Joey Merlino, Rumored Boss of Philly Mafia, Says He Doesn't Know Anything About the Mafia (Part 1)

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Joseph 'Skinny Joey' Merlino played down his rumored status as the boss of the Philadelphia mafia. Merlino, whose alleged links to the mob have made headlines for years, preferred to talk about growing up in South Philly in the late '60s and '70s rather than any involvement with organized crime. He described a tightly-knit neighborhood where houses were left unlocked, and where he and his peers led active outdoor lives. Merlino fondly remembered his parents, Italian immigrants Salvatore and Rita Giordano, and described childhood antics that led to minor scrapes with the law. He dismissed Vlad's attempts to probe his knowledge of the mafia's inner workings during his formative years, insisting, "I don't know nothing about that." Vlad's efforts to connect Merlino to notorious crime figures such as Nicky Scarfo and Angelo Bruno were similarly rejected.

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