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Nicodemo Domenico Scarfo Sr. (March 8, 1929 – January 13, 2017) also known as "Little Nicky", was an American mobster who served as boss of the Philadelphia crime family from 1981 to 1990. Infamously known for his murderous reputation, Scarfo led the family through its bloodiest period until his conviction in 1988.[1][2]

Key Information

During his criminal career, Scarfo engaged in organized crime activities such as drug trafficking, extortion, labor union racketeering, and gambling.[3] In 1988, he was convicted of multiple charges including conspiracy, racketeering, and first degree murder. His trial consisted of the damaging testimonies of several informants, who had carried out his murders. Scarfo died in prison on January 13, 2017, while serving his 55-year sentence.[4][5]

He was the father of Nicky Scarfo Jr., a Lucchese family soldier, who was sentenced in 2015 to 30 years in prison for security fraud, racketeering, and illegal gambling.

Early life

[edit]

Scarfo was born on March 8, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York, to Philip and Catherine Scarfo, Italian immigrants from Naples and Calabria.[3] At the age of 12, Scarfo and his family moved to South Philadelphia, where he worked as a day laborer and later graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School in 1947.[6] He was 5 feet, 5 inches tall.[7] He became an amateur boxer, fighting in small clubs throughout Philadelphia, earning himself a reputation for his aggressive temper in the ring. After failing to become a success in the boxing world, Scarfo joined his uncle Nicky Buck, a Philly Mob soldier, in illegal activities in Philadelphia.[8] He also worked as a bartender at a club owned by his uncle while being apprenticed by Buck, alongside his two other uncles.[8]

Criminal years

[edit]

In 1954, Scarfo was proposed for membership into the Philadelphia crime family, and was inducted by then-boss Joseph Ida at a ceremony held in New Jersey alongside two of his uncles, who were also inducted as full-fledged soldiers. Scarfo was reportedly arrogant and stubborn, having declined to marry the daughter of consigliere Joe Rugnetta, leaving him embarrassed and disrespected, briefly causing friction within the family. In 1963, Scarfo pleaded guilty to manslaughter for fatally stabbing a longshoreman, and spent about six months in prison.[3] After his release, he was sent to Atlantic City, New Jersey by Angelo Bruno to oversee the operations there. Scarfo served almost two years in prison from 1971 to 1973 for refusing to testify to the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation.[9] He served time with boss Angelo Bruno and Genovese crime family members Gerardo Catena and Louis Manna, the latter of whom he formed a close relationship with.

In 1976, Atlantic City legalized gambling, and Scarfo prioritized gambling as his main source of income. At the time he was dispatched to Atlantic City, it was considered a backwater. However, its rise as a gambling mecca made Scarfo a powerhouse.

His cement contracting company "Scarf, Inc", which was shared with his nephew, received business as developers built new casinos in Atlantic City; Scarfo would intimidate businesses into buying from his company. In 1978, Scarfo and his associate, Nicholas "Nick the Blade" Virgilio, shot and murdered judge Edwin Helfant for refusing to cooperate with them and help Virgilio receive a lighter sentence on murder charges he was facing in exchange for $12,500. Scarfo acted as the getaway driver. Meanwhile, Virgilio fired numerous rounds into the judge as he dined with his wife in a restaurant. He made it a public execution and made him an example to anyone that wasn't willing to give him what he wanted.[10][11][12] In 1979, criminal associate and contractor Vincent Falcone was shot twice and killed by Scarfo's nephew Phil Leonetti on Scarfo's orders after making negative remarks about the company and Scarfo.[13]

Power struggle

[edit]

Longtime Boss Angelo Bruno was murdered in 1980. His murder was orchestrated by his consigliere, Antonio Caponigro. Weeks later, Caponigro faced the consequence of killing a Boss without the approval of the Mafia Commission. He was found shot dozens of times in a car trunk and $300 in bills were jammed in his mouth and anus as a sign of his own greed.[14] Phil Testa became the new boss of the Philadelphia crime family, appointing Scarfo as his consigliere. However, his tenure as boss would be a short one. Testa was killed by a nail bomb under his porch in 1981; his murder was orchestrated by his underboss Peter Casella, as well as capo Frank Narducci Sr. This move later resulted in Narducci being gunned down and Casella being banished from the mob, after which he fled to Florida.

Testa's murder sparked a war within the family. Scarfo seized the top position for himself, promoting Salvatore Merlino to underboss and naming Frank Monte his consigliere.[15][16] Scarfo would go on to lead the family for a decade with a bloody rampage, fueled by paranoia and aggression.[17] Between August 1982 and January 1984, Scarfo was imprisoned in FCI La Tuna for gun possession. While in prison, Scarfo always had two bodyguards accompanying him who were associates of the Mexican Mafia; Scarfo referred to them as his “pistoleros”. During that time, aging capo Harry Riccobene began to form another faction that opposed Scarfo. The war would cost him his little brother's life, his brother Mario to become a government informant and Riccobene himself to be given a life sentence for first degree murder.[18][19]

In 1984, Scarfo ordered the death of Salvatore Testa, one of his capos and top hitmen, as Testa's ambition and growing popularity made Scarfo feel threatened. Testa was the son of former boss Phil Testa, who had been Scarfo's close friend and mentor.[20] As a result of Salvatore Testa's murder, Scarfo gained a reputation for disloyalty, and several criminal organizations across the United States began to distrust him.[21]

Downfall of Scarfo

[edit]

In 1985, Scarfo plotted to extort $1 million from major commercial developer Willard Rouse, sending his soldier Nicholas Caramandi and another associate to do it. Rouse refused and immediately contacted the FBI. The FBI began a case to tackle Scarfo, sending an undercover agent to pose as a representative of Rouse. This led Scarfo to order a hit on Caramandi, which in turn influenced the notable and feared hitman to cooperate and testify against the organization.[22][23][24] In 1986, Caramandi was indicted for his role in the extortion case and decided to testify in court.[3] Between 1987 and 1989, Scarfo was convicted three times—for conspiracy, racketeering, and first-degree murder, being sentenced to consecutive prison terms of 14 years, 55 years, and life, respectively, although the life sentence was later overturned.[8] Scarfo's nephew, Phil Leonetti, who he had promoted to underboss in 1986, also turned state's evidence in 1989 after a RICO conviction.[8]

During the trial, Scarfo's son Mark Scarfo attempted suicide on November 1, 1988. Mark, then only 17 years old, had been taunted for years by classmates about his father's criminal activities. Increasingly despondent over his father's possible imprisonment, Mark Scarfo hanged himself in the office of his father's concrete supply company in Atlantic City. He was discovered by his mother, and paramedics were able to resuscitate him. He suffered cardiac arrest and his brain was deprived of oxygen. He entered a coma where he remained until his death in April 2014.[25][26][27]

Death

[edit]

Scarfo began his sentence at the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary.[28][29] He was later transferred to the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina, where he died of natural causes on January 13, 2017. His register number was 09813–050.[30][31][32]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Nicodemo Scarfo

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia

Nicodemo Domenico "Little Nicky" Scarfo (March 8, 1929 – January 13, 2017) was an American mobster who served as boss of the Philadelphia-South Jersey branch of the from 1981 until his arrest in 1987. His tenure was defined by exceptional violence, including oversight of more than twenty murders during internal purges and a gang war with the faction led by Harry Riccobene, which featured public shootings and assassinations. Scarfo exploited the 1978 legalization of casino in Atlantic City for schemes targeting and labor unions, alongside loan-sharking, illegal , and drug trafficking. Convicted in 1988 on federal and charges carrying a 55-year sentence, he received an additional life term in 1989 for state convictions on murder and related offenses, including the 1985 killing of associate Frank D'Alfonso; he died of cancer while incarcerated at the Federal Medical Center in .

Early Life and Background

Birth and Family Origins

Nicodemo Domenico Scarfo was born on March 8, 1929, in , New York, to Philip Scarfo and Catherine Scarfo (née Piccolo), who were southern Italian immigrants. Philip Scarfo, born around 1903 in , had emigrated to the and supported the family through manual labor. Philip Scarfo worked as a at an Atlantic City hotel, maintaining a legitimate livelihood amid the economic pressures faced by working-class Italian immigrant families during the era. The family's circumstances reflected broader patterns of Italian immigration, characterized by low-wage jobs in service industries and urban enclaves, with no documented involvement in for Philip himself. In the early 1940s, during Scarfo's childhood, the family relocated from New York to , settling in a tight-knit Italian-American neighborhood known for its immigrant communities and emphasis on familial . This move aligned with patterns of among Italian families seeking opportunities in established ethnic hubs like Philadelphia's , where cultural traditions of kinship and mutual support persisted despite socioeconomic challenges.

Childhood and Initial Influences

Nicodemo Scarfo grew up in the Italian-American enclave of during the and the ensuing economic challenges of the 1930s, a period marked by widespread poverty among immigrant families. The neighborhood, with its dense population of southern Italian descendants, fostered tight-knit communities but also provided fertile ground for informal vice activities, including gambling dens and lingering bootlegging networks from the era, which were visible elements of local street life. As a child, Scarfo worked as a newsboy at a train station, an occupation that immersed him in the city's bustling, often rough undercurrents where itinerant workers, gamblers, and hustlers congregated. Standing at just 5 feet 5 inches tall, Scarfo acquired the lifelong nickname "Little Nicky" during his formative years, a moniker that contrasted with his developing reputation for assertiveness. He attended High School, graduating in 1947, where peers recognized his outgoing and combative personality by voting him the "loudest," "most talkative," and "best cutter"—the latter likely alluding to adeptness at skipping classes or stirring disruptions. His high school yearbook captured an early aggressive bent, quoting his ambition to "lick the world," signaling a hot-tempered disposition predisposed to confrontation amid the competitive, survival-oriented ethos of his surroundings. In his teenage years, Scarfo trained as an amateur boxer, channeling physicality into a combative outlet that aligned with the rough-and-tumble dynamics of South Philadelphia's , where informal fights and territorial disputes were common among working-class boys. This environment, rife with economic pressures and the allure of quick gains from street-level rackets like numbers games, subtly shaped his worldview toward opportunism and toughness, though he had not yet formally engaged with organized syndicates.

Entry into Organized Crime

First Criminal Convictions

Scarfo's initial encounters with the law in involved arrests for petty crimes such as and illegal during the 1940s and 1950s, reflecting his entry into street-level criminality. These brushes typically resulted in charges rather than sustained imprisonment, allowing him to continue operations amid local underworld activities. A more serious offense occurred in 1954 when Scarfo was convicted of impersonating a to facilitate a shakedown attempt, leading to a prison term that marked his first documented for organized tactics. This incident demonstrated an evolution from opportunistic to coercive schemes targeting vulnerable individuals or businesses. In January 1963, Scarfo's violent propensities surfaced prominently when he stabbed Irish longshoreman William F. Dugan to death in a diner during a dispute over a seating booth, using a as the weapon alongside associates including . Charged with , Scarfo pleaded guilty to , receiving a six-month sentence. The killing, described as stemming from a heated bar fight, underscored his hair-trigger aggression and contributed to his temporary banishment from by crime family leader to Atlantic City, aiming to mitigate further disruptions.

Association with the Philadelphia Crime Family

Nicodemo Scarfo entered the during the 1950s, rising to a soldier position under boss , who assumed leadership around 1959. In this capacity, Scarfo participated in core rackets such as loansharking, , and infiltration of labor unions, activities central to the family's operations in the region. These roles involved collecting debts through threats and violence, as well as pressuring businesses and workers for , reflecting the organization's reliance on to maintain control. Scarfo's aggressive temperament led to internal tensions, culminating in his banishment to Atlantic City in 1963 by Bruno, who sought to curb his subordinate's disruptive violence within the Philadelphia hierarchy. This exile stemmed from Scarfo's involvement in disputes that escalated to murder, including the 1963 killing of Irving "Ash" Kaminsky, a local gambler, which violated unwritten codes against unnecessary bloodshed in the boss's territory. Bruno, prioritizing stability over unchecked aggression, relegated Scarfo to the then-secondary gambling outpost to contain his influence while retaining him as a family asset. In Atlantic City throughout the and , Scarfo managed the family's interests in gambling dens, construction projects, and related schemes, expanding operations ahead of the city's 1976 casino legalization. His enforcement of discipline through swift, brutal reprisals against debtors and rivals—such as ordering hits on non-compliant associates—solidified his reputation for reliability, albeit earning cautious oversight rather than full endorsement. This period allowed Scarfo to cultivate loyalty among local operatives, positioning him as a key player without direct challenge to the power structure.

Rise to Power

The Post-Bruno Mob War

The assassination of on March 21, 1980, marked the end of a decades-long era of relative stability in the and ignited a violent power struggle. Bruno was shot in the head with a shotgun while sitting in his car outside his rowhouse, a hit reportedly orchestrated by his Antonio "Tony Bananas" Caponigro in a bid to seize control amid disputes over territory and influence from New York families. Caponigro's unsanctioned action drew swift retribution from the Mafia Commission, which ordered his execution; his tortured body was discovered weeks later in a car trunk in , underscoring the Commission's intolerance for unauthorized killings of made men. Nicodemo Scarfo, previously sidelined by Bruno to oversee rackets in the declining Atlantic City resort area as a form of internal following a conviction and temperament issues, capitalized on the vacuum by aligning with emerging factions. With Bruno's death exposing fractures—fueled by resentments over his conservative approach to ventures and favoritism toward certain capos—Scarfo maneuvered back into Philadelphia's core operations, positioning himself as a key advisor to interim boss Philip "Chicken Man" Testa, who assumed leadership to restore order. Testa's brief reign, however, amplified the chaos through aggressive enforcements and alliances that alienated rivals, leading to his demise on March 15, 1981, when a remote-controlled exploded at his home's entrance, killing him and injuring his son. The Testa bombing, attributed to a coalition of aggrieved family members resentful of his promotions and New York ties, deepened the infighting and opened the path for Scarfo's ascension. By mid-1981, federal investigators confirmed Scarfo's elevation to boss, a move bolstered by endorsements from influential New York families including the Gambino and Genovese, which lent external legitimacy to his claim amid the factional disarray. This opportunistic consolidation exploited the post-Bruno turmoil, where at least a dozen murders and bombings between 1980 and 1981 reflected the breakdown of Bruno's diplomatic restraint, setting the stage for intensified internal purges under new leadership.

Conflict with Harry Riccobene

Harry Riccobene, a veteran Philadelphia mob soldier known for his old-school approach, opposed Nicodemo Scarfo's leadership upon Scarfo's rise in 1981, citing Scarfo's preference for violence over the conciliation favored by prior boss Angelo Bruno and Scarfo's promotion of aggressive loyalists like Salvatore Testa. Riccobene refused weekly tribute payments to Scarfo, adhering instead to the annual system under Bruno, and dismissed Scarfo as unfit due to his brash demeanor. This dissent sparked a direct challenge, with Riccobene allegedly directing the May 13, 1982, murder of Scarfo under his porch in , initiating open warfare. In retaliation, Scarfo ordered hits on Riccobene's faction, including a June 8, 1982, assassination attempt where gunmen and Wayne Grande fired five shots at Riccobene in a phone booth; he survived by disarming one attacker. The feud intensified with targeted killings of Riccobene allies, such as Salvatore Tamburrino on November 3, 1983, and Robert Riccobene on December 6, 1983. On November 19, 1984, Riccobene was convicted of first-degree murder for ordering Monte's death and sentenced to , removing the primary internal threat and affirming Scarfo's dominance over the family. Scarfo's victory bred heightened , prompting systematic purges of perceived disloyalists and contributing to over 20 tied to the power struggle's fallout in the early .

Leadership of the Philadelphia Crime Family

Expansion of Rackets and Enterprises

During Nicodemo Scarfo's tenure as boss from 1981 onward, the intensified its grip on construction rackets across and southern , leveraging intimidation to influence bidding and labor assignments. Firms associated with Scarfo and his associates secured contracts for major public and private projects, including Atlantic City expansions following the state's 1976 legalization of gambling, which opened Resorts Casino in May 1978 as the first U.S. outside . These entities reportedly generated $3.5 million from work on parking garages, hotel additions, and related infrastructure in the early . The family's operations extended to illegal enterprises, encompassing numbers games, sports bookmaking, and other betting parlays prevalent in and communities. These activities, alongside usurious loan-sharking at rates often exceeding 100 percent annually, formed core revenue sources, yielding substantial untaxed cash flows insulated from federal oversight. In Atlantic City, Scarfo's organization profited from the casino boom through union infiltration, particularly exerting influence over locals representing hotel and gaming workers via , , and placement of mob-aligned officials. This control enabled no-show jobs, kickbacks on labor costs, and indirect extraction of funds from operations, amplifying the family's economic foothold without direct ownership stakes. Such rackets funneled millions into fronts like holdings and trucking firms, disguising illicit proceeds as legitimate earnings while sustaining broader enterprises.

Internal Violence and Purges

Scarfo's enforcement of a "street tax" on independent criminal enterprises, including bookmaking, loansharking, and drug trafficking, relied heavily on and lethal force to ensure compliance, generating thousands of dollars weekly but sowing distrust among associates. Non-payment or perceived slights often resulted in ordered hits, as Scarfo demanded absolute deference to maintain his authority. Paranoia permeated Scarfo's rule, driving purges that eliminated suspected rivals and disloyal members, with the family linked to over 20 deaths in the early alone. In federal proceedings, Scarfo faced conviction for involvement in 13 murders, while cooperation ultimately solved 24 homicides tied to his regime between 1980 and 1985. Key victims included , executed on September 14, 1984, after being lured to a site and shot twice in the head over fears of his rising power and independence; Testa, once a trusted enforcer, had become a perceived despite his father's prior of Scarfo. Nicodemo Milano was also targeted amid internal factional strife during the Riccobene-Scarfo conflict. Further examples of purge-driven violence encompassed the 1985 slaying of bookmaker Frank "Frankie Flowers" D’Alfonso, ordered for alleged disrespect, which contributed to Scarfo's life sentence in a related . These tactics, including hits on hitmen like those later turning informant—such as Thomas DelGiorno and Nicholas Caramandi—severely depleted ranks and eroded cohesion. Unlike Angelo Bruno's tenure from 1959 to 1980, which prioritized negotiation and low-profile stability to avoid internecine bloodshed, Scarfo's reliance on purges fostered chronic instability, prompting defections and facilitating infiltration that hastened the family's decline. The resultant and informant flood left the organization fragmented, contrasting sharply with Bruno's era of relative longevity.

Infiltration of Atlantic City Casinos

The , led by Nicodemo Scarfo after his ascension to boss in late 1981, exploited the legalization of —approved by voters in 1976 and operational with the opening of on June 13, 1978—by embedding associates in casino-affiliated labor unions and service providers. Local 54 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union (HEREIU), representing about 10,000 casino employees by the late 1980s, fell under the family's influence through appointments of compliant officers and intimidation tactics. Family-aligned figures, including union president Frank Gerace, operated Local 54 under Scarfo's direction, facilitating from and welfare funds, kickbacks from contractors, and no-show jobs for mob loyalists. This control extended to service contracts for casino construction and maintenance, where Scarfo-linked firms secured bids via rigged processes, generating illicit revenues through inflated costs and payoffs. Corruption extended to political influence, with Scarfo's organization paying bribes to local officials to secure favorable treatment and shield operations. In December 1981, associates delivered a $125,000 bribe to Atlantic City Mayor Michael Matthews to gain his support for mob interests, including influence over casino-related policies and contracts. These efforts yielded substantial gains, as the 11 casinos produced $2.7 billion in gross revenues by 1988, a portion siphoned through union rackets, vendor kickbacks, and protected enterprises despite regulatory barriers like Scarfo's personal exclusion from casino premises in February 1984. While this infiltration bolstered perceptions of organized crime's economic foothold in Atlantic City's revival, it imposed hidden costs via elevated labor expenses, diverted funds, and entrenched graft that undermined long-term industry stability.

Downfall and Prosecution

Federal Investigations and Informants

In the mid-1980s, the escalated its scrutiny of the under Nicodemo Scarfo's leadership, employing extensive wiretaps and undercover operations to target violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). These efforts focused on documenting the organization's structure as an enterprise known as La Cosa Nostra, capturing conversations that revealed patterns of , loan-sharking, and labor . Key to the evidence gathering were turncoats within the family, including Nicholas Caramandi, a longtime associate known as "," who began cooperating with federal authorities in 1985 after his arrest on unrelated charges. Caramandi provided detailed insider accounts of Scarfo's involvement in multiple murders and schemes, explaining his decision to inform as a means of self-preservation amid the family's internal purges. Philip Leonetti, Scarfo's nephew and , emerged as another critical informant following his 1989 racketeering conviction, agreeing to testify against family members in exchange for a reduced sentence. Leonetti's testimony corroborated wiretap evidence by detailing Scarfo's oversight of violent acts and illicit enterprises, including specific predicates like the of Vincent Falcone. The influx of information from these informants, combined with intercepted communications, heightened Scarfo's about internal , as leaks confirmed the presence of cooperating witnesses within his ranks. This federal pressure, building through coordinated probes, amassed predicate acts essential for RICO prosecutions without relying solely on prior convictions.

Key Trials and Convictions

In November 1988, a federal jury in Philadelphia convicted Scarfo and 16 associates under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act for a pattern of racketeering activity that included extortion, loan-sharking, and eight murders committed between 1978 and 1985 to consolidate power within the Philadelphia crime family. The RICO charges linked these predicate acts to an ongoing criminal enterprise, enabling prosecutors to dismantle the organization's leadership structure through testimony from cooperating former members like Philip Leonetti and Nicholas Caramandi, who detailed Scarfo's orders for hits such as the 1981 killing of Harry Riccobene ally Vincent Falcone. In May 1989, Scarfo received a 55-year sentence for these federal offenses, underscoring RICO's utility in imposing severe penalties for organized crime patterns rather than isolated crimes. Parallel state proceedings focused on individual homicides, yielding additional convictions that compounded Scarfo's imprisonment. On April 5, 1989, a Pennsylvania Common Pleas Court jury found Scarfo guilty of first-degree murder in the 1985 execution-style slaying of Frank D'Alfonso, a suspected informant ambushed in a South Philadelphia social club on Scarfo's directive to eliminate perceived threats; he was sentenced to life imprisonment alongside seven co-defendants. Similar state trials resulted in convictions for at least nine murders overall, often relying on the same informant evidence that exposed the family's internal purges, with life terms imposed consecutively to federal penalties. These outcomes demonstrated state courts' role in addressing specific violent acts outside federal RICO's enterprise framework. Efforts to challenge these verdicts through appeals and jurisdictional disputes largely failed, affirming the prosecutions' robustness. Scarfo's 1989 D'Alfonso conviction was overturned in 1992 by due to in closing arguments, but retrials and overlapping sentences from other murder cases ensured no release. Federal appeals courts upheld the RICO convictions, rejecting claims of evidentiary overreach, while extradition from custody for trials proceeded without successful obstruction, reflecting coordinated across jurisdictions. By the early 1990s, the cumulative life-equivalent sentences—exceeding 100 years—effectively neutralized Scarfo's influence, validating RICO and informant-driven strategies in eradicating bosses through comprehensive legal accountability.

Imprisonment and Final Years

Prison Sentence and Conditions

Scarfo was convicted on federal charges in May 1988 and sentenced to 45 years' imprisonment, followed by an additional 55 years including a life term without in May 1989 for and related offenses. These sentences ensured lifelong incarceration, with Scarfo initially confined in high-security federal facilities to mitigate risks posed by his leadership role in . He was transferred among institutions such as the Penitentiary in —a former supermax facility operating under stringent post-1983 lockdown protocols emphasizing isolation and limited privileges for violent offenders. Prison conditions included restricted communication and movement, designed to prevent coordination of external , though Scarfo adapted by relaying orders during approved family visits. Prosecutors documented his use of son Nicodemo Scarfo Jr. as an intermediary to direct subordinates in , , distribution, and rackets, as uncovered in a two-year FBI probe ("Operation Broadsword") yielding over 380 taped conversations from an . These efforts led to a 1991 against Scarfo and 37 associates for continuing mob operations from custody. Despite such attempts, Scarfo's authority eroded amid informant defections and federal oversight, confining his influence to sporadic, ineffective directives. In his later prison years, transfers to medical facilities addressed declining health from chronic conditions, exacerbating isolation under enhanced security for aging, high-risk inmates. This prolonged segregation underscored the causal outcomes of his violent criminal career, limiting social contact and amplifying psychological strains typical of supermax environments.

Death in Custody

Nicodemo Scarfo died on January 13, 2017, at the age of 87 from cancer while in custody at the Federal Medical Center in Butner, North Carolina. His attorney confirmed the passing occurred on that Friday, attributing it to natural causes without releasing further medical details. The Bureau of Prisons listed the death as occurring under custody at the facility, a medical center for federal inmates, with no reports of foul play or unusual circumstances surrounding the event. Scarfo had been transferred there in prior years due to health needs, marking the end of over two decades of federal imprisonment. Following his death, Scarfo's family, including son Nicodemo Scarfo Jr., received notification, and the son's attorney, , publicly requested privacy on their behalf amid media attention. He was later buried in , though specific arrangements remained low-profile.

Personal Life and Family

Relationships and Personal Traits

Scarfo was married to Domenica Nistico, with whom he resided until his imprisonment; she continued living in , , after his incarceration. Associates and accounts portrayed him as arrogant, stubborn, and possessed of a lethal temper that fueled personal grudges. Raised in a , Scarfo's household included sons who served as altar boys at St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in , reflecting nominal adherence to the faith despite the moral contradictions inherent in his criminal pursuits.

Involvement of Son Nicodemo Scarfo Jr.

Nicodemo "Nicky" Scarfo Jr., born June 9, 1965, followed his father into , initially associating with the during its leadership under Nicodemo Scarfo Sr. in the 1980s. He became involved in rackets, including operations, leading to federal convictions for and in 1990, which weakened his standing in the Philadelphia underworld following his father's imprisonment. After surviving a 1989 assassination attempt in —linked to internal mob conflicts—Scarfo Jr. relocated to , where his father arranged his formal induction as a in the in the mid-1990s to provide protection from Philly rivals. Following his release from in 2005 after serving time on earlier and charges, Scarfo Jr. continued criminal activities under Lucchese auspices, culminating in a major scheme. In 2007–2008, he conspired with associates, including Lucchese acting boss Salvatore Pelullo, to seize control of FirstPlus Financial Group, a publicly traded mortgage firm, through sham proxies and insider manipulations, defrauding investors of approximately $12 million via wire fraud, , and . Convicted in 2014 after a six-month federal trial in , on charges including conspiracy, , and obstruction of justice, Scarfo Jr. received a 30-year sentence on July 28, 2015, underscoring the persistence of familial criminal patterns despite his father's incarceration. As of 2025, Scarfo Jr. remains incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, , with a projected release date of December 2037, reflecting the enduring cycle of involvement across generations in the Scarfo lineage.

Legacy and Assessments

Impact on Organized Crime

Scarfo assumed control of the in 1981 following the March 14, 1981, bombing death of his predecessor, , with backing from the Genovese family of New York. He rapidly consolidated authority by launching a brutal internecine war against the rival faction headed by Harry Riccobene, employing public shootings and assassinations to neutralize opposition and establish undisputed dominance by mid-decade. This aggressive power grab temporarily unified the family under his command, expanding rackets into legalized casino operations in Atlantic City while enforcing strict loyalty through intimidation. However, Scarfo's paranoid , marked by routine purges of suspected disloyalists, resulted in unprecedented internal , with over 20 deaths attributed to family conflicts in the early 1980s and an average of six murders annually from 1980 to 1983. Unlike the discreet, profit-oriented regime of , which maintained stability from 1959 until his 1980 assassination, Scarfo's emphasis on preemptive killings eroded and fostered a climate of fear that deviated from La Cosa Nostra's traditional aversion to high-visibility bloodshed. The regime's instability bred defections, as made members Nicholas Caramandi and Thomas DelGiorno turned state's evidence in 1986, disclosing details of 24 unsolved homicides and implicating Scarfo in multiple killings. Their testimony underpinned Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) indictments, leading to Scarfo's November 1988 conviction on charges encompassing 13 murders and extortion, followed by a life sentence in May 1989 for the 1985 execution-style slaying of Frank D'Alfonso. These prosecutions dismantled the family's upper echelons, removing Scarfo and dozens of capos and soldiers. In the broader La Cosa Nostra context, Scarfo's tenure accelerated the Philadelphia family's marginalization, transforming a once-cohesive operation into a fragmented remnant incapable of regaining its pre-1981 operational scale or influence among the Commission's families. The resultant and reputational damage from his overt aggression—contrasting with the Commission's preference for subdued governance—exemplified how such tactics invited federal scrutiny and internal collapse, contributing to the era's erosion of LCN hierarchies in smaller families like 's.

Law Enforcement Perspective and Societal Costs

and Department of Justice assessments portrayed Nicodemo Scarfo's tenure as boss of the (1981–1988) as a period of extreme intra-organizational violence, with over two dozen murders linked to his orders or approvals, primarily targeting perceived disloyal members and rivals to consolidate power. This escalation, far exceeding prior family norms under , resulted in direct victim impacts including the deaths of at least 24 individuals whose cases were solved through informant cooperation, leaving behind widowed spouses, orphaned children, and traumatized witnesses in and Atlantic City neighborhoods. officials emphasized that such killings, often executed with until federal intervention, eroded community trust and perpetuated cycles of retaliation, contrasting sharply with any glamorized narratives by underscoring the raw human toll on non-combatant families. Economically, Scarfo's regime inflicted substantial harms through systemic in , labor unions, and Atlantic City , where , bid-rigging, and skimming diverted millions from legitimate enterprises and inflated taxpayer-funded projects via inflated costs and kickbacks to politicians. These activities, including the infiltration of operations post-legalization, generated illicit revenues estimated in the tens of millions annually while imposing indirect societal costs such as suppressed , higher consumer prices, and lost in honest businesses, with public scandals ensnaring officials and burdening enforcement budgets. The State Commission of Investigation highlighted the family's "powerful corruptive influence" as a causal driver of these distortions, linking violence to enforcement of corrupt pacts. Aggressive federal strategies, including RICO statutes, electronic surveillance, and informant cultivation—such as from turncoats like Nicholas Caramandi and Philip Leonetti—proved instrumental in eroding the family's operational capacity, leading to Scarfo's 1988 conviction on charges tied to eight murders and a 45-year sentence, alongside the flipping of key lieutenants that fractured loyalty structures. These outcomes validated deterrence-focused policing over rehabilitative approaches, as long-term incarcerations and dismantled networks reduced subsequent mob violence in the region, with the DOJ noting the Bruno-Scarfo family's serious weakening by 1990 through such prosecutions. Taxpayer investments in these multi-year probes, though costly, yielded empirical gains in public safety by prioritizing causal disruption of criminal enterprises.

References

  1. https://themobmuseum.org/blog/philadelphia-nicky-scarfo-dies-prison/
  2. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/17/nyregion/nicky-scarfo-mob-boss-who-plundered-atlantic-city-in-the-80s-dies-at-87.html
  3. https://allthatsinteresting.com/nicky-scarfo
  4. https://www.geni.com/people/Mafia-Boss-Nicodemo-Scarfo/6000000163652781821
  5. https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/GHRF-S2Y/philip-scarfo-1903
  6. https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-nicodemo-scarfo-20170118-story.html
  7. https://www.facebook.com/CosaNostraHistory/posts/nicky-scarfo-was-the-boss-of-the-philadelphia-crime-family-a-brooklyn-born-forme/121243723580655/
  8. https://6abc.com/post/little-nicky-scarfo-ex-philly-mob-boss-dies-in-prison/1703439/
  9. https://www.phillymag.com/news/2017/01/16/philly-mob-nicky-scarfo-dies/
  10. https://www.biography.com/crime/a69109280/chicken-man-real-story-bruce-springsteen-mob-war-netflix-philadelphia-mafia
  11. https://themobmuseum.org/notable_names/angelo-bruno/
  12. https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/former-mob-reporter-reacts-to-little-nicky-scarfo-death/
  13. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/03/15/Reputed-Philly-mob-boss-killed-in-explosion/8438403005200/
  14. https://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/26/nyregion/bruno-family-gets-new-boss-agent-testifies.html
  15. https://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/28/us/philadelphia-underworld-awaits-felon-s-release.html
  16. https://gangstersinc.org/2010/11/14/the-trouble-with-harry-riccobene/
  17. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/19/us/3-found-guilty-in-killing-in-mob-power-fight.html
  18. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/11/19/Harry-The-Hunchback-Riccobene-was-convicted-of-ordering-the/5960088647456/
  19. https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/07/nyregion/mob-profits-reported-on-public-projects-in-jersey.html
  20. https://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/04/nyregion/scarfo-and-11-indicted-in-jersey-as-crime-conspirators.html
  21. https://www.nytimes.com/1990/12/20/nyregion/us-lawsuit-says-mob-controls-union-in-atlantic-city-s-casinos.html
  22. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-12-19-fi-6443-story.html
  23. https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/20170116_Mafia_tyrantTyrannical_Mafia_boss_Nicodemo__Little_Nicky__Scarfo__87__dies_in_prison__hhospital.html
  24. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/12/19/Government-Scarfo-mob-controls-Atlantic-City-restaurant-union/5226661582800/
  25. https://content.next.westlaw.com/Document/Ibb8a5ae1348d11d986b0aa9c82c164c0/View/FullText.html?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29&contextData=%28sc.Default%29
  26. https://nj.gov/sci/pdf/annual18-and-OCCasino.pdf
  27. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/03/27/Former-Atlantic-City-mayor-indicted/4280449211600/
  28. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/28/nyregion/ex-atlantic-city-mayor-indicted-on-federal-charges-of-extortion.html
  29. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1989/07/28/atlantic-city-mayor-charged-with-bribery/1856f0bb-3df2-48b0-a29b-22827ebc2869/
  30. https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/09/nyregion/the-region-scarfo-is-barred-from-casinos.html
  31. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1984/01/16/atlantic-citys-organized-crime-barrier-develops-major-fissures/8726d7ca-9e00-4647-b48a-dacf7d403d27/
  32. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/711/1315/1655053/
  33. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/11/11/Closing-arguments-begin-in-Scarfo-racketeering-trial/7502595227600/
  34. https://time.com/archive/6717917/a-crow-turns-stool-pigeon-nicholas-caramandi/
  35. https://law.resource.org/pub/us/case/reporter/F2/850/850.F2d.1015.87-1490.html
  36. https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/02/magazine/the-mobster-who-could-bring-down-the-mob.html
  37. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mafia-prince-phil-leonetti-says-murder-felt-natural/
  38. https://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/20/us/reputed-mob-leader-and-16-others-are-convicted.html
  39. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/06/us/philadelphia-mob-leader-is-convicted-of-murder.html
  40. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1992/06/18/Scarfo-conviction-overturned/7355708840000/
  41. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/05/11/Little-Nicky-Scarfo-gets-another-55-years/1346610862400/
  42. https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/03/08/Prosecutors-Scarfo-running-mob-from-federal-prison-cell/5769668408400/
  43. https://www.cs.siu.edu/csday/2009_1/marion_prison.htm
  44. https://jerseymanmagazine.com/the-continuing-tragedy/
  45. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/nicodemo-little-nick-scarfo-mob-boss-philadelphia-death/15443/
  46. https://breakingac.com/news/2017/jan/15/little-nicky-scarfo-has-died-in-federal-prison/
  47. https://www.fultonsun.com/news/2017/jan/17/nicodemo-scarfo-ex-mob-boss-dies-prison/
  48. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175364333/nicodemo-scarfo
  49. https://www.facebook.com/nationalcrimesyndicate/posts/nicodemo-little-nicky-domenico-scarfo-born-march-8-1929-is-a-member-of-the-ameri/794484457326644/
  50. https://www.facebook.com/law.enforcement.today/posts/what-happened-to-the-scarfo-crime-familya-father-had-three-sonsthe-oldest-change/10155854903290244/
  51. https://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/nicky-scarfos-son-busted-jersey/story?id=14857246
  52. https://www.facebook.com/groups/551059302502165/posts/1438415120433241/
  53. https://medium.com/tftunderworld/revisiting-the-1989-halloween-night-shooting-of-philadelphia-mob-figure-nicky-scarfo-jr-945335d69676
  54. https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/nicky-scarfo-philly-mob-mafia-sentencing-boss/63754/
  55. https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/member-lucchese-organized-crime-family-sentenced-360-months-prison-racketeering-and-other
  56. https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/20150729_30-year_term_for__Little_Nicky__in_fraud_case.html
  57. https://www.nj.com/news/2022/07/jailed-mobster-his-associate-lose-federal-court-appeals-years-after-racketeering-convictions.html
  58. https://www.fbi.gov/history/field-office-histories/philadelphia
  59. https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/133208NCJRS.pdf
  60. https://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/22/us/a-battered-and-ailing-mafia-is-losing-its-grip-on-america.html
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