FBI Busts Philly Mob, New Boss Named?
The FBI effectively shut down much of the mob in Philadelphia on Monday, but the action may not be done when it comes to arrests and charges.
Fox 29's Dave Schratwieser broke the news of the roundup on Monday morning, which was years in the making.
The FBI effectively shut down much of the mob in Philadelphia on Monday, but the action may not be done when it comes to arrests and charges.
There are no mob murders in this indictment, but sources tell Fox 29 there could very well be more charges coming against 13 people in the indictment, or others.
This case is a work in progress and among those arrested on Monday included mob boss Joe Ligambi.
Ligambi's 11 year run as boss of the local wiseguys now interrupted just before the Memorial Day weekend.
Ligambi's most-trusted side kick Anthony Staino, long thought to be the underboss of the local mob ,was arrested at his South Jersey home as he headed out to work.
Also nabbed in the early morning raids were Marty Angelina, mob soldier Gaeton Lucibello, one time underboss Joseph Massimino and jailed mobster George Borgesi.
The long-awaited, 50-count racketeering indictment charges Ligambi and the others with operating a corrupt organization fueled by gambling, loan sharking and extortion.
The indictment covers a 12-year period, and notably no one person was physically harmed in that entire 12 year period.
But the indictment includes threats of violence and corruption
The arrest of Borgesi in federal prison comes just six months before he was to be released after almost a dozen years behind bars.
Not charged on Monday were former mob boss Joey Merlino, who was just released from prison, one-time underboss Steven Mazzone and mob captain John Ciancagilini.
One of them is expected to fill the void created by these arrests.
A key element in the busts is the involvement of Illegal video poker machines, which generate $500 to $1,000 a week. Investigators believe there are 50 machines in Philadelphia that were used by the ring.
Ligambi has been the alleged mob boss in Philadelphia for 11 years, since Joey Merlino went to prison.
Merlino is now reportedly in a halfway house in South Florida after his release from prison in March. He was not mentioned in the indictment on Monday.
The FBI swooped into South Philadelphia and South Jersey early Monday morning. Authorities said the alleged mobsters were rounded up around daybreak.
"Today's arrests and charges are the largest enforcement action in a decade against La Cosa Nostra in Philadelphia," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. "We have pried loose La Cosa Nostra's grip on power and influence in the United States. But there is still work to be done. We will continue use all the tools at our disposal - including wiretaps, undercover operations and consensual recordings - to build cases against these individuals, and to bring them to justice."
Court Documents: Defendant List | Complete Indictment
The charges on the 50-count indictment include racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, extortion, gambling and tampering with witnesses.
At least two of the individuals arrested in the sweep were already in prison, sources told Schratwieser, who anticipated that the arrests were tied to video poker machines seized during a raid last year.
Each charge of racketeering conspiracy, collection of unlawful debt, collection of extensions of credit through extortionate means, making extortionate extensions of credit, financing extortionate extensions of credit and witness tampering carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The illegal gambling charges each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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