Nicodemo Scarfo
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225635111
2008-07-14T17:41:17Z
Thomas Edward
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improved information to include past information deleted.
{{Infobox Person
|name = Nicodemo Scarfo
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1929|3|8|mf=y}}
|birth_place = [[New York]], [[United States|U.S.]]
|death_date =
|death_place =
|status = Alive
|nationality = [[United States|American]]
|ethnicity = [[Italians|Italian]]
|family = Catherine Piccolo (mother) <br /> [[Nicholas Piccolo]] (uncle) <br /> Joseph Piccolo (uncle) <br /> Michael Piccolo (uncle) <br /> Nancy Leonetti (sister) <br /> [[Phil Leonetti|Phillip Leonetti]] (nephew)
|spouse = (name of first wife unknown) Domenica Scarfo
|children = Christopher Scarfo <br /> [[Nicodemo Scarfo, Jr.|Nicodemo Salvatore Scarfo Jr]] <br /> Mark Scarfo
}}
'''Nicodemo Domenico Scarfo aka "Little Nicky"''' (born [[March 8]], [[1929]], [[Brooklyn, New York]]) was an [[United States|American]] [[mafioso]] who eventually became the [[Mob Boss|Boss]] of the [[Philadelphia crime family]] after the death of [[Phil Testa]]. Nicky Scarfo was a [[mob boss]] for the [[80s]]: arrogant, [[nepotistic]] and full of [[avarice]]. He was [[Philadelphia]]'s version of [[John Gotti]].
Little Nicky orchestrated a particularly ruthless [[regime]] and ordered over a dozen murders during his time as Boss. He was often described by [[informant]]s as cold-hearted and [[narcissistic]]. He enjoyed the [[celebrity]] [[gangster]] life style and was an admirer of [[Al Capone]]. He was known to scan newspapers for his name and made sure his [[soldier]]s carried out [[murder]]s in [[public]] to create a constant atmosphere of fear. Scarfo had very few scruples and approached [[organized crime]] activities such as [[drug trafficking]] to generate millions, which many other [[Mob Boss|Bosses]] avoided. It was these methods which ultimately led to Scarfo's downfall. Though Little Nicky's reign may have made him a rich man, in the long term it almost destroyed the [[Philadelphia crime family|Philly Mob]] that he dominated for a [[decade]].
== Family ==
Nicodemo Scarfo was born on [[March 8th]] [[1929]] in [[Brooklyn, New York]]. The son of a [[made man]] in the [[Genovese crime family]] and Catherine ''née'' Piccolo, sister of [[Nicholas Piccolo|Nicholas]], Joseph and Michael Piccolo who were [[made men]] in the [[Philadelphia crime family]]. His family was of [[Calabrian]] descent.
Nicky's sister Nancy later gave birth to a baby boy in [[1956]] and the boy's father abandoned them soon after. Nicky took on the responsibility of raising the boy as he would his own son. The man that boy eventually became under Scarfo's guidance was [[Phil Leonetti]].
== Early Career ==
In the late [[1940s]] during his late teens Nicky tried his hand at [[boxing]], but didn't have much success. Nicky got a job as a [[valet parking|valet]] parking cars. He soon found his true calling in [[Philadelphia]].
In the early [[1950s]] Nicky Scarfo was introduced into the [[Philadelphia crime family|Philly Mob]] by his uncle [[Nicholas "Nicky Buck" Piccolo]]. Nicky Buck was a [[captain]] in the [[Philadelphia crime family]]; he gave Scarfo a [[bookmaking]] operation to run. He was soon nicknamed "Little Nicky" due to his short stature (five feet six).
Nicky was soon a [[made man]] in the [[Philadelphia crime family|Philly Mob]]'s [[Calabrian]] faction. At the time the [[crime family|Family]] was being led by Joe Ida. The [[Philadelphia crime family|Philly Mob]] controlled criminal activities not just in their own City of [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] but also in [[South Jersey]], [[Delaware]]; [[Baltimore, Maryland]] and [[Atlantic City]].
In the late [[1950s]] Nicky befriended Salvatore "Chuckie" Merlino who hadn't turned 20 at the time, but was a promising [[associate]] to the [[Mob]].
== The Bruno Regime ==
In [[1959]] [[Angelo Bruno]] became the [[Mob Boss|Boss]] of [[Philadelphia]] after gaining support from [[Carlo Gambino]] to take over after Joe Ida left for [[Sicily]]. Antonio Pollina was forced from his position by [[Carlo Gambino|Gambino]] and [[Angelo Bruno|Bruno]]; [[Angelo Bruno]] became the official head of the [[Philadelphia crime family|Philly Mob]].
Around this time Nicky Scarfo was approached by [[consigliere]] Joe Rugnetta. Rugnetta wanted Nicky to marry his daughter. But Nicky sarcastically refused and implied the reason was the girl's ugliness. Joe was completely offended and wanted Nicky killed but [[Angelo Bruno|Don Angelo]] wouldn't sanction a hit on the nephew of [[captain]] [[Nicholas Piccolo|Nicky Buck]].
In the early [[1960s]] Chuckie Merlino was having a [[sexual relationship]] with the niece of [[made men]] Alfonse "Funzi" Marconi and Guarino "Mark" Marconi. When the Marconi brothers discovered the relationship they demanded that Merlino be killed.
Joe Rugnetta arranged a sit down with Little Nicky defending his friend Chuckie at the meeting and Dominic "Mickey Diamond" DeVito; Funzi Marconi and Mark Marconi. Little Nicky supported Chuckie's false claims that he wasn't having an affair with the Marconis' niece. This soured Scarfo's standing with Rugnetta even more.
In [[1963]], Scarfo stabbed a longshoreman to death in a [[Philadelphia]] [[diner]] and served less than a year in jail for [[involuntary manslaughter]]. He became a problem that could only be resolved by an order from the Boss.
Upon his release from prison in [[1964]] Little Nicky was sent to [[Atlantic City]] to run the Family's criminal operations out there. Bruno had banished Scarfo to resolve the problem peacefully to avoid a long destructive inter-family war with [[Nicholas Piccolo|Nicky Buck]]'s crew. If it had been up to Joe Rugnetta Scarfo would've been killed. However, at the time [[Atlantic City|AC]] was a shadow of it's former glory where even criminals had trouble making a living.
== Atlantic City ==
There in [[Atlantic City|AC]] Nicky ran a [[bookmaking]] and [[loan sharking]] operation. He invested in an adult bookstore owned by Alvin Feldman. He moved into an apartment owned by his mother Catherine. He was soon joined there by his sister Nancy Leonetti and her 8 year-old son [[Phil Leonetti|Phillip]]. Scarfo raised a family in the house with his second wife Domenica who gave birth to [[Nicodemo Scarfo, Jr.|Nicodemo Salvatore Scarfo Jr]] and Mark Scarfo. Soon Little Nicky's first son Chris was living with them as well.
In [[1971]] Nicky Scarfo met Nicholas "the Crow" Caramandi, a con man with connections to Dominic "Mickey Diamond" DeVito. The two began running scams together, two of which made $15,000.
Little Nicky was later incarcerated for contempt. During his incarceration he heard that Feldman had been stealing money from him; upon Scarfo's release from prison Feldman disappeared.
<blockquote>
"You won't see him no more..."-Nicodemo Scarfo on Alvin Feldman
</blockquote>
Caramandi kept in touch with Scarfo and every once in a while would run a scam with him. But Scarfo was struggling to survive in [[Atlantic City]] let alone rebuild his reputation within the [[Philadelphia crime family|Philly Mob]]. Though his conviction for contempt had proven he could keep his mouth shut.
In [[1972]] Scarfo attempted to arrange a lenient sentence for Nicholas Virgilio who had been convicted in a murder case. Scarfo went to Edward Helfant and gave him $12,000 to reduce Virgilio's sentence. But Virgilio got 12 years, hardly the lenient treatment he and Scarfo were expecting.
Scarfo's fortunes changed with the legalization of [[casino]] [[gambling]] in [[1976]], which brought [[Atlantic City]] new prosperity and soon made Scarfo a [[Mafia]] powerhouse.
He soon established close ties with Local 54 of the [[Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union|Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union]] (HEREIU). Scarfo's longtime relationships with Frank Gerace (former local president) and Frank Lentino (former union business agent) gave him access to [[Atlantic City]] [[mayor]] Michael Matthews. Scarfo turned Local 54 into a cash cow for the mob. He began receiving monthly payments of about $20,000 from the union.
Around this time many members of the [[crime family|Family]] began to suspect that Bruno was allowing members of the [[Gambino crime family]] to engage in [[drug trafficking]] activities throughout [[New Jersey]] in exchange for a cut of the profits. This was in contradiction to Bruno's zero-tolerance policy towards [[drug trafficking]] among his [[soldiers]].
In [[1977]] Joe Rugnetta died and was succeeded by [[Tony Caponigro]] as [[consigliere]]. Caponigro was the [[captain]] of the [[Newark]] branch of the [[Philadelphia crime family]].
In [[1978]] Nicky Virgilio was released from prison after serving 6 years. Scarfo helped arrange for Virgilio to be able to get revenge on Helfant. Not long after Virgilio's release, Eddie Helfant was shot 5 times as he sat in a [[bar]] with his wife.
Soon the first casinos were opening in [[Atlantic City]] and money was soon pouring into the City. Scarfo took full advantage and set about squeezing the casinos of their income. As the City once again began booming, the Heads of the [[Five Families]] became interested in the City. But Bruno had made it clear that [[Atlantic City]] was and will always be the [[Philadelphia crime family|Philly Mob]]'s territory.
In [[1979]] Little Nicky helped arrange the murder of Mickey "Coco" Cifelli, a known [[drug dealer]] who was no longer "welcome" in [[Philadelphia]]. Coco was gunned down in a [[restaurant]] in [[South Philadelphia]]. Coco's murder had been sanctioned by Bruno, but it wasn't long until Scarfo would kill without permission.
By that time Little Nicky; his nephew Phil and the Merlino brothers set up a concrete company Scarf Inc. This was a way for them to insure that their families would get a "piece" of both the legitimate and illegitimate world. Vincent Falcone began belittling Scarfo and Leonetti behind their backs. It wasn't long until they found out about Falcone's "loose lips".
[[Nicky Scarfo]] watched with glee as his beloved nephew [[Phil Leonetti]] took out a 38 and shot Vincent Falcone in the back of his head. Nicky mocked Falcone's body calling him a "cocksucker" and a "no good motherfucker". Little Nicky then lent down and listened to where Falcone's heart would've been beating if he were alive. Nicky then suggested that Leonetti shoot him once more and Phil did as told; he shot Falcone in the chest. Lawrence Merlino helped Scarfo and Leonetti dispose of the body. But not long after Falcone's body was discovered stuffed in the trunk of a car.
[[Genovese]] [[Mob Boss|Boss]] [[Frank Tieri (mobster)|Funzi Tieri]] began to try and gain a cut of the lucrative [[bookmaking]] operation [[Tony Caponigro]] was running in [[New Jersey]]. The operation made $2 million a week. Bruno defended his [[consigliere]]'s propriety rights at a meeting with Funzi and the other heads of the [[New York]] families, who ruled in Bruno's favor. Funzi humbly accepted the decision, on the surface.
== The End of an Era ==
In [[1980]] [[Angelo Bruno]] was shot in the head as he sat in a car driven by [[John Stanfa]] just outside his home. The shooter was Alfred Salerno acting on orders from his [[brother-in-law]] [[Tony Caponigro]]. Tony was attempting to seize control of the [[Philadelphia crime family]] by force; he was planning to promote [[Frank Sindone]] to [[underboss]] and to kill off [[Phil Testa]], [[Nicky Scarfo]] and Frank "Chickie" Narducci.
Tony Caponigro thought he had gained the backing of the [[Five Families]] through [[Frank Tieri (mobster)|Funzi Tieri]] and would be elevated to head of the [[Philadelphia]] [[underworld]]. Tony Bananas and Alfred Salerno were summoned to a meeting in [[Manhattan]] expecting to meet with the heads of the [[Five Families]] and be elevated to Boss. Instead, Tony Bananas and Salerno were greeted by [[Vincent Gigante]] and his [[crew]]. The [[crew]] brutally tortured Caponigro and Salerno then left their bodies in the trunks two separate [[car]]s parked 3 miles apart.
== Rise to Power ==
The [[Commission]] promoted [[underboss]] [[Phil Testa]] to Boss of the [[Philadelphia crime family]]. Testa promoted [[Nicky Scarfo]] to [[consigliere]] and Peter Casella to [[underboss]]. Ironically, being banished to [[Atlantic City]] had been a blessing in disguise for Nicky Scarfo. Once a disgraced [[soldier]] he was now a success story and had risen to the rank of [[consigliere]] in the [[Philadelphia crime family]].
Though being indicted for the [[murder]] of Vincent Falcone was a sobering event in the lives of Scarfo, Leonetti and Merlino. The [[guilty]] trio were [[acquitted]] of the murder.
[[Phil Testa]] decided it was time to "open the books". [[Salvatore Testa]], [[Phil Leonetti]], Salvatore "Wayne" Grande, Chuckie and Lawrence Merlino were all made official members of [[La Cosa Nostra]].
The new [[Administration]] began putting Caponigro's loyalists in line. Felix Bocchino was the first to defect along with Dominic DeVito. Joseph "Chickie" Ciancaglini defected after Testa and Scarfo interrogated him at [[gun]] point in a garage about his involvement with Caponigro.
Nicky had plans to have Dominic "Mickey Diamond" DeVito killed. But their mutual friend Nick Caramandi stood by DeVito and Scarfo wouldn't have DeVito killed out of respect to Caramandi. John Simone and [[Frank Sindone]] weren't as lucky. Both met grisly ends at the [[trigger]] fingers of [[hit men]] sent by Testa and Scarfo.
John McCullough began infringing on Scarfo's [[Atlantic City]] rackets and refused to stop his [[labor racketeering]] activities. McCullough was shot to death by a [[hit man]] posing as a [[deliveryman]].
On [[March 15th]] [[1981]] [[Phil Testa]] was killed by a [[nail bomb]] detonated beneath his porch. The murder was intended to look like retaliation by the [[IRA]] for the murder of John McCullough. The truth was Peter Casella had hoped to ascend to [[Mob Boss|Boss]] by having Testa killed. Frank "Chickie" Narducci was in on the plot as well and Rocco Marinucci was the man who personally detonated the [[bomb]] by [[remote control]].
== The Scarfo Regime ==
Pete Casella called a meeting with Nicky Scarfo soon after Testa's death. Casella told Scarfo that at a meeting with [[Paul Castellano]] and [[Fat Tony Salerno]] he had been made the new [[Mob Boss|Boss]] and that Narducci was to be the new [[underboss]]. But Scarfo was suspicious and set up a meeting with the two [[New York]] Bosses the next day. At that meeting Scarfo discovered that Casella had been lying.
Little Nicky gave the [[Gambino]] and [[Genovese]] crime families permission to operate in [[Atlantic City]] in exchange for their backing for him to become [[Mob Boss|Boss]]. With the backing of the Gambinos and Genoveses Little Nicky easily took over the [[Philadelphia crime family]]; he promoted Frank Monte to [[consigliere]] and Salvatore "Chuckie" Merlino to [[underboss]].
Little Nicky forced Casella into "retirement" in [[Florida]] and promoted [[Phil Leonetti]], [[Salvatore Testa]], Lawrence "Yogi" Merlino and Joseph "Chickie" Ciancaglini to [[captain]]s of their [[crew]]s. When Nicky became the Boss he wanted to unify the [[organization]] and dreamed of running a smooth [[criminal]] [[empire]].
Scarfo soon installed a [[mob]] [[practice]] somewhat alien to [[Philadelphia]] [[criminals]]. The "street tax" was enforced by [[soldiers]] like Tommy DelGiorno and [[associates]] like Nick the Crow Caramandi. The tax was paid by any [[criminal]] working independently from the [[Mafia]]. [[Drug dealers]], [[bookmakers]], [[pimps]] and guys running numbers in the territory that Scarfo deemed his own were forced to pay his "street tax" weekly. The money was then divided between the guys collecting the tax (who got 50%) and their [[capo]]s; the [[Boss]].
In [[April]] of that year Nicky was convicted of possessing an unlicensed [[firearm]]. But sentencing wasn't until [[August]] of next year. So Nicky continued as normal.
In a [[restaurant]] [[Chelsais Bouras]] was enjoying a [[meal]] with his [[girlfriend]] Janette Curro several friends including Ray Martorano, when a man entered and motioned for Martorano to get out of the way as he took aim. The [[hit man]] opened fire killing Bouras and his [[girlfriend]] Curro. Scarfo ordered the death of [[Greek]] [[Mob Boss]] Chelsais because he had been horning in on the [[methamphetamine]] trade in [[Philadelphia]] and not paying Scarfo's "street tax".
Johnny Calabrese and Chickie Ciancaglini walked from Cous' Little Italy, a restaurant owned by [[Tommy Del]]Giorno who bought it from the Piccolo brothers. As Calabrese and Ciancaglini walked Tommy DelGiorno and Frank "Faffy" Iannarella ran up behind them. When the shooting started Chickie casually walked away. Four bullets killed Calabrese and his killers escaped in a car driven by Pat Spirito. Johnny Calabrese was a [[loan shark]] and [[drug dealer]] who operated through a chain of [[pawn]] shops in [[Atlantic City]]. Calabrese had refused to pay the "street tax". Scarfo was more than pleased with how DelGiorno and Iannarella had handled the assignment.
<blockquote>
"Jesus Christ, that was great. These guys are fuckin' great."-Nicodemo Scarfo, [[Boss]] of the [[Philadelphia]] [[crime family]] (1981-1991)
</blockquote>
After Calabrese was left dying in the gutter by Scarfo's [[hit men]]. Frankie Flowers D'Alfonso was brutally beaten by [[Salvatore Testa]] and Joey Pungitore for refusing to pay the "street tax".
In [[1982]] Tommy DelGiorno, Faffy Iannarella and Pat the Cat Spirito were formally inducted into the [[Philadelphia crime family]]. The ceremony was held at a secret location in [[Vineland, New Jersey]].
Chickie Narducci's borrowed time finally ran out when Scarfo gave Salvie Testa permission to kill him. Narducci was shot half a dozen times in the chest and face by Testa and Joey Pungitore. Narducci's bullet riddled corpse was left in the gutter.
<blockquote>
"I wish that [[motherfucker]] was alive so I could kill him again."-[[Salvatore Testa]] on Frank Narducci
</blockquote>
Nicky Scarfo wanted Dominic DeVito aka "Mickey Diamond" dead, but couldn't have him killed because of the friendship DeVito had with his friend Nick Caramandi. Finally, Scarfo decided that he'd have DeVito killed and anyone that didn't fall in line afterwards. He gave the contract to Funzi and Mark Marconi to test their loyalty to him. They proved to be loyal and shot DeVito in the head, then left his body in the trunk of a car.
In the aftermath of the hit Pat the Cat was promoted to [[captain]]. Nick Caramandi acquired DeVito's [[loan sharking]] books and began collecting from the debtors. He gave DeVito's [[girlfriend]] $6,000 to pay for the [[funeral]], but Caramandi made sure that every other penny went directly into Scarfo's pockets. Nick the Crow had clearly shown who he was truly loyal to.
It had been one year since [[Phil Testa]]'s murder when Salvie Testa shot Rocco Marinucci to death in a [[parking lot]]. Testa had finally got his revenge for his father's death. The police later found three unexploded [[firecracker]]s lodged in Marinucci's mouth.
== The Riccobene War ==
By [[August]] of [[1982]] only one man stood in Little Nicky's way. 70 year-old [[Harry Riccobene]] was the leader of a [[crew]] that were heavily involved in [[loan sharking]], [[gambling]], [[vending machine]]s and [[methamphetamine]] distribution. In the old days the Riccobene faction would send Bruno a cut once a year at [[Christmas]] and they were both content with that set up. Harry would've been happy to continue the tradition with Little Nicky, but he wanted a weekly tribute as opposed to a yearly cut and lip service.
Harry the Hunchback balked at Scarfo's demands and Little Nicky put contracts out on Harry and his half brothers Sonny and Bobby. Chuckie Merlino began spreading rumors that Harry was an [[FBI informant]]; Frank Monte and Nicky came up with a plot to kill Harry. The plan was to persuade Sonny Riccobene who didn't get along with Harry to set up the Hunchback.
Frank Monte went to Sonny Riccobene and attempted to persuade him to help set his half brother Harry up. But Sonny ran to his half brother and told him of Scarfo's intentions. The Riccobenes decided to strike first. Not long after Frank and Sonny's meeting, Frank Monte was shot dead by a [[sniper]] named Joseph Pedulla. Pedulla was a [[hit man]] working for Harry Riccobene.
The day of the [[sentencing]] for Nicky's [[gun]] [[conviction]] came up in [[August]]. Little Nicky planned to run things from his [[prison]] cell through his beloved nephew [[Phil Leonetti]]. In their last meeting Nicky gave Pat the Cat the Bobby Riccobene contract. Nicky received 2 years in prison for possessing an unlicensed firearm.
Whilst in [[prison]] Nicky passed orders to his new [[consigliere]] [[Nicholas Piccolo]] and [[underboss]] Chuckie Merlino through [[Phil Leonetti]]. Salvie Testa took on a big part in running the Family in Scarfo's absence and was going to marry Chuckie's daughter Maria.
Harry Riccobene was making a [[call]] in a [[phone booth]] to his 23 year-old [[mistress]] when he was shot 5 times by Wayne Grande. Harry survived and attacked Grande, eventually taking his [[gun]] away from him. Harry recovered but it wasn't long until he would become a target again.
In retaliation Harry ordered the murder of Salvie Testa; he used Victor DeLuca and Joseph Pedulla again. DeLuca and Pedulla drove past a [[candy store]] where Salvie was sat outside eating raw [[clam]]s. A [[shotgun]] blast from their van hit Testa and almost severed his arm. But Testa survived the shooting with his arm intact.
Harry was sat in his car when a man in a jogging suit ran past and opened fire. Harry ducked down under the dash board and the [[hit man]] only succeeded in shattering glass. A hit on Frank Martinez also went awry when he some how survived when Nick the Crow, Charlie Iannece and Gino Milano riddled his vehicle with bullets. The [[News media|media]] began to call Nicky's organization the "Gang that Couldn't Shoot Straight" this enraged Scarfo.
[[Drug dealer]] Robert Hornickle was later killed; when it became apparent that Pat Spirito was "talking treason" about Nicky Scarfo and his friends he was also marked for death. Spirito was shot in the back of his head twice by Charlie Iannece. Iannece and Caramandi became proposed members after that murder. Riccobene [[associate]] Sammy Tamburrino met his end in a [[candy store]] at the hands of Scarfo's [[hit men]].
Little Nicky handpicked the target that would hurt Harry most and made it clear that there was no room for error. Four [[hit teams]] each consisting of three or four [[hit men]] were sent to kill Bobby Riccobene. Faffy Iannarella was the [[hit man]] who found Riccobene with his mother. Faffy knocked Mrs Riccobene down with the butt of his gun and then shot Bobby dead with a shotgun as he tried to flee the scene.
Harry's nephew Enrico Riccobene later shot himself when he thought he was being stalked by Scarfo's [[hit men]]. After these events [[Harry Riccobene]] gave up the [[war]] with Scarfo and surrended his [[territory]] and [[operations]] to Scarfo's men. Harry was later convicted of arranging the murder of Frank Monte.
With the war over Scarfo could relax in his [[prison]] cell in [[Texas]] and his hit men could turn their attention from killing to making money. At the time methamphetamine was the drug of choice in Philadelphia. Tommy DelGiorno and Nicky Caramandi began "taxing" drug dealers. In one such case they found meth dealers were importing gallons of P-2-P known as oil in from Europe and using the "oil" to produce methamphetamines. Tommy Del and Nick the Crow "taxed" the smugglers $2,000 per every gallon they imported. Salvie Testa began lending money to some [[drug traffickers]] in [[West Philadelphia]].
== Downfall ==
In [[March]] of [[1984]] Nicky Scarfo was released from [[prison]] and was greeted at the prison gates by his nephew [[Phil Leonetti]] who was leading an [[entourage]] of young [[mobster]]s. Scarfo spent the day partying at a hotel. The next day he flew to [[Atlantic City]] where the celebrations continued. Little Nicky was at the height of his power.
Scarfo was the undisputed [[Mob Boss|Boss]] of the [[Philadelphia crime family|Philly Mob]]. But the Riccobene war had left him [[paranoid]] and when Chuckie Merlino began to complain about Salvie Testa. Testa had recently broke off the engagement to Merlino's daughter and Merlino was determined to have Testa killed. He began telling Scarfo that Testa was trying to put together his own [[criminal organization]], that he was using drugs and was going into business with an [[African-American]] [[street gang]] in [[West Philly]].
Salvatore "Salvie" Testa had virtually led the [[Scarfo crime family]] during the war with the Riccobene faction, for most of the war Little Nicky was in a [[prison]] cell in [[Texas]]. Salvie had even took a bullet for Scarfo during the Riccobene war. Salvie survived and nearly lost his arm. Salvie Testa was loyal and the epitome of [[La Cosa Nostra]], his father Phil had taught him well.
Salvie had accomplished more in the last 4 years than most other [[mobster]]s in the [[Philadelphia crime family|Philly Mob]]. Testa at 28 was a [[capo]] in the [[Philadelphia crime family|Scarfo Mob]]. He was a millionaire thanks to a successful [[real estate]] deal with [[Donald Trump]]. He owned a [[boat]] and lived in a [[mansion]]. He had great leadership abilities; he was [[charismatic]], confident, popular and loyal.
In [[April]] Scarfo had made up his mind and gave the order that Salvie Testa had to die. Despite the qualities Testa possessed, Scarfo clearly was convinced that he was a major threat to his position. It's possible that he may have feared a Testa/Merlino alliance and was only too happy to arrange the [[murder]] of such a [[popular]] and ambitious individual.
[[Tommy Del]]Giorno and Faffy Iannarella were put in charge of supervising the Testa murder, Nick Caramandi and Charlie Iannece were going to be the shooters. But it was difficult, Testa was a professional [[hit man]] and knew all the tricks of the trade. He was extremely cautious and checked everyone who hugged him for a gun. The job seemed almost impossible and Little Nicky was getting restless.
So Tommy and Faffy brought Salvatore "Wayne" Grande and Joseph "Joey Pung" Pungitore into the conspiracy. Pungitore was Testa's closest friend and would only go along with the job if he didn't have to pull the trigger. Wayne Grande on the other hand jumped at the opportunity to put a bullet in Testa.
Joey Pung arranged a meeting with Testa. At that meeting in the back of a candy store Salvie greeted Wayne who was sitting on a coach in the back room. Salvie then turned to talk with Joe Pung; Wayne took out a gun from under the cushions on the coach and shot Testa in the back of his head. Wayne stood up to shoot Testa once more. Nicky the Crow, Charlie Iannece and Joe Grande helped clean up the scene and get Testa's corpse out of the store. Salvie's hogtied remains were found at the side of a dirt road in [[Gloucester Township, New Jersey]].
Nicky Scarfo had Nick Caramandi, Charlie Iannece and Joe Grande made official members. He promoted Tommy Del and Faffy to acting [[Capo]]s. Wayne Grande was given 25% of Testa's business and Nicky took a third of the profits made by a major [[bookmaking]] operation Testa had put together with DelGiorno and Pungitore.
[[Mayor]] Matthews and Lentino were indicted for corruption. Matthews received 15 years in federal prison. In [[1984]], the [[New Jersey Casino Control Commission]] removed Gerace from his position at Local 54. Scarfo escaped charge for his labor racketeering activities. Nicky soon had a new friend in [[City Hall]] and business resumed as usual.
That same year Nicky and [[Phil Leonetti]] used Nick Caramandi and Charlie Iannece to cheat two casinos in [[Atlantic City]] out of $2.7 million dollars. By now Nicky was getting a reputation for greediness. He began to divide his time between [[Fort Lauderdale]] and [[Atlantic City]], but began to spend much less time in [[Philadelphia]].
By [[1985]] Little Nicky was a target of the [[New Jersey State Police]] in a major [[gambling]] [[investigation]]. But their wiretaps were useless because Nicky never talked business on the [[phone]] and very rarely in his home. He preferred face-to-face conversation in regards to business usually in [[public place]]s like the [[boardwalk]] in [[Atlantic City]].
Frank "JR" Forlini was found dead in his [[pickup truck]] near a [[K-mart]] in [[Marple Township, New Jersey]]. He had been shot 5 times. Many including Scarfo believed that the killer was Tommy DelGiorno, who had been feuding with Forlini for months over the drug trade.
Nicky Scarfo decided to settle an old problem and send Frankie Flowers D'Alfonso one last message. He put Tommy Del in charge of overseeing the hit. Tommy used the Milano brothers and the Narducci brothers to execute Frankie Flowers. D'Alfonso was shot 5 times by two [[hit men]] who dumped their [[weapon]]s and fled in a car driven by two other men.
In [[1986]] Nicky Scarfo's world began to slowly unravel. His [[underboss]] Chuckie Merlino's drunken behaviour had gone to far, he was arrested for [[drunk driving]] and attempting to [[bribe]] the [[cop]] who pulled him over.
Little Nicky called a meeting of his top associates and at that meeting he stripped Chuckie Merlino of his [[rank]], reducing him to a [[soldier]]. Phil Leonetti replaced Merlino as [[underboss]] and [[capo]] Lawrence "Yogi" Merlino was demoted simply because he was Chuckie's brother. Nicky then promoted Tommy DelGiorno and Faffy Iannarella to official [[captain]]s of their crew.
Nick the Crow set up a large drug deal that profited $2 million. Caramandi was also involved in a [[bookmaking]] operation that made $60,000 a week and had a [[sports betting]] operation that could make up to $300,000 a week during football season. The shakedowns were making $200,000 a year. Caramandi and his friend Charlie Iannece had $500,000 invested in a [[loan sharking]] operation. They had made $150,000 from their shark business so far and had made a $375,000 from a [[methamphetamine]] deal. And Scarfo got a cut of it all.
Nick Caramandi later estimated that he generated somewhere between $5 million and $7 million dollars from [[1982]] until [[1986]]. Scarfo got his cut of everything his [[soldier]]s made. Scarfo's hacienda style mansion in [[Fort Lauderdale]] was worth nearly $750,000. He kept $3 million in cash hidden behind a wall.
In [[June]] Nick Caramandi was arrested attempting to [[extort]] $1 milllion from Willard Rouse III and had failed to get a penny out of [[Penn's Landing]]. A [[drug dealer]] who had been ripped off by members of the DelGiorno/Iannarella crew was threatening to go to war with Scarfo. Now Nicky regretted promoted Tommy Del to [[capo]]. So Little Nicky demoted [[Tommy Del]] to the rank of [[soldier]] and gave Faffy all the responsibility of [[captain]] of that [[crew]].
Whilst Nick the Crow was in [[prison]] Nicky Scarfo began talking of arranging his murder to avoid [[indictment]] himself. But a friend of Nick's warned him that Scarfo was mad at him. Caramandi became an [[informant]].
Nicky Scarfo was later indicted on [[extortion]] charges. But when he listened to the [[wiretap]]s the [[prosecution]] had made and had given to his [[defense attorneys]] he heard the voice of [[Tommy Del]]Giorno, belittling him and [[Phil Leonetti]]. Scarfo put Tommy Del at the top of his list, but DelGiorno disappeared into the [[Witness Protection Program]] and had become an [[informant]].
== The Convictions ==
On [[May 6th]] [[1987]] Nicky Scarfo was convicted of [[conspiracy]] to commit [[extortion]] of the waterfront developer Willard Rouse III. Tommy DelGiorno and Nick Caramandi testified against him in court. From his prison cell Scarfo continued to excercise authority over his men. [[Nicholas Piccolo|Nicky Buck]] and [[Phil Leonetti|Crazy Phil]] began to run things for him as he passed orders to them during visiting time in jail.
Nicky Scarfo experienced a brief moment of triumph when he was faced with federal drug conspiracy charges but was later acquitted on [[December 12]], [[1987]]. That moment didn't last very long at all.
Things got worse as Nicky Scarfo was indicted on [[RICO]] charges that including [[drug trafficking]], [[loan sharking]], [[extortion]] and [[murder]]. The murders of Edward Helfant, Michael Cifelli, Vincent Falcone, Frank Narducci Sr, John Calabrese, Pasquale Spirito, Salvatore Tamburrino, Robert Riccobene and Salvatore Testa. Charges of attempted murder of Harry Riccobene, Frank Martines, Joseph Salerno Sr and Steven Vento Jr.
On [[November 19th]] [[1988]] Little Nicky Scarfo was [[convicted]] on all charges and [[sentence]]d to 45 years in [[prison]]. Lawrence "Yogi" Merlino became an [[informant]] and gave damning [[testimony]] against him.
In [[1989]] [[Phil Leonetti]] became an [[informant]] after being convicted of [[RICO]] charges and receiving a 55 year [[prison term]]. In [[February]] of that same year [[Nicholas Piccolo]] died, but Scarfo continued to run things from prison and promoted his cousin 78 year-old Anthony "Tony Buck" Piccolo to acting Boss.
Nicky's son Nicky Jr swore that he would find a way to kill [[Phil Leonetti]]. But he didn't and instead had to flee [[Philadelphia]] for [[New Jersey]] after being shot 8 times by [[Joey Merlino]] as he sat in Dante & Luigi's [[Italian restaurant]]. Scarfo Jr luckily survived the shooting. Although police never charged anyone with the attempted murder, police and the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] believed Merlino was behind the shooting to avenge an earlier plot by Scarfo Sr. on Merlino's father. Another motive for the attempted hit was to send a clear message that neither Scarfo nor his son were in charge of [[South Philadelphia]] any longer.
Already serving 14 years imprisonment for [[extortion]] and 45 years for violating numerous [[RICO]] [[predicates]], when he was eventually convicted on [[April 5]], [[1989]]. In [[Common Pleas Court]] of first degree murder in the 1985 death of rival mobster [[Frank D'Alfonso]], with six of his lieutenants, and sentenced to [[life imprisonment]] the following day by Judge Eugene Clark. Eugene "Gino" Milano, Tommy DelGiorno and Lawrence Merlino testified against him. He was convicted and received another [[life sentence]].
Nicky Scarfo managed to keep control through Tony Buck who made sure that Scarfo's wife Domenica was taken care and that Mark's medical bills were paid. But in [[1991]] Tony Buck at the age of stepped down as acting Boss and allowed the [[Genovese]]s and [[Gambino]]s to install [[John Stanfa]] as Boss of the [[Scarfo crime family]]. It's doubtful that Scarfo would've been able to stop the Bosses in [[New York]].
==Prison time==
He managed to overturn his life sentence and got transferred to the United States Penitentiary in [[Atlanta, Georgia]], where he still is residing as of April 2008. His scheduled release date is January 2033, effectively a [[life sentence]].[http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&LastName=scarfo&Middle=&FirstName=nicodemo+&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=21&y=18]
==References==
*''Blood and Honor: Inside the Scarfo Mob - The Mafia's Most Violent Family'' by George Anastasia, 2004, ISBN 0-9410159-86-4
*''Mobfather: The Story of a wife and son caught in the web of the Mafia'' by George Anastasia, 2006, ISBN 0-940159-99-6
==External links==
*[http://www.mafianj.com/sci89/bruno.shtml Drunken Jamie; La Cosa Nostra State of New Jersey Commission of Investigation 1989 Report, The Bruno/Scarfo Family]
*[http://www.geocities.com/OrganizedCrimeSyndicates/NicodemoScarfo.html Organized Crime Syndicates: Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo]
*[http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&LastName=scarfo&Middle=&FirstName=nicodemo+&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=21&y=18]
<br />[http://www.geocities.com/organizedcrimesyndicates/philadelphia.html]-The Philadelphia crime family
<br />[http://youtube.com/watch?v=pocANtK_6qw]-Tommy DelGiorno interview, Mob Stories (1993)
<br />[http://youtube.com/watch?v=TSbRzWbhRhQ]-The Scarfo Mob
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[[Category:1929 births]]
[[Category:Scarfo crime family]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Calabrian-American mobsters]]
[[Category:American mob bosses]]
[[Category:Americans convicted of murder]]
[[Category:Mobsters serving life sentences]]
[[Category:People from Brooklyn]]
[[it:Nicodemo Scarfo]]
[[ja:ニコデモ・スカルフォ]]