Joey

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Merlino was born on March 13, 1962, in Philadelphia to Italian-American parents Salvatore "Chuckie" Merlino and Rita Giordano. He was raised in South Philadelphia and Ventnor City, New Jersey. He is also the nephew of deceased Philadelphia crime family mobster-turned government witness Lawrence "Yogi" Merlino. Joey's sister, Maria, was briefly engaged to Salvatore Testa. He had been friends with future made man Michael "Mikey Chang" Ciancaglini and his brother Joseph "Joey Chang" Ciancaglini Jr. since attending St. Thomas Aquinas grade school in Philadelphia's Point Breeze neighborhood. Merlino's father owned and operated the 9M Bar in Southwark that Nicky Scarfo used as his criminal headquarters during his attempt to become the new boss of the Philadelphia crime family. In August 1982 at age 20, Merlino and Salvatore Scafidi beat and stabbed two male patrons at the Lido Restaurant in Atlantic City. In 1984 Merlino was found guilty on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose. In August 1984 he was banned by the New Jersey Casino Control Commission from New Jersey casinos. Merlino has been described as a particularly vicious person, obsessed with his own public image, and another version of New York's John Gotti. "Joey was a party guy," said mob associate Ron Previte, a police officer-turned gangster-turned government witness. "He liked to go out. He liked to gamble. He liked the high life." He invited TV crews to his annual Christmas party for the homeless, and was a fixture at the city's nightclubs, restaurants, and sporting events. Along with his longtime buddies and future mobsters, he was known to beat up people, rob people, and start fights in clubs.

In Their Own Story

On October 31, 1989, Nicky Jr., the son of imprisoned Philadelphia family boss Nicky Scarfo Sr., was shot in an Italian restaurant in Bella Vista. The younger Scarfo was shot eight times with a MAC-10, but was not hit in any vital organs. He quickly recovered and left the hospital less than two weeks later. No one was ever charged with the attempted murder, but the FBI and local law enforcement believe Merlino carried out the shooting to settle a score between the Scarfos and Merlinos and to show that the elder Scarfo had no more power in Philadelphia. Merlino denied any involvement and claimed he was at home under house arrest the night of the shooting. Years later when a TV reporter approached Merlino and asked about a rumored $500,000 bounty on his life, Merlino responded "Give me the half million dollars and I'll shoot myself." In August 1989, Merlino was charged with interstate theft and conspiracy charges stemming from an incident where $352,000 was stolen from a Federal Armored Express truck in 1987. In January 1990, Merlino was convicted of planning the heist and sentenced to three years in prison. Merlino served his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, McKean, where he met mobster Ralph Natale in 1990. According to Natale, he and Merlino began plotting to take over the Philadelphia crime family during this period. When John Stanfa emerged as the new leader of the Philadelphia family in 1991, the young group of mobsters openly rebelled against him. The "Young Turks", as the press would eventually dub Merlino's tight-knit crew, struck first with the killing of Felix Bocchino on January 29, 1992. Merlino was released from prison in April 1992. In an attempt to quell further violence, Stanfa officially inducted Merlino and his best friend Michael Ciancaglini into the crime family in the late summer of 1992. By 1993 an all-out war broke out between Stanfa and Merlino. On August 5, 1993, Merlino survived a drive-by shooting assassination attempt by two Stanfa gunmen, taking four bullets in the leg and buttocks, while Ciancaglini was shot in the chest and died. On August 31, 1993, a drive-by shooting was performed on Stanfa and his son while they were driving on the Schuylkill Expressway. Stanfa escaped uninjured and his son survived being shot in the jaw. On September 17, 1993, a friend of Merlino's was shot and killed by Stanfa gunmen. Stanfa gunman Philip Colletti testified in court that he planted a remote control bomb under Merlino's car several times, but that it failed to go off every time. In November 1993, Merlino was arrested by the FBI, charged with violation of his supervised release, and sent back to prison. Stanfa was arrested for RICO violations in March 1994, was convicted in 1995, and sentenced to life in 1996. With most of Stanfa's supporters also arrested and convicted, Merlino, released from prison in November 1994, won the war and named Ralph Natale as the new boss while positioning himself as his underboss. During Natale's reign, Merlino was the real power in the family, allowing Natale to become boss to direct law enforcement attention away from himself. The press dubbed him the John Gotti of Passyunk Avenue due to his candid demeanor in front of news cameras. He also invited the press when he held Christmas parties for the homeless and gave away turkeys at Thanksgiving in housing projects. Merlino would often make big bets with bookies and refuse to pay when he lost. This practice, known as guzzling, was used on both independent and mob-run bookies. During this time, Merlino and Natale oversaw the crime family's gambling, loan sharking, extortion and stolen goods rackets. In 1995, Louis Turra, leader of the Philadelphia drug gang the 10th & Oregon Crew, was severely beaten by Merlino's men, allegedly for failing to pay a Mafia street tax on the gang's illegal earnings. Angered by the beating, Turra sought vengeance. His father Anthony hosted a meeting at his house during which Anthony, Louis and his gang discussed killing Merlino. In January 1998, Louis Turra apparently hanged himself in a New York City jail while awaiting trial.

Reader's Guide

Merlino was convicted of several RICO charges including racketeering, illegal gambling and extortion, in 2001, and sentenced to 14 years in prison. Following his release from prison in 2011, the FBI and organized crime reporters believed he continued to run the Philadelphia–South Jersey Mafia. Merlino disputed this, saying he had retired from a life of crime. As of 2015, Merlino was dividing his time between South Florida and Philadelphia. After beginning a career as a social media personality, Merlino was reportedly demoted and expelled from the Philadelphia Mafia in 2024. Although Merlino has never been convicted of murder, it is believed Merlino had participated in at least 18 murders, including Louis DeLuca in May 1990, Felix Bocchino in January 1992, Jimmy DiAddorio in May 1992, Rod Colombo in January 1993, Nicasio Zagone in January 1994, Michael Brennan in December 1994, Ralph Mazzuca in February 1995, William Veasey in October 1995, Michael Avicolli in April 1996, Joseph Sodano in December 1996, Anthony Turra in March 1998, Guerino Marconi in April 1999, Ronald Turchi in October 1999, Raymond Martorano in January 2002, John Casasanto in November 2003, Rocco Maniscalco in June 2010, and Gino DiPietro in December 2012. Merlino also may have participated in 4 attempted murders, including Nicky Scarfo Jr. in October 1989, shooting Scarfo Jr. eight times by using a Mac-10 submachine gun, Joseph Ciancaglini Jr. in March 1993, John Stanfa in August 1993 and Anthony Milicia in May 1996. In July 2001, Merlino was acquitted of murder charges, including 3 murders and 2 attempted murders, and also in March 2004, he was acquitted of the December 1996 murder of Joseph Sodano.

Did You Know?

• Merlino was acquitted of murder charges in July 2001, including 3 murders and 2 attempted murders, and again in March 2004 for the December 1996 murder of Joseph Sodano.
• On August 5, 1993, Merlino survived a drive-by shooting assassination attempt, taking four bullets in the leg and buttocks, while his best friend Michael Ciancaglini was shot in the chest and died.
• Merlino invited TV crews to his annual Christmas party for the homeless and gave away turkeys at Thanksgiving in housing projects.
• Stanfa gunman Philip Colletti testified in court that he planted a remote control bomb under Merlino's car several times, but it failed to go off every time.
• In August 1982 at age 20, Merlino and Salvatore Scafidi beat and stabbed two male patrons at the Lido Restaurant in Atlantic City.