Well, I don't. But this way people know that I'm just speculating. As opposed to when I post about places like the Bronx and Harlem, where I only post what I honestly believe to be true .

Good chart and info KING6.

Thank you, Scalish. I appreciate the nice words from everyone here! I'm going to keep updating the chart regularly as new information comes out.

Phil Narducci was writing letters to Andrew Micali during the whole Borgata gambling ring deal (so was Joey Merlino incidentally). The same gambling ring that both his nephews were convicted for taking part in (Baldino brothers). I think smart money is on Phil Narducci being involved. Guy was born and raised into the life I just can't see him all of a sudden coming out after everything he did and getting a job on the register down at the South Philly Pathmark. That's just my opinion though. I really can't speak to the rest of those guys but I do know Joey Pungitore owns a lot of real estate around South philly and incidentally a lot of it is jointly owned with a Scarfo bookmaker named Salvatore Puleio. So read into that any way you want, but the connection is there.

Regarding Chickie Chang and who he sided with. I did hear that he was advising the Merlino guys from Prison and Stanfa even was quoted as acknowledging that Chang Sr. was backing/advising Merlino and crew from jail. However, I have also read the opposite. Natalie's testimony indicated that Michael was "at odds with his brother Joey and his father" as you can read in this article. I tend to believe that he sided with Michael, but if anyone knows for sure then I'd be interested in hearing.

http://articles.philly.com/2001-04-03/ne...stanfa-mob-boss

Scott Burnstein has a good article about Philly 92-99 that covers the main parts of the war. He says that Chickie (sr) supported Mikey Chang and the rubout of Joey Chang (jr).

Maybe he can shed some light on it?

Ralphie Head. Funny

http://articles.philly.com/1991-02-02/news/25773500_1_mob-boss-mob-members-bookmaking

link?

"Word was quickly filtering out to the street and directly to Stanfa personally that both former Scarfo lieutenants Chuckie Merlino and Chickie Ciangalini and Chin Gigante of the Genovese family were backing the Young Turks power play."

http://gangsterreport.com/back-at-war-philly-mob-conflict-recap-1992-1996/

Thanks

Merlino's opened today...

http://mobile.philly.com/news/?wss=/philly/news&id=281874751

It surprises me that Gigante would side with Merlino and not Stanfa.

First of all, I wouldn't put any stock in that report. But IF it's true, I could believe it. Gigante had a thing about the guys from the other side. Actually, that's been the Westside's position for some time now.

It works for them. And I'm certainly not looking to get into a pissing contest here. My grandparents were Italian immigrants and I'm very close to the culture. And some of the other families (namely the Gambinos) seem to be rebuilding through the Sicilians. But homegrown wiseguys are suiting the Genovese family just fine.

After all, even in a day and age where the mob isn't what it used to be, they're still the most influential crime family in this country.

PB - what do you mean about "guys from the other side"? Respectively, not sure what that means and just curious? Assume you don't mean Italy since that wouldn't make sense in this particular case.

That's exactly what I mean. The Genovese Family is not big on making Sicilian born members. Stanfa was born in Sicily. I mean, sure, there are a few. But nothing like the Gambinos or the Bonannos. But like I also said, I don't put too much stock in the story to begin with.

The Chin's panel (Manna) wanted Gotti gone. Gotti installed Stanfa. The Chin is gonna support the opposite. Stanfa was a Gambino puppet.

Genovese has zero choice but to support the opposite.

Of course. There was a lot of bad blood there at the time. But it would have fit well into their thinking anyway. Because like I said, the Genovese family (post Vito Genovese) doesn't favor Sicilian born members. And Gigante in particular was partial to American born Italians.

And like I also said, sure, there are some Sicilian born members, but they're few and far between. I don't even have to go into specifics. All you have to do is look at the membership charts for the past forty or so years.

And today? If anyone thinks that guys like QD, or Barney, or Ernie, or any of the other heavies in that family, would have anything to do with Joey Merlino and his love of the media, then there's a bridge I want to sell you. Because they hated Gotti for his love of the camera as much as for popping Big Paul .

Absolutely. I should have said, in this particular case, hatred of Gotti and his nonsense probably factored more in to it than whether or not stanfa was a sigi.

What's curious is that, if these were "men of honor" they would have not allowed Stanfa to become boss because of his "role" in the Bruno murder. But Along that thinking, Gotti would be done too. At least Manna tried to kill Gotti.

Bottom line, in looking at the arc of Joey Merlino and his ascension to the throne, it's highly dysfunctional, to say the least. Some may argue that it's a complete farce. It's fucking nonsense to be exact. There is zero argument that he woulda disappeared in NYC for his antics.

PB, I know that you always preface "I know little about Philly" but, in Merlinos case, you really don't need to know about who's who back there. You have been around guys your whole life, who handle themselves a certain way. If you woulda seen Philly in the 90s, especially after the stanfa war, it was definitely not hidden, secret, big rackets, etc. It was pure gang intimidation, right out in the open. Anyone who went to the bars/clubs had it thrown in their face

Any relation to Scoops Licata? I know it is a long shot as Licata is a common name....but hey you never know!

http://www.northjersey.com/news/crime-and-courts/nutley-native-indicted-on-drug-charges-1.1129316

I couldn't tell you. But Licata is fairly common, especially among Sicilians in America.

Whenever a surname is spelled and pronounced exactly the same way as a town or province in Italy, it becomes a little more common over here. Especially when it's a coastal town with a major seaport (like Licata).

Don't get me wrong, it's not like Smith or Jones. But it's a lot more common that Lipshitz .

You know how years and years ago when guys used to say "I'm gonna lick you" when they were about to whoop some ass?

I bet Licata said stuff like "I'm gonna Lic you real good" and "I'm gonna Lic you six ways from Sunday" and "I'm gonna give you the Lickin' of a life time" and "I'm gonna skin Licat" when he was about to beat up an unruly debtor.

My Daddy can lick your Daddy. Oh, wait. That's the gay Mafia. Don Elton John came up with the slogan.

No relation to "joey scoops."

@K1NG6: I was looking at the recent chart that you made and noticed that you switched Joey Punge and Phil Narducci. Do you have some new information on that, which made you switch the two out? I also noticed the * and was wondering why Phil Narducci would be operating autonomously and not working with the other guys? Is it because you think he can't work with Joe Punge b/c he killed his father Chickie or something else going on here? Also, does anyone know about what happened between Johnny Chang and Phil Narducci and why they dont get along at all (something happened when he was in jail involving the Baldino nephews). I heard that his nephew ended up getting into a big fist fight with Phil in some S. Philly gym. Guess between those two things I'd venture to say that the Baldino nephews are not with their uncle and if they are still in fact active, which I would assume they are, then they're with Johnny Chang or one of his guys?

Philly Mob :
All that has been flying around Phil is not playing with friends well .This does not surprise me .
I have been trying to find out the truth,very hard to ask things like that because that person may get real pissed or never say a word to me again.

I have been hearing the same stuff, and I don't know whats true.
But if I had to bet there is going to be some things going on real soon ,or this has already started.

I hope King can clear this up ,could spell trouble that lots have been saying about a split in this family.

PHL -- I erroneously had Phil Narducci listed at the top of that crew as the "de facto" captain and street boss after the report came out from a few different places that Narducci was part of a three-man ruling panel (with Chang and Mazzone) while Merlino went to prison. I was wrong, however; from what I've been told all of the former Scarfo soldiers are with Joey Pung. That information comes from a poster on another board who is extremely reputable when it comes to information on Philly. However, Pung is still not an "official" capo, just the de facto leader of that faction.

Regarding Narducci/Joe Pung: I don't have any inside information. However, this same poster also told me that Phil despises Joey Pung almost as much as he hates Merlino (most likely for being involved in his father's murder). That has also been reported on by Scott Burnstein and several others. As for why Phil wouldn't be "under" anyone, it's simply that he served his long stretch in prison and he felt that he was "entitled" to something when he came home. He doesn't report to anyone, but supposedly kicks up a percentage to Stevie Mazzone, who Phil actually respects. It's been said that Stevie is the only thing bridging the gap (and keeping the peace) between between Merlino's contingent and the former Scarfo soldiers. I've heard that Phil has built a power base since coming home from prison, and has a large following of extremely loyal associates around him. Hence, if the rumors about the three man ruling panel were actually true, why Merlino/Mazzone/Chang would appease Phil to avoid the chance of violence.

I don't know the origins of the Narducci/Johnny Chang beef. Maybe somebody else here who has a lot more knowledge on Philly could give insight into that.

Also, I just want to say that I don't want anyone to take my chart as Philly mob gospel. I can't (and would never) claim it to be 100% accurate -- I base it off of news reports, indictments, and previous charts that were made. When new information comes out from the media or law enforcement (or a reputable poster gives me new info) then I update the chart. As of now, it appears the chart is pretty set for sometime, unless something major happens soon and changes the circumstances.

Understood King ,even if a family member tells a person it is still bull till it comes from the feds pretty much.

I don't believe the rats till the feds prove them right.But it will not be long with Skinny out,it is going to get interesting .

so if this guy phil is a force some how he has to get the rest of the familys ok to induct them and that's probably hard if merlinos boss which I think even if in name only. or the pungs. merlino could just say no what could they do.

Thats the whole thing , who made Skinny and are any of them really made. This is a other big reason the old guard(SCARFO GUYS) don't see most of these guys as anything .Crazy Philly...
This is why I say it's going to be very interesting .
Philly is not like NY they will kill..

I think the only induction that was really in question was Ralph Natale. Merlino was inducted by John Stanfa (along with Michael Ciancaglini) in 1992, but I can't remember what month. Stanfa hoped that by giving them their buttons and making Joey Chang the underboss that he could keep the Young Turks satisfied. He was also basically using the old saying "keep your friends close, but keep your enemies closer".

Stanfa gets arrested in 1994 and is awaiting trial, there is no leadership atop the family. Ralph Natale is released around the same time, and he gets "made" by Joey. That's where the problem lies, because Merlino was only a soldier himself at that time. Stevie Mazzone and Johnny Chang would go on to be made sometime after while Merlino and Natale held official leadership positions.

But Serp, I can definitely understand why the old guard doesn't respect Merlino (or some of the other younger guys). They all committed murders and earned for the family, and when it was time to go away for long jail sentences they kept quiet and served their time. Now they are back on the streets (and increasing in numbers) and they feel like they should get what's owed to them.

Think gotti put stanfa there as a gift to the cherry hill guys and the Colombo family welcomed natale to a meal in bk. I agree they all like the idea of structure. Makes them look more stable and secure to all the other family's.