web hosting short URLs photo sharing

Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo probably reigned over the most unstabile American mafia crime family to date. Scarfo, who was originally from Brooklyn, NYC, was once crowned "most talkative" by his high school graduating class. Ironically, Scarfo's crime family would do all the talking and mainly to the federal government.

Scarfo, who made his way to Philadelphia, PA via a relative, became "buttoned" into the Philadelphia LCN Family sometime during 1950s. In 1963, Scarfo then a capo, stabbed a longshoreman to death over a restraunt booth seat. He served a brief sentence for the manslaughter conviction.Angelo "The Gentle Don" Bruno, who was then boss, banished Scarfo to Atlantic City, NJ upon his release. Atlantic City, at that time, was considered arural waste land. Scarfo did managed to get by with loansharking, illegal gambling and minor extortion rackets. Bruno felt that by placing Scarfo so faraway he would no longer be a threat. Within 15 years the landscape changed dramatically with the legalizing of casino gambling.

Upon the murder of Bruno in 1980, Phil "The Chickenman" Testa became boss and sought to solidify the mob family. He appointed Scarfo, who by then had gained more respect, as consigliere or counselor. Testa's reign would be brief and ended in 1981 with his bombing death.

While many attended Testa's funeral, Scarfo traveled to NYC and met with Gambino LCN Family boss Paul "Big Paul" Castellano. With Castellano's blessing, Scarfo a 5 foot 5 inches psycopath and embicile had jockeyed his way to the top. Scarfo would now be boss of the Philadelphia/AtlanticCity LCN Family.

In order to seal his fate as boss, Scarfo had agreed to give the NYC Genovese and Gambino LCN Families a portion of the earnings in Atlantic City casino. It also helped that Scarfo would control then Atlantic City mayor Michael Martin and pretty much had the city to himself. Scarfo and company would profit from several rackets within the Atlantic City area. The first was real estate. Through his control of Martin, Scarfo would learn about new selected site for developments and casinos. Scarfo and fellow crime family members would then buy up the property and make a nice return upon the sale. Michael Martin would receive over 10 years for his agreement with the Philadelphia LCN Family boss. Scarfa's next racket was construction.Through his company Scarfa Mix Concrete, control of the unions, he had a monopoly over concrete pouring. In a very short time Scarfo became extremely rich.

Scarfo's crime family seemed destined for riches but that too would prove not to happen. First there was Scarfo, who was very public and open display of power. Scarfo would escape the bitter Philadelphia winters by retreating to Pompano Beach, FL mansion. There he would hold court and insist that members come down. While they were there, many times, Scarfo and company would take boat rides on his cabin cruiser. The boat was appropriately named "Casablanca...the usual suspects". The F.B.I seemed not to mind and this gave them many opportunities to conduct surveillance.

Scarfo wasn't without his fair share of enemies. His biggest rival waslong time capo and Bruno loyalist Harold "Harry the Hunchback" Riccobene. A war would spark between Scarfo and the Riccobene brothers. Many would end up dead or injured. Scarfo was spared when Riccobene was given life for the murder of Scarfo loyalist Frank Monte in 1984.

Another problem with Scarfo was in the area of rank and importance. In 1986 Scarfo demoted his underboss Salvatore "Chuckie" Merlino to a soldier. Then he dealt the same for Merlino's brother, Larry "Yogi", who was by thena capo. Scarfo felt as if they weren't loyal. Then he promoted another psychopath, his "beloved" nephew Phillip "Crazy Phil" Leonetti as his new underboss.

It was all over by 1989. Scarfo, who never trusted many, had ordered 30 murders and racked up many enemies. Most notable of the enemies were fellow crime family members Thomas "Tommy Del" DelGiorno, who had been a capo; Nicholas "Nick the Crow" Caramandi, a soldier and hitman; and the previously demoted capo Salavtore "Chuckie" Merlino. The most detremental was his underboss and nephew Phillip Leonetti; who had been previously convicted in 1989 and sentenced to 45 years. Leonetti, for his cooperation, is currently in the U.S. Federal Marshall's Witness Protection Program.

By late 1989 Scarfo would be given multiple sentences, for RICO Act violations, in what would amount to over 100 years. In 1996, Scarfo's murder conviction of Frank "Frankie Flowers" D'Alfonso, an Angelo Bruno associate, was overturned. Even with that miraculous victory Scarfo still has a considerable amount of time. Scarfo is currently housed in the Marion Federal Penitentiary, Marion, IL under strict conditions. He resides along with fellow mob boss John "Johnny Boy" Gotti of the Gambino LCN Family,NYC and Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen Irish mob boss Jimmy Coonan. Scarfo now refers to once "beloved" nephew as "my faggot nephew".

Throughout his violent reign most victims were by choice. They had chosen "that life" and all that comes with it. There is one innocent victim that needs mentioning, Scarfo's youngest son. Upon finding the truth behind his father in 1989 he attempted suicide. His son, Chris, was said to be loyal and loving towards his father. His mother would find him hanging by a noose. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how one views it, she was able to keep him alive. Unfortunately the youth suffered permanent brain damageand lapse into coma.