Was Merlino set up?

I watched Michael (Chicken) Franzese respond to Merlino, In his response, he reveals that the man who contacted Merlino asking for a meeting was NOT HIS LAWYER, BUT A FORMER EMPLOYEE. He does not condemn the man, in fact sort of defends him. He then attacked Merlino. A set up? If so, Merlino fell for it. When he was reading the texts from what he said was Franzese's attorney, I wondered if he checked to see if that was the lawyer. He didn't. Merlino screwed up, He also, again, did not call Sonny a rat. He knocked him for not cutting his son off after Michael testified.


The strange part is the unanswered question: Who was the man who contacted Merlino? His name has been given out,
by Franzese. Is he a nut, or did Franzese set it up? I still cannot believe Merlino did not google the name to see if that was the lawyer. Unless he faked the lawyer's name. Now Frnazese is acting tough and outraged over it, not at the man who made believe he was his lawyer, but at Merlino.

Merlino is pretty sly and knows what is what and has basically his crew of his neighborhood friends since he was a little kid, I cant see him falling for some BS text message without doing due diligence to figure out who was texting him. He seems in the podcasts pretty adamant about not being around some types of people he doesnt know or might sell him out or send him back to the pen just for talking to the wrong person. I dont know there is always the chance he lets her guardd own for one second and then BOOM

Can you believe it, the rat lovers are now trying to use the fact that Joey Merlino's uncle was a rat against him. Well I got news for you, every rat has stand-up guys in his family and every stand-up guy has rats in his family.

Sonny cut Michael (his son ?) as soon as he herd he flipped and also his younger son obviously when he flipped it put Sonny away …. But i have friends in the Persico family and it’s been since the mid possibly late 70’s - 81 ish i am almost positive someone in the blood family told me Michael is not Sonny’s blood !!!

But for sure Sonny cut ties with Michael and i believe did not speak to him again until Sonny was way up in years and his brain was not sharp as once was .

Yes, but what about the fact that the man who contacted Merlino saying he was Franzese's lawyer was actually an ex-employee of Franzese, and not his lawyer? Could Franzese have set it up?

Of course he could have … he been lying and scamming his entire life …. He will still do just about anything to make a dollar.

Do you guys think that Merlino's alleged point was that Sonny should've ordered the murders of both his sons because they were rats? I mean it happened back in the days...

Wonder if he asked for that to be done? Michael is not his son by blood so that might be easier but I am guessing he loved his wife, michael's mom, so much for standing by him through his life, he could not order a hit?

I agree and I get your point since we're both sane individuals, but in the past many Mafia members whether it was their own blood or not, they killed or beat the shit out of them. Back in the days it was normal to adopt a child but in the brain of a Mafia high level member at the time, that same situation was also a little bit different. "CN comes before your family" right? I think that was one of the main rules...and Sonny as an old-timer obviously broke their own rule....

TBH by the time Sonny reached 100 years old I doubt the Colombos had any serious hitters to do the deed.

I dont know shit about most of the NY Mafia, especially the Colombos, but what year did Michael decided to testify? And when the other son decided to spill the beans also?

Michael Franzese always claims he never testified against anyone, but I would say maybe late 1980s? John Franzese Jr I believe in the early 2000s, not sure. By the time John Franzese Jr flipped the mob was so littered with rats I don't see anyone doing anything about it.

Franzese testified against Norby Walters in 1989. John Jr. flipped "twice". He gave information sometime in the early 2000s, but was somehow able to convince his father's circle that it wasn't true. Then he flipped for good in 2008, I believe.

Thanks for the info bud. Again, I dont know much about the Colombos but I think they still had hitters during those days, or maybe Im wrong?!

Thank you, you are the only one so far to answer that question.

No, you're spot on. I would even go as far as to say that the Colombos boasted a rather strong lineup of killers back then. One thing about the Colombos is that they always put a great deal of effort into recruiting dangerous guys

That's true Giacalone, but by the early 2000s I'd say they were pretty much outta there. Even worse today.

I think that the American Mafia truly died in 2004, when Joe Massino flipped. I also notice that's when ganglandnews.com got lame, this is just my observation and opinion of course.

Addressing the question of Michael's biological relationship to Sonny, it was explained to me that Michael is, in fact, Sonny's biological son. However, the decision to conceal this fact stemmed from Sonny's desire to keep certain things a secret. First of all, Michael's mother was quite young when he was born, around 15 years old, while Sonny was 34. Furthermore, Sonny was married to another woman and having a child out of wedlock was not taken lightly either.

Today is a different world, but in the early 2000s you had plenty of very serious people. You had Craig Marino for example (who is still around actually). You also had Dino Saracino, Joey Caves, BF, Black Dom, Teddy Jr. got out in '04, Chickie DeMartino, Dino Calabro, Tommy Shots, Frank Campione, not to mention Sonny himself. Every single one of these guys mentioned is/was a killer

Thanks again bro. So can I safely say that Sonny was able to order his sons hits, even from prison? He obviously didnt do it and broke one of their rules, while on the hand being constantly labeled as alleged hardcore and feared individual who also allegedly took the lives of many men and always followed the rules.

Yes, I believe Sonny's weakness was his children. It's very hard to blame him for that, but I also think it helped Michael that he didn't take the stand against any made members. On the other hand, Sonny would have gladly killed other peoples kids for doing what Michael did. The crazy thing is that Sonny was actually one of the first people who lobbied for the execution of John Gotti Jr. when it came out that he had proffered. In the end, he was just a murderer and a hypocrite.

Nicely said and thanks again.

New merlino episode is pretty good. He has Franzese's 302's and sounds off on Gene Borello. I actually really enjoy his podcast.

Its a silly question that's why. How would it even be considered a set up? You don't even consider the fact that Mikey got told off and got embarrassed and did the classic 8 year olds' excuse "It wasn't even me"

It is not a silly question at all. Merlino was contacted by a man who said he was Michael Franzesse's attorney, and wanted to set up a meeting. Michael Franzese himself said later that week, after Merlino reacted to the message, that the man was not his attorney, He then said the man used to work for him. I asked everyone here if they thought Frnazese may have had the man contact Merlino in order to get a response. This is silly:

Shotguntherifle:
Its a silly question that's why. How would it even be considered a set up? You don't even consider the fact that Mikey got told off and got embarrassed and did the classic 8 year olds' excuse "It wasn't even me"

So Merlino answered a question from a guy who was once affiliated with Sonny, asking to do a show with him? Merlino responded, I don't think he gave a shit if the guy knew him or didnt, the response would of been the same. This was an opportunity to set it clear he isnt doing a show with any rat. You over thinking something stupid and trying to call it a set up like its Funzi Teiri on Tony Banana's stuff.

I don't think there's anyone in NYC that died with more respect then Sonny Franzese, to call him a rat because he didn't disown his kids ???

Then tells his cousin to dump her frather in the trash ??

Come on, are you kidding me...What kind of bum is this ???

I liked his videos till this one..Trying to make himself look like the biggest tough guy...he would do 7 years stand up....Lets see him get sentenced to 50 years and see what he does...

As soon as I heard him blasting family members, I immediately unsubscirbed !!!

He never said Sonny Franzese ratted, he said that he should have cut off his son. That is a big difference.

Did you watch the podcast, or follow this topic? The guy said he was Franzese's lawyer, how is it that you find that hard to comprehend??

He called him a rat, I don't know much clearer it can get !!

When did I say he was or wasn't? It appears you have an issue comprehending things. You are saying its a set up because a guy who wasn't who he said he was asked Joey a question and Joey answered it. I'm saying Joey didn't care who the guy was. Lawyer now, then or next week, It was an oppurtunity to address any rat who wants to ask him to come on the show. It was very clear the last time I said it. You are the one who can't comprehend. Which is why you asked this stupid question.

Even if that wasn't Joey intentions, its the furthest thing from a "set up" You are trying to create something in that special ed head of yours.