THE BLACK HAND FORUM

Old Joe Ciancaglini worked as an enforcer with the unions and loansharking for Ang Bruno and Frank Sindone. Made capo but gets locked up on racketeering conviction in 83/84 before he gets rich. Johnny Chang running what's left of father's rackets with Dads old associates, picks up his own racketeering case around the same time Dad is indicted again in Scarfo's case. Johnny gets 7 years. Dad gets 45. After Scarfo gets convicted everything in Philly is unorganized. Nicky Scarfo Jr. and a few guys loyal to him are collecting money on behalf of Scarfo. Mike Chang and Joey Merlino are running a shakedown crew, with backing from old Joe Chang and Chuckie Merlino (likely keeping their families fed) . Scarfo Jr.'s crew is essentially battling Chang and Merlino's crew for control, as Chang and Merlino aren't recognizing Scarfo Jr''s authority on behalf of his father. Joey Merlino then blasts Scarfo Jr. back to Jersey with a mach 10.

Joey and Mike Chang take over the South Philly shakedowns from 89-91. Stanfa gets out, gets permission to move back to Philly, blessing from Gambinos to take over the family. Stanfa tries to start taking back over the shakedowns, makes some new guys, opens up Continental Foods etc. Joe Ciancaglini and few other young and old guys are with Stanfa. Runs into resistance from Mike Chang and Merlino, who aren't kicking up to anyone. Felix Bocchino, who was taking over the shakes for Stanfa in South Philly, gets blown away. Soon after, two masked shotgun wielding gunmen chase Mike Chang into his house and shoot at him with his wife and kids there. Mike Chang incensed, swears one of the hit men was his brother Joe (probably not off base, he'd know better than anybody and who else would Stanfa have around him at that point). To make peace, Stanfa agrees to make Joey Merlino and Mike Chang, while making Joey Chang underboss. That barely works until Joe Chang gets shot in the Warfield Diner, which was intended to get both Joey Chang and Stanfa. Probably about keeping the shakes in place. Joey Chang ends up disfigured. Mike gets killed walking down the street by Stanfa.

That's a very rudimentary breakdown of the problems between the brothers (who I think are actually half-brothers). Others should correct and add as they see fit.

ShotgunTheRifle wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15, 2019 7:53 am

Fughedaboutit wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15, 2019 7:23 am

ShotgunTheRifle wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15, 2019 6:46 am This may seem a little odd. But what was the real build up to the Ciancaglini's going against each other. I have a hard time believing it was just because they were on other sides of a war at that time. There had to be some type of fall out between them before they decided I need to kill my brother, other than "He likes the wrong guy." You would think any side they teamed up on together, they would take over.

Obviously Joe Ciancaglini Jr. was older, who was he running with when he came up.

That's how the mob works, if they were true believers their mafia allegiance comes before blood family.

But they were under the same oath in the same family. Seems a little contradictory to say that's the soul reason.

If that is the reason, that's why I asked who Joe was with coming up. I don't believe he was always a Stanfa guy and around him, or was he? If he wasn't, was Joe real LCN because he followed the chain of command and like they say Mike was more of new school LCN.

Also Mike and Joey were best friends, could have felt more allegiance to him. Maybe the brothers were not that close to begin with.

Fughedaboutit wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15, 2019 7:23 am

ShotgunTheRifle wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15, 2019 6:46 am This may seem a little odd. But what was the real build up to the Ciancaglini's going against each other. I have a hard time believing it was just because they were on other sides of a war at that time. There had to be some type of fall out between them before they decided I need to kill my brother, other than "He likes the wrong guy." You would think any side they teamed up on together, they would take over.

Obviously Joe Ciancaglini Jr. was older, who was he running with when he came up.

That's how the mob works, if they were true believers their mafia allegiance comes before blood family.

But they were under the same oath in the same family. Seems a little contradictory to say that's the soul reason.

If that is the reason, that's why I asked who Joe was with coming up. I don't believe he was always a Stanfa guy and around him, or was he? If he wasn't, was Joe real LCN because he followed the chain of command and like they say Mike was more of new school LCN.

ShotgunTheRifle wrote: ↑Mon Apr 15, 2019 6:46 am This may seem a little odd. But what was the real build up to the Ciancaglini's going against each other. I have a hard time believing it was just because they were on other sides of a war at that time. There had to be some type of fall out between them before they decided I need to kill my brother, other than "He likes the wrong guy." You would think any side they teamed up on together, they would take over.

Obviously Joe Ciancaglini Jr. was older, who was he running with when he came up.

That's how the mob works, if they were true believers their mafia allegiance comes before blood family.

This may seem a little odd. But what was the real build up to the Ciancaglini's going against each other. I have a hard time believing it was just because they were on other sides of a war at that time. There had to be some type of fall out between them before they decided I need to kill my brother, other than "He likes the wrong guy." You would think any side they teamed up on together, they would take over.

Obviously Joe Ciancaglini Jr. was older, who was he running with when he came up.

Cacuzza wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:10 pm

Pogo The Clown wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14, 2019 3:55 pm He was drug dealer killed by Roger Vella in 1995. They had dispute and if I remember right Mazzuca robbed Vellas house and tied up some of his relatives. According to Vella George Borgesi helped dump the body.


Pogo

Was he caught up in a conflict between Joey Merlino and somebody else?

No. Vella had to do something or what little respect those guys even had for him would evaporate. Merlino had the feds up his ass at that point and wasn't going to expose himself to help Vella clean up his own mess.

Pogo The Clown wrote: ↑Sun Apr 14, 2019 3:55 pm He was drug dealer killed by Roger Vella in 1995. They had dispute and if I remember right Mazzuca robbed Vellas house and tied up some of his relatives. According to Vella George Borgesi helped dump the body.


Pogo

Was he caught up in a conflict between Joey Merlino and somebody else?

He was drug dealer killed by Roger Vella in 1995. They had dispute and if I remember right Mazzuca robbed Vellas house and tied up some of his relatives. According to Vella George Borgesi helped dump the body.


Pogo

Does anyone have any info on someone named Ralph Mazzuca who was killed in Phili I think in 1995 or sometime in that period (1990's)? Thanks.

He didn't kill Testa. Wayne Grande did with Joey Pungitore setting him up. Iannece and a couple of others guys cleaned up the the van after the body was dumped.

chin_gigante wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13, 2019 8:44 pm An excerpt from a 2007 article that mentions the Anthony Turra murder:

In 1997, Turra and 14 other gang members, including his father, Anthony, were indicted on federal racketeering charges. Louie committed suicide in jail while awaiting trial and two months later, in March 1998, Anthony Turra was gunned down outside his South Philadelphia row house. The police said the mob did it and showed up at Merlino’s clubhouse to “interview” the mob boss and two of his associates. One of the reputed mob associates taken in for questioning that day was [Martin] Angelina, who was never charged although some organized crime investigators believed he played a role.

Mike Virgilio was the shooter in this one. George Borgesi was also involved in the planning and organizing.


Pogo

Just read somewhere that Iannece was 18 when he clipped testa. Don’t know why Scarfo would choose a kid to help take out a heavy hitter like testa.

slimshady_007 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13, 2019 7:54 pm When was Iannece made?

From what Pogo compiled it looks like mid to late late 1994

chin_gigante wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13, 2019 8:41 pm

Ivan wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13, 2019 8:33 pm Anyone got a list of Philly hits since 2000 with the dates? It's for Hezakya Newz.

Raymond Martorano – shot 17 Jan. 2002, died 05 Feb. 2002
John Casasanto – 22 Nov. 2003
Rocco Maniscalco – 10 Jun. 2010 (possibly unrelated)
Gino DiPietro – 12 Dec. 2012

good stuff, I'll forward these to him ASAP

An excerpt from a 2007 article that mentions the Anthony Turra murder:

In 1997, Turra and 14 other gang members, including his father, Anthony, were indicted on federal racketeering charges. Louie committed suicide in jail while awaiting trial and two months later, in March 1998, Anthony Turra was gunned down outside his South Philadelphia row house. The police said the mob did it and showed up at Merlino’s clubhouse to “interview” the mob boss and two of his associates. One of the reputed mob associates taken in for questioning that day was [Martin] Angelina, who was never charged although some organized crime investigators believed he played a role.

Ivan wrote: ↑Sat Apr 13, 2019 8:33 pm Anyone got a list of Philly hits since 2000 with the dates? It's for Hezakya Newz.

Raymond Martorano – shot 17 Jan. 2002, died 05 Feb. 2002
John Casasanto – 22 Nov. 2003
Rocco Maniscalco – 10 Jun. 2010 (possibly unrelated)
Gino DiPietro – 12 Dec. 2012