Ralph Samuel Natale (6 March 1935 — 22 January 2022) was the boss of the Philadelphia crime family from 1994 to 1999, succeeding John Stanfa and preceding Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino. He became a government witness in 1999, and would later go into the Witness Protection Program.
Biography[]
Born in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to an Italian family in 1935, Natale became associated with the Philadelphia crime family, being mentored by mobster Felix "Skinny Razor" DiTullio, and he also got close with boss Angelo Bruno. Since the 1960s, Natale acted as Bruno's liaison with the Teamsters Union, and served as president of Bartenders Union Local 170. In the 1970s, he assisted Bruno in taking over casinos in Atlantic City. In 1979, Natale was first sentenced to 12 years in prison for arson, then given an additional 15 years in 1980 for drug trafficking, which amounted to a 27-year sentence. While he was imprisoned at various different facilities, the Philadelphia Mafia would enter a period of dramatic change and instability; Bruno was murdered in 1980, his successor Philip Testa was himself killed a year later, and Little Nicky Scarfo's subsequent reign saw a multitude of killings occur.
In 1990, while in custody at FCI McKean, Natale met Joey Merlino, an up-and-coming associate in the Philadelphia family. Together, they conspired to take over the family once they were both released, seizing it from unpopular Sicilian-born boss John Stanfa. Natale also got acquainted with many of Merlino's associates, a group of mobsters dubbed the "Young Turks". From prison, Natale would give the Young Turks orders about killing a number of Stanfa's subordinates to weaken his ranks. Stanfa and nearly all of his remaining top associates were arrested in 1994, the same year Natale was released from prison on parole, and after they were sentenced in 1995, Merlino and Natale took control over the family. Natale was given the boss title and Merlino became his underboss, but in reality, Merlino was the one who really controlled the organization, using Natale as a tool to insulate himself from criminal activities. Their relationship became strained because of conflicting interests, and Natale was always under constant surveillance by law enforcement.
In June 1998, Natale was imprisoned for violating his parole, and during his absence, Merlino took his place, neglecting to care for Natale's family or his mistress as was custom. He was struck with drug charges in September 1999 as a result of the cooperation of mob enforcer Ron Previte, and, angered and feeling betrayed by Merlino, decided to cooperate himself, becoming the first sitting boss in American Mafia history to do so. He testified against Merlino in court in 2001, and he was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Natale was once again arrested for narcotics trafficking in 2005 and given 13 years. He served six, being released in 2011 and going into the Witness Protection Program. In 2017, he published his memoirs. Natale died in Witness Protection in 2022 at age 86.