Mob Talk Sitdown 23

[Frank]

Interesting how they made repeated references to there not being much to run, not much going on, these guys being inactive and these guys going legit.


Pogo

Yes. They make it sound like they are going the way of Chicago and New England. Previously all I heard was they were stronger than they had been in years. Maybe they are just more smarter and more under the radar, with more legit business covering their criminal activity.

[NJShore4Life]

http://gangsterreport.com/returning-to- ... r-reports/

[Cheech]

Interesting how they made repeated references to there not being much to run, not much going on, these guys being inactive and these guys going legit.


Pogo

seems strange to me. they say this yet there is 10 guys hanging in front of a clubhouse in the middle of the day. no one at work. Faffy hanging around? whats he doing, putting in the plumbing? I just don't see these guys going legit. Servidio and Piccolo were kicking up to someone in the indictment. borgesi comes home and every report says hes grabbing with 2 hands and then a year later hes legit? every video they have theres 20 guys out front. baffles me

[SILENT PARTNERZ]

Interesting how they made repeated references to there not being much to run, not much going on, these guys being inactive and these guys going legit.


Pogo

seems strange to me. they say this yet there is 10 guys hanging in front of a clubhouse in the middle of the day. no one at work. Faffy hanging around? whats he doing, putting in the plumbing? I just don't see these guys going legit. Servidio and Piccolo were kicking up to someone in the indictment. borgesi comes home and every report says hes grabbing with 2 hands and then a year later hes legit? every video they have theres 20 guys out front. baffles me

Cheech, I am wondering the same thing. In the Mob Talk 23, Schrat and GA use the term 'inactive' 4 different times. So, are they really inactive? Or just putting that out on the street as a smoke screen? Any of the Philly posters on the forum have any input?

[Pogo The Clown]

I don't think they are saying the whole family is inactive. Just certain members. And that the family as a whole is not as active anymore. Normally if it were some random writer I would probably dismiss it but GA is pretty reliable. This is the third piece he has said something similiar. There has to be something to it.


Pogo

[SILENT PARTNERZ]

I don't think they are saying the whole family is inactive. Just certain members. And that the family as a whole is not as active anymore. Normally if it were some random writer I would probably dismiss it but GA is pretty reliable. This is the third piece he has said something similiar. There has to be something to it.


Pogo

I agree that with GA stating 'inactive' , or 'not much to oversee' several times lately, that there might be validity to it.

[Chucky]

I personally don't know what to make of it. I could see on it some level, a lot of these guys have spent a lot of time in prison and would rather not deal with this shit if they can make similar, or even less, money but don't have to worry about being pinched. On the other hand, there seems to be a lot of meetings between guys who are putting it out there that they're legit.

Was Borgesi meeting with Joe Bilotti and Patsy Parrello to talk legit ventures, going up to Boston to do the same? He hangs around the clubhouses as much as Lancellotti does. He may have legit stuff going on, that I don't doubt, but I don't believe he doesn't have interests on the street. He was pretty active even when he was doing his last bid. Mazzone lives a pretty expensive lifestyle on a gym trainer's income, and his brother is pretty active, and wouldn't be a member if it weren't for Stevie.

[NJShore4Life]

I believe these guys are putting it out there that they’re into legit business to everyone and anyone. They’re in their 50s now and aren’t getting any younger, they finally have legit business interests that most
Of them did not have in the 90s. Mayfoface and GA are simply just repeating what these guys are putting out there.

[Wiseguy]

I don't think they are saying the whole family is inactive. Just certain members. And that the family as a whole is not as active anymore. Normally if it were some random writer I would probably dismiss it but GA is pretty reliable. This is the third piece he has said something similiar. There has to be something to it.


Pogo

I agree that with GA stating 'inactive' , or 'not much to oversee' several times lately, that there might be validity to it.

It brings to mind what Harry Aleman said about the Outfit in an interview back in 2005 around the time of the Family Secrets case.

It could be a slowing down of things, similar to what we see elsewhere, especially in the other few remaining small families outside New York.

People can point to the Philadelphia family's membership remaining pretty stable, and the relatively larger number of younger guys, but there is also the question of their business model.

Compared to past decades, there is certainly less to oversee. No real numbers business left. Not sure if they ever reestablished their video poker machine operation after the raids and 2011 bust. Limited loansharking activity, at least when looking at the indictments. Obviously no more involvement in HEREU Local 54. City-wide, Scarfo-style street tax gone. The family has had rather marginal involvement in drugs. The odd small time scam or theft isn't going to make anyone rich. To a large degree, that leaves the most core of Mafia core businesses - bookmaking. It remains to be seen just how much of an impact legalized sports betting will have on that.

This could lead to more Philly guys looking to get into legitimate things. And, perhaps eventually, them going the Chicago route and stop from making new members so as to enlarge the shrinking pie for the rest.

[NJShore4Life]

I personally don't know what to make of it. I could see on it some level, a lot of these guys have spent a lot of time in prison and would rather not deal with this shit if they can make similar, or even less, money but don't have to worry about being pinched. On the other hand, there seems to be a lot of meetings between guys who are putting it out there that they're legit.

Was Borgesi meeting with Joe Bilotti and Patsy Parrello to talk legit ventures, going up to Boston to do the same? He hangs around the clubhouses as much as Lancellotti does. He may have legit stuff going on, that I don't doubt, but I don't believe he doesn't have interests on the street. He was pretty active even when he was doing his last bid. Mazzone lives a pretty expensive lifestyle on a gym trainer's income, and his brother is pretty active, and wouldn't be a member if it weren't for Stevie.

Yes, Borgesi was really active even when he was in prison. Makes you think...

[SonnyBlackstein]

My take is GA and Scwrat have zero new info and are just regurgitating things they hear.

They’re more ‘commentators’ than reporters or investigators.

I place little value on what they say regards the state of things.

[Chucky]

If the other shoe drops with the Grande/Servidio/Piccolo thing we'll get a clearer picture, and, for what it's worth, this is what is listed on the FBI's website:

Their (LCN) largest presence centers around New York, southern New Jersey, and Philadelphia.

[NJShore4Life]

If the other shoe drops with the Grande/Servidio/Piccolo thing we'll get a clearer picture

They have Piccolo and Servidio dead to rights on that plus Grande on tape taking his cut as a Capo. The other shoe will drop it’s not a matter of if, but when. I imagine the hold up is they want to see if they can tie in murders and Merlino, my guess.

[Chucky]

If the other shoe drops with the Grande/Servidio/Piccolo thing we'll get a clearer picture

They have Piccolo and Servidio dead to rights on that plus Grande on tape taking his cut as a Capo. The other shoe will drop it’s not a matter of if, but when. I imagine the hold up is they want to see if they can tie in murders and Merlino, my guess.

Yeah that's true, they just seem to be taking their time on this case, I'm sure it'll come. You made a point earlier that I wanted to touch on...Borgesi was a source for GA back in the 90s before they had a falling about around 2000/2001. Wouldn't surprise me if they patched things up and he's echoing what Borgesi is giving him, not saying GA is throwing bullshit out there on Borgesi's behalf though.

They made a bunch of guys a couple years ago and now they want to close up shop?

[Cheech]

Ya I just don’t see them going legit. Merlino just threw a party for his wife and 100 wise guys are there. So much for no one in Philly liking him.