The Expansion of the Philadelphia Mob | Narco Wars
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GEORGE ANASTASIA: The Italian American Mob of Philadelphia was Philadelphia-based, but it had tentacles into southern New Jersey as far east as the Atlantic City resort.
LOU PICHINI: In the late 70s where legalized gambling came to Atlantic City, this was like a treasure trove for the mob.
JIMMY D: Atlantic City went from a ghetto to a very powerful union city. The Bartenders Union, the Waitress Union, the Linen Union, the Philadelphia mob with Scarfo wanted to own those unions because then you could go to the casino presidents and tell them we're going to have a strike unless you kick up the us x amount of dollars annually. It was big money. John McCullough was a union leader. McCullough took control of the unions in Atlantic City, and he wouldn't go along with any of the mob's plans of working with them.
GEORGE MARTORANO: John McCullough made the mistake in getting his eyes on Atlantic City. All's I know he was told to keep out of Atlantic City. He should have listened.
LOU PICHINI: Scarfo goes to Long John, wants to set up McCullough. You do the murder. Long John's going to willingly accept that because this is how he's going to prove himself with respect to becoming a mob member.
People don't realize. It takes a lot of balls to walk up put up a gun to someone's head. I met Long John, and he said you got balls like an elephant. Basically, we got a piece of work to do. I want you to do it. Do a murder. With the guy that's right next to the boss, it's an honor to be asked. And I said, all right, no problem. Got a box of flowers, so I could leave the piece and the silencer in there. Trying to be like a dump delivery guy. We arranged to meet about 5 o'clock that night. Long John, I think he had his gold Lincoln that day. I got in the back, nodded at each other, and we proceeded over the Benjamin Franklin Bridge heading towards Northeast Philadelphia. Long John pointed out the house. He turned around and sat a couple of houses down in his car. I got out with the flowers. I went up and knocked on the door. And as soon as John answered the door, he looked at me just like you're looking at me, and I just put the silencer up to his forehead. It was over and that was that. Long John said, man, I love you, I love you. Handed me $5,000 in cash said, listen, buy yourself some suits.
60-year-old McCullough was gunned down nine days before Christmas in his Northeast Philadelphia home.
LOU PICHINI: The delivery man kills him in front of his wife. People were just absolutely stunned by that. You wonder what is the darkness of the individual who's a member of the mob.
- Long John got made and became an initiated member because of that hit. He was worthy of being part of the organization.
JIMMY D: He became Scarfo's number one man on the street. Long John definitely wanted to control the whole business of meth in every aspect. Someone won't cooperate, kill 'em. We'll just take over his whole operation.