Skinny Joey Merlino Forces Fed's Hands

Last year, the Fed's invited Skinny Joey Merlino to what they said was gonna be one helluva party.  Only now they wanna cancel.  Well, too bad for them, Joey says. Now, he's gonna force them to throw it. 

Rather than swallow two years inside Merlino is ready for trial.

Bradley Sirkin, one of the East Coast LCN Enterprise case's wild cards, was a former driver for Philadelphia Mafia boss Joseph (Skinny Joey) Merlino.

He had extensive ties to the Mafia -- was associated with several crime families. He seems to have been one of the key threads running from New York to Florida. This mean anything?





He's agreed to a guilty plea in the EasIt Coast-whatever case in Manhattan Federal Court.

He also copped in Federal court in Tampa. Sirkin said he committed conspiracy to commit health care fraud in what is viewed as a strong case against him and seven co-defendants (unlike the case in New York).

Merlino refused to cop and is seeking to push the Fed's to trial, unless he's holding out for a better deal or for the Feds to drop the charges, period, which isn't completely impossible. The Feds have -- or had -- if Tom Wolfe's Bonfire of the Vanities research was correct -- a term for this kind of case, one in which a turncoat has deleted evidence (or is a pedophile etc.). The technical term is "piece of shit."

Gang Land News reported today that it's looking increasingly like Merlino "will be the only defendant in the five family indictment of 46 wiseguys and mob associates who is willing to roll the dice and go to trial on racketeering conspiracy charges as a member of a made-up entity the feds have dubbed the East Coast LCN Enterprise."

Merlino is one of eight who opted out of a mass plea negotiation caused by the alleged misconduct of three FBI agents.

As per a global plea deal, 37 defendants plead to reduced charges.

GLN reported that Merlino "likes to boast that he has never taken a plea deal in his life," and that he's "telling anyone who'll listen that he's not going to start making them now with the feds. It's probably not a bad negotiating posture. Neither the FBI nor the U.S. Attorney's office are eager to try the case, given the airing it will give to FBI misdeeds, so Skinny Joey just may get an offer he can't refuse."

As for the trio of bosses of this fictional entity, Eugene (Rooster) O'Nofrio has declined to even consider a plea offer and like Merlino, reportedly rejected a deal that carried a two-year sentence. He's going to trial, too, apparently.

Pasquale (Patsy) Parello, 72, however, has taken a deal, pleading guilty, indirectly, to three counts of conspiracy to commit extortion. He faces a reported five-year stretch.

Sirkin faces a maximum 10-year sentence in an unrelated Florida case, and 20 years in the New York case. Bottom line, however, is, based on sentencing guidelines, Sirkin probably faces four to five years in prison. He also has to pony up $2.6 million in restitution.

Sirkin interrupted a hearing last year to complain to the judge that he was broke. He'd just finished a 25-year prison stretch in an unrelated case, he explained to the judge.

“Now, I’m home and I can’t afford nothing,” he said. A court-appointed lawyer was sent for.


Comments

  1. What's your thoughts Ed? Do you think Skinny Joey is the boss?

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  2. I don't think there is a boss at all , I believe they run it as a council. Bosses cause way to much attention.

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  3. Skinny joey met with nicholas ( Nick skins) Stefanelli at a dunkin donuts in boca. The feds sent nicky skins with a wire to talk to joey. Why didn't they arrest joey for meeting a made gambino member which nick skins was. The feds are full of $hit. They do what they wanna do.

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  4. I think there is still a structure and an administration, my bets are on Joe Ligambi as consigliere. Phil Narducci will be playing a part too no doubt, probably as a captain

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  5. Interesting point. To Merlino's credit he didn't say anything incriminating. Nicky Skins committed suicide,

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  6. He is and will remain the boss till either the feds put him away for life or his own people set him up in fla to be killed. This thing in philly should come to a head after the nicodemo trial if he talks there all done and Nicky Sr.s
    old crew with phil narducci should run things i think and whats left of Uncle Joe.s crew and Joey.s will have to make do with the new guy in charge. That.s only if nicodemo talks. Should he not talk that changes everything because Boy George Borgesi is not a happy camper right now

    Phil narducci might have other ideas he and his crew were mot Joey merlino fans twenty five yrs ago may be time heals old wounds .marty Angelina amd Gateon Lucchibelo will be getting out soon also . Gonna be interesting for the Mobsters of Brotherly Love. Philly

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  7. Joey Merlino is the boss based on the fact that Scoops Licata introduced Joe Ligambi to John Gambino as 'our acting boss' and Ligambi said to Gambino 'Joey sends word'. Ligambi even discussed passing over some guys for membership and said 'let Joey make them when he gets home'. If this isn't proof enough for everyone that Merlino was and is the Boss your head is in your ass like that just a thought guy.

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  8. welcome back funzi as they say u can lead a horse to water but u cant make him drink. philly

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  9. it wouldnt hold up in court i dont think some where along the lines of entrapment i guess not really sure just speculating. Philly

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  10. Merlino ain't the boss. This isn't the Ralph Natale and Merlino family anymore like in 1994, Merlino was sent to prison and lost all of his rackets. Merlino did as much damage to the organization as Nicky Scarfo because they couldn't keep their faces away from the camera. Joe Ligambi brought things in order in Philly. To say the least Merilno probably has his own crew in Florida and runs his turf there. The two convicted felons with Merlino and Ciancaglini weren't Ciancaglini guys. The whole "night out" incident was probably Merlino discussing business since his got ties with Philly. How laughable to think Merlino runs Philly when he returns to Philly and attracts a whole crowed of people. If there is someone who runs Philly it's Joe Ligambi but you can only teach someone so much until he reaches his limits.

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  11. That is a case of entrapment at its finest.

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  12. HE STILL GETS ENVOLOPES DELIVERD FREQUENTLY. UNCLE JOE WAS ACTING BOSS ONLY TILL JOEY GOT OUT. NOBODY GONNA SEMD HIM MONEY IF JE ISNT THE BOSS. AS FOR A CREW IN FLA THEY PAY HIM TO SAY THEY ARE WITH HIM SAD BIT TRUE NOT GONNA SRGUE THIS POINT ANYMORE JUST A THOUGHT. AND THIS WILL ALL COME OUT DOWN THE ROAD WHEN SOMEONE LOOKING AT LIFE BEHIND BARS FROM HIS OLD CTEW IN PHILA TALKS. AS WE SPEAK RIGHT KNOW RICO GAMBLING EXTORTION LONE SHARKING CHARGES ARE COMING SOON IN PHILA FOR THE MOB AND STREET BOOKIES DEALING WITH THE MOB WHO PAY TO PLAY DON.T LNOW IF THEY CAN CHARGE JOEY ON ANYTHING UP HERE UNLESS THE PERSON WHO DELIVERS THE MONEY IS THE CULPRIT TALKING. BYE FOR KNOW. PHILLY

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  13. If you read through all of the documents from his violation hearing, his lawyer mentioned that he reported that meeting to his parole officer (or whoever he needed to report it to) so he was in no trouble for that.

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  14. Don't hold your tongue , unleash it for me. As for your replies they are all speculations with no real proof to back them up as well. My opinion won't change. Like I stated in my previous reply " you can only teach someone so much until he reaches his limits"

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  15. I still stick to my opinion that if there is a boss it's Joe Ligambi not some trigger happy attention whore like merlino.

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  16. Why isn't Tampa ever in the news? It's always something on the east coast. Is Tampa nonexistent or just that low key?

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  17. Johnnys wife admited on the stand she visits Joey often what more proof do u need. Skinny and chang are two jerkoffs for even getting there wifes involved this shit and it will come back to bite them in the ass and trust me my! inf ormation is right on time. U my friend ate someone from philly who continues

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  18. What you wrote down still does not confirm Merlino is running things. All of your facts does not indicate that merlino is running things on the contrary it only indicates that Merlino is a active organize crime figure nothing more. Receiving envelops does not only mean you're the boss , it can mean that you have a racket in philly which you receive envelops for. A New Jersey undercover organized crime investigator even admited Merlino was running things in Florida not Philly.You have no understanding how organize crime works. Just because you don't like someone opinion in the matter doesn't mean it's right or wrong. You write these things like your stuck in the 1980s when costra was different then it is now. Costra Nostra has changed but anyway neither you or I may be right until the feds confirm it but my moneys still on Joe Ligambi. Just a thought , think about it son.

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  19. Joeys the Boss who runs things from fla with the women carrying messages and others doing the same. I will say this after that last incident that could be in jeopardy. I agree when Uncle Joe was actimg boss for 10 yrs he put things back in order and established respect for the philly mob he is the better boss no argument here with that said Joey will continue to run things from down mithere
    until the feds have enough to put him away for good or this guys have enough of his mistakes if he is smart he see.s this c

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  20. Joey Merlino, Boss of what? Are you all kidding me?
    I never had the pleasure to meet Joey but I always heard he was a nice guy. Just from what I know Joey seems to be a stand up guy but with no balls.
    If I was still in the life and did not become a RAT, I would of never tolerated a person like Chris Paciello. To approached me with his chest puffed out, I would of left him where he stood... That my friends you could take to the bank... No RAT would ever front me especially at a live sporting event.
    Second, Joey tried doing a reality show, YES A REALITY SHOW!!! THAT IS A FACT!!!
    With guys like Joey, Matty M., Arnold S., Funzi, Michael Nose, Vinny A., and the list goes on... The life became a JOKE... Believe me when my story is finally told you will see why I turned on my so called friends...

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  21. Wow, things getting pretty intense on here. I'm really busy on another project but I'll have to go through all this later in the week....thanks for all the comments. I love a lively discussion.

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  22. It's a fact that the guy you say is the Boss referred to Merlino as the Boss. Go read the transcript from the tapes Nicky Skins made. Go do that and come back and tell me Merlino aint the boss.

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  23. Listen, I heard a lot of tapes in the past with jerk offs saying things that were just not true. So I am not disputing that it was said. What I am stating is that a MOB BOSS is not looking or inquiring about being in a reality show... That is a fact....

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  24. The tapes only proves that Merlino sponsored 3 guys for membership in which Ligambi declines.

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  25. There's an entire website/ magazine devoted to Tampa. Tampa Cigar Mafia or something... Google it, but I'll also look for it.

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  26. I've been looking to piece together a transcript of that meeting; I remember reading what you noted but can't find; do you have a link. I only find a cryptic reference to Merlino and a bandwagon....

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  27. I am looking for the transcript -- is one available?

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  28. Here 'tis: http://www.cigarcitymagazine.com/index.php

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