Uncle Joe

He must be getting out or having a bail hearing today, right..??

Jacobs said he was going to file some motion today

I know there were a lot of trolls in the last thread but why on earth would they close it before finding out what happened with his bail motion or retrial?

For God sakes just let the guy out already. They had 2 shots at him in court. If theres no new evidence just let the guy go. The vast majority of the jurors were for total acquital....10 to 2.

It's not the administrators fault as much as it is the Jerk offs who have nothing to do with Philly in the first place. If they didn't shut it down it would have just continued to be the bull shit thread it had become with a whole bunch of internet tough guys. So, for the non Philly guys who bring nothing to the thread, let the adults speak.

I'm no cheerleader, but if they deny him bail and try him again something is wrong. I can't see him not getting bail while they decide what to do, he should be out by the end of the week (depending on when he gets his hearing).

BREAKING: Federal prosecutors will not re-try reputed Philadelphia mob boss Joseph Ligambi, after second jury deadlocks

https://twitter.com/jeremyrroebuck

I agree jmack, nice_guy was getting out of hand. I woulda liked to see that thread go on. Question for you philly guys. What are dom grande's daily moves. Also, what are the chances anthony nicodemo beats his case, and if he does, is he gonna do anything with borgesi?

Hopefully another source will soon confirm the report that Ligambi won't be re-tried a third time. Though jeremy roebuck is a reporter for the inky and on philly.com so i'm pretty sure that is the case.

So it looks like Joe Ligambi will be joining his nephew George at home soon and will not be re-tried again.

Do those guys, Nicodemo & Georgie, not get along or was I reading that wrong?

Me outta hand? You called me a name first and I was just busting balls back n you took it all serious, so please don't blame it on me. 2nd I don't know any of these Guys but a couple of my friends did time wit philly guys and said thy were just like Chicago guys, cool, calm, and respectful so it got me to start digging in deeper to know who these characters are, and this trial had me hooked because they were unfairly prosecuted, but maybe your mad at me because I backed the defense the entire time and slammed the judge and prosecutors daily lol, But to me they deserved it.
Anyways good for Uncle Joe he'll be home by Tomo, and from what I heard these philly guys turned out being everything my friends said they were...Stand up!!

Bobby vegas and Nice Guy dont ruin another FUCKING thread with your bullshit!
No retrial in Ligambi case


Reputed Philadelphia mob boss Joseph Ligambi as seen in 2001. After fending off conviction for a second time last week, Ligambi could soon be a free man. (File photo)



JEREMY ROEBUCK, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
POSTED: Monday, January 27, 2014, 4:23 PM


After fending off conviction for a second time last week, reputed Philadelphia mob boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi could soon be a free man.

Federal prosecutors filed a motion Monday to dismiss the remaining charges against the 74-year-old after a jury deadlocked on racketeering and illegal gambling charges filed against him.

If U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno approves the request, Ligambi would be released from federal custody for the first time since his arrest in 2009.

Friday's verdict marked the second time in two years that a jury's inability to come to a verdict prompted a mistrial in Ligambi's case.

Prosecutors alleged that Ligambi oversaw the mob's illegal gambling and loan-sharking operations across the Philadelphia region and South Jersey.

His lawyer, Edwin Jacobs Jr., maintained that the crimes alleged by the government were all carried out by others without Ligambi's knowledge.


Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140128_No_retrial_in_Ligambi_case.html#EpmgXTHBFvGFqW3p.99

Outta respect for this thread I will not seek revenge on your comment. I will give you a pass.
I do enjoy reading on this thread what you gossipers have to say....Peace

So how does this work now...Merlino is still the Boss and Joe is the street boss? Or does Joe retire and Mazzone stays on as the street boss? How about Georgie Boy?

A lot of guys back on the street...this should be interesting to watch how it all plays out.

This is my prediction (posted this in the locked thread)
Merlino- Official boss
Mazzone- Street Boss
Ciangalini- Underboss
Ligambi- Consigliere
Licata- North Jersey Capo
Narducci- Philly Capo (with other scarfo guys)
Lancelotti- Philly Capo (with merlino guys ex. borgesi)
No idea- South Jersey capo

Government Moves To Drop Charges Against Ligambi

By George Anastasia
For Bigtrial.net

Federal authorities have decided not to retry mob boss Joe Ligambi on conspiracy and gambling charges that two juries have soundly rejected.

In a motion filed this afternoon, the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania asked Judge Eduardo Robreno to dismiss the three remaining counts pending against the 74-year-old mob leader.

The move came two days after a jury voted to acquit Ligambi of a witness tampering charge and hung on the conspiracy count and two counts of illegal gambling.

"In this instance I agree with the exercise of judgment by the U.S. Attorney's Office," said Edwin Jacobs Jr., Ligambi's lawyer. "(Federal prosecutors) took their two best shots unsuccessfully."

Jacobs said it would be a waste of taxpayers' money and government resources to try Ligambi a third time. The Atlantic City-based attorney, considered one of the top criminal lawyers in the area, represented Ligambi in both trials.



In the first trial, which lasted a three months and ended in February, a jury found Ligambi not guilty of five of nine counts he faced. A second trial, focusing on the four remaining counts, began in November and ended on Friday with the panel's split decision.

The anonymously chosen jury of 11 men and one man had voted 10-2 in favor of acquitting Ligambi on the three counts on which it hung. Ligambi's nephew and co-defendant, George Borgesi, 50, was acquitted of conspiracy, the one count on which he was being retried.

Borgesi was released immediately.

Jacobs said he hoped to have Ligambi freed within the next 24 hours, or as soon as Judge Robreno signs an order dismissing the remaining charges.

"Hopefuly, my client and I will be having dinner together tomorrow night," he said.

Jacobs said he would be buying.

For a reporter he seems to have gotten his info wrong this time. Ligambi was arrested May 23, 2011 not 2009.

tough to say about who will take over the south jersey crew with staino gone for the next few years,I'm sure there were others, but i dont even know the names of other made guys in that crew besides that meathead vince fillipelli.

3yrs is still a LONG time to be locked up.

On UNproven GAMBLING charges.

For a 78yr old man.

Personnaly Id be hiring a litigation lawyer.

Free Uncle Joe.

He's 74 y/o not 78. and according to a family friend UJ is most likely coming home today or tomorrow

Where does that leave Borgesi? I think he's more likely to hold an administration position than Ciangalini.

Wonder how much money, if any, uncle joe has squirreled away. I'm not too familiar with his history but did he beat a murder case years ago that you guys mentioned in the deceased Philly thread? At that age you'd have to think the past few years were pretty stressful. I'm wondering, just like everyone else, what his plans for the future are.

along with otthers he was convicted for the murder of Frankie Flowers in the late 80s, then after doing 10 years in prison his conviction was overturned, then he was acquitted after the retrial.

Ligambi's attorney, Ed Jacobs, says he expects his client to be released from a federal detention center Tuesday.

I thought for a lil while they had uncle joe dead to rights on the charge where him mousie and staino went into the joker poker guys office and made him sell all his machines to them for cheap. joe skated on that one. did it even come up in this trial. that's wat sunk mousie.

Do we have a list of all current members of the Philly Mob to sift thru?

The last chart I have for Philly is:

Boss: Jospeh "Uncle Joe" Ligambi
Acting Boss: Steve Mazzone
Underboss: Joseph Massimino
Consigliere: George Borgesi

..but I'm sure that is not accurate.

@Dellacroce...thank you. Damn that's crazy. He's been very lucky. He might actually truly believe in the United States justice system.

http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131107213510/mafia/images/4/40/Philly2010.gif

Philly.com updated the story Del posted earlier.

And i like the photo George A. posted on the Big Trial site





No retrial in Ligambi case


He fought off conviction for a second time last week. On Tuesday, Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi could end up a free man.

Federal prosecutors said Monday they would not try Philadelphia's reputed mob boss for a third time after two different juries failed to deliver a verdict in his racketeering and illegal gambling case.

U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno was expected to dismiss the remaining counts against the 74-year-old Tuesday morning, clearing the way for his release from federal custody for the first time since his indictment in 2011.

"He should be available for lunch tomorrow," said his lawyer, Edwin Jacobs Jr.

John S. Han, a Justice Department trial lawyer who helped prosecute Ligambi, declined Monday to discuss the decision to abandon the case, saying it "was made at a much higher level than mine."

"This was a worthy prosecution," he added. "But we accept the jury's verdict."

The choice not to retry Ligambi came after two costly and time-intensive attempts to bag the alleged mob don. Authorities have spent millions of dollars and 14 years to buttress their claim that he oversaw the mob's illegal gambling and loan-sharking rackets across Philadelphia and its suburbs.

At a trial in 2011, prosecutors alleged he strong-armed his way into the local video poker market and arranged secured medical benefits for himself with a phony job. But after a marathon 21 days of deliberation, a jury acquitted him of most of the counts he faced and deadlocked on four others.

On Friday, another jury also found themselves unable to reach a unanimous verdict on three counts. The panel did clear Ligambi of one count of witness intimidation and found his nephew, one-time mob consigliere George "Georgie Boy" Borgesi, not guilty on one racketeering conspiracy count. He was released from federal custody Friday afternoon.

Prosecutors pointed to the 11 other convictions they obtained against other mob associates charged in the case - an outcome U.S. Attorney Zane D. Memeger described last week as an "excellent result."

But when it came to Ligambi's guilt, jurors said in interviews Monday they doubted the testimony of many of the government's witnesses - a rogue's gallery of turncoat mobsters, small-time crooks, and debtors who owed thousands to the mob. They reported they were split 10-2 in favor of acquittal.

"There was very little physical evidence and the witnesses were convicted criminals," said one juror, who asked not to be named. "Maybe if the government could have provided us with credible witnesses, maybe things would have been different."

Jacobs said late Monday that he had not yet had a chance to tell his client about his imminent release but that his family was overjoyed. Ligambi's wife, Olivia, and his sister, Manny, did not return calls for comment.

"It's tough on the family to sit in court for three months," Jacobs said. "Those trials aren't enjoyable experiences."


http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140128_No_retrial_in_Ligambi_case.html#EpmgXTHBFvGFqW3p.99

That pic is fitting n spot on all in one. I hope the Federal DA gets irritated when he sees it. Shame on them for wasting taxpayer money, n keeping GB n UJ in prison all that time.

Maybe George will get his old job back at the paper now that he has something to write about...

Uncle Joe has been released from custody. Per bloomberglaw.

AND NOW, this 28th day of January, 2014, after the
Court's granting of the Government's Motion to Dismiss the Third
Superseding Indictment against Defendant Joseph Ligambi, it is
ORDERED that Defendant Joseph Ligambi (USM #37263-066) shall be
RELEASED from the custody of the U.S. Marshal for the Eastern
District of PA.
AND IT IS SO ORDERED
BY THE COURT:
EDUARDO C. ROBRENO
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT JUDGE

Joseph Ligambi walks out of the Federal Courthouse with his brother, Phil, center, on January 28, 2014.


Ligambi walks free

January 28, 2014
Amelia Brust, Inquirer Staff Writer


With the last of the federal charges against him dropped, reputed mob boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi walked out of the U.S. District Courthouse in Philadelphia this morning a free man.

"I'm going to go home and relax," a hatless Ligambi, 74, told reporters. "It's freezing out." Wearing a black wool trench, he climbead into a black sedan on Market Street with his nephew, Anthony Borgesi. "We're just happy," Borgesi said.

Ligambi's chilly walk to freedom came days after a federal jury deadlocked on the last of the racketeering and gambling charges against him - and hours after U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno, on a motion from prosecutors, dismiss the remaining counts. Ligambi had been in custody since his indictment in 2011.

Federal authorities had spent millions of dollars and 14 years trying to buttress their claim that Ligambi oversaw the mob's illegal gambling and loan-sharking rackets across Philadelphia and its suburbs.

On Friday, the second jury to try Ligambi found itself unable to reach a unanimous verdict on three counts. The panel did clear him of one count of witness intimidation and found his nephew, one-time mob consigliere George "Georgie Boy" Borgesi - Anthony's brother - not guilty on one racketeering conspiracy count. George Borgesi was released from federal custody Friday afternoon.


http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140129_Ligambi_walks_free.html#4xDujLrsrMufdCg6.99

Eddie Jacobs should take Joe's civil suit from unlawful detention pro bono, might be a good way to add insult to injury.

The guy behind him must me uncle job's brother, he looks like uncle Joe would look if he was mad

His brother Phil.

I just added the caption to the photo in the article.

Joe lost a lot of weight. No more beer belly.

Is his brother made?

Wow lots of heavy hitters back in rotation in Philly, BTW I don't think they have a set chart in Philly like New York, I think it's Everyman for himself and each individual has a chance to Gain power depending on the amount he earns, obviously the usual suspects like merlino,borgesi, Chang, Mazzone, ligambi,lance hold more weight but I bet it's like chicago, 1 boss and a bunch of street crews.
Ligambi wasn't a boss when his nephew and merlino were on the street, obviously merlino crew calls the shots and I think with Georgie home ligambi doesn't have as much juice as before, I think it's back in the Young Turks hands,,,
The Unc should retire, remember he got that nickname for 1 reason only, because he is "The Uncle" of borgesi, says a lot about borgesi and his power.

i thought it was confirmed that philly crews were under an administration.

Bring ligambi to Florida and give him something to do, whenever ligambi and merlino step to the side, gorge is the new boss

Tuesday, January 28, 2014


Uncle Joe Is Heading Home To An Unsettled Underworld


By George Anastasia
For Bigtrial.net

Mob boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi is being processed out of prison this morning, ending a two and a half year stay as a "guest" of the government in the Federal Detention Center at 7th and Arch streets.

Judge Eduardo Robreno dismissed the remaining counts pending against the 74-year-old crime leader after federal prosecutors filed a motion yesterday declaring that they would not retry Ligambi a third time on conspiracy and gambling charges.

Ligambi has been in jail since he and a dozen others were indicted on racketeering conspiracy and related gambling and loansharking charges in May 2011. He was twice denied bail.

But once federal authorities filed a motion to dismiss the remaining counts against him, bail was no longer an issue.

Most observers believe the U.S. Attorney's Office wisely opted to cut its losses and save the fight for another day. Whether that day is close at hand remains an open question. If the government comes again with a mob case, those in both law enforcement and the criminal defense bar believe, it will need a more substantial body of evidence than it had this time around.

A jury on Friday acquitted Ligambi of one count of witness tampering and hung -- voting 10-2 to acquit -- on the three other counts. Earlier this year, in the first trial based on the same indictment, a jury found Ligambi not guilty of five of the nine counts he faced. The four remaining counts were the basis for the trial that ended last week.

The anonymously chosen jury of 11 women and one man was apparently less than overwhelmed by the government's case.

"There was very little physical evidence and the witnesses were convicted criminals," one juror, who asked not to be identified, told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "... if the government could have provided us with credible witnesses, maybe things would have been different."


The jury also found Ligambi's co-defendant, George Borgesi, 50, not guilty of a conspiracy charge. Borgesi was freed on Friday.

The two veteran mobsters returned to an underworld that is at best unsettled. Whether either will attempt to exert control and influence is an open question being asked by both state and federal authorities. Borgesi, who was serving a 14-year sentence in a separate racketeering case when he was indicted in May 2011, will be on supervised release for about 18 months.

Free for the first time since March 2000, he is not permitted to associate with any convicted felons or organized crime figures and his travel is limited to the Eastern District of Pennsylvania unless he receives permission from his probation officer.

Borgesi, a leader in the mob once headed by Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, is one of nearly a dozen mobsters who comprise at least three difference factions in the beleaguered Philadelphia - South Jersey underworld.

Several individuals convicted and jailed in the 1980s with mob boss Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo are now back on the streets. While Merlino is living in Florida, several key associates, including Borgesi, Steven Mazzone and John Ciancasglini, are in town. And Ligambi and some other veteran mobsters who could line up in either camp, are also now part of the landscape.

Does everyone play nice and get along or does greed and treachery dominate? That's the question several veteran law enforcement investigators are asking.

The situation is further clouded by two pending criminal prosecutions.

Mob soldier Anthony Nicodemo, 42, is awaiting trial for the gangland murder of Gino DiPietro in December 2012. The day light shooting on a South Philadelphia street corner has been described by investigators as one of the "dumbest" mob hits in Philadelphia history.

Nicodemo was arrested 30 minutes after the shooting in his home about five blocks from the murder scene. A gun and other evidence linked to the crime were found in his SUV parked in his driveway.

A year later Ronald Galati, a mob associate and South Philadelphia auto body shop owner, was arrested on witness intimidation and murder-for-hire charges. The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office formalized those charges in an indictment that was unveiled yesterday a few hours before the feds were moving to dismiss the charges against Ligambi.

Galati is charged with hiring hitmen to kill two witnesses against him in a insurance fraud investigation. The 63-year-old wannabe wiseguy did 37 months on similar fraud charges in 1995.

"This time he's turned an insurance fraud case into a murder-for-hire case," said one law enforcement source. And that has raised the stakes considerably.

Galati, who claims he is in poor health (a judge has denied him bail, rejecting the medical argument), is now looking at a possible 30-year prison sentence. In addition, a broader indictment charging him with insurance fraud is expected from the District Attorney's Office within the next two weeks.

And in New Jersey, an ongoing investigation continues into the shooting of Galati's daughter's boyfriend in Atlantic City. The same hitmen tied to the murder-for-hire case in Philadelphia are believed to be those who carried out that shooting. The boyfriend survived. The shooters are said to be cooperating in both cases.

Galati is a target in that shooting and in a separate insurance fraud investigation focusing on the arson of at least one boat, according to sources familiar with the case.

At some point the various agencies handling the investigations are expected to map out a strategy for prosecution that could include the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The unanswered question -- and one that could put a damper on the welcome home festivities for both Ligambi and Borgesi -- is whether Nicodemo and Galati opt to cut deals with authorities in order to get out from under their own criminal problems.

Authorities would like to question both men about a series of unsolved mob murders. For either defendant, that could be their get out of jail card. But as the juror in the Ligambi trial pointed out, the question for prosecutors as they consider building new cases is whether Nicodemo and Galati would be "credible witnesses" or just two more "convicted criminals" taking the stand in a government deal with the devil.

http://www.bigtrial.net/2014/01/uncle-joe-is-heading-home-to-unsettled.html

Ligambi guys and merlino guys are one, scarf guys just want to live out the rest of thier lives

According to the article on Big Trial today Borgesi has 18 months of that supervised release. He better be careful...you know the feds are watching closely.

If he controlled operations from jail, probation is nothing

Have merlino released a statement on what he think about the guys being free?

Philly Inquirer has more pics of Ligambi, if anyone has an account and could post them here it'll be much appreciated. Though I'm sure there will be tons new pics of him in the next few months

Vito it's working for me and i don't have any code or password.

You should be able to access the gallery on the Inquirer using the philly.com url.

Try again

http://www.philly.com/philly/gallery/Joseph_Ligambi_released_from_prison.html?viewGallery=y

EDIT: Here you go :

Hahaha God bless Anastasia…. always has to end things in a Batman esque, "Tune in next week, readers!" way.

I love Anthony Borgesi's lifestyle.His calander at home must read Mon.escort brother out of court,Tues. escort uncle out of court. Wed. give interview ''look mean''.During trial sit in front row ''look intimadating''.Hold door open for the upper echelon of the mob.Somebody's taking pictures at party,confiscate the camera.A life in the day of.Not getting on him at all,he's always on the scene and probably makes a pretty decent living.

ligambi gives a little interview

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Ligambi-Reputed-Philly-Mob-Boss-Freed-242414661.html

thanks I saw

This picture...

Imagine how good it feels....

Just saw the nbc interview. Somebody looks like he's ready to go down the shore this spring.

Looks to have aged in jail..

From the looks of things I'm betting Uncle Joes son is not in the mob.

The guy lived in a box for three years and he's in his seventies. But good observation though. You got a keen eye. Ever thought of photography?

he has three sons and none of them are in the mob.

Some strong Philly accents

Actor, insurance salesman, and a union laborer (or similar) if I'm not mistaken.

Lol

Crazy how nephew and Uncle spent the last 3years together locked up. But now need to stay away from eAch other for 18months lol I don't understand why Borgesi got put on for that long? I thought he had the same sentence as merlino time and everything??
All I know is this trial made Borgesi the most feared man in Philly, anyone that read the papers prolly thinks he beat 11 murders and all types of fabricated exaggerated stories by the prosecutors and cheerleading media...lol thanks to all of them Borgesi will have more envelopes coming in n maybe get rich lol
Merlino crew def runs philly, they got the numbers n thanks to the Uncle there won't be any beef wit Scarfo guys, cause he is an X Scarfo soldier himself

Giancarlo, who's the beefy guy in the blue jeans walking beside Ligambi in that pic?

LOL at Anthony Borgesi wearing a boxing gym jacket. I've heard he's never been in a fight in his life!

Joe looks happy though.

I don't know who he is....sorry.

Maybe one of the south philly guys here knows.

Thank you for the pics! :-)

Break out the Opus One!! Uncle Joe is home!!

He has 2 uncles and a brother (maybe) who are made who he can talk to freely. He shouldn't get caught unless he's being stupid.

Joe hands gym!

Mob wannabes either become wiseguys or grow up and move on doing something else.

Not Anthony.

Washington Township in South Jersey is little south philly. There's someone smarter then vince that has taken his spot. Staino just wasn't Ligambi's confidant he was his gopher. The audio tapes from the trial show that with him making the daily rounds for their poke company. Ligambi is greedy he got fat while you had George starving and wrestling with informants in prison. George will have Anthony take over his operations and then Anthony will flip and there will be another trial. On joey's orders George might have to kill Anthony for what he said about joey to the press.

I wonder if Georgie can meet with Uncle Joe since UJs conviction for Frankie was overturned. I could be wrong but think the conviction Jacobs mentioned was for cigarette bootlegging. Uncle Joes house is about a 3 iron away from Nicodemos. There are a few guys around that neighborhood actually. Right near the Eagles practice field.

Uncle Joes kids are straight tools and dont let anyone tell you otherwise... and even though Georgie has them parole restrictions, theres no way hes gonna go 18 months and not run into numerous guys that are connected. South Philly is too small and hes gonna run into them. He has probably already touched base with Mazzone.

Ligambi have any restrictions that he has to obey or he can go and do what he wants with no supervision ,

He was found not guilty and the rest were hung and dismissed with prejudice. The state cannot impose conditions on someone that wasn't found guilty.

In fact, as his attorney mentioned, he doesn't have a conviction since some tobacco thing 30 years ago. If overturned convictions don't count.

Star mob witness is both disappointed and satisfied

Jeremy Roebuck Inquirer Staff Writer
January 29, 2014 10:25 AM


The trial is over, but Louis "Bent Finger Lou" Monacello isn't done talking.


In an interview Wednesday, the outspoken former mob associate and star government witness against reputed Philadelphia mob boss Joseph Ligambi and his nephew George Borgesi, said he was disappointed in the outcome of their racketeering retrial, which ended last week without a guilty verdict against either man.

But, Monacello said, he is not sorry for the role he played in it.

"I'm happy with the 30 months in jail I gave Ligambi and Borgesi for screwing me over," he said, referring to the time both men spent behind bars in the run-up to their trial. "I did the right thing by the mob and got screwed."

MORE COVERAGE
There will be wine: Ligambi released, family rejoices

He added: "This couldn't have worked out better. Not only do I never have to deal with these guys, I never have to take the witness stand again."

Monacello, 47, emerged as one of the most colorful witnesses in the case against Ligambi, 74, and Borgesi, 50.

During days on the stand last year, he regaled jurors with tales of his time working for Borgesi, while Borgesi served out a federal prison term on a previous racketeering conviction.

Monacello testified that he ran Borgesi's illegal gambling and loan sharking operations and sent his boss up to $40,000 a year in proceeds through deposits in his prison commissary account and cash-stuffed envelopes left in the car glove box of Borgesi's wife, Alyson.

He agreed to testify, he said in court, once he began hearing rumblings that Ligambi and Borgesi were plotting to have him killed. (Lawyers for both men have denied the accusation.)

But Monacello's style - confident, bordering at times on cocky - and frequent digs at his former colleagues from the witness stand drew the ire of defense attorneys, who frequently attacked his credibility.

Ligambi's lawyer, Edwin Jacobs Jr., referred to Monacello and other mob turncoats who testified as "walking, talking embodiments of reasonable doubt" during his opening statements to jurors in November.

He later described them as "the most unsavory, unreliable arch-criminals who have ever been assembled in one courtroom."

During Ligambi and Borgesi's first trial in 2012, Monacello's one-time right-hand man, Frank "Frankie the Fixer" DiGiacomo, called into question much of Monacello's testimony.

And his stints on the stand often prompted whispered curses from the courtroom gallery from Anthony Borgesi, George's brother.

Monacello testified that he and Anthony had often clashed over Monacello's role running his brother's rackets.

With typical bravado Tuesday, Monacello fired back.

"They had no choice but to take shots at me," he said. "I'm the main guy from South Philly that took the stand against them. What other recourse did they have?"

Ultimately, though, two juries found Monacello's testimony unconvincing.

On Friday, the latest panel to hear the case acquitted Borgesi and said it could not come to a unanimous verdict against Ligambi.

Borgesi was released from federal detention on Friday. Ligambi returned home Tuesday after prosecutors opted not try his case for a third time.

For his part, Monacello, said he is sleeping well these days and relaxing at his beach house.

Where exactly that house is, he'd rather not say given the animosity between him and the men against whom he testified, he said.

"I'm great. I never have to deal with Joe or George or their dumb brother Anthony - aka Fredo on steroids - again," Monacello said, referring to Fredo Corleone, the bumbling mobster of the Godfather films. "This is me being me."

Under the terms of his agreement with the government, Monacello pleaded guilty in 2011 to counts of racketeering conspiracy and loan sharking and agreed to testify against his former mob associates. He faces sentencing later this year.

jroebuck@phillynews.com

215-925-2649

@jeremyrroebuck

All the guys is back on the streets, it may not be safe for rats anymore

There is something seriously wrong with that idiot Bent Lou....it's almost like he hopes they come after him.

He's probably got an agent trying to shop a book.

Honestly if someone capped him would it be a huge loss to society?

He's living in the open in Ventnor....he's literally taunting them to come and get him. Fucking unreal...this guy is out of his mind batshit crazy. Either that or he's suicidal.

Not for nothing but Anthony Borgesi is a nice guy. Consider the source when you read what the rat says about him.
He just got his brother back after 14 years cut him a break. That's an awesome jacket too.

It's a tough call. on one hand the arrogant Monacello needs to be dealt with but after what Borgesi and Ligambi have been through it would be such ashamed to ''get this guy'' and somehow get caught.I mean you know who they would look to first,but then again the satisfaction of it all may outweigh that.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014


Some Parting Words From Bent Finger Lou


By George Anastasia
For Bigtrial.net

He said he has no regrets and would do it all over again.

He also said he's glad the U.S. Attorney's Office has opted not to retry Joe Ligambi. Not that he has any great concern for the mob boss. But he does have a personal stake in the matter.

What the decision to drop the remaining charges against Ligambi means, said Louis "Bent Finger Lou" Monacello, "is that I never have to testify again."

In a pointed telephone conversation this afternoon, Monacello looked back on the two trials in which he testified for the federal government and looked forward to life beyond the South Philadelphia mob.

Commenting publicly for the first time, the one-time mob associate displayed the same bravado -- some would call it arrogance -- that he brought to the witness stand in two trials that ended without convictions for either Ligambi or his co-defendant and nephew George Borgesi.

"Tell'em I'm relaxing on the beach," said Monacello, 46, who relocated to the South Jersey shore after he decided to become a cooperating witness. Whether he stays there or moves is an issue that will be decided later, he said.

He still has to be sentenced by Judge Eduardo Robreno, probably sometime in the spring, on a racketeering charge to which he pleaded guilty as part of his cooperating agreement.

Monacello said he's not concerned about going to jail. Jail, he insisted, was never the issue. He cooperated, he said, because Ligambi and Borgesi "screwed me over." And while his testimony didn't result in convictions -- the defense in both cases hammered away at the credibility and motivation of the government's key witness, especially Monacello -- he said he believed his decision to cooperate and help make the case landed both Ligambi and Borgesi in jail.

Both were denied bail after the indictment was handed up in May 2011.

"These two guys screwed me over," he said, "so I guess I gave them 30 months to sit."

Returning to the same points he had made from the witness stand -- and that two juries had largely rejected -- Monacello said he cooperated not because he feared going to jail, but because "I wasn't going to do time for Joe Ligambi and Marty Angelina."

Monacello testified that while running a bookmaking and loansharking operation for Borgesi, who was in jail on a 2001 racketeering conviction, Ligambi and Angelina were constantly horning in on and undermining his business, business that he claimed was generating cash to support Borgesi.

He also took another verbal shot at Borgesi's brother Anthony who, he said, was always "stabbing me in the back even though I was supporting his brother." He referred to Anthony Borgesi as Fredo, the weak-willed Corleone brother in The Godfather saga.

Monacello's take on the Philadelphia mob headed by Ligambi and Borgesi is hardly the stuff of the Mario Puzo novel. It's not about honor and loyalty, he said, but rather money, greed and treachery.

And he admits he was right in the middle of it, making money, busting heads and doing whatever was necessary to survive.

Among other things, Monacello acknowledged, as he had on the witness stand, that he plotted with an associate, Frank "Frankie the Fixer" DiGiacomo to assault Angelina. Monacello was unaware that DiGiacomo was wearing a body wire and cooperating with authorities at the time.

Looking back on it now, he said in a phone conversation this afternoon, "The mistake I made was not cracking Angelina's head open myself" instead of going along with DiGiacomo's suggestion that he, DiGiacomo, hire two thugs to carry out the beating.

Monacello said again that he believed Borgesi was going to kill him "because I broke the rules" by plotting to attack Angelina, a "made" member of the mob.

He told that same story to two different juries in two trials. The first jury found Borgesi not guilty of 13 of the 14 counts he faced. (Ligambi was found not guilty of five of nine.) The second jury, which considered the one remaining counts, acquitted Borgesi of conspiracy. found Ligambi not guilty of witness intimidation and hung on a conspiracy charge and two gambling counts.

Hardly a resounding endorsement of the prosecution's case or of Monacello's testimony. As one anonymous jury told Jeremy Roebuck of the Philadelphia Inquirer, "if the government could have provided us with credible witnesses, maybe things would have been different."

Angelina, Ligambi, Borgesi, Monacello and 10 others were indicted in the racketeering case. Angelina pleaded guilty prior to the start of the trial and was sentenced to six years. Monacello said his own sentencing guidelines were 60 to 72 months and that he could have done the time.

He refused to cooperate in 2008 when he was charged in a Delaware County case that foreshadowed the federal charges that came three years later.

"I didn't do this to get out of going to jail," he said. "That was never the issue. I just decided I wasn't going to do a day for Joe Ligambi or Marty Angelina."

Now he sits back and waits -- for his own sentencing probably and for what comes next for his former partners-in-crime. He believes there are murders -- Ralph Mazzuca, John Casasanto, Raymond "Long John" Martorano -- that can be tied to his former "friends." Whether the government has the will or the evidence and witnesses to make those cases, however, is another question.
Monacello clearly hopes it happens.

"I'm sitting at the beach waiting to see what (Anthony) Nicodemo and (Ron) Galati do," he said of two potential witnesses who are facing a series of criminal problems (Ed note, see yesterday's story.). "There's a racketeering-murder case waiting to happen, and the best part is it doesn't have anything to do with me."

Monacello believes he is done testifying. He also insists he is done with life in the mob.

"I did a lot of bad things," he said in an earlier conversation, "but I never murdered anybody. You have to draw the line somewhere."

http://www.bigtrial.net/2014/01/some-parting-words-from-bent-finger-lou.html

Jeezus even I want someone to whack this prick.

What are the odds, Lou gets any jail time? Judges take into account how useful a government witness's testimony is when decided whether to hand down any jail time. Neither Ligambi or Boregsi were convicted and he had some serious credibility issues.

I think it would be pretty funny if Lou wound up having to serve the same 30 months Joe and George had to do

Lou should be toxic actually down in south jersey - not sure who would be seen with him - believe it or not the SJ shore is like south Philly east - everyone knows everyone. He deserves everything he gets

Lou monacello only reason for ratting was cause he was going to jail, I've seen it 100 times, it's all good playing gangster when the sun is shining, but as soon as the thunder starts they crawl under there bed n ask for help....Fuckin coward pretender Karmas a muthafugga, even for rats!!

What does someone like Lou do at this point? He's a convicted felon plus he's a rat- and it doesn't sound like he entering witness protection.

Same thing joe Valero did. Go back home and live his life. Valero ratted on some serious guys in Staten Island. At least 3 skippers. He went right back home.

Ant is cool. I think ppl's b jealous of him to keep saying the things that they do.

Lou has done time before and he wasn't looking at that much time in this indictment. I think he just anticipated the Philly family crumbling with all these guys getting arrested. Therefore going to jail would mean he'd be coming out with nothing. Had Ligambi, Boregsi and others went to prison for 10+ years, where would that have left Lou when he was released? With nothing. So he said fuck these guys and ratted to at least avoid prison time. He didn't care about the family at all and was all about himself. I think if he could do it all over again after seeing how weak the indictment was, he wouldn't have ratted. He could of even been acquitted. It was a bad call on his part.

Georgie joe Phil anthony and the rest are good people - south Philly is about to go off .. Stevie good guy and his bro too. Sonny is always nice on the street .. Just my 2 c from a local guy

Are you sure about this??

He was the guy who took down the Corozzo's
I'd be amazed if he was still living at home (not that it matters but Wiki has him in Witsec)

handsome harry of naples?

Sonny Blackstein I didn't say anything but I was thinking the same thing.this guy [Valero] took down some heavy hitters,I remember reading about it in the NY Post.His wife ran or owns an Italian restaurant.I'd be shocked if he wasn't in hiding somewhere.

Good to see they're both free after all this. I thought it was a serious violation ofrights to keep those guys in jail after the verdict from the first trial. I'm just glad the government didn't get their way this time, after pulling that dirty shit.

The taxpayer-funded party is over.
Monacello is alone, unconnected and looked down by wiseguys and feds alike.

As all those who've been crooks for so long he's gonna get pinched eventually.

Sucks to be him.