Who's The New Philadelphia Mob Boss?
With 13 reputed members of Philadelphia's La Cosa Nostra busted on Monday, there may be a few openings for crime leaders in the City of Brotherly Love. So who's the boss?
Our Dave Schratwieser posed that question to local mob expert George Anastasia, who covers organized crime for the Inquirer.
And his answer: there may be one boss, there may be three bosses but they are one happy family, for now.
The current reputed boss, Joe Ligambi, was arrested on Monday by the FBI and is trying to make bail. Ligambi's underboss was also busted.
But three key names were not in the federal indictment: former boss Joey Merlino, one-time underboss Steven Mazzone and mob captain John Ciancagilini.
Merlino is just out of jail and in a Florida halfway house, while Mazzone and Ciancagilni are just off probation.
Anastasia says that Merlino favored Mazzone as acting boss, while Ligambi favored Ciancagilni.
"I think all three of these guys could fill the void, if they were of a mind," Anastasia said. "I don't see a conflict between Mazzone and Ciancagilni. … I think you'll see these guys running an organization with [Merlino] calling the shots from Florida, if that's the way they want it to work."
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.
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.
http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/who%27s-the-new-philadelphia-mob-boss-052311
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