s it. That’s it. Seven made.

Cooperating witness: That’s enough.

Licata: See, that’s it … (unintelligble)

Cooperating witness: You want quantity or quality, you know?

Licata: Damion [Canalichio] was before you.

Louis Fazzini: Before me?

Licata: Then he went to the can. Yeah. Damion was before. He might have been with the first five.

Fazzini: Right.

Licata: Yeah. First five. Then you guys came. And it was five that night supposed to be with youse. When I got there, there was only three. I says what happened? Said when he [Merlino] comes home let him do it. He, he… (unintelligible) so I said where’s the other three, 'cause we’re all sitting in the room. They’re all downstairs. When he comes home.

Cooperating witness: (unintelligible)

Fazzini: See this joint? When I, when I got straightened out, you either knew you were getting straightened out or you’re getting clipped. One of the fucking two.

[Laughter]

Fazzini: Because I was alone. And then — you see when they’re in Good Fellas, when they walked in and the joint’s empty?

Licata: Yeah. Yeah.

Fazzini: It was a fucking old meat market. And I walk in, and they put me at a table, and I’m waiting, and they’re all upstairs.

Licata: We brought you up first, though.

Fazzini: And I’m all by myself.

Licata: We brought you up first, though. We brought you up first, though. You went before Damion.

Fazzini: Yeah. But I was still downstairs.

Licata: Yeah, but you were… (unintelligible).

Fazzini: Youse brought me up, and I’m at a table. I says, man, good thing I know I ain’t got a dirty...

Cooperating witness: We, we did it by five… (unintelligible) five of us… (unintelligible)...They went by age.

Licata: Did they? By, by age?

Cooperating witness: By age.

Licata: Now, when we were walked in, Anthony [Staino] walked us in, ‘cause he picked us up. So, he says, Louie, you go there. C’mon Joe, we’re going up, and I walk in and Joe’s sitting there with a shirt and tie on. Joe’s all duded up.

Cooperating witness: I mean, they’re all good guys.

Licata: Yeah.

Fazzini: And then I’m, I’m in the, I’m, I’m, the joint’s closed. It was like a fucking banquet hall.

Licata: Yeah, yeah. It was locked. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Fazzini: You know the joint, you know. And I’m downstairs, and I’m sitting at a table by myself.

Licata:[Laughs]

Fazzini: And, uh, they’re all upstairs. And I don’t know. Was Eric [Esposito] downstairs with me? (unintelligble)

Licata: No. They brought him in. Lance [Michael Lancelotti] brought him in.

Fazzini: Yeah. Yeah.

Licata: He came late. He came late with him.

Fazzini: Yeah. And then, uh –

Licata: Lance. Caporegime.

Fazzini: Yeah. Then they called me up. I said, all right. At least I know I’m not…

Licata: No. You came up first. ‘Cause Joe set it up.

Fazzini: I know I didn’t do nothing to nobody, but...

Licata: No, no. He said bring Louie up first. He gave me that honor. You know? Which, you want to know the truth? The kid was from Philly; it should be him. You know? But he brought him up first, which was nice.

Cooperating witness: Good… (unintelligible) Same thing.

Licata: Yeah.

Fazzini: It was nice.

Licata: Then we all went and ate. Right? With a big spread.

Fazzini: Right.

Licata: And he couldn’t get, couldn’t get the fucking blood out of his finger, with the pin. And he got the fucking knife...

Cooperating witness: We had, we had another guy, too.

Fazzini: Yeah. Yeah.

Licata: The fucking blood splashed all over his shirt, my shirt...

Fazzini: And he got a knife like this here…

Licata: Joe’s shirt!

Fazzini: (unintelligible) Yeah. Yeah. I had, yeah.

Licata: (unintelligible) … all full of blood.

Fazzini: I still got the shirt at home. I saved it. I don’t fit in it anymore, but I have it at home.

Licata: Madone! It splashed all over me.

Cooperating witness: That’s funny.

Licata: And Joe got it.

Cooperating witness: That’s funny.

Licata: He, I can’t get through with this! It was so funny. Well, at least we can laugh about it.

This passage shows that Fazzini is a “made” member of the Philadelphia LCN Family, that Licata sponsored Fazzini, and that Ligambi, assisted by Staino, presided over the ceremony. This conversation also reflects that codefendants Damion Canalichio and Eric Esposito are “made” members of the Philadelphia LCN Family. The conversation explicitly acknowledges elements of the LCN “making” ceremony such as pricking the finger of the proposed member and the presence of a knife. It demonstrates Fazzini’s understanding that he was gaining membership into a violent organization (reference to the Good Fellas movie and the cutting of his finger with the knife), and his willingness to commit acts of violence in furtherance of the enterprise. The ever-present specter of violence is manifested by Fazzini’s comment he didn’t know if he was going to be initiated (“straightened out”) or murdered (“clipped”). Fazzini’s pride in his membership and adherence to LCN values is demonstrated by his comment that he kept the bloody shirt as a trophy of his induction ceremony.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/201205...?page=1&c=y

Nicholas “Nicky Skins” Stefanelli seemed to be all over the place getting guys on tape. It kinda surprised me there is still that level of contact between families from different cities.

Wow - I am really surprised by this. I just did not see Joey being the official boss with Ligambi as acting / street boss.

I amazed that guys in jail can still get info in and out, and exert enough "control". Makes you wonder what we need to do with our jails to limit this kind of scenario.

If this is true, I'm surprised Joey managed to keep control for all this time. Always thought he was more of a street tough guy than real boss material.

This also kind of goes to show you how secretive this thing still continues to be even with dealing with all the rats that get nabbed on drug charges which was a big no no, and now since they didnt evolve to more "wall street type" white collar crimes and continued to do the street stuff and the penalties are so harsh for a first time bust on coke or whatever it easier to wear a wire than do 20 years.

With new mob indictment, which Joe is in charge?
By WIlliam Bender
Philadelphia Daily News

Daily News Staff Writer

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsy...in_charge_.html

It’s an 83-page racketeering indictment designed to cripple the Philadelphia mob, but the U.S. Attorney’s Office is playing a last-minute game of who’s-the-boss while 14 defendants are awaiting trial.

When Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi was busted last year, the indictment described him as a “made” member of the city’s La Cosa Nostra family who “rose through its ranks to become its underboss, then acting boss, and then, after the incarceration of his predecessor Joseph Merlino, the boss of the Enterprise.”

But in last week’s superseding indictment, which added two new defendants and additional charges for Ligambi, prosecutors significantly altered that description. They now say that Ligambi never rose past “acting boss” when Merlino went to jail in 1999.

“If the government contradicts itself, that’s beyond my control,” said Ligambi’s attorney, Edwin Jacobs. “If they have a charging document that says one thing in 2011 and they change it to say another thing in 2012, they’ll have to explain that. That’s not in my job description.”

So, which Joseph has been running the mob in the 21st century? Merlino or Ligambi?

Both. Sort of.

Ligambi is believed to be the “functional boss” who, before his arrest last year, had handled the day-to-day operation, while Merlino still wielded influence from federal prisons in Texas, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana, according to a law-enforcement official.

“Obviously, he wasn’t in a position to be totally hands-on,” the official said of Merlino, who was released from prison in March 2011 and is living in Florida.

The feds’ shifting description of the mob’s organizational structure is based on secretly recorded conversations in 2010 that weren’t included in last year’s indictment. The conversations were detailed this week in a government motion pertaining to Joseph “Scoops” Licata and Louis “Big Lou” Fazzini, the North Jersey mobsters added in the superseding indictment.

Legal experts said that the prosecution’s contradictory statements about who is running the mob shouldn’t be a major trial issue because the jury is unlikely to see the earlier indictment.

“I think the U.S. Attorney’s Office is sending a message down to Joey in Boca,” said attorney Christopher Warren, co-counsel for Merlino in the 2004 murder trial that ended with a not-guilty verdict. “They’re saying, ‘We’re not done with you.’?”

Just not summer that is causing skinny joey to get hot down in boca

When was that making ceremony that they taped? Fazzini is a made member rocking a bootleg fubu shirt LMAO "

I just choked on my OJ and cinnamon bun!
Welcome back DickNose.

George Anastashia Trumps up all their bolshit because he would be out of a job if he didn't. Esposito's clubhouse/bar "The Ward" was a dive. The bartender was selling yeyo out of her tits that was cut real bad, and half the time he'd be alseep at the bar. Thats honor,"Passed out at your own bar."

i carry the skinny joey flag with pride.

Yep, I recently saw a documentary on Butner FCC where Persico Sr and Madoff are at. The inmates there have 300 minutes a month to use to call people.

Thanks Dapper. You would think the authorities could tap those phones unless they are talking with an attorney under privileged conditions.