July 1,2022 — Sentencing memos for the Philadelphia mob’s Mazzone brothers gives new insight into the 2015 making ceremony caught on tape and a definitive list of inductees. Last month, Philly mafia underboss Steven (Handsome Stevie) Mazzone and his younger brother Salvatore (Sonny Boy) Mazzone pleaded guilty to federal racketeering charges stemming from their November 2020 bust; they’ll serve four years and one year behind bars, respectively. Sonny Boy Mazzone, 56, was one of those inducted in the making ritual in question.
The ceremony was held on October 16, 2015 in a private residence in South Philadelphia and conducted by reputed Bruno-Scarfo crime family street boss Michael (Mikey Lance) Lancellotti, longtime No. 2 man, Handsome Stevie Mazzone and consigliere Joseph (Uncle Joe) Ligambi. The inductees were listed (first names only) as Sonny Boy Mazzone, Anthony Persiano, Anthony Borgesi, Dave (Davey Saltwater) Salvo, Salvatore (Sammy Tubs) Piccolo and Anthony (Tony Cugino) Accardo. Multiple sources confirm the last names of the participants.
Persiano was being “made” for the second time and was recording the event for the FBI. Piccolo’s nephew is rising-star capo Domenic (Baby Dom) Grande. Persiano was introduced into the Philly mob through Piccolo and Grande, also a nephew-via-marriage to the Mazzone brothers. The 42-year old Grande pleaded guilty in the case, too, and will do eight years in prison.
Borgesi is the younger brother of acting boss George (Georgie Boy) Borgesi. Accardo is a cousin of Philly mafia don Joseph (Skinny Joey) Merlino, who lives in Florida these days. Handsome Stevie Mazzone, and Georgie Boy Borgesi, both 58, are Merlino’s closest confidants, having consolidated power in the Bruno-Scarfo clan together back in the 1990s by winning a bloody faction war.
Merlino, 60, wasn’t present at the fall ’15 making ceremony. Ligambi, 82, and Lancellotti, 59, were not indicted in the case. At a 2015 Christmas party in New York thrown by members of the Genovese crime family, Lancellotti was introduced around the room as the “guy who runs Philly.” Ligambi, the Borgesi brothers’ uncle, ran the family on a day-to-day basis in the 2000s and portions of the 2010s.
Below is part of the newly-released portions of the transcript made by Persiano laid out in the sentencing documents:
Lancellotti – This is Stevie, the underboss. You’ll get introduced to everybody. But we’re all one family. This is the only flag around. This is it, this is Philly and that’s it. Joe, do you want to
Ligambi — We’re all in the family now. No disputes should come between none of us.
Mazzone — Nobody break this chain.
Ligambi — Anybody comes between us, it’s on them.
Mazzone — You know what I’m talking about?
Ligambi — We’re all together. One familia. Say it.
Everyone in unison — La Familia.
Mazzone — You’ve all been explained the rules already. Anthony, you’re with Domenic. Sammy, you’re with Domenic, too. This is George’s crew: Anthony, Tony and David. Obviously, Sonny Boy is with me.