Nicky Scarfo Jr., Salvatore Pelullo Appear in Court

and Salvatore Pelullo were among a group of defendants who went before a federal judge in Camden on Friday afternoon, Jan. 20.

Scarfo, of Galloway Township, and Pelullo were among 13 who were arrested on racketeering charges in November of last year.

No trial date was set at Friday’s Status Update Conference, but the next conference was set for March 9, said Matthew Reilly, deputy public affairs officer at the United States Attorney’s Office/District of New Jersey.

Reilly said the discussion at Friday’s conference before Judge Robert Kugler centered on discovery, meaning the sides exchanged evidence to be used in the upcoming trial. The proceedings lasted about an hour and 15 minutes.

Scarfo, who was arrested at his home in Galloway on Nov. 1, faces 25 counts, each one carrying with it anywhere between a five-year and 30-year maximum jail sentence. The group also faces charges surrounding an alleged illegal takeover of the publicly traded company, FirstPlus Financial Group.

Scarfo, a member of the Lucchese Family of La Costa Nostra, and Pelullo, an associate of the Lucchese and Philadelphia La Costra Nostra families, were indicted on charges of including securities fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, extortion, interstate travel in aid of racketeering and money laundering, and obstruction of justice.

Scarfo's wife, Lisa Murray-Scarfo was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and making false loan statements on a loan application in securing a fraudulent mortgage to purchase a $715,000 house with funds from the racketeering enterprise's criminal activity.

Scarfo's father, Nicodemo Scarfo Sr., and Vittorio Amuso are also named in the indictment, as unindicted co-conspirators. Scarfo Sr. is the imprisoned former boss of Philadelphia La Costra Nostra, and Amuso is the imprisoned former boss of the Lucchese Family.

Nine other defendants have also been charged with racketeering conspiracy, including securities and fraud conspiracy, wire fraud and other offenses, although not all 13 defendants are still involved in the case, according to Reilly.