Joey Merlino
American mobster / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Joseph Salvatore "Skinny Joey" Merlino (born March 13, 1962) is an American mobster and reputed boss of the Philadelphia crime family.[1] He rose to power and seized control of the organization in the mid-nineties after he fought against the John Stanfa faction of the family. He has led the crime family in gambling, loan sharking, drug trafficking, and extortion.[2] In comparison to other traditional mob bosses who shunned the limelight, Merlino has interacted regularly with the media and the public, often openly providing charity and hosting events to benefit indigent people in Philadelphia, drawing comparisons to the similarly outgoing, conspicuous, and ostensibly charitable late New York crime boss John Gotti.[3][4] He is the son of deceased Philadelphia crime family underboss Chuckie Merlino.
Joey Merlino | |
---|---|
Born | Joseph Salvatore Merlino (1962-03-13) March 13, 1962 (age 62) |
Occupation | Crime boss |
Spouse |
Deborah Merlino (m. 1997) |
Children | 2 |
Parent(s) | Salvatore "Chuckie" Merlino Rita Merlino |
Allegiance | Philadelphia crime family |
Conviction(s) | Interstate theft and conspiracy (1990) Racketeering (2001) Illegal gambling (2018) |
Criminal penalty | Three years' imprisonment (1990) 14 years' imprisonment (2001) Two years' imprisonment (2018) |
With the help of boss-turned-informant Ralph Natale, Merlino was convicted of several RICO charges including racketeering, illegal gambling and extortion, in 2001, and sentenced to 14 years in prison.[5] Since his release from prison in 2011, the FBI and organized crime reporters believe he continues to run the Philadelphia–South Jersey Mafia. Merlino disputes this, saying he has retired from a life of crime. As of 2015, Merlino divides his time between south Florida and Philadelphia.[6][7][8]