Not matter what merlino was and probably is a mafia boss of the second biggest city on the east coast. He doesn't have the power like the bosses before him but he's a boss. Getting money from all the books and loans. Philly is strange not like new England were its 2 states. There no different factions just south philly and joey friends. Its like the Colombo's in Brooklyn there the strongest they didn't need crews in other boros.