I think Al the Lid is a neighborhood person they know. Not a mobster as far as I can gather. I finished watching it on a tv set, it was great. The part with the co host's father was funny, did anyone catch that food his mother had cooking? I got hungry looking at it.

Merlino's idea of how to raise funds for raising medical funds "I'll rob another armored truck" was funny, The case with the cop in the beginning was very interesting. The cop lied, got caught, and got away without being charged. He really had an obsession with Merlino.