'Tony Meatballs' Among 15 Alleged Mobsters Indicted On Federal Charges
“Joey Electric” and “Tony Meatballs” are among 15 alleged Mafia members and associates facing racketeering, extortion, gambling and drug trafficking charges in Philadelphia.
The defendants, named in a seven-count federal indictment that was unsealed on Monday, are accused of using their “reputation and influence” with the criminal organization La Cosa Nostra to carry out various crimes in South Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey since at least 2015, prosecutors said.
The allegations include distributing heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine and oxycodone pills, as well as disbursing and collecting tens of thousands of dollars of unlawful bookmaking and other debts that were allegedly “owed” to the group at interest rates as high as 400%. They’re also accused of conspiring to kidnap or murder a drug dealer who allegedly sold the group’s members fake drugs, prosecutors said.
“Thanks to the dedicated and courageous efforts of federal law enforcement over the past several decades, the Philadelphia mob isn’t what it used to be, and thank God for that,” said U.S. Attorney William McSwain in a statement.
“But it is still a problem and is still allegedly committing serious federal crimes, which is why we at the Department of Justice are focused on stamping it out. We will not rest until the mob is nothing but a bad memory,” he said.
The defendants charged are Steven Mazzone, aka “Stevie,” age 56; Domenic Grande, aka “Dom,” aka “Mr. Hopkins,” aka “Mr. Brown,” aka “Dom14,” age 41; Joseph Servidio, aka “Joey Electric,” age 60; Salvatore Mazzone, aka “Sonny,” age 55; Joseph Malone, age 70; Louis Barretta, aka “Louie Sheep,” age 56; Victor DeLuca, aka “Big Vic,” age 56; Kenneth Arabia, aka “Kenny,” age 67; Daniel Castelli, aka “Danny,” aka “Cozzy,” aka “Butch,” aka “Harry,” age 67; Carl Chianese, age 81; Anthony Gifoli, aka “Tony Meatballs,” age 73; John Romeo, age 58; Daniel Malatesta, age 75; Daniel Bucceroni, age 66; and John Michael Payne, age 34.
The La Cosa Nostra organization in Philadelphia is one of several Italian American LCN organized crime families in cities throughout the U.S.
“The purpose of the LCN in Philadelphia and elsewhere is to make money through the commission of various crimes, including illegal gambling, loansharking, drug trafficking, and extortion,” prosecutors said.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
