Speculation on Merlino's involvement in DiPietro hit

[B.]

http://gangsterreport.com/dipietro-hit- ... -mob-rico/

Sources: DiPietro Hit Approved, Could Be Rolled Into Philly Mob RICO
The brazen 2012 slaying of Gino DiPietro was sanctioned at the highest levels of power in the Philadelphia mafia, according to exclusive Gangster Report sources. If the feds have their way, the DiPietro murder, and maybe others, will eventually be wrapped into a future RICO indictment against Pennsylvania mob don Joseph (Skinny Joey) Merlino and his longtime right-hand man and current acting boss Steven (Handsome Stevie) Mazzone, law enforcement sources say.

The good-looking, media-savvy Merlino is in the final weeks of a brief four-month stay in prison courtesy of a parole violation that took place last summer and will be released on May 3, the same day he will finally be “off paper” and unhindered by any government encumberance for the first time since the Bill Clinton administration.

DiPietro (pictured in this article’s featured image) was felled in a barrage of bullets at point-blank range while getting into his vehicle on a crowded South Philly street corner in broad daylight on the afternoon of December 12, 2012 as Merlino’s then-acting boss and current consigliere Joseph (Uncle Joe) Ligambi sat on trial merely blocks away in a federal courtroom. Ligambi would walk from his own RICO case after a pair of hung juries in January 2013.

In the wake of his death, it was revealed that DiPietro, a convicted narcotics distributors, had been an FBI informant and helped put his cousin and mob associate Victor DiPietro behind bars by wearing a wire in the 2000s to get out of a cocaine conspiracy case he took in 2004 when he was already on parole from a late-90s coke-peddling bust that he was forced to serve time for.

Back in February, Philadelphia mafia soldier Anthony Nicodemo, pled guilty to taking part in the DiPietro hit – prosecutors peg him as the getaway driver –, opting out of a second trial on charges after his first one ended in a mistrial amid whispers of jury-tampering and he accepted a 25-to-50 year plea deal. Nicodemo, 43, rose through the ranks of the mob in the mid-1990s while acting as Merlino’s driver and bodyguard.

Another local street figure, reputed mob soldier, Dominic (Baby Dom) Grande, 35, a protégé of Nicodemo’s and Mazzone’s, has been linked to the DiPietro homicide, fingered by authorities and sources as the alleged shooter in the hit, however has never been charged. Grande and Nicodemo were both busted in a federal gambling case in 2007.

Gangster Report sources reveal a confirmed meeting between Nicodemo and Merlino in the weeks leading up to the DiPietro murder and one between Nicodemo, Grande and Mazzone the night before the hit was carried out, receiving authorization and a final go-ahead, respectively.

“Nobody pulls that kind of cowboy shit without getting it cleared,” said one source in the Philly underworld. “If people think Nicodemo just decided to sneak that hit in and thought nobody would notice and wouldn’t call him out for it, that’s nuts. Nicodemo’s Joey’s guy. He would have never done that without Joey’s blessing.”

Merlino, 52 and his best friend, Mazzone, 51, were convicted in 2001 on RICO charges, an indictment that included several gangland-style murders tied to their takeover of the Philadelphia crime family in the 1990s, but only resulted in straight racketeering convictions and acquittals on the homicides. Mazzone did eight years of time on the case, Merlino a dozen. Upon his release in 2011, Merlino made a high-profile (what else for the famously thin one) relocation to south Florida, settling in posh digs in a trendy area of Boca Raton and wasn’t shy about announcing his presence in the Sunshine State, conducting interviews with media members both in the local and Philadelphia media .

Skinny Joey was in South Philly in early November 2012 for the funeral of his father, the imprisoned former syndicate underboss Salvatore (Chuckie) Merlino, which occurred exactly a month to the day DiPietro was killed in cold blood nearby. The bereaved younger Merlino visited the old neighborhood beginning on November 7 and lasting until November 14. It was during this trip, according to sources, that Merlino signed off on the DiPietro hit, sitting down with Nicodemo, a suspect in more than one gangland murder in his days climbing the latter in the City of Brotherly Love’s mafia family and okaying his use of Grande, the son of one-time assassin and Philadelphia mob turncoat Salvatore (Wayne) Grande.

On the evening of December 11, less than 16 hours before DiPietro wound up dead, sources tell Gangster Report, both Nicodemo and Grande met with Mazzone at an undisclosed South Philly residence to go over last-minute details of the hit, a mob murder that can go into the underworld Hall of Fame for all-time poorly-orchestrated crimes. Besides carrying out DiPietro’s killing on a busy street in the middle of the afternoon during the Christmas Holiday shopping season, Nicodemo was driving an SUV registered in his name and left the vehicle with the alleged murder weapon inside parked in his driveway five minutes away from the murder scene. He was arrested within a half hour, tracked via a witness jotting down his license plate number and giving it to responding detectives.

When one source was pressed to speculate on motive in the hit, he responded, “Johnny Gongs,” alluding to DiPietro’s possible knowledge of details surrounding the 2002 gangland murder of renegade Philadelphia mob associate, John (Johnny Gongs) Casasanto. Nicodemo and Merlino have been looked at by the FBI as suspects in the Casasanto slaying. DiPietro’s name has never been tied to any part of the probe.

DiPietro’s cousin and then drug-dealing partner Victor found Casasanto’s dead body in Johnny Gongs’ kitchen, shot in the back of the head by someone who he had let in his front door. Victor DiPietro’s big brother, Nicodemo (Nicky Slick) DiPietro, is rumored to have bragged to a cell mate on an unrelated case he was jailed on that his cousin Gino was living on borrowed time.

In addition to being on an opposite side of the 1990s mob war Merlino won to assume the reins in the organization, the notoriously reckless Casasanto was allegedly carrying on an affair with Skinny Joey’s wife while Merlino served time on his racketeering conviction, claim sources close to the Merlino camp.

Attempting to rechristen himself a restauranteur in Florida, Skinny Joey, purporting to be retired from his tenure on top of the mob is “fronting” a new Boca Rotan bistro, called, “Merlino’s,” – a job he’s telling people he’ll return to after he’s sprung from the clink in May. The FBI offices in Florida and Philadelphia confirm active investigations into Merlino’s affairs. People with knowledge of the situation believe the feds are aiming to land a multi-tiered indictment that could include murders that date back to the late-1990s at Merlino’s doorstep soon and activity in both Philadelphia and Florida.

Certain Gangster Report sources caution “tempering expectations” in regards to any pending RICOs being filed against Merlino and his mob underlings, citing prior misleading reports of indictments on the verge of being dropped surfacing in the past decade-plus and being tagged to leaks in the FBI.

Merlino’s parole violation charge stems from FBI agents in Florida tailing Skinny Joey to a rendezvous with his then-reputed underboss (now “acting”) John (Johnny Chang) Ciancaglini at a Boca Raton cigar bar and night club last June.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Ha.

Planned. Using his own car. Sure.

I wish Scott would read what he writes before he posts it.

[B.]

Ha.

Planned. Using his own car. Sure.

I wish Scott would read what he writes before he posts it.

There have been a number of hits where guys have used their own cars.

It wasn't planned well, but it was almost surely a planned hit. Whether it happened the way Scott described in the above article and whether Merlino gave his approval is another question entirely. I think the most defining thing he points out is Nicodemo's history with Merlino and the timeline of Merlino's visit to Philly, then the murder.

[rayray]

Interesting time frames with Merlino. Being so high profile no matter what and knowing the feds having a constant hard on for him, he'd be nuts to jeopardize his freedom in such a way.

[phatmatress]

Ha.

Planned. Using his own car. Sure.

I wish Scott would read what he writes before he posts it.

There have been a number of hits where guys have used their own cars.

.

yeah tons and tons lol


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[brianwellbrock]

Well, as they say "a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich." NIcodemo will spend half of his adult life in prison regardless so I don't think the feds think by putting a rico on him will get him to roll. Maybe they see weak link as Grande? Unless they want to fuck with Merlino and indict him the day he is supposed to get out if the feds had what they needed they would of done it already.

[Rocco]

The feds need a star witness who was part of the murder conspiracy. Like Leonetti was to the Scarfo indictments. Feds have had zero luck with their indictments. The only wins they got recently were Mousie(who never had a shot). I am sure they really pressured Nicodemo to flip but he took it on the chin.

[brianwellbrock]

The feds need a star witness who was part of the murder conspiracy. Like Leonetti was to the Scarfo indictments. Feds have had zero luck with their indictments. The only wins they got recently were Mousie(who never had a shot). I am sure they really pressured Nicodemo to flip but he took it on the chin.

Unless they got photos that show Merlino and Mazzone meeting with Nicodemo and Grande it will be hard to convict. While I don't doubt that if they even had the slightest rat they would of indicted immediately, it is a different story to get a jury to like them better than the defendants. Unless the feds indict and show their hand I will say that they don't have shit right now and Merlino and Mazzone will never be convicted of any murders, the recent one at least.

[SonnyBlackstein]

There have been a number of hits where guys have used their own cars.

Planned hits?

And that is the key point here.
Whether the hit was planned or spur of the minute.

Its obviously possible that the hit was planned. But is it probable?

Logically you'd have to admit that it is highly unlikely a professional hitman would do so on a planned hit.

[Chucky]

Scott's not exactly going out on a limb saying Merlino could indicted soon or eventually, I think that's set in stone. Whether the hit was sanctioned or not the feds need someone with credibility, not some clown like Monacello or Orlando, to roll to point the finger at Merlino & Mazzone and for a jury to buy it. Any trial involving Merlino will be a fucking gong show regardless, I don't know how many of you remember the trial in the early 2000s but it was a fucking zoo.

[brianwellbrock]

Scott's not exactly going out on a limb saying Merlino could indicted soon or eventually, I think that's set in stone. Whether the hit was sanctioned or not the feds need someone with credibility, not some clown like Monacello or Orlando, to roll to point the finger at Merlino & Mazzone and for a jury to buy it. Any trial involving Merlino will be a fucking gong show regardless, I don't know how many of you remember the trial in the early 2000s but it was a fucking zoo.

My balls hadn't even dropped when that trial happened. If I were the feds I wouldn't underestimate the loyalty these guys have to each other. Coming out with a half assed RICO like they did in 2011 and expecting someone to roll isn't going to work. They'll just look like asses again. Last time around they hoped Borgesi or Canalichio would flip and that didn't happen. Nicodemo was almost the answer to their prayers, but he didn't talk. I think if the feds do indict they'll be ready for trial right than and their, they don't want to risk wasting everyones time and looking like dumbasses.

[Rocco]

Canalichio and Mousie were the only victories for the 2011 Case. The Newark soldier plead out. Rest of it was a shit show. With Mousies record they would have gave him 10yrs for jay walking. Canalichio gets popped again we he gets out he will end up like Mousie. They need someone in the inner circle or close to it to flip for any serious charges.

[phatmatress]

Scott's not exactly going out on a limb saying Merlino could indicted soon or eventually, I think that's set in stone. Whether the hit was sanctioned or not the feds need someone with credibility, not some clown like Monacello or Orlando, to roll to point the finger at Merlino & Mazzone and for a jury to buy it. Any trial involving Merlino will be a fucking gong show regardless, I don't know how many of you remember the trial in the early 2000s but it was a fucking zoo.

it was quite the spectacle


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[Five Felonies]

whether or not merlino was involved in the hit, which i personally believe he was, i don't buy into the whole idea of the feds putting him inside and then charging him. what i do believe is that they put him inside because at this point, 4 months was all they could get him for. it's not like if he was out he's a flight risk anyway and i think in a way they'd be more satisfied with a huge headline grabbing raid complete with the perp walk and media frenzy that goes right along with it. they were reaching with the dog and pony show that was the ligambi trial, no way they make the same mistake again so when they do charge him, expect it to be a bulletproof case with the only question being how long until the hammer falls.

[Rocco]

I can see the feds creating another gambling case and rolling it into a Rico case again. They really don't care about the tax payer dollars...they care more about locking up the suspects without bail and having them spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on defending themselves. The last case more of an expense for ligambi then it was for feds.