Scarfo was made (by Joe DeFede) shortly after he got out of jail in 1994 along with Carlo Tacetta as a favor to their fathers for protection.
That's a long time to pass between Halloween '89 and 1994. From what I understand didn't most of the New York guys (I mean it's really only the Genovese that have say in Philly) detest Merlino in favor of Stanfa?
He got pinched in the Fresolone case, he wasn't with the lucchese until he got out of the joint for that.
