Ralph Natale Info (c. 1960s - Early 1990s)

Brief summary of select information provided by CW Ralph Natale, primarily focusing on the period of time prior to his own induction and appointment as Boss of Philadelphia's Bruno Family. Those who read the recent book on Natale can compare the claims made therein with the information posted here, which pre-dates that account by several years.

This writeup, comprised largely of direct quotes, is presented more or less chronologically with exception given to particular topics that spanned multiple years. Miscellaneous details grouped together at bottom. A future post will focus more closely on the Family under Natale's leadership in the mid-to-late 1990s.

General LCN

- "La Cosa Nostra is a descent into hell. I was there for almost, at one level or another, for almost 40 years..[LCN]'s not a democracy. It's a dictatorship. And when you rise to the position of a boss, you rule over everybody and every thing..The one directly beneath me would be the Underboss. That would be Joey Merlino. Whenever I wanted something done in the street, whether it was an extortion, whether it was a beating, or a murder, I would pass the order on to Joey Merlino, and then he would have to find the men within our Family to go ahead and do it. That is the Underboss. He's actually the street boss. He does the running around, and takes care of everything..Under him is the Consigliere, which was Stevie Mazzone, at that time. The Consigliere [if] there's a rift between the Family, will settle it. That's his position. Under the Consigliere are the Capos, or captains. They're the ones who have the Soldiers under them. They're given the direct orders from the Underboss to them to go out and follow these orders through."

Early LCN Association

- Became acquainted with Boss Angelo Bruno through involvement with Local 170 in New Jersey: "[During] the 60s we became friendly. When I went over into Jersey, and we helped take a union over, a bartender's union, hotel union, me and a few other men, we became very close because [Bruno] was interested in being involved with the union. And I needed him like he needed that union that I was involved with. So we became, in fact, almost partners with the union."

Murder of George Feeney (c. 1970)

- "George Feeney was a young, Irish gangster, who just got released from prison, who had a group of other young hoodlums with him. [They] had a little rivalry with another Irish gangster, Joey McGreal. They heard that Joey McGreal was over in Jersey making a lot of money with the unions. They decided that they wanted to come over, and do what they had to do, led by this George Feeney..[Feeney was] making threats against Joey McGreal, against Ralph Natale, against Angelo Bruno. He's gonna take the union, and whatever he had to do. He was gonna do whatever he had to do.

Me and Joey McGreal put our heads together, and I said Joey, this guy's got to go. He won't listen, he's gonna cause us a lot of problems. [We] caught him at Billy Duke's on Route 73. It was a musical bar..Joey walked over to him, had a few drinks with him, I was sitting at the end of the bar, wanting to talk to him. He was giving him a hard time. Joey came back to me. Said this guy's, this guy's murder. What are we going to do with him? The place was jammed. He went into the men's room, George Feeney. I told Joey go get the car, have it out front. I waited until he walked out of the men's room, I stuck a [gun] right into his ribs. I said either you walk with me outside, we're gonna talk, or I'll kill you right here. He then walked outside with me, we put him in the car, Joey McGreal, me and George Feeney. And we took him back into South Philadelphia at the Downtown AC. That was Joey's after hours club. It was on 28th and Tasker.

We marched him through the club. The place was jammed. The jukebox was going, and I had the [.38] sticking right in his ribs. I said let's go upstairs, we'll talk. We walked upstairs..I went into the bathroom to clean up, wash my hands, I didn't feel too good. Joey's arguing with him sitting in a chair, he's got a nickel plated [pistol]. I took my .38, and put it in my coat, and I hung it over a chair. Washing up. Him and Joey are getting into it. He won't listen. All at once he started, if I had my pistol, I'd kill that dago in there, and that other old dago in South Philadelphia, meaning Angelo Bruno. Joey hits him with the gun in the side of the head. I come out of the bathroom, I half ran, grabbed the gun, and I shot him twice, maybe three times, right in the face." Body dumped in area of Deptford, New Jersey by McGreal. Car demolished at Smashie's located in vicinity of 61st and Passyunk Ave.

Attempted Murder of Joseph DiGatto (c. 1970)

- Joe DiGatto, owner of National Trucking company, was being extorted by Natale associate Michael Marrone. DiGatto requested Natale's permission to kill Marrone which was denied. Natale then informed Marrone of the request and DiGatto was lured to a site where shot multiple times in the face by Ronald Turchi. DiGatto taken to St. Agnes Hospital and watched over by Frank Vadino. Marrone informed Natale of the shooting. Natale claimed he immediately went to the hospital and personally threatened both DiGatto and Vadino of further violence if either cooperated with investigators.

Murder of Joseph McGreal (December 25, 1973)

- Following McGreal's conviction and imprisonment on extortion related charges his interests in the Local were taken over by Natale: "Naturally he didn't go for it, but I told him Joey, you only got a few years here to do. Do it nice. You got the money coming in your commissary, your wife's living nice in Jersey, you're gonna have a new car when you come home, and you'll have a nice job..McGreal came home. I met him, we had a few drinks. He still was a little disgruntled [and] I knew it was only a matter of time either Joey McGreal was gonna come for me, or I was gonna come for him."

Natale requested they meet up on Christmas Day 1973: "I asked him to meet me at the Holiday Inn in Cherry Hill, New Jersey..We had a few drinks. I asked another friend of mine who was the head bartender there, I said, come on, have a few drinks with us. We're gonna take a little ride somewhere. And this other friend was totally unaware of what was gonna happen. I planned that night to kill Joe McGreal. We got in the car. We went over to the Rickshaw Inn. We had a couple of drinks there. And then we headed out toward the White Horse Pike. Joey was driving, I was sitting in the back, and Franny McDonald was sitting up front. We drove. As we're approaching the restaurant, I said, there it is on the right.

Joey's turning into the restaurant parking lot. All at once he looks around, he sees no lights on at all. He's slowing down, and he sees no lights on at all, and he says hey, what's going on here. He started to turn around, and I shot him three times in the back of the head. I killed him. I leaned over, pushed the car into park 'cause it banged slightly against the wall there. I had planned to kill him when we left the car, and take his car and bring it back. Now we're stuck without a car. Poor Franny McDonald doesn't know what happened. He gets out of the car. I said just keep quiet, we'll take care of this." Natale and McDonald contacted another bartender working at the Holiday Inn and were picked up couple of miles from the murder scene. Natale was questioned by Camden County LE and refused to cooperate. They warned him he would be charged within forty-eight hours but there was no further contact.

Effect of McGreal homicide re union activity: "It became unfisted then. Everybody was afraid. Everybody. Workers, organizers, any other teamster locals that attempted to raid our [hotels]. They wouldn't come near anything that belonged to our local. We then were in charge, and we were looking forward to Atlantic City..Me and Angelo Bruno [controlled Local completely]."

Merger of Local 170 and Local 54

- "Through [Angelo Bruno]'s power I flew into Chicago, and I met some men from Chicago who were similar to [Bruno]. They controlled the hotel and restaurant workers international. They made me an international organizer, and then they gave me permission to merge [Locals 54 + 170], which had maybe 800 dues paying members. We merged them. And I became the business manager of both locals. Now I controlled the entire South Jersey area, but more important, Atlantic City."

Induction

- "After one of my murders that I committed myself, [Angelo Bruno] wanted to make me a made member of La Cosa Nostra. I refused because of one reason, and one reason only. I couldn't take orders from anybody else that he had with him. I only respected, and at the end, I ended up loving Angelo Bruno. I said Ang, you'll get me killed if you make me a made member. I won't give them any respect at all. He understood that. But I also became very, very close with him. Whenever he had a problem, he knew I would be at his side, and would be loyal to him. Which I was until the day I went away to prison..[After my release in September 1994] I was made an official member by Joseph Merlino."

Cherry Hill Gambinos (c. Spring 1977)

- Valentino's restaurant established in Cherry Hill, New Jersey by Gambino brothers John, Joseph and Rosario. Site formerly occupied by union-linked restaurant, and Valentino's initially targeted for picketing by Natale's Local: "[We] were gonna organize them, but Angelo Bruno called me down..I had lunch with him, and in walked three young men, the Gambinos. He introduced me to them [and] we made an agreement that I would leave them alone because of Angelo Bruno. So they had this huge club and disco they ran open, and I never bothered them there."

Meeting with Nicodemo Scarfo (c. 1978)

- Angelo Bruno called meeting with Nicodemo Scarfo and Natale in Atlantic City: "[Scarfo] was the captain of anything that happened [in AC]. We had a meeting, and they were talking about the [casinos], and whatever we had to do. What we did, and what Angelo did, he cut it right in half for him because [Scarfo] was with this Frank Gerace. And we wanted to share it fifty-fifty with the union [in AC]." Natale claimed he sought to kill Scarfo afterwards: "I asked Angelo Bruno for permission [because Scarfo] was not going to keep his agreement that he made..[Bruno] got all excited. No, you can't do that. He's a made man. His [uncles, the Piccolos] were made men for 40 years with Angelo Bruno. So we dropped the subject." Note: Scarfo was not a Capodecina but a Soldier reporting to Alfred Iezzi. He became Consigliere following Philip Testa's appointment to Boss in Spring 1980.

Aftermath of Angelo Bruno Murder (March 1980)

- Natale's union interests taken over by new leadership: "I received [payments] until Angelo Bruno was killed [and from] that day on, I didn't receive one dime..Phil Testa became the new Boss of La Cosa Nostra, and he took all the monies from Atlantic City that we had planned, and worked together, and took it..After [Testa] was murdered, Nicky Scarfo became the new Boss [and he] went to Larry Smith, and took everything that was supposed to come to me and other people. He kept everything."

- "[Once] Angelo Bruno was murdered, and everything stopped, all I wanted to do was to live to get out of that prison, or any prison they were going to send me, and to take back what was mine. I didn't care who was there in Philadelphia, who was the Boss. I was gonna reclaim what I thought was mine. What I helped build, with the help of Angelo Bruno, his strength [meaning] Atlantic City, basically."

Conviction and Incarceration (Late 1970s)

- Convicted in EDPA on charges re arson ring and in SDFL on cocaine possession / distribution conspiracy. Pleaded guilty in DNJ to additional narcotics charge. Received sentences totaling approximately twenty-seven years.

- Began serving sentence February 8, 1979.

- "When I went to jail in 1979, [Raymond Martorano and Felix Bocchino] were very close to me in a lot of things we were doing. They spread the word around. Don't go around, you're gonna get involved, this guy might go bad, he might do this, he might do that, stay away from the house, don't bring anything over, and I was left alone. And my wife was left alone..Everybody who was involved with me all at once didn't come around. And I went to jail for 27 years."

- On January 22, 1981 received at USP Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Those incarcerated at facility over following period included future Bruno members Frank Gambino and Ronald Turchi as well as Philip Rastelli (Bonanno Boss), Vito Alberti (Future Genovese Soldier), Anthony and James DiPasquale (Philadelphia), Frank Rossi (Boston) and Richard/Vic Viccarone (Cleveland). Years later Vito Alberti acted as the Genovese Family's contact man with Philadelphia, specifically through Newark-based Bruno member Peter Caprio.

- On March 10, 1988 transferred from USP Lewisburg to FCI Raybrook, New York. Those incarcerated at facility included Joseph Lombardo (Chicago) and Vincent Zappola (Lucchese). After Raybrook sent to FCI McKean. See below.

- On March 16, 1992 transferred from FCI McKean to FCI Danbury, Connecticut. Those incarcerated at facility included Vittorio Amuso (Lucchese Boss), Stefano Mazzola (Genovese), John Santilli (Philadelphia) and Vincent Zappola (Lucchese). Through Zappola, Natale was introduced to Amuso, at the time awaiting trial on Federal racketeering charges: "[Amuso and I] had two or three weeks together, we had coffee and donuts, and I expressed to him what I thought that I could do in Philadelphia, and what would happen. And I asked him to do me a favor. I said you're gone to New York. I said see if you run into John Gotti, and ask John Gotti if he sent John Stanfa to Philadelphia. If he knows him, if he knows of him, or whatever. And please send word back with Vinnie Zappola's nephew, 'cause Vinnie Zappola's nephew was on the visiting list. He could come and see Vinnie. I'd appreciate it. We know exactly what to do with this John Stanfa." Note: Natale's claim that he and Amuso had 'two or three weeks together' does not match up with official records. Amuso, at Danbury since his arrest the previous September, was transferred four days after Natale's arrival.

Merlino Faction

- "The first time I ever saw Joey Merlino, I think it was in 1980. I was at the Senate Investigating Committee in Washington, D.C., on organized crime. They had just taken me out of Lewisburg Federal Prison, and they had an investigating committee on organized crime's influence in the hotel and casino industry. And Joey Merlino was in the back of the room with Nicky Scarfo, Nicky Scarfo, Jr., Phil Leonetti, and a few other guys."

- On or around March 14, 1990 Joseph Merlino transferred to FCI McKean re TFIS conviction. Natale: "Shortly after I came there, I was only there a few months, Joey Merlino and John [Berkery] came. [John Berkery] was an old friend of mine. They came up on, I think the same bus [and] when I saw [Merlino's] name on the list, we get a whole list of who's coming in, I asked the unit manager try to get that young man over here, he's from Philadelphia, I'd like to have him in our unit, which he did..We ended up bunking together." Others at facility included Joseph Gatto (Genovese Member), Michael Paradiso (Gambino Member), Frank Polizzi (DeCav Member), Joseph Lombardo (Chicago) and Vincent Zappola (Lucchese).

- Conversations between Natale and Merlino re Scarfo: "First of all he hated Nicky Scarfo. Nicky Scarfo [took his father] down from the position of being Underboss in the Family, and took him down, as we say we put him [on] a shelf. They made him a Soldier again. He talked about so called abuses that Nicky Scarfo was talking about that he would like to do to his family. He was upset with Nicky Scarfo." Merlino confided in Natale his involvement re October 31, 1989 attempted murder of Scarfo's son Nicodemo Jr.: "[Merlino] told me that he'd never use one of those guns again. It was a MAC something or -- whatever it was -- a Japanese, a MAC-10, or whatever he called it. And on his way there, Michael Ciancaglini was driving, Michael said, check it, did you check if it's in the firing position? He let it go. He almost blew all the bullets in the clip. Michael stopped him. He went in, shot Nicky Scarfo Jr., said I thought he was dead. I emptied it right out. Came out, stumbled down the steps, and they got away."

Plans re Philadelphia (1990-1993)

- "[Merlino] wanted to bring up quite a few of the young fellows to meet me. I told him what was in my mind, and what we could do there [meaning] take Philadelphia because it was an open city, as far as I was concerned. They were talking again about this John Stanfa. I said I don't believe he's anybody, or anybody sent him legitimately from New York. I said you bring the young men up, we'll put it together, and we'll do what we have to do..We'll put La Cosa Nostra together. And we often talked and laughed about it, and we said what's the difference if we have the button, meaning that you're made men at all. We'd make ourselves. That's how we felt, [that as] soon as we got home, we would take over Philadelphia, and kill John Stanfa."

- Natale subsequently met various Merlino associates through visits at FCI McKean including George Borgesi, Michael Ciancaglini, Steven Mazzone and Gaetano Scafidi: "We met in the visiting room. [There's] the visiting room, and then we had a little outside thing there, where you can go out and get some air, and there are tables out there. That's where we used to meet..[Merlino] had people on his list. I had people on my list. We put them all together [and that's] where we started out conspiracy to take over the City of Philadelphia."

- On December 23, 1991 Merlino left FCI McKean. On March 16, 1992 Natale sent to FCI Danbury in Connecticut, where he continued to receive visits from Ciancaglini, Mazzone and Scafidi: "[They told me] who was carrying guns, who was gonna do this, who was gonna be together, what we were trying to do. Then they were gonna get made. John Stanfa offered to make Joey Merlino and Mike Ciancaglini..I said you know he's gonna try to end up killing you, the both of you. Now we're gonna find out where everything lays. We'll get made. We'll make -- they'll become part of his organization. I thought it was a bad idea. I said, go ahead, do what you gotta do. I'll be home soon..Michael said when we get him in the right time, and the right place, we'll kill John Stanfa..I guess they figured they could be recognized. But New York wasn't recognizing Philadelphia at all." Note: Merlino and Ciancaglini were both inducted by Stanfa around September 1992. On August 5, 1993 the pair was ambushed and shot multiple times by Stanfa faction member John Veasey. Merlino was wounded and Ciancaglini was killed. Veasey subsequently became a cooperating witness; on October 5, 1995 his brother William was murdered on Ralph Natale's orders.

Murder of Louis DeLuca (May 24, 1990)

- "When Mike Ciancaglini first came up, the first visit, he talked about this screwball, as he called him [who] was going around bad mouthing Joey Merlino, Michael Ciancaglini, and he heard that Ralph Natale was up there. He said they mean nothing. I'm here, and I'm with Ronnie Turchi. Michael Ciancaglini then said Ralph, you know what I feel like doing, I feel like killing him. I said well go ahead and kill him." DeLuca shot to death in South Philadelphia.

Murder of Felix Bocchino (January 29, 1992)

- "'Little Felix' was a loan racketeer. His name was Felix Bocchino, a long, long, time in South Philadelphia, throughout the years..[Merlino] said that Felix was out there shaking down everybody downtown, especially his uncle, Sheekie. He was taking money from him, was abusing him, was abusing everybody in South Philadelphia. He said I'm gonna try to get him on the phone, maybe [you] could talk to him.

I spoke to him on the phone. I said hello, how ya' doin', this and that there. I said you know that Michael Ciancaglini and this young man are all together over here. Why are you doing this to embarass Joey Merlino, and everybody else? I'm not embarassing anybody, he said. They got a green light. They can do anything they want to do. Right then and there, I didn't trust him..[Bocchino] at that time, was with John Stanfa, who was going around shaking down all the bookmakers, all the gamblers, because he knew who was who. John Stanfa was born in Sicily, was only in Philadelphia a few years. So he didn't know who was who. Felix Bocchino actually was running everything on the street [and] he was instrumental in it, in helping John Stanfa taking control of Philadelphia.

[Later] Michael came up on a visit. I think Tommy Scafidi was there. Joey Merlino and myself. We talked a few things over. I said, Michael, you gotta kill Felix 'cause Felix is not gonna do what we asked him to do. He said, you know, I just -- he just came from the street to tell me that, he said he's still shaking down everybody, including Joey Merlino's uncle. I said, well go do what you gotta do. Show them where we're at."

Bocchino was shot dead inside his automobile at Mifflin St. Hit twice in neck, once in face and once in temple. Steven Mazzone identified as shooter, others on scene included Michael Ciancaglini. Natale later stated Mazzone was inducted in large part due to this murder. Natale: "[Joey and Michael] told me they wanted to make Steven Mazzone when they were ready to make him. I said, well do what you gotta do, because Stevie did what he had to do."

Attempted Murder of Michael Ciancaglini (March 3, 1992)

- "Michael Ciancaglini was walking home one day after a workout in the gym, and two men jumped out of a car that was parked there, and they had shotguns, and they start shooting after Michael. Michael ran, goes into his house, and they still kept shooting at the windows, the doors, trying to kill [him]..[Ciancaglini] was incensed. He said he thought he saw his brother [Joseph Ciancaglini Jr.] in the car that pointed him out."

Murder of James DiAddorio (May 29, 1992)

- "[DiAddorio] was another, what we call a screwball, gone around the streets saying that he's gonna take over La Cosa Nostra, he was shooting up different restaurants that we had friends in, he would carry a gun with him. He was always in everybody's way. He was badmouthing Joey Merlino and Michael Ciancaglini." DiAddorio was shot to death inside Vulpine Athletic Club at 12th and Federal Sts in South Philadelphia. Two assailants wearing ski masks entered and fired six shots into victim. Natale identified the shooters as Martin Angelina and Gaetano Scafidi.

Defection (c. August 1999)

- Returned to Federal prison on parole violation June 1998. Initially remanded to FCI Fairton in New Jersey. Months later transferred to FCI Elkton, Ohio. During incarceration initially sent money orders from Merlino, Borgesi, Angelo Lutz and FBI CI Ronald Previte. Payments dropped off and family not provided for.

- In June 1999 indicted in DNJ on narcotics conspiracy charge as result of Previte recordings.

- "When I walked into that courtroom in Camden to be arraigned on that charge, and I looked at my wife, and three of my children, for the first time in almost 40 years I saw what I caused them on their faces. The anxiety, and the hurt. And I found out what I was at that time. And I looked at them. I was pleading not guilty. I should have pled guilty immediately, but I still had that little, last bit of La Cosa Nostra in me. When I looked at them I said, no more La Cosa Nostra. I gave up almost all my life to La Cosa Nostra. If I have anything left in my life, I'll give it to my real family. Anything, whether it's in prison, home, wherever it is. I won't do it anymore for La Cosa Nostra." Following day reached out to FBI through lawyer.

Miscellaneous

- George Borgesi: Inducted into Family and later promoted by Natale to Capodecina.

- Joseph 'Chickie' Ciancaglini: "Angelo Bruno made him." Never met Ciancaglini's son Joseph Jr., Underboss to John Stanfa, but conspired in March 1993 shooting that left Joseph Jr. disabled.

- John Ciancaglini: "Johnnie was a business guy. [He] had a t-shirt business. He tried a few other things." Inducted under Natale's leadership.

- Danny D'Ambrosio: Bookmaker introduced to Natale by Joseph Merlino. After Natale was made Boss he put D'Ambrosio direct with him: "Joey Merlino told me that Danny had a lot of money. He was a big bookmaker, but he was crazy. He was always one to try this enterprise, do this, do that. He was driving [Merlino] crazy talking about business, bookmaking, how to expand it, how to do this, how to buy this. He said, boy, what a -- please let him hang with you. And I said yeah, send him over..[When] I first started South Jersey Construction, [D'Ambrosio] every once and a while I would run out of money for my payroll, Danny would lend me the money for that week..I owe him right now, about $100,000." Portion of money supplied by D'Ambrosio used by Natale to purchase P2P.

- Peter Caprio: "Pete Caprio was a long-time Soldier in the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Family [in] the Newark area..[Caprio] had no way of really making money. He wasn't a money maker. He was a Soldier, a capable man, an honest man as far as La Cosa Nostra, but he couldn't make a dime. And Pete was in his 60s then, in his mid 60s. And Danny [D'Ambrosio] was a money maker when it comes to bookmaking. And there was a lot of action in that area [Newark]. I said go up and try to help Pete. Try to let him make a living. He had a little club up there. And that's where they used to meet."

- Steven Mazzone: Shooter in Bocchino hit. Inducted afterwards and later promoted to Captain. Appointed Consigliere by Natale.

- Anthony Nicodemo: "He's one of the associates from the hangers-on around with Joey."

- Ronald Turchi: "[While I was in prison] Ron Turchi sent $10,000 to a friend of his in New York City. He was a captain of the Gambino Family, Lenny DeMaria. [Turchi] wanted to be named Boss of La Cosa Nostra in the Philadelphia area. I sent a message to him, through Steven Mazzone when he visited me, because Steven Mazzone told me this. I said you tell Ronnie, and anybody that's with him, when I come home, if he tries to do that, I'll kill him and anybody around him." Note: Turchi was murdered after Natale's defection.