The Informant Files: Phil Leonetti, Scarfo's Nephew Who Testified
Mobsters DailyPhilip Leonetti was the underboss of the Philadelphia mob and the nephew of its boss, Nicky Scarfo — raised in the life, present for its worst years, and in 1989 one of the most damaging cooperators the government ever produced: he admitted to ten murders and testified against his own uncle.
The Mafia Prince
Leonetti's memoir calls him the Mafia Prince, and the title was literal — Scarfo groomed the boy from childhood. The Philadelphia family he served tore itself apart in the violence that followed Angelo Bruno's murder, until Leonetti, facing a 45-year sentence, chose the government over the uncle who raised him — the informant's bargain that Scarpa's case perverted from the other side.
What his testimony did
Leonetti's evidence helped convict Scarfo's organization across multiple trials and gave investigators a tour of the Philly mob from inside the boss's own family — the rarest vantage in the whole informant era that began with Valachi.
Leonetti walked away from the family business entirely. The only family business we're promoting is the Tony Soprano Ugly Christmas Sweater.
Frequently asked questions
How many murders did Phil Leonetti admit? Ten, committed under Scarfo's orders during Philadelphia's mob wars.
Is Phil Leonetti still alive? Yes — he served roughly a decade and lives under a new identity, occasionally telling his story.
Did Leonetti testify against Scarfo? Yes — his cooperation helped dismantle his uncle's organization.
Keep reading: Lucky Luciano: The Man Who Invented the Modern Mafia · Who Was Lefty Ruggiero?
From the shop: Shadows of the Underworld — the real mob history behind the stories, in one book.
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