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Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi and 12 of his alleged mob associates, who all have ties to South Philly, were arrested last week as a part of a federal indictment. The 13 were officially charged federally May 23 for racketeering, extortion and illegal gambling that mainly occurred locally.
Four of the alleged mobsters are being detained without bail, seven posted their respective bails and two others already incarcerated for previous offenses will be transported and arraigned in two weeks.
Ligambi — the 72-year-old alleged mob boss of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra family — along with Joseph “Mousie” Massimino — the underboss, Gaeton “The Big Guy” Lucibello, 58, and Louis “Bent Finger Louie” Monacello, 44, are being held without bail, according to court documents submitted late last week.
The government argued that each should be held without bail “because no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the defendant’s appearance as required or the safety of the community,” according to court documents.
Ligambi pled guilty to similar charges in 1988 and spent three-and-a-half years behind bars. He also was convicted for an ’87 murder, but it was overturned on appeal. Lucibello was acquitted of similar charges in ’94 while Massimino has been arrested 34 times since ’68 and has been convicted of similar charges in the past. Monacello had similar charges on the state level in 2008 for which he was convicted and served time in jail. He also pled guilty to criminal solicitation of aggravated assault for hiring a man to assault a mob member that owed him money after a dispute with the debtor, for which is on probation.
Louis “Sheep” Barretta, 47, of the 2500 block of South Colorado Street; Robert “Bootsie” Verrecchia, 42, of the 2400 block of South 11th Street; Eric Esposito, 40, of the 2200 block of South Colorado Street; Robert Ranieri, 36, of Glendora, N.J.; Anthony Staino Jr., 53, of Swedesboro, N.J.; Gary Battaglini, 50, of Sewell, N.J.; and Martin Angelina, 48, of the 1800 block of Johnston Street, posted cash or real estate for bail ranging from $50,000 to $900,000, according to court documents. Restrictions typically included electronic home monitoring, surrendering their passport and firearms, and eliminating contact with co-defendants and witnesses.
George Borgesi — Ligambi’s nephew — and Damion Canalichio are in the midst of serving federal sentences and are scheduled to appear before a judge June 15, according to court documents. Borgesi, 47, who will be transported from a North Carolina facility for the hearing, has more than a year remaining of a 14-year sentence stemming from a racketeering conviction in which Joey Merlino, the alleged former mob boss, and Angelina, who served six-and-a-half years, were co-defendants. Canalichio, 41, is scheduled to be released from a North Central Pennsylvania federal prison in December. He is serving 57 months after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and related charges. In ’04, Canalichio arranged deals near his 1400-block-of-Snyder-Avenue headquarters.
Authorities have been mounting this case for years. An indictment was filed against Staino and Ranieri July 22, ’09 with the most recent filed against all 13 offenders Jan. 5, ’11. Both were sealed until the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Pennsylvania announced the offenders’ arrests May 23 for acts such as racketeering, extortion, loansharking, illegal gambling and collecting unlawful debts with allegations dating from 1999 to this year. Some of the offenders have been accused of continuing the illegal activity from behind bars or while on probation.
The alleged mobsters extended credit and loans, but allegedly extorted the borrowers when it came time to collect the debt, according to the indictment. No physical force was reported, only verbal threats, including one telling a borrower he beat a previous debtor with a baseball bat and another announcing he wanted to shoot the non-payer in the head.
Many of the defendants are believed to have operated an illegal gambling business under the name JMA Industries by placing a variety of gambling devices including video poker and slot machines within various area establishments including Ace Vending warehouse, 824-26 Mountain St.; Bay’s, 1012 S. Ninth St.; Broadway Theatrical Club, 2529 S. 13th St.; Café Napoli, 1427 W. Passyunk Ave.; Cheech’s Beef & Ale, 2654 S. 12th St.; Fatso’s Fogarty’s, 2655 S. 18th St.; First Ward Republican Club, 2300 S. Woodstock St.; J&M Variety, 1740 S. Ninth St.; Matteo’s Cuccina, 1900 W. Passyunk Ave.; McKenna’s Pub, 153 Snyder Ave.; Sante Fe Club, 2026 S. Hutchinson St.; Shamrock Pub, 1400 S. Second St.; Terry’s Variety, 2000 S. 10th St.; Vic’s Coffee Shop, 1600 S. Eighth St.; as well as Manayunk’s East End Tavern, Spanky’s Pub and Whiskey Dick’s. Authorities allegedly confiscated about 86 of these machines between April 9, 2001 and Sept. 16, ’09.
A handful of the offenders owned a few area businesses where the illegal gambling supposedly occurred, according to the indictment. Massimino, 61, owned Lou’s Crab Bar, 1100-02 W. Moyamensing Ave., which also allegedly served as a meeting place for members. Canalichio and Esposito allegedly helped to conduct affairs at the First Ward Republican Club while Lucibello owned and operated Cholly Bears, 2535 S. 13th St., and DiNicks, 1528 Snyder Ave., according to the indictment.
Totaling 50, criminal counts for each individual range from one to 29 while Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act violations vary from one to six per person. Staino, Monacello and Burgesi lead with the majority of the criminal charges with 29, 15 and 14, respectively. Each charge could result in a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine except for the illegal gambling charges that carry a maximum of five years in jail.
Also in this week’s Police Report:
Queen Village slaying
Friend of Tony
Improper withdraw
Holiday heist
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