It's a fact merlino is receiving payment, in lcn ur the boss until u die, step down or retire, and if u retire in a honorable way u will receive retirement checks from the mob, merlino is to money hungry to refuse it

"McGurn likes you, so I make you. So you are now one of us, if you fuck up, we take it out on McGurn. He is your sponsor. Fuck up, it's his ass. You work in his crew, he is your capo."