Is Netflix's Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia based on true events? Here's what we know 

Netflix's latest offering, titled Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia, is about to premiere on October 22, 2025.

Viewers are wondering if the show is based on a true story, as it features the violent mob war of the 1990s between John Stanfa and Joey Merilino, over the control of the Philadelphia Mafia. The answer is yes, the show is based on true events. It is backed by rigorous research, as it portrays how the conflict led to the city's chaos, including layers of politics, power dynamics, and family betrayals.

The show is going to be a three-part series and make use of some archival footage and wiretap recordings to visualize the world of the time. The documentary series also features interviews with law enforcement officials, journalists, and former mob associates to carve out the full picture.

Read on to know more.

Is Netflix's Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia based on true events?

The series Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia is rooted in real events. It utilizes the cinematic approach and merges it with the factual accounts, along with some dramatic re-enactments, for the viewers to imagine what might have unfolded, depicting some crucial events of the Mob War.

The show focuses on the violent mob wars Philadelphia was engulfed with in 1986 after the fall of Nicky Scarfo. John Stanfa, a mob boss born in Scilia, emerged and was handpicked by New York's Five Families to take over the position and restore order. However, this turned into a full-blown war when Joey Merlino, a young and ambitious man, rejected the traditional mob rules and posed a challenge to him by becoming his rival. Though he was new, his presence and ideals led to the conflict in 1993 and resulting in several shootings and other targeted attacks within the city.

Meanwhile, gunmen who were loyal to Stanfa ambushed Merlino and killed his trusted capo. Merlino retaliated more rigorously, which left Stanfa's son severely wounded. This was the point when the conflict transformed into war. The violence tore through Philadelphia, drawing national media attention and prompting intense FBI investigations.

This is what you can expect in the docuseries Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia

The Netflix docu-series first sets up the scenario in Philadelphia during the 1900s. The show also explores some shifting loyalties post the fall, along with family betrayals and other deadly events that defined the era.

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The series features firsthand accounts. The archival footage and wiretap recordings, including surveillance footage, paint the world again, while some scenes are dramatized.

The show concludes with the FBI's takedown of Scarfo, Stanfa, and Merlino, while Merlino denied participation in any violence. It then portrays the city and how it returns to normalcy.

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