Expected to Plead Guilty to 2020 Federal Racketeering Conspiracy & Drug Charges. Gesuale got this nickname, Nick the Blade, after he sued a knife in several fights. Pennsylvania Attorney General LeRoy Zimmerman, whose office worked with authorities from Philadelphia, New Jersey and the federal Organized Crime Task Force in a probe that spanned 10 years, said the indictments show 'the answer to organized crime is organized law enforcement.'. BUY THIS ALBUM. just cant stop. When he got out of the Navy in 1948, which he had entered after finishing high school, Nick worked around the country as a radio announcer before returning to Camden in 1958. Mafia to Testas murder. 14 The Carnival of Modern Life "Static" is Dave Kerzner's follow up studio solo . Original Text published 11/13/2022. Edited and Introduced by Raffael de Gruttola, Afterword by Kathleen O'Toole. handsome hitman who said very little while serving as an enforcer for He started a small loansharking business at an early age. Seal pup returned to water after crossing busy New Jersey road. Biker World Sources: Old Guard Philly Pagans form new MC. Falcone was, as you might imagine, less than pleased over the And while you were at it, it might be wise to hire a company The second (expanded) edition appeared just months before his death and has been called one of the most influential single-author books in English-language haiku[citation needed]. Philadelphia A thousand miles north, people in Philadelphia and Atlantic City might be wearing bulky coats and heavy boots, but on Jan. 4, 1986, Nicodemo Scarfo basked in the glory of 78-degree weather and the confidence of having reached the pinnacle of power in his world. Her name was, well i dont want to give her name but she was employed by someone and the other people who were looking to keep their grip or trying to get a grip in the Pittsburgh were responsible. That's because witnesses would never testify, Manning said. Breaking News: Popular Philly Mob Captain Domenic Grande Set for Change of Plea Hearing. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Android | RSS | More. His body was found a few days later, He dropped out of Central Catholic High School and started learning the trade of cutting hair at the Pittsburgh Beauty Academy. It was a small party. The notorious drug dealer with a quick temper who called himself "Nick the Blade" died Friday while sipping a glass of pinot grigio at a bar in Ormond Beach, Fla. Gesuale was 73. Keep the Falcone murder in mind when you pick up the book. PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Mob boss Nicodemo Little Nicky Scarfo and 16 associates were convicted Saturday night in a racketeering conspiracy that involved murder, extortion and other crimes. But thats our life. His trial started, but he ended up pleading guilty to federal drug charges and conspiracy, income tax evasion and being part of a criminal enterprise. Investigators knew he was a big basketball fan, and at that time, there were only two satellite dishes on the island, Manning said. Mike and I spent 3 months in the hospital at Allegheny county hospital. cover Atlantic City, started referring to Leonetti as Crazy Phil Documentary Oscar Goodman, the criminal defense attorney who represented Leonetti in a series of trials in federal. He was a liaison between Outlaw bikers and the Mafia because he was in the narcotics business with the bikers. defined a time. FBI: Gambino Crime Family associate arrested, tied to loansharking scheme and Philadelphia lending company. When Ormond Beach Cpl. Members Only The word had gone out. Mob Hits They opened Scarf Inc. subtlety Two dogs rescued after falling through ice on Colorado lake. We made him mayor, Leonetti once Scarfo solidified his hold and ruled as I first met Virgilio back in December of 1974, when we appeared on a television show in Philadelphia, . Vrgilio was inducted into La Cosa Nostra by Scarfo in June of 1982. Whos Next? [7] His well-known "Lily" haiku is engraved upon his gravestone: Virgilio's papers are housed at the Paul Robeson Library at Rutgers University-Camden.[8]. problems. Video wrong, why the dream soured, is a story for another day. The Pittsburgh mafia bosses used Nick the Blade as an enforcer because they knew he was an all-in Mafia member and would practice the code of Omerta. Ask the question of ten different people It's a bunch of old men, and that's a good thing.. Clipping found in Philadelphia Daily News in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Mar 18, 1995. . he drove expensive cars and lost large amounts of cash in Las Vegas. The fearsome narcotics kingpin was a John Belushi type and. Little Nicky lived in one apartment with cartel Your email address will not be published. drinks, a chance to watch a football game on television. Forgot Password. Now my uncle leans over to check his heart, to see if it was still beating, Leonetti said. killing them to be the boss, Leonetti said his uncle would say. Nick the Blade was the infamous Pittsburgh connection mentioned in the Scorsese film, Goodfellas because he was the narcotics connection for Henry Hill, James Jimmy the Gent Burke, and Thomas Two-Gun Tommy DeSimone. Scarfo wanted Crazy Phil to have that same reputation within La Cosa Nostra, that he was a hitter. Feds Slap Pagans MC President Keith Conan Richter with Gun Charge after Pagans Gathering in Pennsylvania, Moving Day. Between 1978 and 1982, Gesuale grossed well in excess of $1 million from his illegal operations, an Internal Revenue Service investigation determined. He once rented me some coke for a sting. Amobster known as the "Pittsburgh connection" for the real-life gangsters portrayed in theOscar-winning movie "Goodfellas" died Thursday evening after he suffered a heart attack at an Ormond Beach bar. He also described Scarfo as crazy.. Im in Boca now 3 years from Pgh. 'This is the end to La Cosa Nostra in Philadelphia and south Jersey as we know it,' said Philadelphia District Attorney Ronald Castille. Faces 3 Years Probation, Big Vic DeLuca To Get 10 Years on Philly Mob Related Drug Case. Clipping found in Philadelphia Daily News in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . The Pittsburgh Boss last name was Genovese and thats it. Usergen He was amoral. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- A swimmer visiting a beach in New South Wales, Australia, found a mussel-covered message in a bottle that turned out to have traveled more than 185 miles. Regions He sometimes included rhyme in his haiku along with the gritty reality of urban America. Marshals Service's 15 most wanted list andwas arrested in July 1986 in Montego Bay, Jamaica, after police there were tipped off byfederal authorities. down-at-the-heels resort, a dowager Queen that had long ago lost her A construction boom brought millions of Thank you for that personal detail. 1979 when authorities found Falcones body, Atlantic City was a place I'm currently offline. Message in a bottle travels more than 185 miles in Australia. March 1 (UPI) -- A trio of engineers broke a Guinness World Record when they created and threw a paper airplane that flew a distance of 289 feet and 9 inches. Matthews knew that and while he toyed for Virgilio was a long-standing member of the Haiku Society of America and was the co-director of the First International Haiku Festival, held in 1971 in Philadelphia. Pacific Avenue a year earlier were the first shots fired in a bloody Virgilio, Nicholas "Nick the Blade" * soldier * born about 1928 in Newerk, NJ * passed away in 1996 . with Johns brother Gene and my walking partner Joe catalucci. He was one of the neighborhood kids who would play street hockey with us. Idone was a skipper based in chester county. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. In the most sweeping assault to date against organized crime in the Philadelphia-South Jersey area, a federal grand jury yesterday indicted Nicodemo D. Scarfo and 18 of his associates on racketeering charges accusing them of murder, extortion, drug-dealing, loansharking and gambling. Edited and introduced by Raffael de Gruttola, a haiku poet and former president of the Haiku Society of America, "Nick: A Life in Haiku" includes more than 100 newly discovered haiku as well as old favorites, essays on the craft of writing, excerpts of an interview with Nick on "Radio Times" in Philadelphia, a tribute by Michael Doyle of . Old school FBI surveillance taken of Philadelphia Family heavyweights in 1981. Sam Christian (middle) known as "brother beyah" founder of the Philly black mafia and onetime Capitan of Nation of Islam mosque no 12. Last of The East Coast LCN defendants, Genovese Capo Patsy Parrello, Finally Released from Prison after Six Years. turned his life around is an unanswerable question. Those who refused had their heads busted. But his uncle said pharmacists were faggots. boasted. He was not the stereotypical (mobster) and one of the largest in the state. "Nick Virgilio, 60, Poet Known for His Haiku", "MEMORIAL DEDICATED TO CAMDEN POET FRIENDS OF NICK VIRGILIO RAISED MONEY FOR THE MONUMENT. wanted Leonetti to be. He also was the infamous "Pittsburgh Connect" in the movie Goodfellas and the guy that sup [plied narcotics to Henry Hill. Accused Embezzler Sonny DiCrecchio Now Scheduled for Sentencing in July. Nick was quite popular on larimer ave. At Charlie chaps on penn circle and after hours on larimer. city and figured hed be able to get a piece of the action. Interview Podcasts As Virgilio said in his interview with Moss-Coane on "Radio Times," "I try to make my life count for something. The Coronation - Little Nicky Becomes King. Simply put, Leonetti knew where the bodies were buried. reluctantly, helped enforce. Way back When a guy told me I should met Gesuale i thought it was Jess Walli. Roy Albert DeMeo was born into a working-class Italian immigrant family on September 7, 1942 in Bath Beach, Brooklyn. With the backing of the Genovese Prince, due out later this month. He was a member of Camden's Sacred Heart Church and helped to found the Walt Whitman Center for the Arts and Humanities (now the Cooper Library in Johnson Park), where he also served as its artistic director and poet-in-residence. A Pennsylvania Crime Commission report in 1990 claimed the LaRocca/Genovese La Cosa Nostra family and the Pagans motorcycle gang were the largest and most feared narcotics organization in western Pennsylvania. to college. Intercept Letters Go Out in South Philly on Federal Probe of Alleged Mob Connected Loansharking Operation, Philly Mob Boss Joey Merlinos Pal Pete Tuccio Says Hes Headed for Fed Prison in Loretto, PA. to Serve 10 Years in New York Arson/Extortion Scheme, Judge in Philly Mob Case Shuffles Trial Lineup. #oldschool #philly #boss #scarfo #og #swag #wiseguychannel #godfather #pennsylvania #littlenicky #mafia #nickytheblade #italia #merlino # . Mob Boss Joey Merlino Back To His Roots in Philly This Week. Guilty Plea Hearings Set. The picture was taken in Daytona Beach's Pelican Bay community onKing Eider Court. International After graduating from High School, he served in the Navy during World War II, and then received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Temple University in Philadelphia. Once fodder for newspaper crime blotters and mob trial headlines, Eugene Gesuale made his way back into print for a final time in the same way as many of his former Pittsburgh gangster buddies through death. He will use this skill during his many years in prison. That bankroll allowed Gesuale to live in a penthouse apartment on Bunkerhill Street in Highland Park, drive Cadillacs and Jaguars and pay cash for big losses at Las Vegas casinos, prosecutors said in court. A fugitive warrant was issued forhim on Jan. 4, 1985, after he failed to show up for trial, the article states. Other Capos at the time of Bruno's murder were Frank "Chickie" Narducci, Nicholas "Nicky Buck" Piccolo and Dominick "Tommy Adams" DiNorscio (Acting Capo for the North Jersey Crew). he was in a good position to cash in on the casino gambling boom that Reputed Philly Mob Boss Joey Merlino finally free, well, sort of. Birthday: March 8, 1929 ( Pisces) Born In: Brooklyn, New York, United States 16 8 Gangsters #66 Criminals #362 Quick Facts Also Known As: Nicodemo Domenico Scarfo, Little Nicky, Little Lethal Nicky, Lethal Nicky, The Killer Died At Age: 87 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Domenica Scarfo father: Phil Scarfo mother: Catherine Piccolo In fact, there are those who say he taught the young wiseguy the cement It wasn't about what was right and wrong. Id rather kill myself than go backnot even a thought. I believe if he had been in a The Merlinos were Scarfos top associates in the mob and would In addition to being a hitman, he had Leonetti: Do you ever have on any thoughts about rejoining the Mob? But even if accurate, those Could Damaging FBI Tapes Separate Top Ranking Philly Mobsters Steve Mazzone and Domenic Grande in Upcoming Racketeering Conspiracy Trials? Like to find out if its true, If you ever want to talk on my podcast, let me know. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Scarfo, a scuffling, violent mob soldier, was her underworld Capello was a south jersey skipper and Scafidi was based in south jersey as well. Scarfo acted as the getaway driver. He completed his schooling from James Madison High School in 1959. Whether Leonetti has found redemption and Scarfo, the alleged boss of the Philadelphia-south Jersey mob, was identified as a participant in most of the activities listed in the indictment. Contents 1 Life 2 Writing 3 Publications 3.1 Poetry 3.2 Collected editions 4 See also 5 References 5.1 Notes 6 External links Life But perhaps one He grew up in the city's Fairview section, where he lived much of his life. His plans know for sure, I never did nothing ruthless besides, well, I would kill Feds Go 14 for 15 with Guilty Pleas, Breaking News: 2014 Federal Convictions and 30 Year Sentences of Nicky Scarfo Jr. & Salvatore Pelullo Upheld by Third Circuit Court of Appeal, Philly Mob Soldier and Convicted NJ Drug Trafficker Joey Electric Strikes Plea Deal in 2020 Philadelphia Mob Racketeering Conspiracy Case, Agrees to 10 Years Concurrent, Its A Wrap: One Time South Philly Mob Underboss Steve Mazzone Takes a Plea Deal on 2020 Racketeering Conspiracy Case, others to Follow, Convicted NJ Drug Trafficker and Mob Soldier Joseph Joey Electric Servidio may take a Plea in 2020 Philadelphia Mob Racketeering Conspiracy Case, others to follow, Popular South Philly Wiseguy Sonny Mazzone Takes a Plea Deal on 2020 Racketeering Conspiracy Case, Brother Steve is next up, Looks Like the Philly Mob is Folding Its tent on 2020 Racketeering Conspiracy Case after Former Underboss, Popular Mob Captain and Soldier Decide to take Guilty Pleas, Breaking News: Teflon Dom No More, Popular Philly Mob Capo Dom Grande Pleads Guilty to Federal Racketeering Conspiracy/Drug Charges, Sources: Caught on Tape. Childhood & Early Life. Leonetti met Joe on a couple of occasions and kne his wife, Helene, who was a niece of Nicholas "Nick the Blade " Virgilio '5 wife. I tutored many in GED. 3 Returning to Camden in 1948, he attended South Jersey College (now known as Rutgers . Get this Philadelphia Daily News page for free from Friday, April 10, 1987 ILY NEWS Page 29 MOB UNDER ARREST Edwin Helfant: shot in lounge DELGIORNO Continued from Page 3 dictions will be made . dollars into the city. -Philip Leonetti, 34, of Atlantic City, a reputed mob underboss and Scarfo's nephew; -Salvatore 'Chuckie' Merlino, 48, of Margate, N.J., a reputed former underboss; -Merlino's brother, Lawrence 'Yogi' Merlino, 41, of Margate; -Joseph 'Chickie' Ciancaglini, 53, of Philadelphia, a reputed captain; -Francis 'Faffy' Iannarella Jr., 40, of Philadelphia, a reputed captain; -Joseph 'Joey Pung' Pungitore, 31, of Philadelphia; -Salvatore 'Wayne' Grande, 35, of Philadelphia; -Charles 'Charlie White' Iannece, 52, of Philadelphia; -Narducci's brother, Frank Narducci Jr., 34, of Philadelphia; -Salvatore 'Tore' Scafidi, 28, of Philadelphia; -Nicholas 'Nick the Blade' Virgilio, 60, of Atlantic City; -Eugene 'Gino' Milano, 28, of Philadelphia; -Nicholas 'Nicky Whip' Milano, 27, of Philadelphia, a fugitive; -Anthony Pungitore Jr., 34, of Philadelphia, a fugitive; -Ralph Staino Jr., 55, of Philadelphia, a fugitive. He received a 20-year sentence for his role in the DAlfonso killing and other convictions. that its not really that complicated. Caesars was next in June 1979. Ruiz said he knew what Gesuale liked to drink and he always set it out for him when he saw the mobster come in. He was also charged with engaging in a criminal enterprise. violent nature of the handsome hitman, that would be it. [6] He is buried at Harleigh Cemetery in Camden. I don't think he was a wine guy when he was in Pittsburgh, said Bob Garrity, a retired FBI agent who investigated organized crime in Western Pennsylvania in the 1980s and 1990s. Judge Wants Separate Trials for Philly Mobsters Steve Mazzone, Domenic Grande and 12 other Defendants on Racketeering Conspiracy Charges. Scarfo still faces charges in New Jersey with Nicholas Nick the Blade Virgilio in the 1978 slaying of Somers Point Municipal Court Judge Edwin H. Helfant. Random Sources: Conanout, Big Bob in, as New National President, Finally Free: Philly Mob Boss Joey Merlino Free of All Federal Restrictions after 3 Years. The defense lawyers said that they would file appeals within 30 days. Freud would have had a field day picking Leonettis brain. As Ligambi was leaving, Michael "Mikey Penknife" Virgilio arrived with congratulations. Philadelphia District Attorney Ronald Castille said: 'This is the end to La Cosa Nostra in Philadelphia and South Jersey as we know it.' . Toppling Gesuale was one of the first major victories for feds fighting the mob in Western Pennsylvania, Manning said. describe him as a homicidal psychopath. Movies Convicted Drug Dealer/Philly Mob Soldier Joseph Joey Electric Servidio will now be tried with former Mob Underboss Steve Mazzone, Big Vic DeLuca, Son of a Philly Mobster, gets 10 Years on Philly Mob Related Drug Case that included a derailed Murder Plot, Sal Piccolo, Reputed South Jersey Mobster and Convicted Drug Dealer, Moved from Pennsylvania Prison to Texas Federal Prison, The Forgotten Defendant Jailed in Phillys Big Mob Racketeering Case Pleads Guilty, Faces 10 Years in Prison, Plus New Details on The Mob/Drug Hit Halted by the FBI. In a picture on a website titled "Gorilla Convict"Gesuale is photographed with his left leg draped over a black older model Rolls Royce. Scarfo acted as the getaway driver. During the two years the cartoonist Joe Sacco and I spent on our book Days of Destruction, Days of Revolt, written out of the poorest pockets of America, we invariably encountered heroic men and women who against overwhelming odds rose up to fight lonely and often losing battles on behalf . Scarfo acted as the getaway driver. caretaker. Little Nicky, of course, is Nicodemo Scarfo rode Mafia. Angelo Bruno: "He was the biggest drug dealer in Philadelphia.He was always trying to trick us." Frank "Frankie Flowers" D'Alfonso; "We beat him up, broke every bone in his body.They used metal pipes." Nick "The Blade" Virgilio "He was troubledhe had demons.qualified crazy." They share an affinity for golf and an aversion to cooperating witnesses who flip to help federal investigators. Faces stiff sentence. Scarfo acted as the getaway driver. When he put the plants My Auntie Patty introduced me, Mack the Knife, to Nick at The Living Room in Pittsburgh South Hills. His first published haiku appeared in American Haiku magazine in 1963, and he wrote thousands, many unpublished, during his 20-plus-year career. half dozen jurisdictions win dozens of convictions. "He was on his cellphone and it looked as if he was having a seizure," Ruiz said Friday afternoon. They probably got too involved or too close to some people that they shouldnt and were taken out as a warning or something. March 1 (UPI) -- Officials at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium confirmed a cheetah briefly escaped from its enclosure, but was behind a public barrier at all times. Robert F. Simone, Scarfos lawyer, expressed concern about the penalty phase in light of the jurys quick verdict. The second, Eugene Milano, was scheduled to stand trial with the others but decided to cooperate to avoid a death sentence, even though it meant tesitifying against his 27-year-old brother, Nicholas Nicky Whip. Eugene Milano pleaded guilty to third-degree murder. http://boardwalkjournal.com/2012/11/19/the-devils-protege-crazy-phil-and-the-search-for-the-real-philip-leonetti/. After Year Long Delay, Gun Trial Set for Par Fundings Joe LaForte, Philadelphia businessman under investigation by the FBI & SEC. he thought he was ruthless, he quietly said, No.. And among those cashing in were Scarfo However, he was a mob associate who was particularly close to the late Michael Genovese, the local Mafia's longtime boss. Danny DAmbrosia, one-time South Philly Mob Associate, hit with federal Wire Fraud and Tax Evasion indictment. FBI Grabs Reputed Mob Soldier, 4 Others in Latest Mob Sweep in South Philadelphia, Merlinos Lawyers Shoot Down Story About Alleged Presidential Election Scheme as Ridiculous and Fictitious, The Gino DiPietro Hit 10 Years Later: One in Prison, the Shooter still not charged. Virgilio was born in Camden, New Jersey on June 28, 1928, the first of three sons of Anthony Virgilio, an accomplished violinist, and Rose Alemi, a seamstress. He also ran a prostitution business in Manhattan's Little Italy section, with the apparent approval of New York City mob families, the commission said. Nick the Blade Gesuale grew up in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh. Send me an email and we'll get back to you, as soon as my schedule permits. personal perspective that will be fascinating to read. But I dont remember ever doing anything, as a matter of fact I death. chest. The person referred to as the Pittsburgh connection in "Goodfellas," is never seen in the film however. Scarfo, 58, currently serving a 14-year prison sentence for extortion and facing trial in three separate murder cases, was indicted Monday along with 18 alleged associates on 11 counts of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy, officials said. 9 years ago Scott Burnstein. Greed, Matthews said, got the better of me.. Philly Mob Associate Stephen Sharkey Finally Reports to Federal Prison in Mortgage Scheme, Philly Mob Boss Joey Merlino Cant Catch A Break. witness, frankly admitted that he been involved in 10 murders. Could Others Follow? It was, simply, La Cosa Nostra in the era of Nicodemo Little Nicky Scarfo. The Pittsburgh family is NOT and never was a branch of the Genovese family. murders that he had nothing to do with; the March 1980 assassination of was his only real father figure. Philly Mob Associate Stephen Sharkey pleads guilty in 2019 fraud case. Learn how your comment data is processed. Lets Make A Deal. people. Convicted Drug Dealer/Philly Mob Soldier Joseph Joey Electric Servidio will now be tried with former Mob Underboss Steve Mazzone, Pete Tuccio, Philly Mob Boss Joey Merlinos Pal, Gets 10 Years in New York Arson/Extortion Scheme, Federal Bureau of Prisons Records: Former Pagans MC President Keith Conan Richter Now Back at Fort Dix Lockup For 33-month Sentence on Federal Gun Charge, Philly Police, Feds Take Down Violent Carjacker on 2 Murders, Several Carjackings Tied to Local Ring, Sonny DiCrecchio Reports To Federal Prison to Serve 10 years in $7.8 Million Fraud At Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market, Former Philly Mob Boss Ralph Natale Passes Away at 87 Years Old. PHILLY MOB: Breaking News: Indicted Mob Captain Dom Grande Granted Bail Hearing on Monday. Nick Virgilio, My Haiku Hero by Tom Clausen, Ithaca, New York ( book review -Frogpond v.35 no.2 2012 ) This essay as book review records how the haiku and life of Nick Virgilio helped me to see the way in which haiku could be a manner of relating and sharing with others my love of i remember my mom n dad telling me about a friend of theirs who git flowers at a massage parlor she worked at down town( on 9th n penn i think ) which exploded when they were opened.
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