&34;Skinny Joey&34; has pivoted onto an unconventional path since serving time. Where is Joey Merlino now? All about the life of the purported mafioso in Netfli

"Skinny Joey" has pivoted onto an unconventional path since serving time.

Where is Joey Merlino now? All about the life of the purported mafioso in Netflix's Mob War

"Skinny Joey" has pivoted onto an unconventional path since serving time.

By Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn

Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at **. His work has previously appeared on *The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer*, and many other publications.

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October 23, 2025 7:05 p.m. ET

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Joey Merlino, as seen on Netflix's 'Mob War: Philadelphia vs. the Mafia'. Credit:

- Netflix's *Mob War: Philadelphia vs. the Mafia* outlines the battle for power among rival mafiosos in the 1990s.

- One of its subjects, Joey Merlino, was convicted on racketeering charges in 2001.

- He currently lives in Boca Raton, Fla., owns a cheesesteak restaurant, and hosts a podcast.

Philadelphia isn't the first city that comes to mind when thinking of the Mafia, but, as depicted in Netflix's *Mob War: Philadelphia vs. the Mafia*, the City of Brotherly Love was a hotbed of organized crime in the 1990s.

Throughout the 1980s, Philly's crime family was allegedly run by Nicodemo Scarfo. In 1988, Scarfo was convicted on charges of murder, extortion, and other crimes alongside more than a dozen associates. His absence created a power vacuum in the city, which was reportedly filled by John Stanfa, described in *Mob War* as an "old-school" gangster who wanted to temper the violence commonplace during Scarfo's reign.

But a younger crew was beginning to take shape in the Philadelphia underworld. Dubbed the "Young Turks" by the press, this enterprising cohort was allegedly led by Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, who has denied involvement with the mob. The two factions went to war, spilling blood through the streets of Philadelphia.

Merlino came out on top after a hitman allegedly hired by Stanfa, spurned by Stanfa's refusal to pay him, became an informant for the FBI, per CBS News. In 1995, Stanfa was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted on 10 counts, including murder, attempted murder, and kidnapping.

So, who is Skinny Joey? Is he, like many of his associates, currently in prison? Here's where Joey Merlino is now.**

Who is Joey Merlino?

Joey Merlino, as seen on Netflix's 'Mob War: Philadelphia vs. the Mafia'.

Joey Merlino was born in 1962 in Philadelphia, the son of former Scarfo "underboss" Salvatore "Chuckie" Merlino and nephew of Lawrence 'Yogi' Merlino, another Scarfo underling who later became an informant for the FBI, per the Pennsylvania Crime Commission.

Merlino had frequent brushes with the law throughout his early life, and in 1989 was convicted of an armored truck heist in which more than $350,000 was stolen, according to the *Courier Post*.

He soon became a force in the Philadelphia mob in the early 1990s. "He was a charismatic and well-known personality, the city's only celebrity gangster, the John Gotti of Passyunk Avenue," per PhillyVoice. "He and an entourage of young, well-dressed, good-looking mobsters would frequent the clubs along Delaware Avenue and at the Jersey Shore."**

Though the FBI was investigating him for numerous crimes, Merlino was embraced by many in Philadelphia for his philanthropic work feeding the homeless.

What happened to Joey Merlino?

Joey Merlino, as seen on Netflix's 'Mob War: Philadelphia vs. the Mafia'.

Merlino was arrested in June 1999 with the help of numerous informants and an undercover FBI agent who'd infiltrated his operation, as highlighted in *Mob War: Philadelphia vs. the Mafia*.

He and six associates were hit with a 36-count indictment that included attempted murder, extortion, drug trafficking, and illegal gambling, among other charges, per ABC News. The trial spanned months, with prosecutors putting 50 witnesses on the stand and presenting nearly 950 pieces of evidence.

They also had a star witness in Ralph Natale, a former mob boss who testified to plotting murders with Merlino in order to seize control of the Philadelphia mob. (To this day, Merlino denies he ever took part in any violence.)

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In the end, due to jurors doubting Natale's testimony, Merlino was acquitted of the murder charges. He was, however, convicted of several racketeering charges and sentenced to 14 years in prison. ''Ain't bad,'' he said in the aftermath, per the *New York Times*. ''Better than the death penalty.''

He served 11 years of that sentence, then moved to Boca Raton, Fla. In 2016, he was arrested as part of a massive case involving more than 40 alleged members of the mob. Merlino was hit with more racketeering charges, with prosecutors alleging that he had "slipped back into his old role as the head of the Philadelphia mob," per the *Philadelphia Inquirer*. But the jury remained deadlocked, and the judge declared a mistrial.

To avoid a retrial, Merlino pleaded guilty to a count of illegal gambling and was sentenced to two years.**

Where is Joey Merlino now?

Joey Merlino on a 2025 episode of 'The Skinny with Joey Merlino & LIL Snuff'.

The Skinny with Joey Merlino & LIL Snuff/YouTube

Merlino, now 63, still lives in Boca Raton. He claims he's no longer engaged with anything criminal. "I'm not in crime no more!" he said in a May 2025 interview with *Philadelphia Magazine*. "Listen, I was no altar boy. I've gambled. I've received stolen goods."

In 2025, he opened Skinny Joey's Cheesesteaks in Philadelphia. "I've been eating cheesesteaks for as long as I can remember," he said. "We took it to the next level... And I'm going to franchise this. You watch. You're going to wake up one day and there will be hundreds or *thousands* of Skinny Joey's. Then I'm gonna sell it for a couple of billion, buy a 300-foot yacht, and never look back."**

He also hosts a podcast, *The Skinny with Joey Merlino & LIL Snuff, *described as a venue for "raw, unfiltered conversations featuring many celebrity guests — diving into real stories, loyalty, culture, justice, politics, sports betting, respect, and what it truly means to stand on business."

An intertitle at the end of *Mob War: Philadelphia vs. the Mafia* says that the FBI is "still watching him."

Speaking with *Philadelphia Magazine*, Merlino said he isn't afraid of law enforcement. "Yeah, they will probably try to get me again. They don't care. But you know who doesn't care more? Me! They can indict me tomorrow. I don't give a f---. Bring it on."**

Where can I watch Mob War: Philadelphia vs. the Mafia?

*Mob War: Philadelphia vs. the Mafia* is now streaming on Netflix.**

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