John Stanfa
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Giovanni "John the Dour Don" Stanfa (b. December 7, 1940) is a Philadelphia mobster and former Acting boss/Defacto boss of the Philadelphia crime family. Convicted of all charges in 1995, Stanfa is currently serving five consecutive life sentences. [1]
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[edit] Early life & Mafia member
Born in the western region of Palermo, Sicily, Stanfa was the youngest of four children, two of whom later became involved with the Mafia as well. Sometime between the late 1950s and early 1960s, Stanfa married and emigrated to the United States. Settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Stanfa was soon involved with criminal activities in the area, mostly due to his friendship with Gambino crime family Boss Carlo Gambino of New York, who cooperated much with the head of the Philadelphia crime family at the time, Angelo "Gentle Don" Bruno, who had just gotten a seat at the powerful Commission. Reputedly, Sanfa was assigned as Bruno's personal driver after becoming a made man in the Philadelphia family during the late 1960s. [2]
[edit] The Gentle Don
Angelo "Gentle Don" Bruno remained the most powerful Mafia boss over the area for over two decades, and gained the crime family the powerful reputation it has today, however, Bruno stayed clear of the narcotics and the drug trafficking, which several factions below him wanted to make profit of. Due to the decline of other factions profit, on March 21, 1980, Bruno was shot and killed by a shotgun blast in the back of the head as he sat in his car, and according to US law enforcement, Stanfa, still Bruno's driver, sat in front of him but managed to flee the scene. It has not been proven if Stanfa was involved in the conspiracy hatched by Bruno's Consigliere, Anthony "Tony Bananas" Caponigro, who was found three weeks later stuffed in a trunk of a car in New York, reportedly on the orders of the Commission in retaliation for Bruno's murder. After refusing to testify before a grand jury about his involvement in the infamous Mafia murder, Stanfa was indicted on perjury charges, but fled the area and went into hiding. On April 21, 1981, Stanfa was apprehended and sentenced to eight years in prison after nearly a year on the run from US law enforcement and the charges against him. [3]
[edit] Philly War & Nicky Scarfo
While Stanfa went into hiding and later imprisoned, a family bloodbath and power vacuum was left with the Philadelphia crime family after the murder of Angelo Bruno, and self-claimed boss, Philip "Chicken Man" Testa was murdered as well by a nail bomb in front of his home in 1981, and in the end, powerful Atlantic City leader fierce captain, Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo claimed victory as the new boss of Philadelphia. Scarfo, who tried to gain more influence in New York with the Five Families through then-current Gambino crime family boss John Gotti, which failed, brought a new and notorious regime at the top, as he had allegedly ordered the murders of more than 30 people throughout his reign in the 1980s. However, Scarfo was soon indicted on massive charges and sent to prison for the rest of his life in 1989, as his newphew and Underboss, Phil Leonetti testifyed against him. It was around this time that Stanfa got out of prison. [4]
[edit] Acting boss
Around the year of 1991, Stanfa was elevated to the new Acting boss of the Philadelphia crime family [5], as he had the backing of the Gambino and Genovese crime families of New York, who wanted yet again to influence someone to take over the much weakened family from the imprisoned Scarfo. Stanfa had Anthony "Tony" Piccolo as Consigliere, who both reportedly ran the family for Scarfo during the early 1990s. However, in 1993, an all-out war broke out between Stanfa and Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, who was eager to control the Philadelphia crime family on his own. (The 2nd Philly Mafia war is later been known as one of the most violent Mob wars of the modern time.)
[edit] 2nd Philly War
On August 5, 1993, Merlino was shot and wounded in a drive-by shooting assassination-attempt organized by Stanfa. Merlino survived, but his associate, Michael "Mikey Chang" Ciancaglini, was killed. In retaliation, Stanfa’s son was shot in the face on August 31 of that same year. However, as Stanfa reportedly sanctioned Merlino's assassination over two dozen times, Merlino survived [6], but was sent to prison that same year on violation of his parole. However, in prison, Merlino was backed by reputed Philadelphia mobster Ralph Natale, who had close connections to New York and the Genovese crime family, who decided that to back Natale in the 2nd Philly War of the Philadelphia crime family. But as Stanfa still gained control of the family, he was indicted along with 23 of his associates. [7]
[edit] Trial and life sentences
Indicted on labor racketeering, extortion, loansharking, murder and conspiracy to commit murder on March 17, 1994, Stanfa's power declined and his connections to New York and the Gambino crime family soon ended when it became clear that he would not continue to run the Philadelphia family. In November, 1995, Stanfa was convicted of all charges and sentenced to five consecutive life sentences. As of March, 2008, Stanfa is serving his five consecutive life sentences at the United States Penitentiary (USP), located in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. [8]
[edit] References
- Anastasia, George. Blood and Honor: Inside the Bruno Mob, the Mafia's Most Violent Family.
