RALPH NATALE, BEYOND EVERYTHING, IS A RAT. PLAIN AND SIMPLE

Former Philadelphia LCN boss Ralph Natale is getting an awful lot of press the last few weeks. Probably an entirely different type of press than he's used to.  It has to do with his book "The Last Don Standing,"  which should be renamed "The Last Schmuck Talking," however,  many have claimed said book is filled with "lies, and embellishments."  All of that aside, the point of this article isn't to validate those discussing his book.  Histor
y tells us a very different story about Natale on the streets of Philadelphia.

So what's the beef that Natale has with Joey Merlino?  Simply stated, if you can cut away all the bravado and ego of Natale, it comes down to Merlino played Natale.  Natale's claims of Joey promising to take care of his wife while he was in prison is about as fictitious as it gets. It's Natale's excuse for becoming an informant.  Seems like that is the side dish many informants use.  I could sit sit and bring up ten informants that use the same adage.  "He ratted first, he was talking to people, he wasn't paying me monies like he promised."   These are all excuses they have used over the years and I imagine the same excuses will come forward as more informants come out of the woodwork.  Never will you hear the bottom line, which is "I can't do time."

Ralph Natale was facing life in prison. No out date, no parole, no nothing.  He wasn't about to do the rest of his life behind bars, and that's the reason why he decided to become a Government witness, and don't you believe otherwise. 

Natale came into prominence in Philadelphia during the John Stanfa/ Joey Merlino war.  In fact Natale's assertion that Carlo Gambino and Angelo Bruno "made him", is a lie. Natale was never a made man, and effectively bought his way into the mob.   Joey Merlino essentially used Ralph Natale as a front boss, and ran the family from behind Natale, an assertion Natale is going to say wasn't true.  Merlino realized early on until Stanfa was arrested, that he needed someone to take the heat off of him and Natale was the man for the job.

Where the rub comes in, is that Merlino played Natale like a fiddle.  He allowed Natale to take the heat.  Remember, Natale brought in Ron Previte, a former cop, who wore a wiretap for years, and tried desperately to tape Merlino and failed on every level.  It was Natale who brought Previte into the mix.  NOT MERLINO.  Merlino never trusted Previte.  But more on that at another time.

Joey Merlino

Natale met Joey Merlino in prison. They shared a cell in Erie, Pa.  The commonality between the two was that both loathed Nicodemo Scarfo.  They both had a valid axe to grind against Scarfo.  For Merlino he was irate that Nicodemo had busted down his father Salvatore "Chuckie" Merlino from Underboss to Soldier, and Natale was irate that Scarfo had stolen Natale's illegal rackets and proceeds and not bothered to support his family.(there we go again with the "support excuse").  Natale felt that with Merlino he had some seniority and respect, which I think was more at face value than anything, but regardless he thought he could align himself with Merlino and come out and take over in Philadelphia, giving the young turks some leadership.

As Merlino prepared to exit prison, Scarfo had been sent away and John Stanfa had taken over the reigns as boss, which didn't sit well with Natale or Merlino.  It wouldn't take long for Stanfa to go away, and Natale would take over as boss for Philadelphia, however, that was more of a facade than anything because guys still got whacked in Philadelphia without Natale's approval, and monies from illegal rackets were given to Merlino, NOT NATALE.  So the idea somehow that Natale believes he was in charge, and continues to say that, is pretty funny.  If the case were the opposite, do you really think Natale would stand by and allow Merlino to direct things without any punishment? Nope, in the grand scheme of things Joey Merlino would have been killed in the streets.

One of the essential reasons why Natale ended up getting rearrested for narcotics trafficking is because he wasn't making any money, and felt that he needed to profit more from illegal activities and provide more for his girlfriend.  Another reason that proves he was not "in control" of the Philadelphia mafia. Natale was left out of the majority of rackets, decisions and transactions and as a result decided he would push some weight, got caught, and when he realized he was looking at a life term, decided to flip instead.  If he had a single reason to be upset, it was because he wasn't smart enough to see it for what it was.  Joey needed a front guy, someone to take the heat away from him, and it completely worked.  In fact, Joey wasn't convicted of anything Natale said, especially not the murders that Natale tried to lay claim to.  Previte on the other hand helped get Joey found guilty and sentenced.

The bottom line in all of this, is that Ralph Natale purchased his way into the mafia.  Joey allowed it, which was a mistake in many ways, but it also allowed Joey to run Philadelphia while cloaked by the delusional Ralph Natale.  Natale didn't make any decisions in the family.  It was Joey who made the decisions and collected the profits.  Natale was able to have the appearance of "being someone" in that life which is what he always wanted.  Joey on the other hand was able to move around and stayed relatively off the radar for a few years.

Ralph Natale, is a liar. He was a nobody in that life, and has tried really hard to make himself out to be someone he never was, never will be.  I cannot speak specifically about his book, because I refuse to read it. However what I can speak about and what I am speaking about is the sewage that came out of his mouth on FOX 29.  Bravado, lies and delusions.  The guy has a right to make money all day long, but the fact is, Ralph Natale was a zero, Merlino knew it, and capitalized on it.