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Ralph Natale

Updated: 12/10/2025, 4:35:56 PM Wikipedia source

Ralph Samuel Natale (March 6, 1935 – January 22, 2022) was an American mobster. He was the boss of the Philadelphia crime family from 1995 until 1999, when he became the first American Mafia boss to turn state's evidence. Natale helped convict Joey Merlino in 2001, but in January 2005, was also sentenced for racketeering, receiving a 13-year sentence. He was released in May 2011 and entered the witness protection program.

Infobox

Born
(1935-03-06)March 6, 1935South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died
January 22, 2022(2022-01-22) (aged 86)Turnersville, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation
Crime boss
Spouse
Lucy Natale
Children
6
Allegiance
Philadelphia crime family
Convictions
Arson (1979)Drug trafficking (1980)Racketeering (2005)
Criminal penalty
12 years' imprisonment15 years' imprisonment13 years' imprisonment

Tables

· References
Preceded byJohn Stanfa
Preceded byJohn Stanfa
American Mafia
Preceded byJohn Stanfa
American Mafia
Philadelphia crime familyBoss 1995–1999
American Mafia
Succeeded byJoey Merlino
American Mafia
Preceded byJohn Stanfa
Philadelphia crime familyBoss 1995–1999
Succeeded byJoey Merlino

References

  1. Organized Crime in America: Hearings Before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, January 27, February 16, March 2 and 3, 1983
    https://books.google.com/books?id=4oxMIUskYbEC&dq=Ralph+Samuel+Natale&pg=PA189
  2. Philly.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20120915122136/http://articles.philly.com/2011-05-23/news/29574555_1_mob-boss-ralph-natale-antonio-tony-bananas-caponigro
  3. Los Angeles Times
    https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-04-mn-59280-story.html
  4. Last Don Standing: The Secret Life of Mob Boss Ralph Natale
    https://books.google.com/books?id=r9PrDAAAQBAJ&q=made
  5. Vice
    https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-story-of-the-first-mob-boss-to-turn-rat/
  6. The Trentonian
    https://web.archive.org/web/20171003225615/http://www.trentonian.com/article/20010331/TMP02/303319996
  7. "Mr. Bigmouth"
    https://archive.today/20130221232037/http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/032901/cb.citybeat.mob.shtml
  8. "Ralph Natale and the Decline of the Philly Mob"
    https://www.phillymag.com/news/2017/03/04/ralph-natale-last-don-standing/
  9. Courier-Post
    https://web.archive.org/web/20090105205327/http://www.southjerseynews.com/camden/m122200f.htm
  10. Caparella, Kitty. "Recalling A Bloody Hit". Philadelphia Daily News. April 24, 2001.
  11. Anastasia, George. "Mob Boss Natale Tells of 'Descent Into Hell'". Philadelphia Inquirer. March 31, 2001.
  12. My City Paper
    https://mycitypaper.com/articles/2005-01-27/cb2.shtml
  13. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/05/us/philadelphia-braces-for-increase-in-mob-violence.html
  14. The New York Times
    https://web.archive.org/web/20090413231924/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/22/us/jury-convicts-philadelphia-s-mob-leader.html
  15. "Stanfa given life term"
    https://www.upi.com/Archives/1996/07/09/Stanfa-given-life-term/5473836884800/
  16. The Last Gangster
    https://archive.org/details/lastgangsterfrom00anas_0/page/70
  17. "Who's the Boss?"
    https://archive.today/20130221085240/http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/032201/cb.citybeat.mob.shtml
  18. New York Times
    https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE5DB123AF935A35753C1A963958260
  19. Cherry Hills Media Group
    http://www.newjerseyhills.com/alleged-mobster-arrested-faces-murder-charges/article_96b3b68a-903a-598b-80d2-a1d8ba2f166a.html
  20. Chicago Tribune
    https://www.chicagotribune.com/1998/03/19/charged-with-planning-mob-hit-reputed-gangster-slain-on-street/
  21. "Hit Recordings"
    https://web.archive.org/web/20121209053858/http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/040501/cb.citybeat.mob.shtml
  22. Anastasia (2004), p. 337
  23. Anastasia (2004), p. 263
  24. The Washington Post
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27826-2005Jan21.html
  25. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/21/us/7-reputed-mafia-figures-are-acquitted-of-murder.html?scp=4&sq=ralph%20natale&st=cse
  26. The New York Times
    https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06EFDE163CF937A35751C1A9679C8B63
  27. washingtonpost.com
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2001/04/06/a-made-man-turns-into-star-witness/93c52103-ecdb-423e-a2c5-ac801939c536/
  28. Philly.com
    https://web.archive.org/web/20121111161607/http://articles.philly.com/2011-09-02/news/30106310_1_ralph-natale-joseph-skinny-joey-merlino-philadelphia-mob
  29. Philadelphia Daily News
    http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillygossip/Mob-boss-turned-rat-Ralph-Natale-working-on-a-memoir.html
  30. Variety
    https://variety.com/2016/film/news/frank-grillo-ralph-natale-last-don-standing-1201916361/
  31. Deadline
    https://deadline.com/2016/11/frank-grillo-ralph-natale-last-don-standing-movie-philadelphia-mob-boss-1201852887/
  32. "Last Don Standing No More: One-Time Philly Mob Boss Ralph Natale Dies At 86, Was First Sitting Godfather To Join Team U.S.A."
    https://gangsterreport.com/last-don-standing-no-more-one-time-philly-mob-boss-ralph-natale-dies-at-86-was-first-sitting-godfather-to-join-team-u-s-a/
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