Serious question. Im sure guys kick up to him but is he really living from day to day with perhaps no savings? His lawyer fees alone must be insane. Philly isnt exactly new york where guys can make big time money.

If the Feds must pay had to pay the plane tickets for Merlino and the wife,maybe Joey are little broke.

https://nypost.com/2018/01/31/fbi-spent-20k-on-fancy-italian-dinner-to-lure-mobsters-into-trap/

FBI spent $25K to lure mobsters into fancy Italian dinner trap
By Kevin Sheehan, Priscilla DeGregory and Bruce Golding
January 31, 2018 | 8:33pm | Updated

the feds even paid for him to fly up for it from Boca Raton, Fla. Inzerillo testified that the money for the party was given “directly” to mob rat John Rubeo “to give to Parrello,” and Rubeo also handed over FBI cash for Merlino’s airfare.

“We gave [Rubeo] $5,000 for the flight and transportation for [Merlino] and his wife,” he said.

At one point during the questioning, defense lawyer Edwin Jacobs Jr. asked why the feds agreed to underwrite the exorbitant cost of the “Cosa Nostra Christmas party.”

“We didn’t want to pay for it, but that was what [Rubeo] needed,” Inzerillo answered.

Jacobs — who in 2001 helped Merlino beat three murder raps — also asked why taxpayers footed the hefty bill for Merlino to attend.
Modal Trigger


“He always said he was broke,” Inzerillo said.

Fools and their money are easily parted.

to answer your question NO he is def not broke.
verified by various sources.

and YES we are back.
pls sub when you get a chance and thanks for support...

Just because he made a sucker pay for his and his wife's flight doesn't mean he's broke. It doesn't cost $5k to fly to NYC either.

Does he still have a restaurant in Florida?

It's not his restaurant. He was just a maître d'.

Much like most mob guys who claim to run restaurants, they don't actually do much work. They just put a chef's apron on or swan around the restaurant mugging it up with people.

They have as much day-to-day involvement in these "legit businesses" as John Gotti did in a fishing tackle store.

It's just a way to launder money or a front to show where their lavish income is coming from.

A maître d' is not an easy job, even when he works you hate the man. Unlike Gotti, Merlino actually did seem to work in the restaurant.

Sorry I can't resist,this is a rap song that I wrote on merlino six months ago.


Yo yo motherfuckers its me, joey.
Joey Merlino

When I got out, I did like Willy
Go to Boca and far from Philly
The years goes on
But I cant turn back to philly
The feds want to nail me
but I had great men that watch my back

The Changs, Ligambi, Grande and Mazzone
Guys is like a pizza with peperoni

In 89 mac10 in my hand
I tried to kill the little guy son
But he run away and say bye bye
I go to jersey, lucchese save me

In the 90s fighting Stanfa
Yo old siggy had no men to made
Apart veasey and Coletti this renegades

Yes I win the war, philly was mine
Natale flips but for me is ok
Party every night,money to bet
Luise a guy from Boston said made me,
Im Bobby luise and I was a capo
But 10k a month I was desperado
The solution?The cocaine
It goes away better than champagne
But the fed busted me: We want merlino idiot you must flip
Give us the tapes and got a witsec trip
1999 for sure I won't be at the millenium party
14 y, ain't bad better than death penalty
I will be 50 and this is not my elegy
Uncle Joe I give you the borgata
Re up my armata
Fuck the fed fuck the 5 family
Im joe merlino the king of philly

Mc Furio lol
Haha good one !

Remember when George Anastasia said there were young guys in the Philly suburbs who had pictures of Joey Merlino all over their bedroom walls like he was Justin Timberlake or something?

Guy has all kinds of marks riding his coattails.

He probably doesn't pay for literally anything between his wife, Stan Stein and his rent boys.