PHILADELPHIA/SOUTH JERSEY
In January 2000, 11 people, including Philadelphia LCN acting boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, underboss Steven "Handsome Steve" Mazzone, consigliere George Borgesi, and soldiers Frank Gambino and John Ciancaglini, were indicted in Philadelphia on charges of racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, running a sports bookmaking operation, cocaine trafficking, and forcing a partnership with a local ring that burglarized tractor trailers and sold stolen goods (toy train sets, bicycles, sweatsuits, computers, TV's, ceiling fans, watches, baby formula, etc.)
In March 2000 and in superseding case in October 2001, Camden Mayor Milton Milan, an assistant James Mathis, and Philadelphia LCN associate Daniel Daidone, were indicted in New Jersey on charges of conspiracy, fraud, and bribery related to bribery by former Philadelphia LCN boss Ralph Natale to receive city contracts.
In October 2000, 6 people, including Thomas Floriani, Richard Crossan and Frank Grabon, were indicted in Philadelphia on charges of running a sports bookmaking operation that stretched from Philadelphia to New Jersey, utilized phones, fax machines, and tally bets and sheets that showed 200,000 wagers in excess of $15 million.
In February 2001, 21 people, including Philadelphia acting underboss Joseph "Mousie" Massimino, were indicted in New Jersey on charges of racketeering, conspiracy, loansharking, trafficking in cocaine and diazepam, and running a $30 million dollar sports bookmaking operation that took in $50,000 to $100,000 a week in profits.
In March 2001 and in a superseding indictment in August 2001, 9 people, including Philadelphia LCN acting boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, captain Vincent "Beeps" Centorino, associates Daniel D'Ambrosia, Joseph Servidio, Dominick "Tommy" DiNorscio, Raymond "Frenchie" Lepore, and Eugene "Little Gene" Wilson, as well as Gambino soldier Anthony Proto, Genovese associate Thomas DeMichael, and Lucchese associate Wayne Cross, were indicted in New Jersey on charges of racketeering, running a sports bookmaking operation that utilized a wireroom in Costa Rica, loansharking, extortion, ecstasy trafficking, and murder.
In September 2001, 34 video poker machines belonging to Philadelphia LCN acting boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi, acting underboss Joseph "Mousie" Massamino, and captain Anthony "Ant" Staino were seized in Philadelphia. It was reported later that an estimated 50-60 bars in South Philadelphia had the machines, each of which took in about $1,000 a week, totaling $2 -$3 million a year.
In February 2003, Philadelphia LCN acting boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi was banned from Atlantic City casinos by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.
In May 2003, Philadelphia LCN associate Anthony "Tony Gags" Gagliardi was indicted in New Jersey on charges of trafficking in 5 kilos of cocaine.
In May 2003, 21 people including Steven Vento Jr., the son of the late Philadelphia LCN associate Steven "Steaky" Vento, were indicted in Florida on charges of racketeering and dealing in stolen property involving a stolen luxury car ring that used fake vin numbers, titles, etc. In March 2010, Vento and 3 other people were named in a federal complaint in Florida charging them with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud involving a multimillion dollar mortgage fraud scam.
In May 2004, the New Jersey Commission of Investigation released a report on organized crime in the state, which included a summary of the Philadelphia LCN family; traditionally operative in South Jersey, and said to have roughly 50 members (half of which were in prison) and 100 associates. Due to infighting, turncoats, and prosecutions over the past 25 years, the family was down to only a few street level crews involved in sports bookmaking, numbers, video poker machines, loansharking, extortion, drug trafficking (particularly meth), and general thievery; and appeared to lack the "wherewithal to mount any foray into the legitimate business world."
In August 2004, 7 people, including John Garbarino Jr. and Felix Ezzio (a bookie and drug dealer who had longstanding ties to the Philadelphia LCN), were indicted in New Jersey on charges of conspiracy and promoting gambling involving a sports bookmaking operation that stretched from a wireroom in South Philadelphia to South Jersey and took in as much as $60,000 in bets a day between July and December 2003.
In November 2005, Philadelphia LCN associate Eugene "Louie Turco" Bulgarino was banned from Atlantic City casinos by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission.
In February 2006, 3 people, Richard Tocchet, police officer James Harney, and James Ulmer, were indicted in New Jersey on charges conspiracy, money laundering, and official misconduct involving a sports bookmaking operation, which had ties to the Philadelphia LCN, that handled $1.7 million in bets over a 40 day period.
Following a criminal complaint filed in October 2006, in November 2007, Philadephia LCN member Vincent "Big Vince" Filipelli was indicted in New Jersey on charges of conspiracy, promoting gambling, possession of gambling records, possession of steroids, money laundering, and weapons possession.
In May 2006, 18 people, including Joseph and John Mastronardo, were indicted in Montgomery, PA on charges of conspiracy and running a multimillion sports bookmaking operation. In April 2010, the Mastronardos were indicted again in Montgomery, PA on charges of illegal gambling, money laundering (which authorities believed was tied to organized crime), and parole violation.
In November 2006, 2 people, including Philadelphia LCN associate, Damion Canalichio, were indicted in Philadelphia on charges of trafficking in over 300 grams of cocaine.
In July 2007, Philadelphia LCN associates, Danilo Starita and Edward Wagner, were indicted in New Jersey on charges of conspiracy, theft by deception, promoting gambling, falsifying records, and possessing gambling records involving a gambling operations that took in thousands of dollars a week and netted at least $1,000 a day. In January 2008, they were indicted in Philadelphia on charges of mortgage fraud.
In February 2008, Philadelphia LCN associates John Catalano, Thomas Demilio, and Harry Elwell, were indicted in Philadelphia on charges of conspiracy, tax fraud, loansharking and organizing a kickback scheme to obtain a roofing project contract.
In April 2008, 24 people, including Philadelphia LCN members Michael Lancellotti and Anthony Nicodemo, were indicted in New Jersey on charges of running a sports bookmaking operation out of an Atlantic City casino that handled $60 million in bets over a 20 month period, loansharking, and money laundering.
In May 2008, 9 people, including Michael O'Brien and Brad Pesin, were indicted in Philadephia on charges of running a sports bookmaking operation, which police believed was connected to the LCN, and that had handled $2.5 million in wagers.
In July 2008, 17 people, including Philadelphia LCN associates Louis "Bent Finger Louie" Monacello and Nicholas "Nicky the Hat" Cimino, were indicted in Philadelphia on charges of running a sports bookmaking operation that took in $1 million a month, loansharking, solicitation to commit aggravated assualt, conspiracy to commit perjury, fencing stolen goods, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. In November 2010, police raided a South Philadelphia beer distributor, Chappy's Beer, Butts, and Bets, owned by local attorney, Gregory Quigley, who was involved in the 2008 case. In February 2011, it was reported that a grand jury was conducting an investigation into strip clubs, towing companies, the Licenses & Inspections Department of Philadelphia, and Chappy's Beer, Butts, and Bets.
In September 2008, 13 people, including the son of former Philadelphia LCN captain, Charles "Charlie White" Iannece, were indicted in Philadelphia on charges of trafficking in $6.6 million of crystal methemphatamine.
In September 2008, a construction company owned by the cousin of former Philadelphia LCN acting boss, Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, applied to do work on Atlantic City casinos.
In October 2008, 14 people, including several contractors and Philadelphia LCN associate Anthony "Tony Nose" Iannuzzio, were indicted in Trenton, NJ on charges of fraud involving accepting money for home improvement jobs that were never completed. In December 2003, Iannuzzio had been indicted in Trenton on charges of operating an illegal waste disposal company.
In January 2009, 5 people, including Philadelphia LCN associate Michael Pacitti, were indicted in Philadelphia on charges of running a theft ring at various country clubs that had stolen $100,000 in goods (laptops, IPods, TV's, jewelry, etc.) and attempting to make $25,000 in purchases from stolen credit cards.
In March 2009, former Hoboken parking utility director, John Corea and Philadelphia LCN associate, Brian Pettacio, were indicted in New Jersey on charges of conspiracy, money laundering, official misconduct, theft, and misapplication of government property involving a scheme to steal $1.7 million from the city's parking meters.
In July 2009, it was reported that, even with only about 20 active members on the street at the time, the Philadelphia LCN's total manpower of members and associates came to approixamately 150 men; and that the family continued to be involved in gambling, loansharking, and extortion.
In August 2009, it was reported that the Philadelphia LCN, under the leadership of acting boss, Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi, was more "quieter, more discipined, and smaller" than in the past, with about 20 active members on the street compared to 60 total members in the late 1960's. The family focused mainly on illegal gambling, loansharking, and extortion and kept it's narcotics involvment to mostly financing a drug dealer's entry into the business for a one-time kickback. It had also simply stopped taking the bets of gamblers who didn't pay rather than resorting to assault. Despite it's lower profile, even to the point where some had written it off, a May 2011 article reported that the recent LCN bust had showed the Philadelphia LCN was "alive and well."
In September 2009, 50 video poker machines tied to the Philadelphia LCN were seized in raids on 13 establishments in Philadelphia.
In October 2010, it was reported that a news stand that sells state lottery tickets outside of one of South Philadelphia 's sports bars was owned by the wife of Philadelphia LCN member John "Johnny Chang" Ciancaglini.
In November 2010, 13 people, including local body shop owner Phillip Sessa, were indicted in Philadelphia on charges of insurance fraud, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, false reports to law enforcement, criminal use of a communications facility, false reports, deceptive business practices, criminal mischief, corrupt organization, criminal conspiracy, and operating a chop chop involving an insurance fraud and theft ring that damaged vehicles and then submitted over $300,000 in 22 fraudulent claims to insurance companies in order to receive payments for repairs. Some of those involved used the money to pay off loanshark debts or did free car repairs to pay off gambling debts to LCN figures such as Anthony "Ant" Staino.
In January 2011, and superseding indictments in May 2011 and April 2012, 14 people, including Philadelphia LCN acting boss Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi, underboss Joseph "Mousie" Massamino, consigliere George "Georgie" Borgesi, captains Anthony "Ant" Staino and Joseph "Scoops" Licata, and soldiers Martin "Marty" Angelina, Gaeton "Gate" Lucibello, Eric Esposito, and Louis "Big Lou" Fazzini, were charged in Philadelphia with racketeering, conspiracy, running a sports bookmaking operation, distributing video poker machines through JMA Industries in bars, restaurants, convenience stores, coffee shops, etc. - 86 of which were seized, loansharking, extortion of a rival video poker business by forcing it to sell it's machines at over 20 locations in May 2001, extortion of unaffiliated bookmakers, witness tampering, aiding and abetting, obstruction of justice, as well as theft from the IBT employee benefit plan through a $50,000 a year "no show" job Ligambi had with Top Job Disposal; which was cited in the December 2011 New Jersey Commission of Investigation report on ongoing organized crime involvement in the solid waste and unregulated recycling industry in New Jersey. In addition to his the trash hauling business, it was also reported that Ligambi had hidden interests in real estate and a towing company. It was also reported that Licata had conspired to get Fazzini a "no show" job through the Gambino's union connections.
In April 2011, it was reported that as part of an ongoing investigation into a drug dealing operation involving the illegal sale of prescription medications such as oxycodone, percocet, etc. and loansharking connected to Philadelphia LCN underboss Joseph "Mousie" Massimino, search warrants were executed at the homes of several members of the Pagan Motorcyle Gang, such as Joseph "The Goat" Ferrari, and LCN ssociates such as Nicky Volpe; as well as a bar where video poker machines had been seized.
In June 2011, it was reported that a South Philadelphia auto-body-shop owner and bookie and loanshark, Rocco Maniscalco, was killed in 2010 for not paying the street tax to representatives of George Borgesi.
In February 2012, it was reported through leaked law enforcement records that former Philadelphia LCN acting boss, Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, may be in the process of setting up operations in the Miami, FL area and forming a crew that included Phillip "Disney" McFillin and John "Jack" Manfredi, who was operating a gambling website called Getitnow.com, as well as looking for investors in ATM's he wanted to install in strip clubs and massage parlors. Although having a job at a flooring company, the report stated Merlino had become involved in gambling activities again and was maintaining contact with former acting underboss, Steven "Handsome Steve" Mazzone in Philadelphia. Also, the report stated an unnamed associate of Merlino was in the process of purchasing a $1 million home and a Rolls Royce for Merlino. In May 2012, it was alleged in a detention memo that Merlino was the official boss of the Philadelphia LCN, as he had been while incarcerated.
In February 2012, 2 people, Philadelphia LCN soldier Robert Gentile, and associate Andrew Parente, were indicted in Connecticut on charges of felony possession of guns, explosives, silencers, other weapons, cash, drugs, and phony ID documents.
In May 2012, it was reported that authorities had filed a forfeiture seizure for nearly $180,000 that had been discovored in the backpack of William "Billy" Coyman, a former Teamster in Philadelphia, after he had collapsed at Manhattan train station the previous summer. It was alleged the money was part of a drug operation and that Coyman had been employed by 180 Entertainment Inc., which was owned by Anthony Fedele Jr., a known associate of Philadelphia LCN boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, and Joseph Burke, a convicted bank robber and drug trafficker from Boston.
