Maybe because it's bullshit.

I agree pmac. I practice criminal defense. And assuming that the article that was mentioned is correct about Nicodemo and Mazzone meeting with Merlino, it doesn't prove a damn thing. Unless, there is someone who cooperates and tells the feds about some form of conspiracy and I don't see anyone cooperating. Or a wire tap.

The fact that the ht was so sloppy means three things. (1) Nicodemo isn't capable of doing a well planned hit or; (2) they were so desperate to get rid of Dipietro that it had to be done any time any place; or (3) it wasn't really planned.

Don't get me started on this hit...

I have been able to laugh at all kinds of shit that has went down through the years, but this "hit" is out right crazy"....

I agree pmac. it doesn't make any sense at this point. Even though Nicodemo pled guilty, others still could be charged if the Feds can prove others were involved. But its obvious that the news reporter isn't very accurate or the feds are playing games. Either way, something fishy is going on. When Merlino was brought in on the parole violation, take notice to how the Feds didn't mention the meeting with Nicodemo and Mazzone. The feds said his violation was meeting with Ciangillini and another alleged mobster at the cigar lounge in Florida. During the Parole violation hearing they never mentioned this meeting with Mazzone and Nicodemo and Merlino. Its not a matter of if they will indict Merlino, I feel its a matter of when. Now, if the charges will stick against Merlino is a whole different story. The phiily crew is closely watched by the feds. The fact that Ligambi and Borgesi went home has got to have pissed of the feds and they won't forget that. Time will tell....The news, media don't really know anything too secretive.

Eat it up guys I might just be blabbing at the mouth or talking outta my ass after Merlino's crew gets locked up we might have seen the end of the old school Mafia... if Merlino really was a ballys guy and even in todays day and age gave his ok for the Dipietro hit that says a lot!! usually if they think ur a informant they just shelve u today even in NY cd u c Crea or ne one of the NY bosses hitting a suspected rat??? These bunch of South Philly boys wd make a great interesting book from a rats perspective who was there.. These boys were ballys since the Stanfa war in the 90's to up until now.. They prolly hit previte or Natalie with given good info mayb then again mayb not. Furio I gotta disagree Merlino's as tough as they come no way is he hurting his rep by flipping mayb the son in Italy got u!! hed rather die in a cage then rat!!! Ne way like most of u say I think its bullshit if they had ne thing they be locked up but like Pizza said no rest for Joey!

Say what you will about Joey but how many murder convictions does he have again? he has gone up against 3 bosses and lived(one of them in court), maybe he is dumb like a fox?

His uncle was a rat.

A thing is get 15 years in prison when you're 36 and another when you have 53, Gotti was the Gambino boss and was beaten in prison. Joey risk from 20 years to life and I don't see him to spend the other half of his life in prison, especially if high security.
Yogi Merlino is a special case, Scarfo with his violent behavior and paranoia forced many loyal soldiers to flip.

Flipping is an easy decision for some of these guys. Think about it, your sitting in a cell and looking at 25 years while your wife and 2 young children are home. Then you say" my capo and my boss were going to have me killed, they took my money, and now im supposed to protect them?"
A smart boss makes his men feel important and is close with them. I think thats the reason Gotti wanted everyone at his club on a weekly basis, just to feel guys out.

I totally agree with you on that...especially niccodemo and also the fact that these rats are not going to face any repercussions from anyone now a days as many guys are outa nd about and talking to whoever

Some of you act like the feds are on Merlino's nutsack and not giving him a moments peace.

Couldn't be further from the truth. The guy is flaunting illegally accrued assets, breaking several parole violations and associating with known felons.

If the guy was truly out of that life, they wouldn't give a rats ass about him.

It's just a matter of time before he gets another lengthy sentence and as I said - it's not because the Feds have a hard on for him.

Not only are they all over Skinny ,they are out trying to get anyone close to him on a charge" so they have that chance to flip" them.
And they could give them anything" on him .But some how I think he is wise to this, and has kept things to a "low roar" .....

I'm guessing the feds are looking at ray wagner closely. i don't think he has done any time and he is around joey frequently... just a thought

was wondering about that i guess he could be a bagman for merlino but not sure.... also think his family bar has a big blowout this week or next down in s philly

Exactly. If he was 100% legit now they wouldn't bother the dude. But he was flaunting in front of them how he was living in Florida and they got his ass.

yeah you'd figure he'd be the easiest to flip in merlino's inner circle. Of course Joey probably knows how to handle himself, look at the nicky skins tape.

not sure about that his family goes way back with mob guys and he is related too a few of them as well...plus he works alot on a regular job...dont know how involved he really could be

New Scott Article on Philly Drama

Serp you hear anything on which Margate "club" this was at? I'm assuming it was probably either Maynard's or Ventura's?

Faffy- still doing time, 26 years or so. Never talked.

Dante : Yea , no doubt,Possibly "Memories" it was most likely one or the other .
I don't know the year, but I am guessing late 90's early 2000 's and if that's the case there was still a couple more clubs that were more tolerable" to guys like that....

They love Memories cos they feel right at home,and not just that anyone from back in the day stops in and see Skinny he can play the part !

He is not going to sit ,there will be problems with the old guard that support him.
The old guard are slowly building ranks and more and more. And out of the wood work they come, old friends,associates,acquaintances come with that.
Sit back and watch.
The only thing that has stopped the different factions was Ligambi nothing else, and he is not running the show and these guys are going to be coming after a limited amount of rackets .

For a small as Philly is, really they have not had a lot of rats

A lot of guys stood up and still are

philly is the kind of place where only certain guys can exist, and when i say that i mean alot of the 90's guys the late 80's we know leonetti and later on horsehead ratted veasey, etc but that core groupe held it together quite well

the Feds will never stop trying to indict skinny whether he is legit or not

I think many people are aware LE will do anything to convict him , it has been personal for a long time with Skinny . I always admired his comment after his murder committal "not bad , it could of been worse " lol , not to mention his latest comment about getting a tan . Lol

He seems to have smartened up with his legit restaurant and staying out of philly which would be a life sentence . he should stay in FL , be semi retired far away and act more like counsel and let his minions handle his shark and gaming ops , plow $ into legit businesses and at some point maybe just retiring . It will likely be hard to convict him as the lieutants he communicates with don't appear to ever be a rat . Once him and Ligambi have no parole restrictions , the family might have a chance to regroup with it of seniors giving solid counsel to the youngins.

To the comment that none of the guys Joey grew up with ever flipped. Not entirely true, Tommy Scafidi grew up around that bunch and was loyal to those guys for a while. Then again, I guess he's the exception. When shit hit the fan after Merlino's guys got all spooked after the attempt of John Stanfa in which his son got hit, he was the only one to switch sides.


Another thing, Merlino & his guys are somewhat lucky to be in the position they are today, because after that attempt and Stanfa wasn't hit, Merlino's guys began to withdraw from their rackets, Stanfa began to move in on their businesses, guys that were being forced to pay Merlino & Ciangalini were made to pay Stanfa again, Stanfa had already begun attempting to consolidate his grip on things after that. They say after the attempt on him and his son, Stanfa pretty much went crazy and guys on the other side got scared. Stanfa was the winner of that war, contrary to popular belief, according to the FBI & Anastasia. But guys like Rosario Bellochi & John Veasey had already begun to talk, they had his lawyers office where he held his meetings wiretapped for over two years by this time and had recorded over 2,000 conversations, so by then it was already too late. He couldn't enjoy the victory because the case against him was already made. Oh, and Joey Merlino went to prison. Had Stanfa not been so trusting of Avena, he probably still would've been on the street a few more years, Natale would've been killed once he got out of prison, Philly might have been totally different than it is now, had the die just landed on the other side.

Ray Wags is half Italian so I'm assuming that he's never going to be made, but who knows. He's actually directly related to Gaeton Lucibello and his brother is a bookmaker who got an '08 bookmaking charge. I don't think he's flipping any time soon but I'm also curious about his role in the grander scheme of things and what he actually knows, etc.

Moved to a halfway house last week, upcoming trip to the LA area & opening a hoagie shop in Florida soon so time will tell.

https://mobile.twitter.com/DSchratwieser/status/585462435840188416

Newest Scott Opinion Article on Skinny Joey

"If I know anything in this world, it is this: the feds have a hard-on for and vendetta against Joey Merlino to such a degree that its palpable in everything they do, every move, every action, every word – I personally know of a handful of just everyday citizens that have had to interact with Merlino since his release from his most-recent RICO bust in early 2011 and were promptly apprehended by the FBI for questioning. FBI agents and U.S. attorneys in Philadelphia want to bury him in a hole so bad, they’d sell their first born kids. I swear to God. The only think in the annals of American legal history that could equal this lust for the sinking of a man and his criminal empire would be Al Capone in Chicago circa 1930 and John Gotti in New York circa 1990."

Better to have a metaphorical hard on than you know.... an actual hard on.

The way people root for individuals who - in essence - are criminals and serial killers is pretty disturbing. I mean where do you draw the line?

Society is pretty f***ed up.

Is it true if you are out of the life for 5 years or more the feds cannot get a RICO indictment on you? I understand the feds could still get joey on a murder charge if he was there or did any of the murders but was wondering if anyome knows about any truth to the RICO statutes, if joey he has good enough vision to lay low until 2020