Scarfo Jr. Sought to Retake the Philly Mafia
Nicodemo S. Scarfo and pal Salvatore Pelullo are slated to face the music (though it's continually been postponed) for their efforts to steal around $12 million from FirstPlus Financial. Scarfo, 49, the son of imprisoned mob boss Nicodemo D. "Little Nicky" Scarfo, faces nearly life in prison, as does Pelullo, 47, an associate who helped loot the Texas-based mortgage company.
Also scheduled for next week: yet another meeting as per the defense's efforts to win a new trial by maintaining that the jury in the FirstPlus case never should've been exposed to any mob-related discovery material.
The trial of Scarfo and Pelullo did not involve the Mafia, defense attorneys contend. Therefore, the prosecution's references to the mob "prejudiced the jury and [served] to glamorize and sensationalize an otherwise mundane financial case, defense attorneys have argued," as George Anastasia noted on BigTrial.
However, U.S. Attorney Steven D'Aguanno acknowledged repeatedly "that references to the mob were relevant and that the multi-million dollar fraud was carried out in large part because of the fear and intimidation that Pelullo used by alluding to his mob ties to Scarfo."
In fact, the defense's theory is that the probe's origin was largely a result of an FBI effort to "track the younger Scarfo's attempt to retake control of the Philadelphia crime family his jailed father once headed."
Also scheduled for next week: yet another meeting as per the defense's efforts to win a new trial by maintaining that the jury in the FirstPlus case never should've been exposed to any mob-related discovery material.
 |
| Nicky Scarfo Jr was shot six times while dining here. He and walked out of the hospital a week later, having suffered only flesh wounds. |
The trial of Scarfo and Pelullo did not involve the Mafia, defense attorneys contend. Therefore, the prosecution's references to the mob "prejudiced the jury and [served] to glamorize and sensationalize an otherwise mundane financial case, defense attorneys have argued," as George Anastasia noted on BigTrial.
However, U.S. Attorney Steven D'Aguanno acknowledged repeatedly "that references to the mob were relevant and that the multi-million dollar fraud was carried out in large part because of the fear and intimidation that Pelullo used by alluding to his mob ties to Scarfo."
In fact, the defense's theory is that the probe's origin was largely a result of an FBI effort to "track the younger Scarfo's attempt to retake control of the Philadelphia crime family his jailed father once headed."
His earliest parole date is 2033, when "Little Nicky" will be 103 years old.
This part of the case piques our interest much more than the financial fraud in Texas.
While siphoning some $12 million from the mortgage company, "Scarfo was also maneuvering to re-establish himself in South Jersey and align himself with mob figures who might support his underworld power grab."
The Feds presented little evidence to bolster this "story line" during the trial. They did highlight the fact that Scarfo Jr. was a member of New York's Luchese crime family (not the Philly Cosa Nostra family) and that Vittorio "Vic" Amuso, boss of the Luchese family, allowed Scarfo to join the New York crime family essentially to save the young man's life.
Amuso, at the time, shared a cell with Scarfo Senior. Both were supposed to get a piece of FirstPlus.
In fact Amuso and "Little Nicky" were named as unindicted co-conspirators in the FirstPlus case.
The jury also heard about the 1989 Halloween Eve hit on Scarfo Jr., who was shot and nearly killed while dining with others at Dante & Luigi's Restaurant.
The masked shooter had strode into the front dining room after 7 p.m. and fired six shots into Scarfo, who fell to the floor in a growing puddle of blood. (None of the bullets struck a vital organ and he was out of the hospital a week later.)
The gunman made his exit as the patrons and restaurant employees screamed and scrambled for cover. He leaped into a car that had pulled up and drove away. A semiautomatic MAC-9 machine pistol was found on a sidewalk near the restaurant.
At the time, Scarfo Jr. was supposedly trying to run the street for his imprisoned father, who is faulted for driving the Philly Cosa Nostra into the ground. About 20 mob figures were killed during his reign.
Law-enforcement officials noted there had been a history of hostility between the younger Scarfo and Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, who was the shooter, according to informants.
"Skinny Joey," in a Florida prison until May 5, was said to have deliberately dropped the gun to send a message to “Little Nicky” Scarfo, who apparently loves the film The Godfather, especially the "restaurant scene" in which Michael Corleone dispatches two enemies of the Corleone family with the aplomb of a true WWII veteran.
Original Thrust of Fed's Probe
An affidavit "offers an intriguing look at the Philadelphia - South Jersey underworld in 2006," as Anastasia writes. The original thrust of the probe was the takeover of the Philadelphia mob by Scarfo Jr.
From his Atlanta prison cell, "Little Nicky" Scarfo backed his son's efforts to take control of the crime family from Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi, a former Scarfo ally.
New York's Luchese crime family backed Scarfo's play; in fact, Scarfo Jr. lived in North New Jersey under the protection of the Lucheses before moving to the Atlantic City area in 2006.
According to BigTrial:
See complete story at BigTrial....
This part of the case piques our interest much more than the financial fraud in Texas.
While siphoning some $12 million from the mortgage company, "Scarfo was also maneuvering to re-establish himself in South Jersey and align himself with mob figures who might support his underworld power grab."
The Feds presented little evidence to bolster this "story line" during the trial. They did highlight the fact that Scarfo Jr. was a member of New York's Luchese crime family (not the Philly Cosa Nostra family) and that Vittorio "Vic" Amuso, boss of the Luchese family, allowed Scarfo to join the New York crime family essentially to save the young man's life.
 |
| Scarfo Junior during FirstPlus Trial. He is to be sentenced next week. |
Amuso, at the time, shared a cell with Scarfo Senior. Both were supposed to get a piece of FirstPlus.
In fact Amuso and "Little Nicky" were named as unindicted co-conspirators in the FirstPlus case.
The jury also heard about the 1989 Halloween Eve hit on Scarfo Jr., who was shot and nearly killed while dining with others at Dante & Luigi's Restaurant.
The masked shooter had strode into the front dining room after 7 p.m. and fired six shots into Scarfo, who fell to the floor in a growing puddle of blood. (None of the bullets struck a vital organ and he was out of the hospital a week later.)
The gunman made his exit as the patrons and restaurant employees screamed and scrambled for cover. He leaped into a car that had pulled up and drove away. A semiautomatic MAC-9 machine pistol was found on a sidewalk near the restaurant.
At the time, Scarfo Jr. was supposedly trying to run the street for his imprisoned father, who is faulted for driving the Philly Cosa Nostra into the ground. About 20 mob figures were killed during his reign.
Law-enforcement officials noted there had been a history of hostility between the younger Scarfo and Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, who was the shooter, according to informants.
"Skinny Joey," in a Florida prison until May 5, was said to have deliberately dropped the gun to send a message to “Little Nicky” Scarfo, who apparently loves the film The Godfather, especially the "restaurant scene" in which Michael Corleone dispatches two enemies of the Corleone family with the aplomb of a true WWII veteran.
Original Thrust of Fed's Probe
An affidavit "offers an intriguing look at the Philadelphia - South Jersey underworld in 2006," as Anastasia writes. The original thrust of the probe was the takeover of the Philadelphia mob by Scarfo Jr.
From his Atlanta prison cell, "Little Nicky" Scarfo backed his son's efforts to take control of the crime family from Joseph "Uncle Joe" Ligambi, a former Scarfo ally.
New York's Luchese crime family backed Scarfo's play; in fact, Scarfo Jr. lived in North New Jersey under the protection of the Lucheses before moving to the Atlantic City area in 2006.
According to BigTrial:
Whether the younger Scarfo had a chance to retake control of the family is an open question. It is hard to imagine many mobsters lining up behind him in a clash with Ligambi. The FBI affidavit said that one confidential source indicated Scarfo had approached Joseph Ciancaglini Jr. , the son of then jailed Scarfo family capo Joseph "Chickie" Ciancaglini. The source, according to the affidavit, said Scarfo approached Ciancaglini and asked if "he wanted to be with" him in a power grab....
See complete story at BigTrial....