Joseph Merlino

Joseph S. Merlino, aka Skinny Joey (b. March 16, 1962), is an American alleged mafioso, alleged member of the U.S. Cosa Nostra, and alleged head of the Philadelphia Crime Family which controls organized crime as far as Southern New Jersey. He is the son of former Nicky Scarfo underboss/soldier Salvatore "Chuckie" Merlino. He is also the nephew of deceased former Capo Lawrence Merlino and father of Salvatore Merlino Jr. Because of his Mafia family, even though he was short and skinny,Joey was already somewhat feared,at the young age of 14 he already had made some powerfull friends, one of them was a neighborhood killer by the name of Anthony Barone, whos father was also a mob associate. In the summer of 1976 Barone was involved in a violent gang war a few blocks from 10th and wolf. And after it was over there were 5 seriously wounded high school students, and Merlino arrived after it was over, and wanted to know all the details, and Barone explained to him how he had knocked 2 boys down and then hit them with a baseball bat.He was getting his lesson in violence early.

While Merlino was the alleged boss of the Philadelphia crime family, it engaged primarily in extortion, bookmaking, drug trafficking, and loan sharking.

Merlino has been described as a particularly vicious mobster, obsessed with his own public image, and another version of New York's John Gotti, after whom he patterned himself. He is flashy, stylish, flamboyant, and "in your face." “Joey was a party guy,” said "Big Ron" Previte, cop-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.^[1][2] With long time buddies Salvatore Scafidi, Michael Ciancaglini, and George Borgesi he was known to some time beat up girls, rob people, and start fights in clubs.