Phil Leonetti

Philip "Crazy Phil" Leonetti (born March 27, 1953)^[1] is a Philadelphia gangster and current author who became the underboss of the Philadelphia crime family under his mentor, uncle and former boss, Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo, before becoming a government informant in 1989 facing a lengthy sentencing of 45 years.^[2] At the time, he was the highest-ranking member of the American Mafia to break his blood oath and turn informer.^[3] His criminal record includes racketeering charges and ten murders.^[4][5]

Early life

Leonetti was born in Absecon, New Jersey. Having being abandoned by his father at an early age, he was brought up by his mother.^[6] He moved to Atlantic City's Little Italy shortly after where he was protected and supervised by his uncle and other Scarfo members. He appeared to be the opposite of his uncle, a quiet and laid back personality.^[7] Leonetti has alleged at 8 years old, he was used as a decoy by Scarfo to dispose of a dead body, explaining to the young Leonetti that he brutally stabbed a man in a New Jersey bar with an ice pick for disrespecting him.^[8]

Mob career

In 1979, Nicky Scarfo ordered his nephew to murder Vincent Falcone, a criminal associate who had been underestimating Scarfo's power within the crime family. Leonetti shot him twice. This would not be his first murder for Scarfo.^[9] A year later he would be initiated as a soldier.^[10] By the early 1980s, Leonetti was already a millionaire and controlled a lucrative trade of racketeering, illegal gambling, loan sharking, extortion and skimming from the Atlantic City casinos. A war within the family was also brewing as short reigned boss Philip Testa was killed by a nail bomb at his home in 1981, and so Scarfo began the war as he seized the top position for himself and promoted Leonetti as his underboss. By the end of the four-year war, over 30 mobsters were killed. With improved racketeering laws and with the help of Philadelphia crime family informants Tommy Del and Nicholas Caramandi, most members received harsh prison sentences. He received 45 years for 10 murders and racketeering while his uncle was given 55 years, both of them in federal prisons. In a last bid to save himself and his family, he agreed to testify against his uncle which also secured the convictions of 48 other members. After 5 years of prison, he went into hiding.^[11]

Personal life

Shortly after Leonetti was released from prison, he married the former girlfriend of Vincent Falcone, who he had murdered in 1979 with a .38 revolver. His son was also given the opportunity to attend college, for which he is glad, as his son 'would likely join the Mob' had he not cooperated. He has given two television interviews, one in 1996 and the other in 2013,^[12] in which his identity was heavily concealed as he continues to live in fear for his life. In 2013, he published a book about his criminal life, Mafia Prince: Inside America's Most Violent Crime Family and The Bloody Fall of La Cosa Nostra,^[13] which details accounts of the Five New York Mob Families, the American Mafia Commission and other crime families across the USA, including his dealings with infamous gangsters such as John Gotti and Vincent Gigante.^[14]

Notes

References

• Anastasia, George, Blood and Honor: Inside the Scarfo Mob - The Mafia's Most Violent Family Camino Books (October 2003), ISBN 0940159864
• Phil Leonetti, Scott Burnstein, Mafia Prince Running Press (6 Nov 2012), ISBN 0762445831, ISBN 978-0762445837
• Underboss, A&E Investigative Reports Television show
• Zion, Sidney, Loyalty and Betrayal: The Story of the American Mob Collins Pub San Francisco (June 1994), ISBN 0006382711