Mazzones pleading guilty

[PHL_Mob]

The video machine racket is still around and arguably more profitable than the Poker Machines. The PA Skill machines are everywhere now. All over the four county region and state for that matter. More business owners like bars and gas stations are willing to put them in their stores because they’re technically not illegal due to them being skill based verses gambling (poker). It’s the same thing as a slot machine though and they can be calibrated to pay out a certain ratio so it’s the same exact thing as a joker poker machine basically. I’d argue they make more on those because regular people can play them vs only people that know how to play poker.

[Pogo The Clown]

Since we are on the subject Natale testified that in the mid-90s the video poker money was split between 10 guys with each getting 1 grand a week. Adjusted for inflation that is about $1,850. Though I'm sure that money was further split with the various associates they had doing their collections.


As a comparison Vitale testified that Massino was getting $8,000 a month from the video poker machines. Adjusted for inflation that is about $14,000 today.


Pogo

[Tonyd621]

For the record when I say joke poker machines I mean more broadly video gaming machines like you said PHL_Mob. I use joker poker in the same context because they have been t he most sought after. The monopoly and game king ones are pretty popular too though but I've heard people making .65 for every $1 USD in the machine but it can vary based on hours played. Either way they are a cash cow

[dack2001]

I know we're all speculating here but cash and carry is a lot different then earning a paycheck and paying taxes. Most of these guys have legitimate income and illegitimate income. Natale was a brokester who resorted to dealing meth because he couldn't earn a nickel. Even his meth deals didn't make a ton of money. Servidio was making the point that his lifestyle required 200-250k per year. I'd bet that Mazzone gets his hands on at least twice as much during the year with both legitimate and illegitimate combined. The lifestyle isn't cheap.

[Wiseguy]

I've posted this before on this subject -

After their warehouse was raided, and 34 machines seized, in 2001, the Philly mob moved in on machines owned by M&P, originally started by Tony Milicia and Louis Procaccini. They basically "made them an offer they couldn't refuse" - a lowball $63,000 for 34 machines in 21 locations. Procaccini understood he didn't really have a choice, even though he would later testify the machines and stops were worth more than that.

The Staino sentencing memorandum said the 34 machines in 21 stops they took over from M&P took in $7,000 - $10,000 a month in profit in 2001. Or about $84,000 - $120,000 a year ($125,000 - $175,000 adjusted for inflation). This would be about $200 - $300 a month per machine. Again this was profit (apparently after the split with the owner of the stop) and was mainly divided up the principals in JMA - Ligambi, Massimino, and Staino.

JMA apparently did have more more than just those 34 machines because 50 of their machines were seized from 13 locations in 2009. At the time of the 2011 bust, the feds said JMA had 86 machines but I think that simply was a combination of the machines from both raids.

The feds said that between July 2002 and June 2009, $684,073 was deposited into JMA business accounts. Though that may not have been the total they were actually making (i.e they weren't depositing all the money) it falls within the range Procaccini mentioned.

Anyway, at the peak of the operation, if you take the 86 machines x $300 a month per machine x 12 months = approximately $300,000 a year. Split between Ligambi, Massimino and Staino, obviously, but I imagine some was kicked up to Merlino. And when Mazzone was caught on video ranting in the street after the second raid, it seemed he had a personal interest in the operation as well.

Point being, if it's not split too many ways, video poker can bring in some good ancillary income but it, like other forms of gambling, don't come close to sports betting. I also recall one Philly associate either being caught on tape or testifying in court the video poker racket had been in decline for some time.

[jmack]

I've posted this before on this subject -

After their warehouse was raided, and 34 machines seized, in 2001, the Philly mob moved in on machines owned by M&P, originally started by Tony Milicia and Louis Procaccini. They basically "made them an offer they couldn't refuse" - a lowball $63,000 for 34 machines in 21 locations. Procaccini understood he didn't really have a choice, even though he would later testify the machines and stops were worth more than that.

The Staino sentencing memorandum said the 34 machines in 21 stops they took over from M&P took in $7,000 - $10,000 a month in profit in 2001. Or about $84,000 - $120,000 a year ($125,000 - $175,000 adjusted for inflation). This would be about $200 - $300 a month per machine. Again this was profit (apparently after the split with the owner of the stop) and was mainly divided up the principals in JMA - Ligambi, Massimino, and Staino.

JMA apparently did have more more than just those 34 machines because 50 of their machines were seized from 13 locations in 2009. At the time of the 2011 bust, the feds said JMA had 86 machines but I think that simply was a combination of the machines from both raids.

The feds said that between July 2002 and June 2009, $684,073 was deposited into JMA business accounts. Though that may not have been the total they were actually making (i.e they weren't depositing all the money) it falls within the range Procaccini mentioned.

Anyway, at the peak of the operation, if you take the 86 machines x $300 a month per machine x 12 months = approximately $300,000 a year. Split between Ligambi, Massimino and Staino, obviously, but I imagine some was kicked up to Merlino. And when Mazzone was caught on video ranting in the street after the second raid, it seemed he had a personal interest in the operation as well.

Point being, if it's not split too many ways, video poker can bring in some good ancillary income but it, like other forms of gambling, don't come close to sports betting. I also recall one Philly associate either being caught on tape or testifying in court the video poker racket had been in decline for some time.

I know one of Mazzone’s kids. They work a normal job. I’ve only met Steve a couple times in passing so I have no idea what kind of money he makes. My best guess, the top six or seven guys are making low 6 figures. 200-400k.

[CornerBoy]

i agree jmack- lower end of that range in my opinion. But maybe they can do better as they have no rats in the inner circle. Think the cops/ feds can solved anything w / out a rat? Doubtful. And then it comes out that half the rats are lying anyway

[AntComello]

The top guys in Philly are def pulling in good money. Even guys like grande have to be making 100k plus a year minimum. I don’t think we give them enough credit. I also think Joey has a lot more money then we make it out to be. But this is just my opinion so don’t come for my head.

[NJShore4Life]

The top guys in Philly are def pulling in good money. Even guys like grande have to be making 100k plus a year minimum. I don’t think we give them enough credit. I also think Joey has a lot more money then we make it out to be. But this is just my opinion so don’t come for my head.

If I had to guess Dom is earning much more than just 100k , he rocks a Rolex that’s almost worth half of that…..

-Dante

[jmack]

The top guys in Philly are def pulling in good money. Even guys like grande have to be making 100k plus a year minimum. I don’t think we give them enough credit. I also think Joey has a lot more money then we make it out to be. But this is just my opinion so don’t come for my head.

If I had to guess Dom is earning much more than just 100k , he rocks a Rolex that’s almost worth half of that…..

-Dante

Like I said, top 7 guys (for which I include Dom) 200-400 is my best guess. Maybe a little more with real estate.

I know he has been quiet from an OC standpoint but Joe Pung owns a TON of real estate. Well into the low millions worth.

[aray22]

The top guys in Philly are def pulling in good money. Even guys like grande have to be making 100k plus a year minimum. I don’t think we give them enough credit. I also think Joey has a lot more money then we make it out to be. But this is just my opinion so don’t come for my head.

If I had to guess Dom is earning much more than just 100k , he rocks a Rolex that’s almost worth half of that…..

-Dante

Like I said, top 7 guys (for which I include Dom) 200-400 is my best guess. Maybe a little more with real estate.

I know he has been quiet from an OC standpoint but Joe Pung owns a TON of real estate. Well into the low millions worth.

Are the Pungitore brothers still in Philly?

[AntComello]

The top guys in Philly are def pulling in good money. Even guys like grande have to be making 100k plus a year minimum. I don’t think we give them enough credit. I also think Joey has a lot more money then we make it out to be. But this is just my opinion so don’t come for my head.

If I had to guess Dom is earning much more than just 100k , he rocks a Rolex that’s almost worth half of that…..

-Dante

Definitely and we only know what these guys get caught doing we don’t know all the money these guys make that they don’t get indicted for. We can’t just assume they make little money just because the feds charge them for certain scams. Their criminals and the goal is not to get caught so I can just imagine all the money we and the feds don’t know about. And as for Stevie I’m sure he’s doing just fine and he’s gonna be well off when he gets out.

[jmack]

The top guys in Philly are def pulling in good money. Even guys like grande have to be making 100k plus a year minimum. I don’t think we give them enough credit. I also think Joey has a lot more money then we make it out to be. But this is just my opinion so don’t come for my head.

If I had to guess Dom is earning much more than just 100k , he rocks a Rolex that’s almost worth half of that…..

-Dante

Like I said, top 7 guys (for which I include Dom) 200-400 is my best guess. Maybe a little more with real estate.

I know he has been quiet from an OC standpoint but Joe Pung owns a TON of real estate. Well into the low millions worth.

Are the Pungitore brothers still in Philly?

I have never met them, so I’m not sure. Joe owns about 10 properties that I am aware of in South Philly so he’s probably around some of the time at least.

[PHL_Mob]

I’ve seen Joe around quite a bit in the past few months. He was with a big group of guys last time I saw him.

[NJShore4Life]

Pungitore and Phil Narducci absolutely despise each other.