I've heard this story a few times, but I've never really believed it. Was this ever proven to be true? Where is the evidence for this?

The FBI warned him twice, so he must have known that it was coming....

http://articles.philly.com/2003-11-23/news/25463434_1_mob-boss-john-stanfa-investigators

IDK but Billy Rinick banged her anyways. The feds raided the family home and found him hiding under Joey's bed.

http://citypaper.net/articles/121301/news.uw.shtml

More interesting Johnny Gongs information in this article:

http://citypaper.net/articles/2003-11-27/cb.shtml

"Twitch" is "Penknife" Virgilio, right?

Anthony Nicodemo has always been the main suspect in the Johnny Gongs hit.
Law enforcement has never been able to prove it though.

http://articles.philly.com/2008-10-15/news/25264950_1_gambling-probe-bookmaking-mob-linked

What the hell? You mean to tell me this woman was just open like 7-11 while Joey was doing hard time? This is insane. How did he not file for divorce?

Thanks.

http://citypaper.net/articles/2002-07-05/cb2.shtml

This article goes into more detail of the fight on delaware ave. Apparently johnny and steve gongs got beat up pretty good

Gongs reportedly grabbed Deb Merlino's butt in front of several
Philly guys inside a bar & said "this asss belongs to me"

U do realise Joey would need to hire a Mexican cartel to massacre all the guys his wife fucked whilst he was away

Let's just say for argument sake she slept with a new guy once a month (some girls do it every weekend) so I'm actually lessening the numbers

Joey would need to whack approx 145 guys once he got out

how many guys has merlino killed or ordered hits for you reakon?

If this is true then there is something truly wrong with Joey Merlino. Any self respecting man would've filed for divorce.

Haven't you guys realize that all Joey is about is appearances?!?

The man does have impeccable posture.

I'd be willing to bet that Joey wasn't sitting at home with the wife every night when he was on the streets back then.

Of course Joey was messing around himself! That goes with the territory

The trick is "don't get caught" these wives know deep
down their fellas cheat but want proof

Eg Gotti's wife used to literally attack him & she confronted Shannon Grillo about their affair

Grillo's mum swore to Vicky it was false... So
As one can see, they all know their guys cheat but still go APE when they catch em

As for Joey- he was caught on tape I think it was, telling an associate that he was worried about surveillance FEDS got him on- because he was gambling in a casino with a broad/ but told his wife he was out with the guys

Therefore I guess he can't cry IF she went sleeping around.

Looks like Joey did retaliate against Rinick:

http://citypaper.net/articles/2002-11-07/cb2.shtml

They say the Muslims did it.

By the way, anyone remember the black Muslim guy escorting Merlino during his courthouse appearances in 2014? I wonder what the story is.

When did Mikey Scars become a reporter in Philadelphia?

Billy wasn't smashing that. He was at that house always. Hes just an idiot because he was bringing drugs into the house and being an idiot about the whole thing and then hid under the bed. Thats what I always was told and Joey had to keep up appearances. He didn't get it to bad. But Gongs...thats the word.

Merlino's wife probably thought he was never coming home again.