Phil Narducci Restaurant Now Open

[Pete]

Of course Phil is going to say that he's not in the life and shuns it. He's not a fucking idiot. Remember when Joey gave his interview to GA and said he was out of the life, etc? Same thing. Phil is still involved and came out of jail and went home to a lot of money from both his father and other money that he had out there while he was away. It's smart that he's doing this... You have to have some sort of front job to prove legitimate income. Since he's been estranged from his sister and her sons Phil lost the Steak joint and the nightclub that he was involved with.

The guy did how many years in the can? 25 or something I think. He'd have to be a fucking idiot to still be in the life if he's got all this money like you say

[SluggerBrawler]

That's nothing new Pete, dumb mobsters.

[PHL_Mob]

I think for Phil Narducci it's more than money. He was born and raised in LCN and "The Life" and was and is all about it. For someone like Phil it's a way of life and not just about making money (I know that sounds kind of corny). I also feel that on top of all that, Phil probably feels as though he is owed something whether that be simply just a "piece of the pie" or a higher-up position within the organization or both due to not only him doing 25 years for the family in his prime years, but also because of who is family is/was and how far back they go within the organization. His father seemed to feel entitled when he took out Phil Testa as he believed he was better suited and more entitled/deserving of the boss position. Furthermore, take Joe Pung as another example. The guy also came out to a ton of wealth via his Real Estate holdings as well as money that he kept on the street upon going to jail for ~25 years in the late 80s with the Scarfo guys (his father Anthony Sr and his brother Ralph and several other close associates watched over his interests on the street and in general while Joey and Anthony Jr were both away doing their bid). This guy doesn't need any money from book or shy or anything else that his crew is involved with, but he was raised in The Life and would never leave it even if he wanted to. It's simply in his makeup and what he knows.

[B.]

Narducci was only something like 23 or barely 24 when he was inducted. His association went back to the time he was a teenager, when his dad was one of the most powerful members, and he had been a shooter more than once by the time he was made. I can't pretend to know what Narducci is up to, but his brain must be wired for the mob.

I've wondered what his relationship is like with the Grandes, as they had been close to his father.

[dave]

I think for Phil Narducci it's more than money. He was born and raised in LCN and "The Life" and was and is all about it. For someone like Phil it's a way of life and not just about making money (I know that sounds kind of corny). I also feel that on top of all that, Phil probably feels as though he is owed something whether that be simply just a "piece of the pie" or a higher-up position within the organization or both due to not only him doing 25 years for the family in his prime years, but also because of who is family is/was and how far back they go within the organization. His father seemed to feel entitled when he took out Phil Testa as he believed he was better suited and more entitled/deserving of the boss position. Furthermore, take Joe Pung as another example. The guy also came out to a ton of wealth via his Real Estate holdings as well as money that he kept on the street upon going to jail for ~25 years in the late 80s with the Scarfo guys (his father Anthony Sr and his brother Ralph and several other close associates watched over his interests on the street and in general while Joey and Anthony Jr were both away doing their bid). This guy doesn't need any money from book or shy or anything else that his crew is involved with, but he was raised in The Life and would never leave it even if he wanted to. It's simply in his makeup and what he knows.

What do you make of his quote-- "I don’t even know what it is today"? Could that be a sign of how he views the current family, or am I reading too much into it? Seems like he could have just denied being involved without the disrespect.

[PHL_Mob]

I think for Phil Narducci it's more than money. He was born and raised in LCN and "The Life" and was and is all about it. For someone like Phil it's a way of life and not just about making money (I know that sounds kind of corny). I also feel that on top of all that, Phil probably feels as though he is owed something whether that be simply just a "piece of the pie" or a higher-up position within the organization or both due to not only him doing 25 years for the family in his prime years, but also because of who is family is/was and how far back they go within the organization. His father seemed to feel entitled when he took out Phil Testa as he believed he was better suited and more entitled/deserving of the boss position. Furthermore, take Joe Pung as another example. The guy also came out to a ton of wealth via his Real Estate holdings as well as money that he kept on the street upon going to jail for ~25 years in the late 80s with the Scarfo guys (his father Anthony Sr and his brother Ralph and several other close associates watched over his interests on the street and in general while Joey and Anthony Jr were both away doing their bid). This guy doesn't need any money from book or shy or anything else that his crew is involved with, but he was raised in The Life and would never leave it even if he wanted to. It's simply in his makeup and what he knows.

What do you make of his quote-- "I don’t even know what it is today"? Could that be a sign of how he views the current family, or am I reading too much into it? Seems like he could have just denied being involved without the disrespect.

In my opinion, it's just like any real life, active mafia member saying, "the Mafia doesn't exist, it's a figment of the government's imagination...". I remember Eddie Jacobs saying during Ligambi's trial that the government was trying to "paint Ligambi with the same brush of old gangsters in the city's recent past..." And how there isn't a mob in Philly anymore due to the governments relentless prosecution, etc. That's how LCN is actually supposed to be... A secret organization whose members would deny its existence if they were to ever be asked about it. So to ask why Phil Narducci, who is LCN to the bone, would deny the existence of the Mob anymore or for him to imply that it wasn't around or it was almost non-existent is exactly how people in LCN should be portraying it or being quoted as saying if they're going to be asked about it and quoted about it at all in the first place!

[Fughedaboutit]

I think for Phil Narducci it's more than money. He was born and raised in LCN and "The Life" and was and is all about it. For someone like Phil it's a way of life and not just about making money (I know that sounds kind of corny). I also feel that on top of all that, Phil probably feels as though he is owed something whether that be simply just a "piece of the pie" or a higher-up position within the organization or both due to not only him doing 25 years for the family in his prime years, but also because of who is family is/was and how far back they go within the organization. His father seemed to feel entitled when he took out Phil Testa as he believed he was better suited and more entitled/deserving of the boss position. Furthermore, take Joe Pung as another example. The guy also came out to a ton of wealth via his Real Estate holdings as well as money that he kept on the street upon going to jail for ~25 years in the late 80s with the Scarfo guys (his father Anthony Sr and his brother Ralph and several other close associates watched over his interests on the street and in general while Joey and Anthony Jr were both away doing their bid). This guy doesn't need any money from book or shy or anything else that his crew is involved with, but he was raised in The Life and would never leave it even if he wanted to. It's simply in his makeup and what he knows.

What do you make of his quote-- "I don’t even know what it is today"? Could that be a sign of how he views the current family, or am I reading too much into it? Seems like he could have just denied being involved without the disrespect.

In my opinion, it's just like any real life, active mafia member saying, "the Mafia doesn't exist, it's a figment of the government's imagination...". I remember Eddie Jacobs saying during Ligambi's trial that the government was trying to "paint Ligambi with the same brush of old gangsters in the city's recent past..." And how there isn't a mob in Philly anymore due to the governments relentless prosecution, etc. That's how LCN is actually supposed to be... A secret organization whose members would deny its existence if they were to ever be asked about it. So to ask why Phil Narducci, who is LCN to the bone, would deny the existence of the Mob anymore or for him to imply that it wasn't around or it was almost non-existent is exactly how people in LCN should be portraying it or being quoted as saying if they're going to be asked about it and quoted about it at all in the first place!

Exactly. Good answer, pretty simple to see imo

Wouldnt read into it too much

[NJShore4Life]

Honestly, I'm surprised Phil Narducci isn't close with Uncle Joe. They came up together in the same era, they were both made in the same ceremony, they both are LCN to the core, they both were the gunmen on the Frankie Flowers hit together, and they both are South Philly based. My guess it's Uncle Joe's loyalty to the Merlino's as to why they're not close and add to that a 20+ year difference in age. If not close, I'm surprised that Phil doesn't hold Uncle Joe in high regard and with the utmost respect.

[moneyman]

Lawrence Merlino proposed Ligambi for membership during the Flowers hit, so that might explain his allegiance to the Merlinos. My suspicion is that the Scarfo guys vs Merlino guys thing is overblown.

[Pogo The Clown]

Minor point but Phil Narducci and Ligambi were made in seperate ceremonies. Phil was made in the March 1986 ceremony and Ligambi in the June ceremony. Before the ceremonies Scarfo had just demoted and shelved the Merlinos and held off on making Ligambi because he didn't know where his loyalties were. Evidently Ligambi fell in with Scarfo because he was made not long after.


Pogo

[SonnyBlackstein]

Lawrence Merlino proposed Ligambi for membership during the Flowers hit, so that might explain his allegiance to the Merlino's.

Good info moneyman.
I've always wondered the basis of Ligambi's allegiance to Joe as he's 25yrs his senior and was never part of Merlino's street crew (it appeared) during the Stanfa war/saga.

It appears he was made acting when Joe went away as he was/is somewhat of a bridge between the Scarfo guys and Merlino guys (at least when it was relevant back when Merlino went away).

My suspicion is that the Scarfo guys vs Merlino guys thing is overblown.

%100 agree.

All this 'faction' talk is bullshit imo. I think the philly guys have realized that in going to war vs making money (not headlines) the money wins. They've done both and the learning curve has cost a lot of them years away but it appears the lessons finally learnt.

Minor point but Phil Narducci and Ligambi were made in seperate ceremonies. Phil was made in the March 1986 ceremony and Ligambi in the June ceremony. Before the ceremonies Scarfo had just demoted and shelved the Merlinos and held off on making Ligambi because he didn't know where his loyalties were. Evidently Ligambi fell in with Scarfo because he was made not long after.

Good info Pogo.

[Pogo The Clown]

I've always wondered the basis of Ligambi's allegiance to Joe as he's 25yrs his senior and was never part of Merlino's street crew (it appeared) during the Stanfa war/saga.

Ligambi was discovered by the Merlinos (Larry I believe). Before that he was a low level associate working as a bartender. They got him involved in their bookmaking operation. Plus of course Larry put him on the D'Alfonso hit and sponsored him for membership.


Pogo

[NJShore4Life]

Yeah heard at one point Ligambi tried setting up a book in AC in the 80s and failed,he also bartended in AC as well.

Thanks Pogo, I know both were made in 86, didn't realize it was separate ceremonies. Who was Ligambi made with then in June 86?

[NJShore4Life]

Ligambi was also in jail during the Stanfa War for the Flowers Hit, if he was out at the time I guarantee his loyalty would have been with Merlino.

[SonnyBlackstein]

Good info, appreciated Pogo and 4life.