After 26 years behind bars, Nicholas “Nick The Greek” Vasiliades, is a free man, thanks to a break from Uncle Sam.
Bureau of Prison records show “The Greek” walked out of FCI Fairton in South Jersey on September 9th after more than two decades in the federal slammer.
Vasiliades was sentenced to life without parole for trafficking in methamphetamine or “speed” back in December of 1998.
Vasiliades reportedly suffers from several physical ailments. That apparently factored into his early release during the current Covid19 pandemic under the Cares Act, which expanded eligibility for early “compassionate” release .
The 66 year old Vasiliades, described as an “old hand” in Philadelphia’s drug trade, had three prior convictions. In 1996, he was named in a 56-count federal indictment, along with two members of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, as leaders of a conspiracy to sell 190 pounds of meth that authorities at the time said was worth over $2 million.
Authorities say the Philadelphia Mob, the local chapters of the Pagans Motorcycle Club and several experienced “Old Head” meth cooks joined forces in the 1980s and early 90s to produce and distribute the highly addictive drug across the region.
Several Mob cooperators have said the local Mob routinely charged a “street tax” on meth sales and on P2P, the precursor used to manufacture the drug.
The Greek born, U.S. citizen plead guilty in 1997 after he made overtures to federal prosecutors about cooperating with investigators. But prosecutors told Vasiliades’ sentencing judge, James T. Giles, he failed to provide any substantial help to investigators and deserved no mercy, according to published reports at the time.
Daily News Reporter Jim Smith quoted Vasiliades at sentencing, “I really thought something good was going to happen to me today.” He told the judge he was “in shock” over the sentence.
Vasiliades lived in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia and allegedly ran a well armed drug conspiracy from there. He was charged along with 14 other defendants.
When authorities raided various locations back in 1996, they seized 50 guns, including semi-automatic weapons, silencers and over 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
Investigators said the defendants ran a nearby meth lab in a Roxborough warehouse leased by Vasiliades that was capable of producing 50 pounds of meth a week. Several defendants agreed to testify against “The Greek” before he decided to plead guilty.
The president of the Delaware County chapter of the Pagans Motorcycle Club, Charles “McNut” McKnight, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in the drug conspiracy.
The indictment charged that Eugene Muzychka of Philadelphia manufactured the meth for Vasiliades and was paid approximately $330,000.
The indictment also charges that “The Greek” pocketed $585,000 from the drug scheme.
Vasiliades is expected to return to the Philadelphia area.
He was housed in the Federal Correctional Institution at Fairton along with such notable organized crime figures as Louis “Bobby” Manna, and Nicodemo Scarfo Jr., son of deceased former Philly Mob Boss Nicky Scarfo.
The 55 yr old Scarfo Junior isn’t scheduled to be released from prison until 2037 for his role in the multi-million dollar First Plus Financial scam.
Manna, 90, a New Jersey wiseguy, was the former consigliere for the Genovese Crime Family. He was recently moved FMC Rochester, New York. His released date is set for 2054.
