Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia: Where is American mobster now John Stanfa? Details from the latest Netflix docuseries, explored 

The Netflix docuseries, Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia, shows the mob era of Philadelphia when, in 1991, a power vacuum was created after the fall of Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo.

John Stanfa, an old school mob boss, was believed to have filled the vacuum; however, there was another among the Mafia who wanted to take up the role, beating him. This was young gangster Joey Merlino. The conflict between them turned the city into a battlefield.

As a result, a federal grand jury accused Stanfa in March 1994 of charges including murder, extortion, and conspiracy, and in November 1995, he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. As of now, according to sources, he is serving his sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution.

Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia: Where is American mobster now, John Stanfa?

Some reports also state that John Stanfa is currently behind bars at the Federal Medical Centre in Ayer, Massachusetts others mention Danbury, Connecticut as his location. As per reports, he is 84 years old and continues to serve his time as one of the only "old-school" dons left of the Philly mob era.

On the other hand, Joey Merlino had reinvented himself and had entered into the food business, opening a restaurant named Skinny Joey’s Cheesesteaks, as shown on Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia.

Let's go back to realize the full arc of John Stafa's life. By 1990, John had risen to the top of the Philadelphia "family". But secretly, a younger faction is already planning his downfall. This faction was led by Joey Merlino and his former prison mate Ralph Natale.

It was in 1992 when the first blood was drawn by killing Felix Bocchino. Stanfa decided to monitor everyone closely, and by 1993, this surveillance again backfired, plunging the city into open warfare. In August that year, two gunmen of Stanfa ambushed Merlino in a drive-by shooting, but Merlino survived even after being shot four times. His passenger, Ciancaglini, was killed instantly.

As shown on Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia, a few weeks later, Stanfa and his son were targeted similarly, and both survived despite the son taking a bullet in his jaw. Both factions were thirsty for each other's blood and greedy for dominance. This further turned the city street into a battlefield.

In November 1993, as mentioned, Merlino was arrested, and in March 1994, Stanfa was indicted for charges of extortion, loansharking, murder, and conspiracy. When the government scheduled a witness to speak against Stanfa in the court, he was murdered before the hearing. Stanfa was then sentenced to life in prison.

After this, Ralph Natale, Merlino’s mentor, briefly became the official boss. However, people thought he was just following Merlino's order. Eventually, he turned to become an FBI informant, and this is when the empire began to crumble.

Merlino was released in 1994, and he transformed into a celebrity. Charismatic, flashy, and seemingly untouchable. He was often found at nightclubs and high-end restaurants across the city. But beneath this charm was still lying some danger, as he survived over 20 assassination attempts.

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The Netflix Docuseries, Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia, doesn't make actual Merlino or Stanfa appear in front of the camera but features interviews of the law enforcement, associates, and journalists who followed the entire case.

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