Closing arguments slated in Philadelphia mob case
Closing arguments are expected to get under way in the racketeering trial of Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi, who is accused of being a Philadelphia mob boss, and six others.
Attorneys will deliver their final remarks to the federal jury on Thursday, after two months of testimony.
The investigation stretches back to about 1999, when former boss Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino went to prison. Prosecutors say the 73-year-old Ligambi has led Philadelphia’s La Cosa Nostra since then.
The gambling and loansharking case lacks the violence that marked Philadelphia mob trials in previous decades.
Even the federal indictment suggests Ligambi has run the mob with a focus on making money, not ordering hits.
Defense attorneys say their clients are innocent of the charges against them.
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