How long would it take before he meets with ligambi?

That's right thanks for the reminder. Interesting to see what happens with him. Personally I think he's been waiting and planning. Then again he could be baking and tanning. Who knows?

He's playing it smart, if I was him I would stay in florida, name mazzone as the street boss and let ligambi be the advisor semi retired type of a role

Philly, Merlino lives in a gated community about 3 miles from me. I have seen him twice in the last 3 years, once in line at a Dunkin Donuts and another time at Josie's Italian Restaurant. He looks like he has been spending a lot of time at the beach and in the gym, he may need a new nickname. South Florida has a lot of mobbed up businesses and opportunities for growth. It will be interesting to see what he does.

Yea I saw some pictures of him. I guess he can't be called 'Skinny Joey' anymore lol. Looks like he was hitting the weights in the can.

Philly, I work in a drug and alcohol treatment center down here and we get a lot of patients that partake in the these mob run semi legit operations. A few years ago the big thing was pill mill operations,also offshore and online gambling operations before the law cracked down on them. Lately is has been prostitution rings and phone room scams. These guys rent houses in upscale neighborhoods and employ beautiful young women, many with drug problems to provide escort services for big money. They busted one up not long ago and rolled up a dirty Boca Cop in the process. I'm fascinated by the mob life but sickened by the damage it does to people and their families. These young girls we get in treatment have been permanently damaged and many other people we seen have lost everything because of their gambling addictions.

he's either gonna get everybody indicted in philly or indicted in florida

he's still young so the fbi is gonna be after him

Does he move around with bodyguards and in armored cars or just like a normal citizen? Just being curious about the differences and similarities between Russian and American mobs in this particular aspect.

Yea I no what your talking about with the pill mills. I have friends here in Philly who are very heavy into the pill dealing. They were driving down to Florida with boat loads of cash and were coming back with 5000 percocets 10 mg and 2000 OxyContin 80 mg.

That was back when the 80 mg Oxycontins were 50$ a pill so do the math on that. All the pills would be gone in like a week or two give or take and they would go back down again to Florida.
The people I went around with we're making so much money it was sickening.

My buddy would buy a boat and when something went wrong with it he would park it on a city street in Philly and leave it there and go buy another boat lmao.

But back on subject people from all over the country were driving to Florida for all the pills. There was a good documentary on it that I saw. Very interesting.

Dwalin, when I saw him he was with the same guy both times, I did not recognize him and he did not stand out in a crowd. Merlino was real polite to the staff at both restaurants, the staff at Josie's made a fuss over him but he shooed them away. Now that he is off parole I expect he will get out more, the nightlife down here is intense.

Yea him and Paciello can run around down there. Well speaking of that......

Philly, You ever heard of this guy Colangelo? He was raking in $150,000.00 a day


Drug agents raided 11 pain clinics from Miami to West Palm Beach on Wednesday, arresting 23 people and seizing $2.5 million in cash and dozens of cars in the biggest single strike yet at Florida's pain pill industry.

Among those arrested were four physicians, including the son of Broward Medical Examiner Joshua Perper, and five owners of raided pain clinics, officials said.






The biggest catch, officials said, was [b]Vincent Colangelo, 42, a Davie man who earned an estimated $150,000 a day from the seven now-shuttered pain centers he owned.

Law enforcement agencies moved to seize from the Colangelo operation $22 million in assets, including homes, an Okeechobee trailer park and 46 vehicles. Agents displayed a parking lot full of the high-priced cars, such as a Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren sports car and two Lamborghinis.

"Woo hoo, I want to do cartwheels," said Tina Reed, a Davie pill mill activist whose son almost died from an addiction from a pain clinic.

The raids were made by more than 400 federal, state and local officers, who fanned out in an orchestrated sweep that shut down some of the busiest and best known pain clinics in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties. Agents with federal search warrants also raided and seized boxes of documents at 15 other clinics.

"We have indicted doctors and clinic owners who are acting as drug dealers," said Wilfredo Ferrer, U.S. Attorney for South Florida.

The raids were run by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Broward Sheriff's Office, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and police departments from four cities. Florida Department of Health inspectors were on hand to initiate disciplinary actions against doctors and owners.

The raids ratchet up the campaign against rogue pain clinics that officials said have doled out upwards of 15 million tablets per year of the the narcotic oxycodone, many to drug runners who stream down Interstate 95 from other states. Pill mills are called a major cause behind the deaths of seven Floridians a day from prescription drug overdoses.

Local police have been arresting addicts, who snort or smoke the drugs in pill mill parking lots. The state has disciplined doctors for excessive pain pill prescriptions. But Wednesday's raids go after those making big money from the drug sales, officials said.

Colangelo and six others who ran his centers were charged with trafficking more than 660,000 doses of narcotic pills in one year. They were accused of marketing the clinics on 1,600 Internet sites, making profit by selling pills at their own locations and charging each patient $250 cash per visit.

Only one doctor who works at Colangelo's clinics was arrested, but DEA Special Agent Mark Trouville, chief of the South Florida operation, said more arrests are coming. Undercover agents have made 340 buys of pain pills from 60 doctors and 40 clinics, only a fraction of which were raided Wednesday, he said.





In Oakland Park, a physician and several medical personnel in scrubs were handcuffed during a morning raid at Colangelo's high-volume Commercial Medical Group clinic, which was popular with out-of-state pill seekers.

"We're so happy all this is happening," said Julie DePasquale, a clerk at German Bread Haus two doors away. "I'll feel safer coming to work at 7 o'clock in the morning. The druggies are out there like the night of the living dead, waiting for that place to open. It's scary."

In Delray Beach, police arrested Dr. Zvi Harry Perper, the Broward medical examiner's son, at busy Delray Pain Management where the son is listed as the owner on state registration documents. Also arrested was the manager, Kent Murry, who had opened the clinic in 2009 and also trafficked in pain pills, prosecutors said in the charges.

After a 10 a.m. raid, Perper was led out in handcuffs and beige medical scrubs and escorted to a police car. One of many reporters watching the raid shouted a question, asking Perper if he thought this day would ever come.

"No," he said, refusing to comment further. Perper began working at the pain clinic after he was fined $10,000 by the state in 2008 for a botched abortion in Orlando, according to state records.

In Lake Worth, Dr. Robert Elessar was arrested at his 45th Street Medical pain clinic. Dr. Carlos Gonzalez Jr. was arrested at North Palm Beach Pain Management in Lake Park, along with the owners, Anthony Laterza and Donna Palemire.

The raids stem from pill mill investigations run by a multi-agency task force formed in 2009 at the DEA's local headquarters in Weston. Also involved were state and federal insurance fraud investigators and the Internal Revenue Service.

Some of the raided clinics have been under investigation for more than a year, officials said, and have supplied millions of narcotic pills to drug dealers and addicts across the Southeast.

South Florida has long been an easy source for pain pills, but a cottage industry of rogue pain clinics sprang up in Broward and Palm Beach counties over the past few years. At the peak, an estimated 300 pain clinics operated in the two counties, although it's now closer to 220.

blamendola@tribune.com or 954-356-4526


[/b]

Joey Merlino is a good looking guy. Kinda looks like John Stamos.

What does Carmela think?

Philly, this is what Paciello has been up to lately:

Sofia Vergara's South Beach Story: Chris Paciello's a 'dangerous thug'



Things may be back to normal for Modern Family bombshell Sofia Vergara and her Delray Beach-based fiance Nick Loeb, but Vergara isn't too thrilled with her former flame turned friend, reformed Miami club kingpin Chris Paciello, whom she called "a dangerous thug" on Twitter.

According to SoFlo political blog The Shark Tank, the whole New Year's Eve dustup at the newly opened Story nightclub was a lot messier than reported. Vergara's party of 17 was given a tiny table this close to Fereidoun ‘Fred’ Khalialian, who has a substantial rap sheet of his own. Says Shark Tank, "When one of Loeb’s party-goers inadvertently backed into space perceived by Khalialian’s bodyguards to be theirs, he was physically ejected back to the Loeb table causing substantial tension between the two celebrating parties." When Vergara and Loeb tried to diffuse the tension, "two oversized security men tackled Loeb and wrestled him to the floor. Loeb, a tall 220 lbs made like Daniel Craig to fight off the thugs. Club owner Paciello jumped on top of this dog pile in an additional attempt to subdue Loeb. When Vergara realized that Loeb had been assaulted she entered the fray where upon two more bodyguards tackled her, tearing her dress. Vergara struggled to her feet and left the club." Yikes. While some may say this is hearsay, Vergara herself endorses the story via Twitter.

A source very close to her told us "Sofia will never speak to [Paciello] again. He begged her to come to the club and then he had no table for her. He used her for all the press for the club." Vergara was a good friend of Paciello's during his own troubles and allegedly put up her house for his bail money way before she was a big star, visited him in prison, and, most recently of course, hosted (pro bono) the New Year's party at the Delano where Paciello is a consultant for nightlife conglomerate The Light Group. We contacted Paciello, who said he did not want to comment.

: http://blogs.herald.com/scene_in_the_tro...l#storylink=cpy

Big Fella,

My guess is he stays down here, Florida has many more business opportunities for guys with Joey's particular set of skills and there are fewer eyes watching the store. In this day and age the smart move would be to stay in Florida IMO.

Doesn't do a thing for me. I wouldn't look twice at him on the street.

Would be interesting if any of the local Philly rags look for pics of merlinos return to philly .. Would sell some papers at least ..
I'm sure George A and Dave S will catch wind of sightings .. George at least will - he did that interview with Joey.

Thank you NNY very interesting stuff. I love Sophia she is gorgeous lol.

Me Either I'd be on the beach looking for Uncle Jessie.

I think Merlino will stay in Fla. There are more business opportunities- legal and illegal plus the social scene is so much nicer. I also think he is too smart to get involved with the rat Pacillo. While his parolee ends, you can be sure he is still being watched carefully by law enforcement so I doubt he will make any big moves right away.

He's a household name. He has a bunch of hanger-on's that can support him legitimately. He would never get involved with Paciello. They've already had an encounter at an NBA game and Paciello said to him "I know you did the right thing and I didn't".

Yea I read that they had ran into each other.

Most recent info I could find

WHY BOCA?

So why Boca Raton, a place without real cheese steaks, Mummers and the Eagles?

Organized crime experts say that Merlino, one of the many Teflon dons who have beaten multiple murder raps, has a better shot of staying under the radar in Boca. He was high-profile in Philly, with an entourage of pretty women and bodyguards. He was always followed by police and undercover agents.

Richard Mangan, a professor at Florida Atlantic University’s School of Criminology, said Merlino is no stranger to South Florida. At one time, he was part of Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo’s regime in Philadelphia. Scarfo owned a home in Fort Lauderdale, and Merlino is among those whose photo was taken on Scarfo’s boat, the “Casa Blanca,” also known as “The Usual Suspects.’’

Mangan said it’s likely Merlino has been in charge of the family all along, even from prison.

“The speculation is that yeah, why wouldn’t he be running things, especially in this digital age,” Mangan said.

According to various media reports, Merlino has talked about getting into the restaurant business. In August, Don Michael Petullo, a former Las Vegas businessman who worked in the casino industry, registered a company, DNS Inc., at Merlino’s Boca Raton address. Petullo, who could not be reached for comment, doesn’t appear to be in the carpet business.

In February, a confidential FBI memo was leaked by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks that said Merlino “appears to be restoring and developing significant relationships for a potential South Florida crew,” and that he was getting involved in gambling/bookmaking activities.

Then in May, a detention memo filed by prosecutors referenced a secretly recorded conversation among New Jersey mobsters discussing Merlino’s status in the organization as the man in charge who would decide, after his release from prison, which candidates would be initiated into the mob. Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi, up until then considered the top boss, is recorded as saying Merlino would “make” the guys he wants. Ligambi is now in prison.

INVITING TROUBLE

A former boss of one of Florida’s crime families, now retired, said Merlino is inviting trouble by moving to Boca.

“I don’t know who he thinks he is, but it’s stupid, very stupid,” said the ex-mobster, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “Why Boca? He could go anywhere, Phoenix, even Central Florida.” Boca, he said, will only create more police scrutiny of his dealings. “Boca is just too hot for someone like him.”

The old-timer said the brash and brazen Merlino will not be welcomed by the local La Cosa Nostra.

“I guarantee you that there are people out there who won’t want him,” he said.

New York’s five organized-crime syndicates — the Gambino, Genovese, Bonanno, Colombo and Lucchese families — have always considered Florida to be “open,” with no family claiming exclusive rights to operate.

But many of the older bosses have either gone to jail or are dead. In the old days, the guys didn’t want to attract attention, but young turks like Merlino enjoy the limelight, said the old boss.

During the time he was in prison, Merlino reportedly spent a lot of time in the gym, bulking up. Meanwhile, the mob was led by Ligambi, although speculation among law enforcement is that Ligambi was actually a figurehead for Merlino.

Merlino, released in 2011, served time in a Boca Raton halfway house before being freed.

If he is running the Philadelphia mob, he is likely doing so through associates still living in Philly and South Jersey, according to the confidential FBI memo. Merlino is prohibited from associating with known felons and is still on federally supervised release.

“The word we got is Joey has a benefactor, he has somebody pumping money into him. How else could he get out of prison and move into a $400,000 house and drive a Mercedes?,’’ LaPenta said. “It’s trouble for South Florida in the sense that because Joey is there, others will follow.”

www.miamiherald.com

Yea I read that article before thank you for that.

I'm sure he had to have some kind of money put away but he has to be getting some kind of payments from somewhere.

I love Dunkin Donuts, how's the food at Josie's?

Princess, Josie's has great food, everything is homemade and their eggplant is outstanding. Nice family place.

Is it true that Merlino is only 5-04 tall?

Let's just look at the cost of things in a regular family costs 18,000 a year for major medical and small retirement plan.
23,100 In taxes just my two property's house and ski house .
70,000 a year is what is spend on gas food eating out clothes ect.not counting family vacations.not counting anything no income propert's or businesses,or Roth IRA,or stocks ,just living"
24,000 a year if he has a nice car. ins and payment.Now if he does not own any primary residence then he is paying that tax figure in his wife and kids house and his own easy pays that.Now if you add his wife and kid those figures climb.My wife spends 50,000 a year on her self and the kids and grand kids.But if everyone thinks his bro in law is handing him everything well maybe he is.

This guy is and was the boss no one unseated him and he did not give it up,And if he was unseated you all would know by now .He has and is getting kicked....

So i guess it will not be long before we see who has and was passing that up,cos he will see the the guys that do when it is lifted...

Yup very true.

Belmont, yes He is a little over 5 feet tall, he has bulked up quite a bit. When I saw him at the restaurant he was clean cut and had a nice suit on, if you didn't know who he was you would of thought he was just another working stiff. I didn't know whether to take my time eating or get the hell out of there lol.