Daniel Capra a reputed Lucchese crime family associate has been sentenced to a year in prison for his role in a mafia linked shakedown.

Alleged New York mafia capo Carmine Avellino was having trouble collecting from a 70-year-old debtor on a $100,000 loan so he tasked Daniel and his younger brother Michael with debt collecting according to prosecutors. Daniel was caught on a wiretap telling his younger brother to “Shake him up a little bit,” in reference to the debtor. But lawyers for Capra maintained that it was Avellino the Lucchese family capo running the show and Capra shouldn’t have been seen as a superior according to the NY Daily News report. But prosecutors maintained that the recording showed the younger brother was checking in with the elder Capra on what to do next.

“Daniel Capra”

The defense pushed for no jail time claiming that Capra had health problems which included heart problems also pointing out that he was a good family man who simply made a bad decision. Capra told Brooklyn Federal Judge Ann Donnelly he made a “huge mistake. I don’t know what I was thinking.” He asked the judge not to separate him from the family that was so important to him but judge Donnelly noted a defendant’s family suffers at every sentencing as well and those committing crimes should think of them. One of Capra’s lawyers said a sentence of incarceration was unwarranted and they were considering an appeal.

All three defendants in the case have admitted to their roles in the mafia shakedown and Daniel’s younger brother was already sentenced to probation. Avellino is scheduled to be sentenced next month for his part in the extortionate shakedown. Extortion and loan sharking have long been and continue to be profitable rackets for Cosa Nostra.

Richard “Shellackhead” Cantatella a former Bonanno crime family captain turned rat is the star of a new half-hour docu-comedy series called “Unprotected” on Oxygen channel.

Cantatella was arrested on a 24-count RICO indictment back in 2002 and while in prison learned fellow Bonanno family mobster Frank Coppa had become an informant. Coppa linked Cantatella to a pair of mafia murders among other crimes which would certainly put him behind bars for life. Cantatella decided to follow suit and become a government witness agreeing to a plea deal turning on his mafia pals. His wife Lauretta and son Paul also a Bonanno family soldier had also been indicted on racketeering charges and also agreed to plea deals. Richard would go on to testify against former New York mafia bosses Joseph Massino and Vincent Basciano.

“Richard Cantatella”

Richard and his family were believed to have disappeared into the Witness Protection Program sometime around 2011. Now the Cantatella family has gone from a life of organized crime to a life in the suburbs. The new half-hour docu-comedy series follows the Cantarellas in their new lives outside of witness protection in Scottsdale, Arizona. According to a press release the new show Unprotected is a “hilarious fish-out-of-water comedy series that reminds us that at the core of it all, it’s all about family.” It offers viewers ” an up-close and amusing glimpse into the lives of this New York family as they adapt to their unfamiliar suburban surroundings, try to shed old habits and stay true to themselves.”

The series focuses on the families new life and their move into a legitimate business a family owned and run car wash. Family members including Richard Cantatella, wife Lauretta Cantarella, daughter Tracey Accardo, son Paul Cantarella, Kim Cantarella, Toni Ann Cantarell, and Richie Cantarella. Unprotected will premiere on Tuesday, April 11 at 9 pm ET/PT on Oxygen. Will be interesting to see how this new mafia show Unprotected stacks up to other mafia shows. You can check out the trailer below.

Trevor McDonald once again takes an in-depth look into the world of the mafia with his new documentary called Mafia Women with Trevor McDonald.

The veteran news reporter and journalist was part of a highly rated mafia documentary back in 2015 called “The Mafia with Trevor McDonald.” McDonald’s new documentary is focusing on the wives, daughters, and girlfriends of the American mafia. Trevor takes a six-week journey into the depths of Cosa Nostra to get viewers a new perspective on the mob. The two-part series includes interviews with Linda Scarpa, Toni Marie Ricci, along with former mobster Anthony Russo and his new girlfriend.

The new mafia TV show aired in February on ITV. You can watch Mafia Women with Trevor Mcdonald right here as it has made it’s way to Youtube. Check it out while it remains up as there is no real way to judge how long the videos will last.

As we make our way through 2017 we take a look at the ever-changing landscape of the Five Families of the New York Mafia.

By many accounts, the NY Mafia has had somewhat of a resurgence in the last few years as the feds have turned the majority of their attention and resources over to the fight against terrorism. The Five Families were severely crippled by years of RICO indictments and were clearly on the ropes when the 9/11 attacks changed the playing field. The mafia families in New York may never again reach the heights of power of its heyday but they have proven over the years to have an uncanny ability to adapt and survive. Many of New York’s Cosa Nostra families now have new and stable leadership in place although some families have benefited from this new era more than others.

“Gambino Family Leader: Frank Cali”

For years the Genovese crime family often referred to as the “Ivy League” of organized crime has been the most powerful of the Five Families. But as this latest mafia resurgence takes root and stability sets in could we see a new family name sitting atop the power structure in New York? The Genovese family is the oldest and still considered to be the largest of the NY families with influence over vast criminal activities both in NY and elsewhere across the country. According to multiple sources, veteran mobster Liborio “Barney” Bellomo has taken the reigns as the families new boss or acting boss. Bellomo is well respected and considered by many to be one of the more powerful mafioso on the streets of New York today. But even with a strong leader once again atop the mountain and the families continued devotion to the code of Omerta it may not be enjoying the same success currently as one of its rivals.

The Gambino crime family has historically been one of the more powerful of the New York mafia families in both size rivaling the mighty Genovese family and influence. The Gambino family is once again on the rise and may be the family that has benefited most from this ongoing mafia revival. Esteemed author and mafia expert Selwyn Raab believe one aspect of this new mafia resurgence is the increase in influence and power by “Zips” (nickname given to Sicilian newcomers) and Zip factions within the American mafia families in New York. The new Gambino family leadership which includes Francesco “Frank” Cali, Domenico “Italian Dom” Cefalù, and John Gambino among others have strong Sicilian ties and the family currently, maintains one of strongest zip factions in NY. Many believe these old school ties and a newly renewed old school approach have made the Gambino’s the most powerful family in NY overtaking the Genovese’s.

It is clear that the Gambino family currently has its most powerful and influential leadership groups in decades at the helm. Frank Cali has long been a rising star in New York mafia circles benefiting from his upbringing by mob elders including Cefalù and his uncle John Gambino along with his strong family ties to the old country. The strong Sicilian ties have undoubtedly given the Gambino family a solid foundation in the lucrative drug trade at least for now which is a major source of income for the NY families. According to recent reports, the Gambino family continues to operate outside of New York including having a heavy influence over what remains of the New Jersey mafia family. The other mob families in New York which include the Bonanno family, Lucchese family and Colombo family also seem to be rebounding just at a slower pace than these two mob powerhouses.

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Federal prosecutors are planning to charge Lucchese crime family leaders Steven (Stevie Wonder) Crea and Matthew (Matty) Madonna with racketeering charges according to a GanglandNews report.

The charges stem from a long-running grade jury probe which included the investigation into the 2013 mafia hit on mob associate and former Purple Gang leader Michael Meldish. According to law enforcement, Crea and Madonna are the top two ranking members and are in control of the New York mafia family while official boss Vittorio Amuso serves a life sentence. Various reports have ranked Crea as the families current acting boss but some law enforcement sources believe he may have been acting as underboss behind Madonna but regardless of official titles its agreed they are in control.

“Matthew Madonna”

A grand jury will be asked to indict Madonna for ordering the mob rubout of Meldish which was allegedly carried out by mob underlings Christopher Londonio and Terrence Caldwell. Both Londonio and Caldwell were indicted last month previously reported here for their alleged role in the Meldish murder who was killed after he had a falling out with family leaders. It is still unclear as to the exact charges prosecutors plan to hit Crea with. According to the report, both Crea and Madonna were the main targets of the probe which may also include an indictment of Crea’s son Steven (Stevie Junior) Crea Jr. on racketeering charges who authorities claim is also a “made man” in the Cosa Nostra family. Crea Jr has no criminal record but law enforcement sources believe he has been involved in various criminal activities in Westchester County.

“Steven Crea”

The court filing indicates that federal prosecutors told White Plains Federal Judge Nelson Roman that unnamed high-ranking members of the Lucchese family were involved in the Meldish murder. Prosecutors claimed they have “proof to show that Londonio was commissioned to commit the murder of Meldish by the leadership of the Lucchese Family.” They also explained in a four-page letter to the judge that the Lucchese family “is heavily tied to Westchester County.” The case was filed in White Plains even though Meldish was killed in the city because according to prosecutors a substantial part of the planning and execution occurred in Westchester County. It was noted that several Lucchese family leaders and Londonio were all residents of Westchester.

The case against the feds labeled East Coast LCN Enterprise which included alleged mafia leaders Joseph (Skinny Joey) Merlino, Pasquale (Patsy) Parrello and Eugene (Rooster) O’Nofrio may be in jeopardy of falling apart.

There were 46 alleged mobsters charged but thanks to the feds potentially botching the case they could all walk free according to a NY Post report. The group included reputed members and associates of four of the five New York mafia families and the Philly mafia. According to a source, federal prosecutors recently alerted the defense of an internal probe into two FBI agents and a supervising agent’s interactions with a key witness in the case.

“Joseph Merlino”

According to the report, agents may have mishandled interactions and evidence collected by John Rubio a Genovese crime family associate who turned rat and wore a wire against his fellow wiseguys. A failure by agents to memorialize debriefings with Rubio and a failure to preserve certain communications with him raising questions about evidence he collected being suppressed are among the alleged feds misdeeds. Agents may have also leaked confidential information to a source from Gangland News says a source familiar with the case. As these potential holes in the case continue to develop the defense is trying to find a way to have the charges dropped against all the defendants.

A huge part of the feds case against Joey Merlino and Patsy Parrello specifically is tied to the wiretap evidence collected by Rubio. He was able to collect dirt on both wiseguys starting out first working for Parrello before moving on and working under Merlino with permission from Parrello. The feds claim that Merlino is the current boss of the Philadelphia mafia and that Parrello and O’Nofrio are both capos in the Genovese family. If this potential probe finds that the feds did somehow bungle this case the whole Cosa Nostra group could be spared a trip to the slammer.

John Travolta looks razor sharp as he takes on the role of larger than life former New York mafia boss John Gotti in the upcoming crime biopic.

Travolta was seen stepping into character as the new mafia movie called The Life and Death of John Gotti was shooting in Brooklyn New York and there seems to be a moderate resemblance to the legendary Dapper Don. It is being directed by Kevin Connolly and features other stars including Kelly Preston as Victoria Gotti, William DeMeo as Sammy Gravano, and Leo Rossi as mobster Bobby Boriello. The movie is set to be released sometime later this year although there is yet to be an official release date.

“John Travolta as John Gotti” 

The new John Gotti movie had been an on again off again project since news of it broke back in 2010. Now that filming has finally begun we get some of the first inside looks at Travolta playing the role of the infamous mafia boss. The video captures scene’s of Gotti and some of his henchmen including Sammy the Bull. More information on the movie in a previous article here.  This will definitely be one of the more interesting movies about the mafia this year and hopefully, it will meet or even exceed its modest expectations.

Authorities have indicted seven alleged New York mafia members and associates including Bonanno crime family captain Vincent Asaro and John Gotti on various charges including arson and bank robbery according to a report from NY Daily news.

Asaro was acquitted by a jury on charges linked to the infamous Lufthansa heist just 16 months ago. Gotti the grandson of the infamous “Dapper Don” is already behind bars after being sentenced to 8 years on drug charges just three weeks ago. It is being called a mix of new and old school mob with Asaro facing arson charges and Gotti facing charges from a 2012 bank robbery according to authorities.

“Vincent Asaro”

According to the indictment Gotti and co-defendants, Michael Guidici and Matthew Rullan conspired to rob the Maspeth Savings and Loan Association. It also states the arson charges against both Asaro and Rullan stem from an incident that took place back in 2012. The 81-year-old mobster wasn’t able to enjoy his stunning acquittal for long before being hit with these new charges. Asaro somehow beat the wrap even after being caught on recordings talking about the heist by his cousin Gaspare Valenti who turned rat. It seems like he may once again need some of that magic if he plans to beat the wrap once again.

It is still unclear as to what extent that Gotti was involved with the NY mafia and whether or not he was an associate of any particular Cosa Nostra family. The indictment links Rullan with criminal activities involving both Asaro and Gotti although it is not clear if the two had any other ties.

The feds busted ten alleged members and associates of the Bonanno crime family Tuesday on various charges including racketeering, robbery, kidnapping, and attempted murder according to a report from NY Post.

Among those arrested was 46-year-old Bonanno family acting capo Ronald Giallanzo. According to the feds, Giallanzo took over as acting capo after his cousin Jerome Asaro was arrested back in 2014. He is also the nephew of longtime Bonanno wiseguy Vincent Asaro who was also recently charged in a separate case. Authorities claim the New York mafia crew were involved in illegal rackets over the last 20 years. Giallanzo was sentenced to 87 months behind bar’s back in 2007 but prosecutors claim he maintained control of his mafia business from behind bars.

“Ronald Giallanzo”

According to court documents, Giallanzo controlled an extensive illegal gambling and loansharking network that was worth millions. These documents also outline his efforts to strengthen his position and power within the Cosa Nostra family through the use of violence including extortion, arson, and murder conspiracy. There are details of various instances where the Bonanno family wiseguy and associates used violence and the threat of violence to collect debts. Prosecutors claim that back in 2006 while he was out on bail he and his crew made a failed attempt to have an unnamed individual from the neighborhood who allegedly robbed them killed resulting in multiple shooting in Howard Beach.

Also named in the 37 count indictment were Michael Padavona, Michael Palmaccio, Nicholas ”Pudgie” Festa, Richard Heck, Michael Hintze, Robert Pisani and Robert ”Chippy” Tanico and Christopher ”Bald Chris” Boothby. The NY mafia wiseguys all plead not guilty and are facing up to 20 years behind bars if convicted. Everyone but Heck and Pisani are being held without bail while awaiting an upcoming court date in April. Prosecutors are asking that four of the mobster’s homes including a multi-million dollar Howard Beach mansion built by Giallanzo be forfeited if they were to be convicted.

Alleged Bonanno crime family associate Gene Borrello is the key witness in three mafia roundups carried out by the feds in the last month according to a report from Gang Land News.

The 32-year-old mobster aided the feds in the arson case against mob capo Vincent Asaro which included John J. Gotti along with the racketeering case against acting mafia capo Ronald Giallanzo plus a mob-linked home invasion case. Borrello is identified only as “Associate 1” in recent court documents and has been described as a one-man crime wave. According to reports, Borrello decided to cooperate in a joint state and federal probe into home invasions and other racketeering crimes after his last prison stint resulting from a 2014 arrest. It was believed by some that the mafia raids may have been a result of recently outed Bonanno family rat Peter Lovaglio but now it seems the Cosa Nostra family once again is dealing with multiple turncoats.

“Gene Borrello”

According to court documents, Borrello recruited Gotti, the grandson of the late Dapper Don to help carry out the 2012 arson attack on behalf of Asaro. Borrello doused the car with gasoline which was then lit on fire by a match from defendant Matthew (Fat Mike) Rullan and Gotti drove the getaway car. He also teamed up with Gotti, Rullan, and another defendant Michael Guidici to rob a Queens bank in April of 2012 which netted the crew over $5000 dollars. Asaro and Gotti along with other alleged members of a mob crew were indicted a couple of weeks ago on the arson and bank robbery charges. Prosecutors also allege that he helped to plan and carry out multiple home invasions over the years one of which netted $250,000 back in 2014.

Then there is the case against Asaro’s nephew and acting capo Ronald Giallanzo who was indicted on multiple charges just days ago along with nine other reputed Bonanno family members and associates. According to prosecutors, Barrello was tasked by Ronnie G’s brother-in-law Michael Hintze who is also a co-defendant to take care of a deadbeat loan shark customer back in late 2010 or early 2011 but he botched the hit. Hintze told Borrello that Giallanzo who was behind bars at the time had told him to address the situation. Court filings also document an incident from 2013 in which Borrello and Giallanzo dragged a loan shark customer out of a deli to his car and beat him until he soiled himself. The debtor was assaulted because he admitted to paying his home mortgage instead of paying off his debt to Ronnie G according to the report.

Prosecutors were able to obtain emails from Giallanzo to his brother-in-law that they claim establishes Borrello as a major player in the New York mafia crew. In several emails Ronnie G sent to Hintze he asked why Borrello wasn’t being used to collect loansharking debts and according to prosecutors they clearly signified his desire for his crew members to use Borrello. The mob associate was known for his willingness to use violence and the threat of violence to collect debts claim prosecutors. This in addition to the Borrello’s word seemingly makes him a viable witness and he is expected to play a key role in all three indictments recently obtained by the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s office.

Bonanno crime family soldier Baldassare (Baldo) Amato was convicted of racketeering back in 2006 and was sentenced to life in prison.

His crimes included two murders and being part of a mafia-controlled illegal gambling operation. The 65-year-old mobster maintains he was innocent and continues to fight his conviction in a variety of ways. In his recent efforts, he took a shot at his onetime lawyer Diarmuid White claiming that he was no good because of his previous representation of former Bonanno family boss turned rat Joseph Massino. White was part of the Massino defense team for a period of time before Massion decided to become a turncoat and work with the feds.

“Baldo Amato”

According to Amato, the lawyer’s previous work with Massino affected his decisions in plea talks and his decision on whether or not to put Massino on the stand. But Brooklyn Federal Judge Nicholas Garaufis said he did not believe White’s defense was below constitutional standards and he could find no inherent conflict with him under the circumstances. Putting Massino on the stand could’ve been a gamble because the former mafia boss could have backed up another person’s testimony on one of the murders. Seems like the former New York mafia soldier will have to once again to back to the drawing board although he seems to be running out of angles.

Bonanno crime family mobster Anthony “Skinny” Santoro has pleaded guilty to attempted enterprise corruption and now faces between four and eight years in state prison according to a recent report.

Santoro was part of a nine-man Bonanno family crew busted on back in 2013 that included co-defendants Nicholas Santora, Ernest Aiello, and Vito Badamo. The New York mafia crew was charged with various crimes including enterprise corruption including illegal gambling, drug dealing, enterprise corruption. The 53-year-old mobster must also admit his role in the Cosa Nostra families criminal enterprise according to his plea agreement. According to prosecutors, Santoro was a key player in the Bonanno families gambling and drug operations.

“Anthony Santoro”

The NY mafia crew was put on trial last year but the case ended in a mistrial due to juror dissension. Before Santoro was hit with state charges he had to plead guilty to operating a mafia controlled illegal gambling operating in Connecticut in a still pending federal case. He was sentenced to eight months in prison bac in 2013 in that case but was hit with the state charges before he could serve that time. Santoro was denied bail and has been behind bars since 2013 and has agreed to waive an appeal and has agreed to pay over $45 grand in forfeitures in the state case. Co-defendants Badamo and Aiello have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing while the case against Santora is still pending.

“Bonanno family crew left to Right: Vito Badamo, Ernest Aiello, Anthony Santoro, Nicky Santora“

Badamo also plead guilty to attempted enterprise corruption and must admit it was done in connection with an organized crime enterprise. He is now facing anywhere between three and a half years to seven years behind bars. Aiello plead guilty to promoting gambling in the first degree in connection with an organized crime enterprise and is facing between two and four years in prison. Santora who prosecutors claim is a captain in the Bonanno family and was in control of the mafia crew was released on bail earlier this year while the DA in Manhattan pursues a retrial.

Crooked NYPD detective Stephen Caracappa passed away at a medical detention facility in North Carolina on April 8 at the age of 75 according to prison records.

The exact cause of death is still unclear although Caracappa had reportedly battled cancer in the past. Caracappa and his partner Louis Eppolito were convicted back in 2006 for a variety of crimes including working with the New York mafia mainly the Lucchese crime family while serving as members of the NY police force. Back in 1994 former Lucchese family underboss turned rat Anthony “Gaspipe” Casso claimed what many had suspected for years that the duo which would come to be known as the “Mafia Cops” were taking bribes along with payments for murder contracts from him and his boss Vic Amuso since they were signed as NYPD detectives and became partners in 1985.

“Stephen Caracappa”

Even though authorities had long suspected them of being associates of the NY mafia and had the information from mob turncoat Casso the detectives continued to find a way to live above the law. Finally, authorities had a break through in 2005 after convicted drug dealer and mafia associate Burton Kaplan decided to turn rat and testify against his former pals. Eppolito and Caracappa were arrested in March of 2005 after an extensive investigation into their involvement with organized crime and later convicted on multiple charges in 2006. Kaplan had acted as a go-between for Casso and the two detectives and took the stand supplying two days of riveting testimony. Eppolito was sentenced to life plus 100 years and Caracappa life plus 80 years along with fines of over $4 million dollars for each.

Last year’s major indictment against 46 alleged mobsters and associates who were part of what the feds have called the East Coast LCN Enterprise continues to fall apart amid investigations into FBI misdeeds according to a Gang Land News report.

Federal prosecutors have decided to drop the top charges like racketeering conspiracy against most of the defendants including alleged Philadelphia mafia boss Joseph Merlino and Genovese family capo Pasquale Parrello. The defendants will be allowed to agree to plea deals to lesser crimes they have been charged with like illegal gambling and health care fraud among others instead of the racketeering conspiracy which would have potentially carried with it significantly longer prison sentences.

“Joseph Merlino”

If these new plea offers are approved by Justice Department bosses both Joey Merlino and Patsy Parrello the two main mafia bigwigs in the case will be among those who benefit the most. It was an ongoing FBI inquiry into potential wrongdoings by three New York agents that prosecutors alerted defense attorney’s to a month ago that has at least in part led to these new developments. According to a discovery letter sent to defense attorneys, an administrative inquiry was launched by the FBIs Inspection Division to look into seven general areas of potential misconduct by two case agents and a supervisory special agent. Among the allegations against the three agents is the mishandling of interactions and evidence collected by cooperating witness John (J.R.) Rubio.

According to the report, numerous investigative reports and recordings made by Rubio were intentionally withheld from the FBIs internal computers while other were restricted without approval in an effort to keep other field offices from accessing any data relevant to the NY investigation. This would have prevented agents from the Miami and Philadelphia field offices from piggybacking off the NY probe by trying to make cases against Merlino and his cohorts that he met with in those cities along with New York during the investigation. There were also various other areas of possible wrongdoing with the handling of Rubio and the evidence he was collecting that the defense could have used to call into question his honesty and the integrity of the entire prosecution.

A large part of the case against Merlino and Parrello is tied to wiretap evidence collected by Rubio all of which could have potentially been compromised. According to the feds Skinny Joey and Patsy along with Eugene (Rooster) O’Nofrio also a Genovese family capo were leaders of this East Coast La Cosa Nostra Enterprise. The organized crime entity which may or may even exists in the real world allegedly contained members and associates from multiple New York mafia families and Merlino of the Philadelphia mafia family. What was once seen as a blockbuster indictment seems like it may end up being nothing more than another case botched by the feds?

The feds racketeering case against the East Coast LCN Enterprise which included alleged mobsters from four of the five New York mafia families and Philadelphia mafia boss Joey Merlino has all but crumbled.

According to a recent report from the NY Post, sweet plea deals have now been offered to the more than four dozen suspected mobsters who were charged. As part of these plea agreements which have been approved by the Department of Justice the top charge of racketeering is being dismissed leaving only the lesser charges such as arson, illegal gambling and conspiracy in an effort to wind down the case. But according to the report, the only catch is that at least three dozen of the defendants have to agree to take the plea deals for it to go through.

“Joseph Merlino”

The case against the alleged organized crime enterprise hit a major snag back in March when a sealed letter was sent to the judge about a probe into possible misdeeds by two FBI agents and a supervising agent. Manhattan federal prosecutors said in the letter that they were investigating possible failures by the agents in question to archive debriefings with key confidential informant John Rubio a Genovese associate who turned rat among other things. A large part of the case against Genovese family capo Pasquale (Pasty) Parrello and Joseph (Skinny Joey) Merlino both alleged leaders of the Cosa Nostra enterprise is tied to wiretap evidence collected by Rubio.

“Pasquale Parrello”

Parrello was facing two racketeering charges and as much as 40 years behind bars and could now see his maximum sentence cut in half and possibly more if the plea deals go through. Plenty of other including Merlino who were also facing extended prison sentences would also stand to benefit greatly from these plea deals. According to sources at least 10 of the defendants have already rejected the plea offer perhaps in an effort to try and negotiate an even better deal. With the case now clearly in disarray, it would seem that the defendants may have some negotiating leverage and some of them could even consider taking their chances in court if they don’t get an offer they can’t refuse.

What was originally considered to be blockbuster indictments against the mafia will seemingly end up as nothing more than another case of incompetence by the feds. It is still unclear just how sweet these plea agreements actually are but we should know soon enough.

A judge has approved a request from reputed Philadelphia mafia boss Joseph (Skinny Joey) Merlino to attend the Michael Caudo wedding in Florida although not at the same time as co-defendant Anthony Cirillo.

To make sure the two remain separated the judge ordered the alleged mobsters split the wedding in half. Cirillo a reputed Gambino crime family associate was ordered to skip the wedding and appear only at the subsequent reception. Merlino is serving as Caudo’s best man and will be allowed to attend the rehearsal dinner and the wedding ceremony leaving immediately upon its completion. At no time are the alleged mobsters allowed to communicate with each other in any way according to the court order.

“Joseph Merlino”

Merlino is out on $5 million dollar bond after being arrested last August in the massive mafia crackdown on what the feds have called the East Coast LCN Enterprise. According to the feds, Merlino along with reputed Genovese family capo’s Pasquale Parrello and Eugene O’Nofrio were leaders of the vast organized crime enterprise that including members of four of the five New York mafia families and Philly mafia. As part of his release conditions the alleged Cosa Nostra boss is typically confined to his home between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. and is not allowed to make any contact with his racketeering co-defendant.

The feds case has since fallen on hard times as previously reported here due to potential misdeeds by federal agents. Prosecutors agreed to drop the top charge of racketeering allowing all 46 defendants in the case including Merlino to plead only to the lesser charges. Skinny Joey is charged with health care fraud and illegal gambling and has reportedly been offered a plea deal with sentencing guidelines calling for approx two years behind bars. But sources say Merlino who has never been to keen on the idea of having to plead guilty has turned down the offer and has decided to go to trial.

One of the reported stumbling blocks for 55-year-old Merlino and other defendants who have balked at the plea offers is a large amount of cash the feds want them to forfeit which in Merlino’s case is believed to be over $100,000. Sources have also reported that 72-year-old Parrello is also struggling with his plea offer which calls for him to spend about eight years behind bars and make a large cash forfeiture. A large majority of the other defendants in the mafia case many of which are charged with lower-level crimes have reportedly agreed to plea offers with sentencing guidelines of approx four to ten months while others charged with multiple extortions are being allowed to plead guilty to a single charge.

Plea deal negotiations are believed to still be ongoing and perhaps Joey Merlino is attempting to use his new found leverage to try and negotiate a better plea deal than what was originally offered. Although as the feds case has all but crumbled perhaps Merlino and others now believe the odd are in their favor making it worth the risk of going to trial.

According to defense attorney Elizabeth Macedonio alleged Bonanno crime family mobster Vincent Asaro had to be hospitalized after slipping and falling in the shower at the Manhattan Detention Complex.

The 82-year-old mobster has been on 24-hour lockdown in special housing since his arrest on arson charges. His lawyer claims he is not getting the medical care he needs to survive noting that he has previously had two coronary bypasses. Macedonio indicated that she intends to file a bail application shortly and is pushing for a speedy trial for her aging client along with an attempt to have his case split from the other five co-defendants according to a NY Post report.

“Vincent Asaro”

According to prosecutors, Asaro ordered mafia associates including the namesake grandson of John Gotti to torch the car of a driver that had cut him off in Queens back in 2012. Asaro reportedly looked stiff and haggard during a recent court appearance in Brooklyn on Monday. Attorney Gerard Marrone said the young John Gotti now considered by some to be a Bonanno family associate is enjoying his time in federal lock up more so than his time in state prison. Gotti pleaded guilty to drug-related charges back in March and was sentenced to eight years behind bars. Marrone said he was also in agreement with Asaro’s attorney’s push for a speedy trial.

It is still unclear as to exactly when Asaro’s bail application will be submitted and how long it will take for a decision to be reached. The aging wiseguy was recently brought to trial for his alleged role in the 1978 Lufthansa heist but was able to avoid a conviction. According to the feds, Asaro still ranks as a captain in the Bonanno family although his current standing and influence within the New York mafia family is questionable and don’t seem to be what they once were.

The feds made headlines last year when they rounded up 46 alleged mobsters and associates from four of the five New York mafia families and the Philadelphia mafia in a massive racketeering case.

According to the feds, they were working together in an organized crime network called the East Coast LCN Enterprise that was involved in various rackets including illegal gambling, credit card fraud, and health care fraud. The case looked like a massive blow against the mafia until it began to fall apart last March after prosecutors alerted the judge to a probe into potential misdeeds by FBI agents. According to court documents, FBI agents failed to archive debriefings and mishandled evidence collected by a cooperating witness named John Rubio a former Genovese crime family associate that wore a wire and secretly recorded his Cosa Nostra pals.

“John Tognino and Anthony Vazzano”

This development prompted prosecutors to offer plea agreements that included dropping the racketeering charges allowing all the defendants to plead to lesser crimes. The racketeering charge carried with it a potential 20-year prison term so taking it off the table would lead to drastically lower sentences. According to a recent report from the NY Post, atleast 37 of the accused wiseguys are expected to take the feds offer and plead guilty by May 19th. The first to take advantage of these sweet plea offers were alleged Genovese family associates Anthony “Tony the Wig” Vazzano and John “Tugboat” Tognino. Both Vazzano and Tognino plead guilty to running an illegal gambling including running illegal poker and dice tournaments and taking bets on horse races.

“Patsy Parrello”

Under the terms of the plea deal, Tognino now faces between 4 and 12 months in prison and Vazzano between 6 and 12 months. Among the others set to plead guilty according to sources is alleged Genovese family capo Pasquale “Patsy” Parrello. The feds claim Parrello along with fellow Genovese family capo Eugene O’Nofrio and Philadelphia mafia boss Joseph Merlino controlled the organized crime enterprise. Parrello was facing a couple of racketeering charges which could have landed him behind bars for up to 40 years but could see his potential sentence cut in half or more under the terms of the plea offers. He has reportedly been on the fence deciding over the plea deal and the possibility of taking his chances at trial although this new report seems to indicate he is leaning toward taking the deal.

“Joseph Merlino”

According to reports from various sources, Joey Merlino has at least so far balked at the plea offer and has told prosecutors that he plans to go to trial. He could be facing as little as two years behind bars as part of the plea agreement but it would also come with having to forfeit a large sum of cash which seems to be among the sticking points. With the case clearly in shambles, Merlino may hope to negotiate an even better deal or believes the odds are now in his favor if he takes his chances in court. More details should continue to emerge as the rest of the 37 defendants who have reportedly already agreed to deals in the mafia case make their way to court to plead guilty between now and May 19th.

Joseph (Skinny Joey) Merlino the alleged boss of the Philadelphia mafia has reportedly balked at a plea offer from the feds in the East Coast LCN Enterprise racketeering case.

The 55-year-old mobster who now resides in Florida was back in The City of Brotherly Love this week for trial prep according to report from Fox29’s Dave Schratwieser. What was once considered a major mafia indictment has all but fallen apart due to an internal probe into potential misdeeds by FBI agents as previously reported here. This development led to the feds offering to drop the top charge of racketeering and allow many of the more than 40 defendants including Joey Merlino to plead guilty to lesser crimes. According to reports, the plea deal offered to Skinny Joey who is charged with health care fraud and illegal gambling calls for him to spend approx two years behind bars.

“Joey Merlino”

The feds also want some defendants including Merlino to forfeit large amounts of cash which in his case is reportedly in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. These large cash forfeitures have allegedly been one of the major stumbling blocks for the defendants that have so far refused to agree to the plea offers. According to the feds, Merlino and alleged New York mafia captains Pasquale (Patsy) Parrello and Eugene (Rooster) O’Nofrio were leaders of this so-called mafia enterprise. Patsy Parrello according to reports has agreed to take a plea deal which calls for him to spend between five to seven years behind bars a far cry from the over 40 years he was previously facing.

Merlino who was previously facing up to 20 years behind bars was released from jail on $5 million dollar bail shortly after being arrested last year. According to the report, Merlino met with attorney Ed Jacobs in Philly as they get ready for what should be a very interesting trial which is probably still months away. There is still a possibility that Merlino and Jacobs could be trying to leverage the threat of going to trial in an effort to get a better plea offer than originally offered. Although Joey doesn’t seem to keen on the idea of pleading guilty to anything according to sources may like his chances in court now that the case is in limbo.

Most of the case against Merlino is tied to wiretap evidence collected John Rubio a former Genovese crime family associate turned cooperating witness. The mishandling of Rubio and the wiretap evidence he collected by FBI agents is reportedly at the heart of this internal probe which could potentially lead to it all being compromised. Perhaps Merlino believes there has been so much damage done that the odds favor him at trial and he could beat the feds and walk away from the whole damn thing scot-free.

Pasquale “Patsy” Parrello an alleged capo in the Genovese crime family has agreed to a plea deal in the East Coast LCN Enterprise case according to a recent report from the NY Post.

He plead guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion admitting that he sent underlings to threaten or beat up debtors who owed money. According to the feds, the 72-year-old mobster ran his Bronx-based Cosa Nostra crew out of his Arthur Avenue restaurant called Pasqual’s Rigoletto. The plea deal calls for the elder New York mafia capo to spend between five and seven years behind bars. Parrello is among an array of defendants expected to agree to plea offers from the feds after an internal probe into possible misdeeds by FBI agents compromised the case.

“Pasquale Parrello”

Parrello was originally facing up to 40 years behind bars before the feds agreed to drop all racketeering charges against the defendants allowing them to plead guilty to only lesser crimes. According to the feds, they captured Patsy on a secret wiretap talking to a Lucchese family associate named Pasquale “Mustache Pat” Capolongo about a guy who owed him 30 grand saying “I want Buddy to choke him, choke him, actually choke the motherf–-er . . . and tell him, ‘Listen to me . . . Next time I’m not gonna stop choking . . . I’m gonna kill you.’” The feds claimed that Parrello along with fellow Genovese family captain Eugene O’Nofrio and alleged Philly mafia boss Joey Merlino were the leaders of the so-called East Coast LCN Enterprise which defense attorneys have claimed it was something the feds dreamed up and only existed on paper.

Patsy will find out exactly how long his stay behind bars will last when he is sentenced on September 7th.  As per a previous report here at About the Mafia Merlino is believed to have turned down a plea offer from the feds and is preparing for trial.