Accused Fmr. Philly Mob Boss Joey Merlino Praises John Gotti Sr., Calls John Gotti Jr. “A Rat”
Chris Kasparoza Joey Merlino is the accussed former boss of the Philadelphia mob. During the 1990s, when the government alleged that he ruled the South Philly underworld, news reporters referred to him as “The John Gotti of Passyunk Avenue.”
These days, after spending years in prison, Joey Merlino says he has no involvement in the streets. Instead, he co-hosts a popular podcast, The Skinny with Joey Merlino and Lil Snuff, a/k/a Joe Perri, where they shine a light on, amongst other things, wrongful convictions, lying informants, and FBI/prosecutorial misconduct.
That being said– Merlino still appears to be fond of John Gotti. There is even a picture of John Gotti in the South Philly clubhouse he and Perri livestream from — hanging next to one of Merlino, and Al Capone, who the government accused of being the brazen boss of the Chicago mob in the 1920s and ’30s. A predecessor of sorts to John Gotti, the reputed underworld kingpin, gangster’s gangster who the FBI accused of being the most powerful mob boss in New York prior to his conviction in 1992 for racketeering and ordering five murders.
Whatever they were or weren’t– on the April 25, 2024 episode of their podcast, Joey Merlino praised John Gotti, who died in prison in 2002. However: he chastised his son, John Gotti Jr., and called him “a rat” due to his having provided information to the federal government in 2005.
Merlino has said John Gotti Sr. must be “rolling in his grave” over what his son did.
During his show, Merlino discussed the FBI-302 memo documenting John Gotti Jr.’s 2005 proffer session, where he provided information against accused high-ranking Italian organized crime figures — including his father, John Gotti Sr. — and their alleged involvement in numerous murders. Besides that, Gotti Jr. provided information against an allegedly corrupt New York City Police Detective who, according to Gotti Jr., took bribes, and protected him, by working to keep Gotti Jr. out of a 1980s murder investigation, where Gotti Jr. was a suspect.
Below is a clip from Joey Merlino’s show where he called John Gotti Jr. “a rat.”
RELATED: John Gotti Jr. Lies about His 302 (Preview #1)
