Trouble could be brewing for former high level South Philly Mob associate Daniel D’Ambrosia, who was once tied to an alleged plot to kill the hierarchy of the Philadelphia Mob years ago.
D’Ambrosia was hit with five counts of wire fraud, two counts of bankruptcy fraud and two counts of attempting to evade federal taxes in a 22-page superseding indictment filed in Philadelphia recently, his lawyer confirmed.
On Tuesday, D’Ambrosia appeared before federal Magistrate David R. Strawbridge. He entered a plea of not guilty to all of the charges in the indictment, according to court records.
Sources identify D’Ambrosia as a one time high level South Philly gambling and loansharking associate who was allegedly tied to a bizarre plan to kill the top three members of the Philly Mob back almost two decades ago. He was never charged in that investigation. D’Ambrosia reportedly had close ties to former Mob Boss and government cooperator Ralph Natale back in the late 90s.
Back in 2001, D’Ambrosia was indicted in North Jersey along with Philadelphia Mob Boss Joey Merlino. Court records say in November 2001 he plead guilty to racketeering conspiracy and admitted to running a major sports book making operation. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison in June 2002.
The alleged plot to kill the three high ranking Philly wiseguys reportedly had the approval of three New York Crime Familes, according to government witness Pete “The Crumb” Caprio, who testified during a trial in 2012.
At that trial, Caprio testified that he and D’Ambrosia allegedly engineered a plot to kill acting Mob Boss Joseph “Uncle Joe” Ligambi, his underboss Steven Mazzone and acting consiglieri George Borgesi. Caprio testified the plan had the approval of the Gambino and Genovese Crime Familes in New York. He did not identify the third crime family involved from New York City.
The plan was reportedly put together in an attempt to make Caprio the new Boss of the Philly Mob. Caprio testified that his comrades and he had allegedly gone so far as to plan where to dump the bodies of Ligambi, Mazzone and Borgesi. Several landfills and construction sites were under discussion, he said.
The alleged plot included a plan to lure the three top ranking mobsters to a meeting in North Jersey. Caprio testified that he was arrested by federal authorities before the plan could be executed.
Former FBI Agent “Big Jack” Garcia testified at the 2012 trial of Ligambi and Borgesi that he was stumped to learn that D’Ambrosia wasn’t dead after being involved in the alleged plot. “He must have gotten a pass,” Garcia told jurors. “I don’t have any inside information as to why he had a pass, but he does.”
Sources and at least one federal wiretapped conversation recorded at a mob meeting in North Jersey indicates that at one point, D’Ambrosia’s father allegedly approached Ligambi at his South Philly Home worried about his son’s safety when he was released from prison.
On the tape Ligambi says D’Ambrosia father “comes over my house about three or four years ago. Said the FBI said you was gonna kill my son. He was telling me this on the steps. I said “what the f… you talkin about? Don’t ever come around this house again.” I mean that’s the kind of nuts you dealing with. Know what I mean.”
Danny D’Ambrosia is now charged with wire fraud, bankruptcy fraud and trying evade taxes in connection with two companies named in the indictment. One was Danco Painting LLC and the other was Jardel Construction and Consulting LLC, both headquartered according to city records, on South Chadwick Street in South Philly.
The indictment says at one point D’Ambrosia reported that Danco Painting had revenues of over $1 million in one year, then almost $700,000 in the following year.
The indictment alleges D’Ambrosia used some of the money from “the scheme” for personal items “including $3,000 to a plastic surgeon, $100,000 to a personal investment account, mortgage payments, car payments, insurance premiums and a hotel in Kissimmee, Florida”
Court documents indicate D’Ambrosia plead “not guilty” to the original criminal information in June and was released on $20,000 unsecured bond. He returned to federal magistrate court on the superseding indictment where he entered his not guilty plea.
