Feds Bust 15 Members of South New Jersey and Philadelphia Mob, Including 'Tony Meatballs'

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More than a dozen members of alleged members and associates of the south Philadelphia and southern New Jersey organized crime family are looking at federal racketeering and other related charges, the Associated Press reports.

A superseding indictment was unsealed on Monday revealing that the 15 reputed members reportedly engaged in racketeering, conspiracy, and other illegal activity. Ten of the suspects will face charges for racketeering and collecting unlawful debts while the other five will fight charges for running an illegal gambling business, conspiring to make extortionate extensions of credit, and conspiring to distribute controlled substances.

Federal prosecutors claim that the men used their "reputation and influence to exercise control over criminal rackets, like bookmaking and loansharking, in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, particularly Atlantic City." Per NBC, the suspects are associates of the La Cosa Nostra crime family.

"The Philadelphia mob isn’t what it used to be, and thank God for that," U.S. Attorney McSwain said in a statement. "But it is still a problem and is still allegedly committing serious federal crimes."

Although this is very much a real case, it sounds like something out of a movie script. Adding to the surreal feeling are the nicknames of some of the suspects. According to the indictment, there are men named Joseph "Joey Electric" Servidio and Anthony Gifoli—or Tony Meatballs facing prison time.

The case is being handled by the FBI, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. It hasn't been reported how much time the suspects are facing.

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