When the boss of the Philadelphia Mafia was arrested in the early 1990s, it ignited a violent battle for power in the City of Brotherly Love.
A new Netflix docuseries, Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia, revisits that bloody chapter, showing how federal agents ultimately put an end to the mob’s violent turf war. Mob War, which is now streaming on Netflix, features firsthand accounts and real surveillance footage of key events in the terrifying conflict.
Here’s everything you need to know about the major players in Philadelphia’s mob war and where they are today.
What is Netflix’s Mob War about?
Over three episodes, Netflix’s Mob War examines the power struggle that ensued among the Philadelphia Mafia following the 1986 arrest of former boss Nicodemo “Little Nicky” Scarfo.
In its wake, two primary figures began to jockey for control. John Stanfa, handpicked by the New York Five Families, clashed with new-school upstart Joey Merlino.
“Stanfa is this old school guy from Sicily who believed in the old values of the mob, in loyalty,” Mob War director Raissa Botterman told Philly Voice. “And Joey Merlino was a local Philly, Italian American young man, at the time from the ’90s, probably closer to what we know now of celebrity culture.
“It’s the beginning of celebrity culture. It’s an era of more individualism. People are a bit flashier. So, in a way, that conflict was always going to be particularly brutal,” Botterman added.
According to Tudum, the rivalry between Stanfa and Merlino resulted in a series of violent confrontations, including the 1992 killing of Felix Bocchino, cited as Philadelphia’s first mob hit in seven years. The violence escalated to a 1993 ambush in which Merlino was shot and wounded, while his associate, Michael Ciancaglini, was killed.
Eventually, the FBI used “innovative surveillance tactics and aggressive undercover work,” as well as a network of informants to bring perpetrators to justice. Mob War includes testimony from former associates of Stanfa and Merlino, law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and journalists who witnessed the dissension.
Where is John Stanfa now?
A federal grand jury indicted Stanfa in March 1994, and he was subsequently arrested. His federal trial lasted seven weeks. According to UPI, dramatic testimony from four hit men—including John Veasey, who appears in Netflix’s Mob War—helped prove that Stanfa had directed a bloody crusade against Merlino’s rival faction.
In November 1995, a federal jury convicted Stanfa and seven of his associates of multiple crimes, including murder, extortion, illegal gambling, and obstruction of justice. Stanfa, who was found guilty of 33 of 35 charges against him, was sentenced to life in prison.
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons database, Stanfa, now 84, is serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, Danbury in Connecticut.
Where is Joey Merlino now?
Merlino has denied involvement in any violence, or even being a member of the Philadelphia Mafia.
Still, in November 1993—shortly after the drive-by attack that killed Ciancaglini—Merlino was arrested and returned to prison for violating the terms of his supervised release from a prior conviction. A year later, he was freed again.
According to Esquire, Merlino became somewhat of a celebrity and often partied in public. He became known as the “John Gotti of Passyunk Avenue,” a reference to the diagonal street running through Philadelphia.
Merlino has bounced in and out of prison in the decades since. He served 12 years behind bars related to a conviction on racketeering charges and was released in 2011. He was imprisoned again in 2015 for a parole violation and accepted a deal with prosecutors in 2018 to plead guilty to illegal betting, according to NBC10.
Now free, Merlino, 63, hosts The Skinny Podcast with Joey Merlino, in which he discusses stories from his past and sports betting. He also opened a restaurant called Skinny Joey’s Cheesesteaks on Philadelphia’s Broad Street in 2025.
Watch Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia on Netflix Now
All three episodes of Mob War are now streaming on Netflix.
According to Philly Voice, neither Stanfa nor Merlino participated in the Netflix series. However, several of their former associates were interviewed for their take on the crime rivalry.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.