Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia, an upcoming Netflix series, will examine the violence that erupted during the mob war between Joey Merlino and John Stanfa, writes Kristin Hunt for PhillyVoice.
The series delves into the 1990s power struggle between men loyal to Stanfa, a veteran crime boss chosen by the Five Families, and those aligned with his rival Merlino, head of the Young Turks. The two factions fought to control Philadelphia’s organized crime syndicate after the 1986 arrest of mafioso Nicky Scarfo. Tensions then escalated in 1993 when Stanfa’s men injured Merlino and killed his capo Michael Ciancaglini. The retaliation included a drive-by attack on Stanfa, which resulted in severe injuries to the mobster’s son. The bloodshed continued until the both men were arrested.
Today, Merlino runs Skinny Joey’s Cheesesteaks and co-hosts a podcast, denying any Mafia involvement, whereas Stanfa is serving a life sentence at FCI Danbury in Connecticut.
The series features interviews with former Mafia members, investigators involved in the case, and the journalists who covered it, along with wiretap recordings and surveillance footage.
The three-part series will premiere on Wednesday, October 22.
Read more about the upcoming Netflix series documenting Philadelphia’s 1990s mob war in PhillyVoice.
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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on PHILADELPHIA Today in October 2025.
