September 21, 2019 — The FBI believes Philadelphia mobster Anthony Staino’s 2010 wedding doubled as an induction ceremony for new members of the Bruno-Scarfo crime family, part of a pattern by the organization in the past two decades of holding “making” rituals at public social gatherings, such as wedding nuptials, christenings and birthday and anniversary parties, per the most recent Mob Talk Sit Down episode on YouTube.
The 62-year old Staino just got released in the spring from doing a half-dozen years in federal prison for racketeering. Polished and business-minded, Staino climbed through the ranks of the Philly mafia in the 2000s, going from associate to soldier to capo to the storied syndicate’s “CFO” and No. 2 in charge. What exact position, if any, Staino holds today is unknown. He was indicted in 2011 and pleaded guilty in 2013.
Mob Talk Sit Down is hosted by legendary Philadelphia crime reporters Dave Schratwieser and George Anastasia. Nine years ago, Anastasia broke the news that the FBI had subpoenaed photos of Staino’s wedding held at The Atrium in the Curtis Center on the evening of September 11, 2010 and attended by the Philly mob’s then acting boss Joseph (Uncle Joe) Ligambi and most of the Bruno-Scarfo clan. Staino was mentored in the mafia by Ligambi, who recently hung up his spurs and retired.
Up until last month, Ligambi had helmed the mafia in Philadelphia on a day-to-day basis for the majority of the past 20 years on behalf of Joseph (Skinny Joey) Merlino. The sly, fashion conscious 57-year old Skinny Joey is set to be released from a short prison sentence for a gambling offense next week. Merlino has lived in Florida since 2011 however returns to South Philly often to tend to his shop.
Schratwieser and Anastasia have been told that close to 20 buttons have been given out in the last 18 years. More than half of the initiates have came into the fold in the past 8 years per Gangster Report sources.
Gangster Report broke the news of a 2015 making ceremony conducted by Merlino and Ligambi in order to beef up then capo George (Georgie Boy) Borgesi’s crew. Borgesi, 55, allegedly has replaced the low key, much-respected Ligambi as Merlino’s acting boss. Ligambi’s is Borgesi’s actual uncle, his mother’s brother. According to sources, just this decade alone, there have been five makings held (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2018).
Ligambi was made in 1986. Merlino got straightened out in 1992 and then in the wake of winning a shooting war for power in the crime family inducted Borgesi in 1994. Borgesi was Merlino’s consigliere before they both were busted for racketeering in 2000 and did decade-plus terms behind bars.
The post Opening Up The Books: Philly Mafia Figure’s 2010 Wedding Wasn’t What It Seemed Feds Suspect appeared first on The Gangster Report.